A-League golf equipment will lastly face the specter of relegation as soon as a brand new nationwide second division competitors – mooted to start out subsequent 12 months – has “matured”.
Football Australia introduced on Friday it had formally begun the method of making a “national second-tier men’s competition” and for it to start in March 2024.
The competitors will comprise of 10 to 16 groups who will play a season starting from 24 to 36 video games.
“Developing a national second-tier competition is a key component of our 15-year vision for the game and our efforts to reconnect and realign Australian football competitions,” FA chief govt officer James Johnson mentioned.
“Australian football has gone on a journey of transformation over the last two years, and this is the latest example of us bringing our vision for the game to life.
“With football booming in Asia, our national teams competing strongly on the world stage and as the largest team participation base in Australian sport, this is the right time to create a national second tier.”
Successful candidates will enter a “club participation agreement” requiring them to supply year-long skilled contracts to gamers, make use of full-time employees, present and discover a “development pathway” and have entry to a “suitable, high-quality match-day facility 12 months of the year”.
While promotion and relation between the nationwide second division would appear unlikely to happen right away, an FA assertion mentioned it could be “considered” as soon as the brand new competitors was “mature”.
Calls for a nationwide second division, and subsequent promotion to and from the A-League, have been in existence for a number of years to make sure mediocrity and poor type within the high flight doesn’t escape unpunished.
FA has additionally safeguarded in opposition to an absence of curiosity or appropriate candidates by proposing an alternate possibility of a “group-based” competitors involving profitable groups from NPL state competitions.
However, Johnson was assured of a bunch of golf equipment being .
“In 2022, we did extensive financial and competition modelling followed by a series of consultations with clubs and other stakeholders across the game,” he mentioned.
“We know from this process that there is a lot of interest in a national second tier, so we expect that we will receive a strong number of responses.”
Last 12 months, 30 Association of Australian Football golf equipment expressed curiosity in taking part in a nationwide second division.
They included former National Soccer League golf equipment Adelaide City, Marconi, South Melbourne, Sydney United, Sydney Olympic and APIA Leichhardt.
“Some of these clubs have a rich history in Australian football and aspire to grow and compete at a national level,” Johnson mentioned.
“The national second tier will now provide a platform for these aspirational clubs to be a part of a connected football pyramid for the long term.”
Originally printed as National second division competitors mooted to start out in March 2024
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au