In what is fast becoming the saga of the 2015/16 A-League season, assumptions continue to be made regarding the future of the competition’s New Zealand franchise the Wellington Phoenix, whose contract with the FFA/A-League is due to expire at the end of the season, and has yet to be renewed.
The Wellington Phoenix face an uncertain future, and could be cast back into the ashes repeating the fate of the struggling NZ Knights back in 2007. The situation this time couldn’t be more different however, as Football Federation Australia (FFA) are ignoring the promise of a club on the right-track to becoming more popular and successful than ever before. They are turning their backs on an organisation that is financially stable and is backed by a well-organised and funded Welnix group.
The Wellington Phoenix management, lead by general manager David Dome, have moved quickly to allay fears that the franchise’s contract will be allowed to run-down and expire at the end of the current season, after reports suggested that Football Federation Australia (FFA) would not grant a renewal. The Nix have asked for clarification from the FFA as to the conditions the club are not meeting.
Dome said he had spoken with the head of the A-League Damien De Bohun and Kyle Patterson from the FFA on Friday morning. “There’s nothing in it. They want ten teams in the competition next year and the Wellington Phoenix is one of those teams”, Dome told New Zealand’s Radio Sport.
However, with the recent announcement that the Phoenix’s 10 year license application has been rejected, the future of the franchise remains up in the air.
On the license rejection, CEO of the FFA David Gallop said, “The FFA has carefully evaluated the role and contribution of the Wellington franchise in terms of game development, player pathway, commercial factors, broadcast rights and the long-term strategic outlook.” He added “The application for a 10-year extension to the licence does not meet the requirements we see as fundamental to the future growth of the Hyundai A-League”. Apparently the only option on the table for the Nix from the FFA is the chance of a paltry four-year contract.
It is interesting that Gallop suggested the decision was made “in the best interests of Australian football”, because past FFA boards made choices to bail out struggling Australian clubs including Adelaide, Brisbane, Newcastle and North Queensland. Adelaide, Brisbane and Newcastle, along with the other Australian clubs, now have had their A-League licenses extended until the 2034 season. Meanwhile, the North Queensland Fury folded due to financial instability, even after being deemed as a club worthy of saving, they still couldn’t sustain a place in the A-League. Whereas the Phoenix is one of the more financially stable sides in the league.
This is an immensely troubling decision for any New Zealand football fan, and casts huge doubt on the FFA’s ideals. Is there something more fundamental going on behind FFA closed doors? Australian clubs get preferential treatment, renewed licenses and a safety net. Imagine if it had been the Phoenix and not the Glory who had breached salary rules last season?
Why is the FFA even considering allowing the franchise to fold following their strongest regular season ever in a short nine year history? The team finally have the chance to create a sustainable platform and challenge for the title this season, and possibly for many seasons to come under the guidance of Ernie Merrick. They are currently sitting in third place on the ladder; this Nix team is certainly competitive in the league. What is the point of even having a kiwi team in the first place if you are worried that they might eventually be title contenders? What is wrong with their application that they don’t get the same 20-year support offered to the Australian clubs?
This isn’t only an FFA problem however. New Zealand Football’s (NZF) involvement in the Phoenix and the A-League also needs to increase, and they must recognise that they should do more to aid the Phoenix in the future. Already at odds with the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) over the Olympic eligibility scandal, a short statement on their website stated that NZ Football CEO Andy Martin ‘had been in close communication with the club since the news broke’, and that NZF recognise that the Phoenix ‘play a pivotal role in the football landscape in New Zealand’ as the countries only professional club.
Having Oceanic players such as Fijian Roy Krishna can only be beneficial to this multi-national league. Australia and New Zealand are part of the southern hemisphere, so why can’t we take the lead from SANZAR (Super Rugby) and form some sort of AFNZF partnership in the future? Surely FIFA, OFC and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) can give some sort of dispensation for A-League competitor’s to compete in each other’s competitions for the good of the game?
For the Phoenix, having ten more years in the A-League isn’t just a way of trying to stick around to bludgeon off the league and FFA. This is a club that has contributed title winners and kick-started careers, such as: Marco Rojas, Nathan Burns, Kosta Barbarouses and Shane Smeltz, as well as providing A-League stalwarts and excitement machines with a place to play.
Ten more years will allow the club the opportunity to set the long-term foundations for a sustainable strategic partnership to give back to the A-League and Australian football, as well as get more fans involved and NZ Football fully on board. How will they have a chance to contribute with only four more years, if any, as a franchise? The Phoenix aren’t being given a chance to create history and grow, in a fledgling league that needs sustainable well-established clubs to stick around in order to be taken seriously as a high quality competition, when compared to popular global leagues and clubs around the world.
How the Phoenix deal with this ultimate threat will show whether they are truly a professional organisation or not. Their initial calmness and resolve is a good start but they will need all their business nous, and to keep their emotions in check to ensure the Phoenix get the deal and long-term license they deserve.
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