FFA: Aussie kids are ours...all ours.

A-League Clubs to strengthen?

The FFA have taken another hold on the future of football by effectively barring players from running overseas below the age of 18, in line with FIFA regulations.

Why this hasn't been in place earlier? Clearly the FFA haven't had the funds to police it. They do now. This from the SMH.

A player under 18 can move abroad only if his parents accompany him to his new club "for reasons not linked to football" - a grey area that can be exploited if a national association is not inclined to investigate too thoroughly before issuing an International Transfer Certificate.

In the past, the FFA might have been accused of being less than vigilant, but not any more.


Players need FFA international clearance, they'll no longer get it unless they can show they are going to live as a family for reasons other than football.

Which means all players will stay in Australia, trials aside, until they are 18 which is great for the promotion of the game to our youth who are still so focused on going overseas they forget that the best pathway in almost all cases is to show you can star in the A-League before you go o/s.

And God help the money-raking playing "Academies," who are desperate to take our 12,13, 14, 15 and 16 year olds overseas..for whose benefit?

To succeed from Australia: Think Bruce Djite, Nathan Burns, James Holland, Ben Kantarvoski, Mark Viduka, Brett Emerton, Nicky Carle, and Jason Culina

For the other way..think Nicky Rizzo, James McMaster, Scott Jamieson, not to mention the hundred players playing in some micky mouse English lower league who you've probably never heard of.