There are not many places around the world where one would find the two top domestic football divisions being played at different times of the year.
With the A-League well into the second-half of 2015-16, the launch of the PS4NPL 2016 season comes at an interesting time, as fans are fixated on what promises to be an enthralling run home in the top flight.
And although the timing isn’t conventional, this unusual scenario does add one tantalising reward for all football fans, another 30 or so weeks of competition which will continue right up until kick-off for the 2016-17 A-League season.
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With former NSL powerhouses such as South Melbourne FC, Sydney United, Sydney Olympic, Brisbane Strikers and the Melbourne Knights just to name a few, there will be no lack of top quality football as each member federation’s best clubs battle it out for the PS4 NPL title as the nation’s best second tier football side.
With a mixture of ex-professional players, up and coming youngsters, exciting foreigners and seasoned state league veterans, the standard of football will be as high as ever especially with the added allure of the FFA Cup which has been an overwhelming success over the past two seasons.
Another intriguing addition to the 2016 NPL season will be the launch of the inaugural PS4 Player Pathway award which will look to showcase the best young talent from around Australia who are not currently in the A-League system.
With the series to be filmed by Fox Sports and shown during its FFA Cup coverage under ‘’Ones to Watch’’ an eight park football series focusing on players from around Australia, nominees will have the opportunity to showcase the very best the NPL has to offer with all 135 PS4 NPL club coaches to vote for who they think are the three best young players in their respective states.
Those 24 players will then attend a 2-day camp to be held at Valentine Park, NSW, in late September where they will be put through a rigorous training camp led by FFA Technical Director Eric Abrams, PS4 Ambassador John Kosmina and Sydney FC Youth Coach Rob Stanton.
It is here where the inaugural winner of the PS4 Player Pathway Award will be determined and given a two week trial with the Sydney FC Youth Team.
Fox Sports match day program presenter Adam Peacock will be headlining the series for the network, going out to clubs, interviewing players and keeping track of the favourites for a spot in the final 24.
‘’I am really looking forward to following the PS4 NPL talent as part of the Ones to Watch series because football is about more than just a sport – it’s about the players’ stories, the communities, the determination and the passion for our beautiful game,” said Peacock.
“There is no better place to capture this spirit than on the regional football pitches around Australia. The PS4 Player Pathway initiative is exactly what grassroots football deserves to ensure no talent slips under the radar.”
This year will also see all nine Australian based A-League clubs fielding sides in their local NPL competitions with a focus on giving young players a taste of first team football at a level which is not all that far off the top tier.
“The inclusion of all nine Hyundai A-League clubs into a NPL competition is another important aspect of continuing to bridge that gap between the professional and second tiers,” said FFA CEO David Gallop.
“The success and uplift in standard of the PS4 NPL is testament to the hard work, dedication and commitment shown by the NPL clubs and Member Federations over the past four years.”
Football Federation Victoria is the first Member Federation to commence its PlayStation 4 NPL 2016 competition with its season opener tonight between Oakleigh Cannons and Port Melbourne Sharks.
The opening round of matches in the PlayStation 4 NPL competitions around the country will commence on the following dates:
18 February – Football Federation Victoria
26 February – Football Federation South Australia
27 February – Football Queensland
12 March – Football NSW
18/19 March – Football Federation Tasmania
19 March – Football West
9 April – Northern NSW Football
2/3 April – Capital Football
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