A-League Matures? Pre-Season comp dumped

Time for FFA to bring two overseas clubs to play a pre-season tournament?

Pre-Season competition is dumped, but what will fill it? And why the late notice from the FFA?

Is it merely, as I suspect, a cost-reduction exercise for the clubs as an extended season awaits or do we have a real plan?

A showcase four team pre-season competition would be nice. Two A-League and two foreign clubs....and maybe inclusion of some State Premier League teams in regional four team competitions.


I can't say the Pre-Season competition did anything for me. And with only eight teams playing a Pre-Season competition against each other, hardly exciting five years on...was it?

Still with ten teams now in the league perhaps there are better ways and certainly that is what the clubs are demanding. There own schedules or maybe there own budget control.

Of course taking the games to the regional areas was a highlight....although Canberra didn't get a game last year. We got a Pre-Season, Pre-Season Cup game.... even less meaningful.

So with Asian tours for Townsville, Gold Coast, Perth and co and Wolves, Celtic, Fulham, Sunderland all touted as possible friendlies for Perth, Brisbane, and Sydney that still leaves a lot of pre-season games to be arranged..and that's assuming the above come off.

And as for Wellington who will they play? A couple of local Kiwi sides. No preparation is it?

I'm glad the Pre-Season Competition is gone...but how will the clubs at the end of the planet get sufficient quality friendlies.

I suspect there will be a mixture of Asian tours, less European visits than talked about so far, and a large number of inter-league games probably taken to regional centres but with even less at stake than less time.

Don't expect the crowds to rise for the pre-season games from here on in, unless overseas clubs visit, but maybe that doesn't matter.

So why not invite a couple of guest local clubs to play in a tournament.

Melbourne, Adelaide United could join to play South Melbourne or Adelaide City.

Sydney and Central Coast could take on Manly United or Belconnen United.

I'm sure the FFA have a plan...let's hear it..hopefully today, when the draw is out.