A note on @FootballAUS governance and reports of yet another "strategic plan".

@joeylynchy Much commentary prompted by this, reports of other departures, @wufcofficial being be'league'ered, FA debt, @aleaguemen debt, restructure, worldwide CEO search...

espn.com/soccer/story/_… Since March 2017 only - no point dredging further - when AAFC was formed, we've had, at least
- the Whole of Football Plan
- the XI Principles
- the Starting XI (remember them?)
- One Football Strategy

And now we're developing a new strategic plan. Ofcourse we are...

A frustrated lament. Angst-riddled comments. Said it before, but
1. The AL model was too expensive from the start.
2. AL owners met annual shortfalls which resulted in massive accumulated losses. Commensurate grievances followed, directed mostly at FFA.2gb.com/podcast/mark-b… 3. The AL teams started a FFA Congress fight for more of the oversold Foxsports broadcast money.
4. At the same time, they wanted to leave home because they were all grown up, knew it all and could do better than mum & dad. They were teenagers now, about 14.
5. They didn't know..

A very modern story - 🇦🇺 ⚽️

1. Europeans turned up to a faraway land.
2. They brought their cultures, formed communities, slowly merged and amalgamated with each other although, tragically, not so well with the first inhabitants.
3. For many, football was a common denominator. 4. The new communities formed football clubs. These also served as cultural centres. They gave solace support and connection to migrants. 5. Among myriad wonderful achievements, a famous son was spawned. So famous, he achieved the ultimate distinction - known by one name - Ange.

With all these summaries, time for a summary.
1. No, we've never had a NSD, as such, but pre AL we also never had a closed, private, exclusive top-tier, running itself, for itself and for private profit.
2. The new NST might be the dream of many but..

theguardian.com/football/2023/… it's been made possible by clubs below the AL. By their successful advocacy through AAFC and now by the simple fact they propose to stump up the cash to pay for it. The FA isn't paying for it and said it will do it if & because the clubs are paying. Ambition for unity is good...

From this story

1. It highlights that MV (and all AL teams) are not clubs and they don't have members. They are companies and they have season ticket holders.
2. Fan groups such as OSM form to seek influence in what they consider their club...
theage.com.au/sport/soccer/r… 3. ...which isn't. Fans who care are now realising they can care all they want but they have no say. They are not members. It is not their club. It wasn't formed by and from the community. Following many recent APL and AL team decisions, suddenly, this matters to fans who care.

I'm reading of overwhelming anguish among our ⚽️ journos, writers and many fans following the shocking behaviour of the derelict drongos at MV v MC. Despairing, yes. Because of the injury to Tom Glover and others, the abandonment of the match and because it was terrible. But ...not because it has set our game back years, forever, or whatever. Not because we have somehow wasted the 'opportunity' given to us by the Socceroos by their performance at the WC. Shocking behaviour by criminals aside, (they can't learn anyway), what we fail to learn is that