Letter to Ben Buckley re grand final

[midfielder]

Today I sent the following letter to Ben Buckley and have also attached an auto reply from FFA and will advise if any more replies are received:

Dear Mr Ben Buckley

FFA

C/O -info@footballaustralia.com.au

I am a Mariner fan I fully except the decision made by Mark Shield in the grand final, as human errors occur and our game is such that the use of replays is difficult as were do you draw the line in the sand, i.e. in the six yard box or at half way and how far back in time can you go.

Football rightly I believe does not use replays just the officials on the field, the more critical question is having a successful season outcome, rather than a choke point in a single match. The problem as I see it is in playing a one match grand final and saying the winner is best team. There is no other code were the lesser team has a better change of winning than in football, not to mention on grand final day a team could be missing some key players.

I also understand for football to find its place in the Australian sporting market place it needs a final series to look like the other codes something of a catch 22.

The primary driver for my idea is with four Asian Champion league spots for Australia reported in the near future; football should have two separate competitions. The first as is played now over three rounds and this competition receiving 3 ACL spots. The second competition you need 16 teams we have I guess 10 if you assume GC & NT get in.

The second comp as I said 16 teams, first the 10 A-League and 6 FFA selected state teams (keeping out the mono ethnic clubs of the old NSL) say Canberra, Wollongong etc. Teams then drawn to play each other in a knock out comp in a home and away format. This comp to receive 1 champions league spot to the overall winner.

Thus

Weeks 1 & 2 from 16 teams to 8 teams
Weeks 3 & 4 from 8 teams to 4 teams
Weeks 5 & 6 from 4 Teams to 2 teams
Week 7 One off final

The existing final series has 6 weeks so timing is only one week longer and allows the introduction of six teams and six areas to the A-League FA cup style format.

This system is a tried and proven football system, just localised for Australian conditions

Look its not perfect, however at most levels the team winning the season is considered the best even in state football the teams that advance to the Champions of Champions are the season winning team not the grand final winning team.



In closing I would ask you to consider the above, and look forward to your reply.



Kind Regards



Auto reply from FFA
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Regards
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Football Federation Australia 

 

[skilbeck]

its a good format but I doubt itll happen

 

[loyalist]

i put it to you they won't contact you

 

[Kareem]

nice format except for one flaw. How could we ever let a State team go to ACL?
never!
and i know it is almost impossible but still possible!

 

[Pete]

nice format except for one flaw. How could we ever let a State team go to ACL?
never!
and i know it is almost impossible but still possible!

Why not? Doesn't the winner of the English FA Cup get to play in the next Euro? And that could be any team in the English Leagues, theoretically?

 

[Kareem]

I dunno!
Noone has done that since West Ham in 1980 (10 years b4 i was born).
Besides it is only a passport to UEFA cup not CL!

 

[skilbeck]

yep, the knockout is very rigorous in England. I think you have to last several qualifying rounds before you even play a good team (Conference or higher)

There will undoubtedlty be at 1-2 upsets a season with state league sides becoming "giant killers", but I dont think they would win the cup in the end. It will also somewhat boost the state leagues and give some of those players a day to prove themselves on the national stage and present a case for being picked up by an a-league side.

Yeah I only throught it was a UEFA cup spot though we dont seem to have an equivalent in Asia, with the AFC Cup being more like the UEFA Intertoto Cup

 

[midfielder]

its a good format but I doubt itll happen

Look I am hurting deep down very bad as most are. However to raise above those calling for Shields head and accept that a human error occured.

Remember the hand of God goal in the 86 world cup that knocked out the pommies. So it is a football thing, my idea well not actually mine as in every other football playing country they play first past the post.

Burt we need a final series so why not create a second comp, throw in a few selected state teams and say this is our final series and increase interest and coverage all at the same time.

To Kareem a state league side winning it would create so much goodwill I don't see a problem.

IMO a logical way of not letting anyone feel how I felt after the match still feeling today.

 

[Jimmy]

That'll go straight into his trashbox.

 

[Mancity]

The second comp as I said 16 teams, first the 10 A-League and 6 FFA selected state teams (keeping out the mono ethnic clubs of the old NSL)

I am not an ethnic, but if something like this were to happen and teams were excluded because they are a 'mono ethnic club of the old NSL' it would cause an uproar. You have to either play every team from the state league or play none at all.

 

[midfielder]

The second comp as I said 16 teams, first the 10 A-League and 6 FFA selected state teams (keeping out the mono ethnic clubs of the old NSL)

I am not an ethnic, but if something like this were to happen and teams were excluded because they are a 'mono ethnic club of the old NSL' it would cause an uproar. You have to either play every team from the state league or play none at all.

I don't think so, FFA could invite regional teams as part of a promotion or selectively select teams on the basic of possible expansion.

There are plenty to choose from Wagga, Canberra, Wollongong, Bathirst / Orange, Coffs Harbour, thats just some in NSW regional, Blacktown Demons to take on the AFL, not to hard if put together correctly IMO.

