J.League Managing Dir Daisuke Nakanishi will sign a formal partnership with the A-League "to develop concepts, exchange expertise and strengthen ties," according to Michael Cockerill of THE AGE. Last season, for the first time, the J.League "ran a finals series, and now Nakanishi is hooked." Football Federation Australia Head of Int'l Relations Mark Falvo said, "They've been across here a few times studying how we conduct our finals system. They've obviously got the same system now in Japan, and I think they're pretty happy with how things have worked out." So, too, "is the FFA." As the A-League "starts to look beyond the horizon and develop strategies for the long-term, there's no better role model than Japan." The day after the grand final, the A-League and the J.League will sign a Memorandum of Understanding "to see what other mutual benefits a closer relationship can bring." It is "the first time the A-League has signed an official partnership with another Asian league." Iran could be next, but right now "Japan is the perfect place to start." There are "many facets to the MoU, but undoubtedly the most imaginative is a joint marquee fund." As both competitions "struggle to compete -- or simply don't want to compete -- with the extraordinary sums being paid by the UAE, Qatar and China for big-name foreigners, they're looking at joining forces." Falvo said, "The idea is to co-invest in players and share them across the two leagues." Other plans for the MoU "include coaching exchanges, administrator exchanges, youth tournaments, leveraging football for closer bi-lateral governmental relations and -- significantly -- joint promotions when Australian and Japanese clubs play each other in the Asian Champions League" (THE AGE, 4/24).
