The "cold war" between Football Federation Australia and A-League clubs has "intensified with a new row threatening the distribution of TV money that keeps the clubs afloat," according to Tom Smithies of the Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH. FFA "threatened to withhold its quarterly payout to clubs" unless they all signed an agreement "effectively accepting" a A$3.55M ($2.8M) grant for next season. Though the agreement is a standard guarantee that commits the clubs to meeting player-payment obligations, the A-League owners are "engaged in a furious stand-off over how much they will get from FFA next season." At one point last week, the clubs were told the "latest portion of the grant would be withheld" unless they agreed to sign the agreement. Eventually the money was paid. FFA CEO David Gallop said, "FFA has provided the A-League clubs with funding to invest in football and we would like them to return the undertaking that they sign every year which confirms that they will use the money in that way." FFA told the clubs the figure of A$3.55M is the "most it can afford," but the clubs "insist the rise in the cap, plus mandated spending on the W-League and other costs, mean the increase is immediately accounted for." The new row comes after FFA "rejected a demand from the clubs to be allowed to view the governing body’s accounts in detail" (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 7/19).