 

[kevrenor]

The second comp as I said 16 teams, first the 10 A-League and 6 FFA selected state teams (keeping out the mono ethnic clubs of the old NSL)

I am not an ethnic, but if something like this were to happen and teams were excluded because they are a 'mono ethnic club of the old NSL' it would cause an uproar. You have to either play every team from the state league or play none at all.

I don't think so, FFA could invite regional teams as part of a promotion or selectively select teams on the basic of possible expansion.

There are plenty to choose from Wagga, Canberra, Wollongong, Bathirst / Orange, Coffs Harbour, thats just some in NSW regional, Blacktown Demons to take on the AFL, not to hard if put together correctly IMO.

Watch out Marconi_girl will get you!

I'm sure Lawrie would like to coach, and Danny would love to play against their old teams - Sydney United and Bonnyrigg White Eagles!

 

[midfielder]

Let me name them, South Melbourne, Melbourne Knights, Sydney Olympic, Marconi, Sydney united and Bonnyrigg White Eagles.

I feel a bit for South Melbourne & Marconi, as they were starting to change there ways but never fully and only towards the end. Before everone tells me that Graham Arnold & Robbie Slatter came through Sydney United and how wonderful they were I ask only one question.

What do you want NSL 2005 or A-League 2007/08, Socceroos 2004 and prior and Socceroos 2005 to now.

We can never let those teams back within a number of years. However I was more refering to regional state teams like Wagga, Bathurst / Orange, Coffs Harbour etc essentially we have a team in Horbart if there judged good enough and grow six regions over time as loving and watching there football

 

[loyalist]

i want nsl mid 80's plz

 

[serious14]

South Melbourne vs. Melbourne Knights in the FFA Cup Final for the win.......

Or either or those two to play the Victory.  ;D ;D ;D

 

[midfielder]

Better still in the semi final Match 1 Sydney United V Bonnyrigg White Eagles.
                                    Match 2 South Melbourne vs. Melbourne Knights

                                    Final  Melbourne Knights V Bonnyrigg White Eagles

 

[BrisRecky]

That'll go straight into his trashbox.

I'm with Jimmy, that letter was a delete key victim, I can see the reasons you put it together....but Buckleys gives less than half a flyspeck of crap about what a normal ticket buying punter thinks...methinks

 

[kevrenor]

The second comp as I said 16 teams, first the 10 A-League and 6 FFA selected state teams (keeping out the mono ethnic clubs of the old NSL)

I am not an ethnic, but if something like this were to happen and teams were excluded because they are a 'mono ethnic club of the old NSL' it would cause an uproar. You have to either play every team from the state league or play none at all.

I don't think so, FFA could invite regional teams as part of a promotion or selectively select teams on the basic of possible expansion.

There are plenty to choose from Wagga, Canberra, Wollongong, Bathirst / Orange, Coffs Harbour, thats just some in NSW regional, Blacktown Demons to take on the AFL, not to hard if put together correctly IMO.

The more letters written to the FFA by fans the better ... water on a rock sort of thing and many of you are young enough to see some effect

I strongly support a KO Cup with a long lead in with amateur and state league (such as the Tiger Turf Cup in NSW), then bring in the HAL teams.  But any criteria other than win and you go through just totally devalues the concept.

I think it is time for the once useful but basically nonsense idea of 'old soccer' to go in the dust bin of history.

Do you actually watch any state league?

 

[midfielder]

Kev

We agree on most points and I understand what you mean that everybody should get a chanceBUT.the mono ethnic sides of the NSL, did a lot of harm, and there spots have faded (due to a lack of influence) not gone.

I cannot see the FFA giving any of these clubs even a sniff of ever getting back into the limelight.

But I still want my KO comp. Not an easy decision, unless there is some way to either ban them, or place so many rules on them they are bound to break one and kick them out.

Do you have any ideas because as sure as night follows day if those clubs have a chance of getting back in FFA will not run with it, as I said my idea is to selectively select teams / or regions.

My list of 9 three to be excluded

Dandenong              Vic
Waga                      NSW
Canberra                  NSW
Wokkongong            NSW
Bathurst / Orange      NSW
Coff Harbour            NSW
Horbart                    Tasie
Mckay                      Old
Darwin                      NT

 

[kevrenor]

My list of 9 three to be excluded

Dandenong              Vic    - Nearest high level club is Springvale White Eagles (Serbian)
Wagga                    NSW  - Local league stuff, probably not up the CC PL
Canberra                  NSW  - Now you are are talking but could be Canberra Deakin (Croat)
Wollongong            NSW  - Good level but last years IPL Premiers - Albion Park White Eagles (have a guess what nationality?)
Bathurst / Orange      NSW - Bathurst 75 are in the same league as Penang FC
Coff Harbour            NSW - good comp but still local league level
Hobart                    Tassie - not sure of standard
Mackay                      Qld  -  not sure of standard but local league probably
Darwin                      NT  - good comp but not state league level

Nice idea ... but pie in the sky stuff!

You would be better just letting the existing state competitions sort it out .. my view anyway

FFA needs to move on!