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Local players at the top level

VicMariner

Well-Known Member
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2015/01/26/how-league-would-look-local-players-only

How the A-League would look with local players only


Interesting exercise but when they get to the Mariners:
"Not enough players to fill a team"

Probably stating the obvious but it would be good if there were more Coasties making the step up. Might even drive up crowds.

Newcastle has enough, why is the CC lagging behind?
Population is similar, no?
Would more local players see a meaningful increase in interest from locals?
 

dibo

Well-Known Member
Someone who knows the recent history of players in/around CC rep programs going back to Lightning and Coasties etc. might be able to ID some players who are actually ours but missed in this list.

In Zdrilic's analysis, Newcastle would get to draw from all of NNSW, and the two Sydney sides get to draw from all of FNSW bar the Central Coast, so there are ~50,000 players between Lake Macquarie and the Qld border that are considered 'locals' for Newcastle, and 150,000 odd players in Sydney for the Sydney sides to claim, whereas we've got ~13,000 players in total.

Our participation base is dwarfed by NNSW and the rest of FNSW. Counting all of NSW, we're ~13,000 players in a pool of around 250,000. Obviously with our proximity to Sydney and Newcastle we'll actually draw from both.

Nevertheless, we've really struggled to offer pathways to the top junior competitions - the top junior reps have struggled to get into and stay in the top flight, and the seniors have barely ever been in the top flight, so kids playing for their hometown club aren't playing against the top players.

That does damage over time, hence why it's important to get CCMFC running well at the top, underpinned by strong rep programs through CCF. Ideally there'd be more than one rep program - perhaps a Gosford-based one and a Wyong-based one in lower leagues or even on the old Northern, Southern and Central zones in lower levels feeding into the top program. More opportunities = a net cast wider.
 

nearlyyellow

Well-Known Member
:soapbox: Sorry, but I think this kind of hypothetical exercise is rubbish. Football is a professional sport. This kind of localisation doesn't happen in any professional sport. It probably has never happened in any sport since professionalisation of sport became ubiquitous. Even in the "amateur" days of Thugby players weren't drawn from the local areas. Sure, a professional sportsman may decide to play for a more local team for family reasons etc. but when it comes down to it playing the sport is his job, and he will mostly try to get the biggest salary he can. And there's nothing wrong with that either.

It's a "patsy" article, soft journalism, will raise a smile here and there, and give someone a warm fuzzy glow inside because they have more "locals" than some other side, but that's all it's worth. David Zdrilic knows that all that matters in professional sport is *money*. I'll say it again *cold hard cash* (qualified, of course, iykwim). Else why would we have international marquees?

Good thing the article is online because we can recycle the electrons with a click of the mouse.
:-|
 

VicMariner

Well-Known Member
I agree the article is junk, especially as dibo pointed out, Newcastle are given such a big area to select from. I went and checked the names and one guy was born in Casino! That's closer to Brisbane!

My last question remains though:
Would more local players see a meaningful increase in interest from locals?
 

Bladesman

Well-Known Member
Given the standard of coaching, facilities and the competition on the coast until the last few years I can't say I am surprised about the lack of locals. It is only really the kids that are starting to reach the NYL now that have had the benefit of being in a system that would develop them to the required standard. Even now the facilities on the Coast are behind, look how many games and training get called off.
 

nearlyyellow

Well-Known Member
My last question remains though:
Would more local players see a meaningful increase in interest from locals?
If that were to happen it would be great. On any " %'age of registered players progressing to the higher levels" basis we are beaten hands down by other clubs with big catchment areas. Barring genetic accidents we would be bound to have less juniors progress to the top level. And that would flow through to the amount of "meaningful interest from locals" I would expect.

However the qualification to the maths aspect is that the club *must* expend more than enough promotional energy (and folding stuff) to promote the possibility of progression paths, and as we have discussed at length elsewhere on these forums we as part of the CCMFC fan base are agreed that CCMFC has failed in this promotional activity.
 

dibo

Well-Known Member
Given the standard of coaching, facilities and the competition on the coast until the last few years I can't say I am surprised about the lack of locals. It is only really the kids that are starting to reach the NYL now that have had the benefit of being in a system that would develop them to the required standard. Even now the facilities on the Coast are behind, look how many games and training get called off.
You think games don't get called off elsewhere? In my area, *most* grounds have neither lights nor sheds and the grounds get smashed so they don't stand up well in the rain. And it's not a poor area.
 

