Canberra: Where it's mate against mate...forever!

The lads of Canberra, mates, Aussie till the end can continue to look forward to playing against their mates in the Kanga Cup, next week at 10 and then every year thru to 18 and then continue to play against their mates in the local leagues and maybe one day in the local Premier League, and then the lower leagues as they get older and finally again in the Masters.

We really are the epitome of mate against mate.

While Canberra waits for a decision on it's A-League bid, once again our Young boys have missed out on further development.

The FFA have announced the AIS will play in this year's Hyundai A-League Youth League. No that's not a Canberra team, merely a team with the best players in Australia playing in Canberra!

But surely a Canberra team, with a squad of 20 players from Canberra and the region could have got into the League by now.

We got a Women's team in so we know how to work with the FFA!

John Mitchell nearly got the nod last year, when he reached out to Wellington Phoenix, themselves in need of a Youth team or that should be STILL in need of a Youth team, but that was blocked. Nice try John, but maybe too visionary!

Indeed the recent review of Canberra football identified clearly the missing pathways for our players. It compared them to the Brumbies and showed our players had nowhere to go at any age.

You didn't have to pay for that advice did you?

Capital Football Board took up the reigns briefly but decided against joining or supporting a Phoenix proposal, or indeed a Canberra FC proposal or any proposal. And don't seem to have revisited the idea or have anything significant in place for this age group.

And still the youth of Canberra flounder, running around in the local Premier League losing further ground behind a player training and playing in the Youth League, or running off to other Club's in other States desperate for trials...at what cost?

And what now for our 17 and 18 year olds?

While everyone waits for a Canberra A-League team, will it be a panecea for all our ills? No! And god help our kids if we don't get a team because there is nothing else in the pipeline it seems.

Even the cashed up Gold Coast and new Townsville side haven't got a Youth team yet so one would expect a Canberra Youth side would have to wait even further should we get a team in.

The Youth side should have been a priority for Capital Football, by hook or by crook over the last couple of years and then handed over to an A-League side if and when it was admitted and could be financially sustained.

Why it hasn't been is beyond me. Has it even been considered?
What's the plan if the Canberra A-League bid is rejected. Has anyone heard it? There must be one right?

When will we see some, if any progress, for our Youth(boys).

Or do we just have to wait for an A-League team and then maybe in a further two or three years we might get a Youth team.

Clearly if ANU, or Canberra FC can do it then we should let them. Or any other private group.

Because Capital Football and it's Board clearly don't have the desire, or the funds to pull this one off. And why should they?

They have enough to do in my view, and running a club side is beyond most local administrations. They should empower others to get on with it and now!

For now all our best 18 years olds can do to hold onto any possible football dream is to move from Canberra as quick as possible.

Set themselves up in another city at 18, and hope to get a gig at an A-League side or try and win a contract through some TV show. Not really a great outcome for out huge junior player base is it.

I hope I'm wrong on this but Plan B needed and now!

With so many boys playing in the Kanga Cup this week, we need to be demanding progress possibilities for our boys.

A Youth team
A NSW Premier League team, or even two.

These are bigger priorities, to me, for Capital Football than the review of the local Premier League.

Is the best our boys can do is play football in the Canberra incubator, locked away from the real world.

Mate against mate....forever!