Football Federation Australia CEO David Gallop has given "the strongest indication yet of a substantial shift in the policy" on A-League expansion, indicating it "will come sooner rather than later," according to Ray Gatt of THE AUSTRALIAN. Gallop used Tuesday's official launch of the 12th season of the A-League "to suggest FFA wanted the expansion of the competition from 10 to 12 teams" to come "relatively quickly" -- something that "goes against previous suggestions from the head body that it would take at least four years." He also said that having promotion and relegation was "the ultimate prize," though he was "at pains to say that before that or expansion could happen," the A-League needed to be stabilized. Gallop: "Football is rightfully ambitious. It is sometimes restless about the future. Ten teams is not enough. Expansion will come sooner rather than later. ... But for now it is about growing the commercial pie. We have some big deals ahead and they are our priority" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 10/5). In Sydney, Michael Lynch reported Gallop "acknowledges that the demand for radical change" can no longer be ignored. But he cannot, or will not, "give any commitments, including a timetable, to major renovation of the A-League until he knows how much cash is in the broadcasting kitty," money that is "desperately needed to underwrite" the existing A-League clubs. Gallop: "The ultimate prize of promotion and relegation will happen in Australian football, but there's a lot more that needs to happen before we sensibly move to promotion and relegation. I think with the introduction of the NPL system and the FFA Cup you can see that deliberate steps have been made to close the gap between the A-League and the rest of the game." Gallop stressed that there were "other jobs that needed to be done first." He said, "Sustainability into the existing 10 clubs, moving to a 12-team competition, investing in the tier below through things like the NPL and FFA Cup and ultimately moving to a situation where promotion and relegation can happen." Some will argue that Gallop's "vague assurances" of a bigger, more incentivized league are "merely motherhood statements designed to shut down the advocates of radical change," critics who are gaining wider traction in the mainstream media. But the FFA boss said that he is serious, pointing out that research work has been done on "establishing where the best places for expansion would be;" existing population bases, cities or towns that are likely to have relatively quick success in being established and be in areas where FFA's commercial and broadcast partners "are going to see a benefit" (SMH, 10/4).
NOT GOING ANYWHERE: ABC NEWS' Frank Ienco reported the comments "come at a time where some clubs have protested a lack of influence," but Gallop is "not ready pass on control of the sport's premier competition." He said, "A fully separate A-League is not on our agenda at the moment." The A-League launch was attended by the captains of the 10 clubs, and Newcastle Jets defender Nigel Boogaard "is bullish about the sport's prospects." Boogaard: "I think it's (the A-League) been progressing well over the 12 years, obviously (I've) been around since the start, so seen it at its infancy and where it's at now" (ABC NEWS, 10/4). The AAP reported Gallop said that the first step was "securing a new TV deal." FFA will test the market in the coming months after the exclusive negotiating period with current rights holders Fox Sports expired at the end of September. Free-to-air networks Seven, Nine and Ten are all said to be interested, "while the governing body would welcome the inclusion" of new English Premier League rights owners Optus and beIN Sports in "any bidding war." Gallop "stopped short of confirming FFA's ambitious target" of A$80M ($61M) a year -- double that of the current deal -- still stood (AAP, 10/4).
