The 2016-17 A-League season will see the introduction of “Full Season Guest Players” in addition to the two existing marquee player spots for clubs to sign big-name players outside of the salary cap.
Clubs will be able to receive funding from the FFA for their Full Season Guest Player if they attract a player that meets strict marketing criteria focused around building the broader appeal of the competition.
“To satisfy the Full Season Guest Player criteria players must pass stringent marketability tests to ensure the club is not only signing a quality player who can add to on-field performance but they will become pivotal to the marketing of the Hyundai A-League,” FFA CEO David Gallop said.
“It is no secret that clubs and FFA have been in discussions around this concept and players who may fit the criteria but this change to the competition regulations opens the door for all clubs to have equal opportunity to take advantage of the Full Season Guest Player spot.”
The announcement opens the door for Melbourne City’s rumoured signing of Tim Cahill to be the A-League’s first Full Season Guest Player. The FFA also announced that Melbourne City would be allowed to use ‘City Blue’ as their predominant playing strip colour from the 2017-18 season onwards.
“The Board noted previous concerns raised by Sydney FC but felt that things have evolved since that time and with the increasing maturity of the Hyundai A-League, the strength of Sydney FC’s ‘Sky Blue’ brand and the many uses of light blue throughout previous and current Hyundai A-League playing strips it is now appropriate to allow for the full integration of the City Football Group’s playing strip colours. As part of the decision, Sydney FC will retain exclusivity of its ‘Sky Blue’ brand as Melbourne City adopts the ‘City Blue’ colours,” Gallop said.
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