Post by aek210 on Feb 17, 2012 15:57:03 GMT 10
Take note guys - time to take it up a notch - strike while the irons hot? Maybe we have to ramp it up quciker then expected.
Gold Coast crisis could profit Sydney
Michael Cockerill
February 17, 2012
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At odds ... Gold Coast owner Cliver Palmer stood down Miron Bleiberg after the coach said the ascension of 17-year-old Mitch Cooper to the captaincy was merely ceremonial. Photo: Glen Hunt
THE chief executive of Football Federation Australia, Ben Buckley, has effectively put Gold Coast United on notice after two days of high farce in which coach Miron Bleiberg was stood down by volatile owner Clive Palmer - leaving the door open for a new team from western Sydney to be fast-tracked into the competition.
Bleiberg was ''suspended'' by Palmer on Wednesday night after publicly suggesting the owner's decision to hand the captaincy to 17-year-old debutant Mitch Cooper was largely ceremonial.
''He will toss the coin, then he will ask Kristian Rees which way to go, and then Kristian will tell him what to do [in the game]. He will do the ceremony, it will take one minute and then the game is normal,'' Bleiberg said.
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Stood down ... Miron Bleiberg. Photo: Getty Images
Initially, it was thought Bleiberg had been suspended indefinitely before a club statement revealed he had been stood down only for tonight's match against Melbourne Heart and is due to resume his duties for next Wednesday's rescheduled fixture against Central Coast Mariners.
At this stage, Gold Coast have another two seasons remaining on their licence agreement, but Buckley indicated in an interview with the Herald yesterday that all bets are off.
''We were excited about the prospects for Gold Coast from day one - no one more than me,'' he said.
''I led that expansion plan. We, and I personally, had high hopes. We've certainly fallen well short of that and there are issues we have to confront in the future.''
Asked what the club's future was, Buckley replied: ''We've had discussions with Clive and his team, and we'll continue to do that over the next weeks to address issues of the crowds, community engagement and whether there is a real future for the club.
''The A-League's presence on the Gold Coast has not met the sort of growth and sustainability benchmarks we set for the competition, and it's time now to make a serious evaluation. That's our responsibility as the governing body.''
The latest drama follows the recent postponement of the Mariners game at short notice, the club's decision to close three stands at Skilled Park, and its decision not to attend tribunal hearings for sacked players Robson and Peter Perchtold.
Whether the club has actually breached the terms of the licence agreement is one issue - whether the club is damaging the image of the league as a whole is another.
Either way, it seems clear the FFA's patience finally has worn thin and there is little doubt a showdown with Palmer is looming.
A key to the outcome will be whether the FFA can shore up a new bid from western Sydney in time for next season - allowing Gold Coast to be replaced and therefore maintaining a 10-team league, something that will impact significantly on the next television deal, which is expected to be finalised by the end of this year.
Buckley insisted the future of Gold Coast and a second Sydney team were ''separate issues'', but it is understood talks with prospective investors in a western Sydney team have gathered pace in recent weeks.
A second Sydney team, Sydney Rovers, were scheduled to enter the league this season before being withdrawn due to a lack of funding.
''We've always said we have a strong desire to have a team in western Sydney,'' Buckley said.
''We've had two aborted attempts. It's not something I'm particularly proud of, but we had a go. So we continue to focus on it, talk to people who are interested and I'm confident over time we will have a team in western Sydney.''
Read more: www.smh.com.au/sport/a-league/gold-coast-crisis-could-profit-sydney-20120216-1tbyf.html#ixzz1mcFj82ky
Gold Coast crisis could profit Sydney
Michael Cockerill
February 17, 2012
Read later
Ads by Google
Terrey Hills Golf Clubwww.TerreyHillsGolf.com.au
Sydneys Premier Private Golf Club 116 Booralie Road, Terrey Hills
At odds ... Gold Coast owner Cliver Palmer stood down Miron Bleiberg after the coach said the ascension of 17-year-old Mitch Cooper to the captaincy was merely ceremonial. Photo: Glen Hunt
THE chief executive of Football Federation Australia, Ben Buckley, has effectively put Gold Coast United on notice after two days of high farce in which coach Miron Bleiberg was stood down by volatile owner Clive Palmer - leaving the door open for a new team from western Sydney to be fast-tracked into the competition.
Bleiberg was ''suspended'' by Palmer on Wednesday night after publicly suggesting the owner's decision to hand the captaincy to 17-year-old debutant Mitch Cooper was largely ceremonial.
''He will toss the coin, then he will ask Kristian Rees which way to go, and then Kristian will tell him what to do [in the game]. He will do the ceremony, it will take one minute and then the game is normal,'' Bleiberg said.
Advertisement: Story continues below
Stood down ... Miron Bleiberg. Photo: Getty Images
Initially, it was thought Bleiberg had been suspended indefinitely before a club statement revealed he had been stood down only for tonight's match against Melbourne Heart and is due to resume his duties for next Wednesday's rescheduled fixture against Central Coast Mariners.
At this stage, Gold Coast have another two seasons remaining on their licence agreement, but Buckley indicated in an interview with the Herald yesterday that all bets are off.
''We were excited about the prospects for Gold Coast from day one - no one more than me,'' he said.
''I led that expansion plan. We, and I personally, had high hopes. We've certainly fallen well short of that and there are issues we have to confront in the future.''
Asked what the club's future was, Buckley replied: ''We've had discussions with Clive and his team, and we'll continue to do that over the next weeks to address issues of the crowds, community engagement and whether there is a real future for the club.
''The A-League's presence on the Gold Coast has not met the sort of growth and sustainability benchmarks we set for the competition, and it's time now to make a serious evaluation. That's our responsibility as the governing body.''
The latest drama follows the recent postponement of the Mariners game at short notice, the club's decision to close three stands at Skilled Park, and its decision not to attend tribunal hearings for sacked players Robson and Peter Perchtold.
Whether the club has actually breached the terms of the licence agreement is one issue - whether the club is damaging the image of the league as a whole is another.
Either way, it seems clear the FFA's patience finally has worn thin and there is little doubt a showdown with Palmer is looming.
A key to the outcome will be whether the FFA can shore up a new bid from western Sydney in time for next season - allowing Gold Coast to be replaced and therefore maintaining a 10-team league, something that will impact significantly on the next television deal, which is expected to be finalised by the end of this year.
Buckley insisted the future of Gold Coast and a second Sydney team were ''separate issues'', but it is understood talks with prospective investors in a western Sydney team have gathered pace in recent weeks.
A second Sydney team, Sydney Rovers, were scheduled to enter the league this season before being withdrawn due to a lack of funding.
''We've always said we have a strong desire to have a team in western Sydney,'' Buckley said.
''We've had two aborted attempts. It's not something I'm particularly proud of, but we had a go. So we continue to focus on it, talk to people who are interested and I'm confident over time we will have a team in western Sydney.''
Read more: www.smh.com.au/sport/a-league/gold-coast-crisis-could-profit-sydney-20120216-1tbyf.html#ixzz1mcFj82ky
