futuremelvicstar
August 2nd, 2006, 10:52 AM
A-League shoots for improved on-field quality
August 2, 2006 - 1:01AM
The combined success of the inaugural A-League season and the Socceroos' dream World Cup run has made Football Federation Australia's job a whole lot easier this year, says competition boss Matt Carroll.
It is just under four weeks from A-League kick-off and the pre-season is in full swing, attracting both media interest and crowds of up to 7000 at venues like Carrara Stadium in Canberra.
But this time last year Carroll, A-League Head of Operations at the FFA, said he had to not only convince people the new competition was worthwhile but that football itself was worth a second look.
"We don't have to ... justify the credibility of the game, following on from last year's successes of the A-League and the Socceroos at the World Cup," Carroll told AAP.
"The game now has that mainstream acceptance.
"We are capitalising on that, in that we don't have as much work in getting that acceptance, now what we are really doing is promoting the league."
Carroll said the FFA was focused on cranking up the promotion of the A-League as it entered its second edition, with the aim of topping 15,000 average attendance at matches from around 10,000 last season.
With pre-season crowds up on last year and season ticket and membership sales already outstripping numbers sold over the whole of last season, Carroll was confident that target would be met.
The FFA hopes clubs with the biggest home grounds - Sydney's Aussie Stadium and Queensland's Suncorp Stadium - hit 25,000 in the next two to five years while a 10,000 average would be a success for smaller grounds, such as Perth's Members Equity Stadium.
FFA chief executive John O'Neill has identified improving on-field quality as vital for the A-League if it was to continue attracting crowds and sponsors.
He recently suggested a repatriation fund to help domestic clubs lure senior Socceroos home to take advantage their newfound star status.
But Carroll said the current state of the head body's finances meant that such a fund could not be the main thrust of the FFA's efforts to boost the level of competition.
"We're not endowed at this stage to go until a full-on repatriation scheme for the Socceroos," he said.
"Repatriation is just one aspect (of increasing on-field quality), it's not critical that that occurs in season 06/07.
"Would we like to be able to do more? Sure. We just can't afford it this stage."
Instead Carroll said that it would be exciting new players - homegrown, from Asia and South America - combined with better prepared coaches that would raise this season's A-League to a "far greater standard than last year".
Among the new recruits, Claudinho, Fred and Alessandro bring Brazilian flair to Melbourne while Queensland has just signed the 'Chinese David Beckham', Yuning Zhang.
A salary cap of $1.6 million is in place this year, increasing by $100,000 each year of the five-year club licences.
But Carroll did not rule out a review of the size, although not the existence, of the cap when those licenses expire.
Other potential innovations include microphones for the referee and assistants, and incorporating bonus points for high-scoring teams - as trialled in the pre-season cup bonus round this weekend - into next season's main competition.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/football/aleague-shoots-for-improved-onfield-quality/2006/08/02/1154198146661.html
August 2, 2006 - 1:01AM
The combined success of the inaugural A-League season and the Socceroos' dream World Cup run has made Football Federation Australia's job a whole lot easier this year, says competition boss Matt Carroll.
It is just under four weeks from A-League kick-off and the pre-season is in full swing, attracting both media interest and crowds of up to 7000 at venues like Carrara Stadium in Canberra.
But this time last year Carroll, A-League Head of Operations at the FFA, said he had to not only convince people the new competition was worthwhile but that football itself was worth a second look.
"We don't have to ... justify the credibility of the game, following on from last year's successes of the A-League and the Socceroos at the World Cup," Carroll told AAP.
"The game now has that mainstream acceptance.
"We are capitalising on that, in that we don't have as much work in getting that acceptance, now what we are really doing is promoting the league."
Carroll said the FFA was focused on cranking up the promotion of the A-League as it entered its second edition, with the aim of topping 15,000 average attendance at matches from around 10,000 last season.
With pre-season crowds up on last year and season ticket and membership sales already outstripping numbers sold over the whole of last season, Carroll was confident that target would be met.
The FFA hopes clubs with the biggest home grounds - Sydney's Aussie Stadium and Queensland's Suncorp Stadium - hit 25,000 in the next two to five years while a 10,000 average would be a success for smaller grounds, such as Perth's Members Equity Stadium.
FFA chief executive John O'Neill has identified improving on-field quality as vital for the A-League if it was to continue attracting crowds and sponsors.
He recently suggested a repatriation fund to help domestic clubs lure senior Socceroos home to take advantage their newfound star status.
But Carroll said the current state of the head body's finances meant that such a fund could not be the main thrust of the FFA's efforts to boost the level of competition.
"We're not endowed at this stage to go until a full-on repatriation scheme for the Socceroos," he said.
"Repatriation is just one aspect (of increasing on-field quality), it's not critical that that occurs in season 06/07.
"Would we like to be able to do more? Sure. We just can't afford it this stage."
Instead Carroll said that it would be exciting new players - homegrown, from Asia and South America - combined with better prepared coaches that would raise this season's A-League to a "far greater standard than last year".
Among the new recruits, Claudinho, Fred and Alessandro bring Brazilian flair to Melbourne while Queensland has just signed the 'Chinese David Beckham', Yuning Zhang.
A salary cap of $1.6 million is in place this year, increasing by $100,000 each year of the five-year club licences.
But Carroll did not rule out a review of the size, although not the existence, of the cap when those licenses expire.
Other potential innovations include microphones for the referee and assistants, and incorporating bonus points for high-scoring teams - as trialled in the pre-season cup bonus round this weekend - into next season's main competition.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/football/aleague-shoots-for-improved-onfield-quality/2006/08/02/1154198146661.html