Yoda

Well-Known Member
Given the standard of coaching, facilities and the competition on the coast until the last few years I can't say I am surprised about the lack of locals. It is only really the kids that are starting to reach the NYL now that have had the benefit of being in a system that would develop them to the required standard. Even now the facilities on the Coast are behind, look how many games and training get called off.

Council, CCF and the clubs have been pouring money into worst fields over the past 24 months. Frost, Killarney, and maybe gwando and gavenlock (could be wrong with last two) have had major drainage upgrades completed, along with Pluim. Duffy's oval at Terrigal should be complete prior to season start and I'm pretty sure Hylton Moore is also planned for drainage upgrades. Now that I think if it, Kariong may also have been done recently, so plenty of coin is being spent on facilities.
 

style_cafe

Well-Known Member
One of the main problems in our game is that too many good players slip through the net.
Thus weakening the game from the top to the bottom.
The Socceroos drive football in this country, but to support them we need to have an enormous base at grass roots.

One of the simplest ways to broaden the base is to make it cheaper for kids to participate.
Break down the fee structure & minimise the elements to make it cheaper. ie. Insurance, admin costs
Also, money made by the FFA should filter down to all levels

Then concentrate on giving the local kid levels to aspire to.
Keeping in mind that if they fail to reach that level there is always something for them to fall back on.
ie. Build the local Premier League to a strong competition.Have a decent trophy, decent prize money ($10,000-) & the best referees available.
The basic career path then becomes:-
1. start football
2. aspire to get into the "a" team in your age
3. play Premier league for your club

additional levels become
1. play reps
2. Play State League

higher goals
1. Play for region
2. Play State.
3.Represent Country

Then we could use the broader base to encourage more sponsorship etc. (for all levels) to make it even cheaper.
 

dibo

Well-Known Member
Bringing fees down costs money.

Assuming all clubs charge the fee cap and fill their places, to bring all players' regos down from the up to $2400 to even $300 would cost >$10 million per annum. For scale, that's probably somewhere approaching the Mariners' total losses. Ever.

It's a big, big hit of money. Finding corporate support to drive $10m a year into rep football would be great, but seems unlikely. Don't forget either that that's just FNSW. There are another 8 'state' bodies, each with their own NPL competitions...
 

style_cafe

Well-Known Member
Bringing fees down costs money.

Assuming all clubs charge the fee cap and fill their places, to bring all players' regos down from the up to $2400 to even $300 would cost >$10 million per annum. For scale, that's probably somewhere approaching the Mariners' total losses. Ever.

It's a big, big hit of money. Finding corporate support to drive $10m a year into rep football would be great, but seems unlikely. Don't forget either that that's just FNSW. There are another 8 'state' bodies, each with their own NPL competitions...

So does anyone know the current fees & a break up of the fee charged by FNSW ,CCF & local clubs
 

VicMariner

Well-Known Member
Talking about fees, found this on 442:
http://www.dfb.de/en/news/detail/amateurs-football-is-there-for-everyone-113804/

"The average cost per family is 3.50 euros a month, if their son or daughter takes part in organised football - without additional fees for the coaching staff"

“A big strength in German youth football is that it’s approachable for everybody and all levels of society can join, regardless of their origin, education or financial situation,”

There is a lot to admire about football in Germany.

Imagine our participation numbers if our fees were the same.
 

dibo

Well-Known Member
Where does the money come from? It's not like it's free to provide, so someone has to pay.
 

VicMariner

Well-Known Member
Where does the money come from? It's not like it's free to provide, so someone has to pay.
Well the German FA is investing in that article and I'd say government support isn't lacking either.
Helps to explain why they are so successful.

Here in Oz the money is thinner. What would be good is if money was distributed according to participation numbers. That would be fairer and I think a nice jump for us. IMO.
 

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