Football Federation Australia's "failure to have bye weekends around international fixtures" may be compromising the integrity of the A-League, according to Michael Lynch of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Wellington Phoenix will be the "hardest hit by the lack of a bye round," with four players missing from the team's opening A-League clash with Melbourne City on Saturday. Melbourne City will also be without Tim Cahill, its star off-season recruit, who is on Socceroos duty, and New Zealand int'l Marco Rojas will not be able to play for Melbourne Victory in its "difficult season-opener away to Brisbane Roar." Invariably, the int'l window "clashes with the opening of the A-League season and often has a major impact throughout the season." Many within the game "believe that teams that are disadvantaged by losing players should be allowed to cancel matches or that the FFA should go further and simply reschedule the entire round when it clashes with World Cup qualifiers" or other int'l games. It is "a clash between commercial obligations, TV demands, sponsor requirements and the integrity of the competition, and there is no simple answer." Australian players' union Professional Footballers Australia CEO John Didulica said, "It is a difficult situation to resolve as there are major issues involved. Everyone wants the season to start with a bang, especially as it's one of the times when there is clear air following the NRL and AFL grand finals and soccer can take the center stage. But at the same time there have to be issues around the integrity of the competition." The FFA said that "its hands are tied at the moment because of existing broadcast deals with Fox Sports, which require weekend content throughout the season." There are also "major issues with ground availability." If the season was delayed further "for catch-up rounds it would go deeper into May and thus impinge more deeply" into the National Rugby League, Super Rugby and Australian Football League seasons (SMH, 10/3).
