Chairman’s confusion at Magpies Crusaders NPL exit

Mackay will not have a presence in the restructured 2020 NPL Queensland season.

Magpies Crusaders Ezra Kennell takes a shot at the Brisbane City goal. Picture: Tony Martin

MAGPIES Crusaders chairman Barry Jansen says he is unsure why there is no place for a Mackay side in Football Queensland's revised National Premier Leagues season.

The announcement came this morning in a joint statement from Football Queensland and Magpies Crusaders, however the decision to exclude Mackay from the remainder of the 2020 season was made in mid to late-May.

The statement cited the "ongoing impacts of COVID-19", specifically "uncertainty regarding air travel, timing and association costs, and the ability to maintain social distancing rules" as the key reasons Mackay could not rejoin a revised competition.

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Jansen's understanding was that grounded flights was the key stumbling block keeping Mackay - the only NPL club based outside southeast Queensland - from rejoining the competition.

However since the decision was made in May, flights have resumed from Mackay to southeast Queensland.

"When they started to plan this three weeks ago … we were under the constraints of fly-in, fly-out. At this point in time, as we know now, that's not a problem," Jansen said.

Magpies Crusaders technical director Anthony Alexander, new coach Thomas Ballantyne and committee member Barry Jansen.

FQ is yet to release a revised draw for the remainder of the 2020 season - one that will now have to include byes, with Mackay's exit bringing the total number of teams to 13.

The competition was six rounds deep when play was brought to a halt due to COVID-19. Magpies Crusaders had played five games, for three losses and two draws. It is still unclear how FQ plans to proceed, with points won or lost by clubs from matches against Mackay.

"Football Queensland is still in discussions with clubs regarding 2020 competition structures and will be releasing more information on this in the coming weeks," a Football Queensland spokesperson told the Daily Mercury.

Many of Magpies Crusaders' interstate signings returned home soon after the competition was postponed in early April. With border closures still in place they are yet to return.

Jansen said players and staff were informed of the decision last night in an all-in Zoom meeting.

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"The boys out of town were still training very hard. They'll be disappointed," Jansen said.

He confirmed senior players would be released from their contracts so they could pursue other playing avenues if they so desired.

"They have their own lives to lead … and (decisions to make about) where they want to be in football. And we can't hold a player up from playing," Jansen said.

The Football Queensland spokesperson said discussions with Magpies Crusaders regarding the junior Skills Acquisition Programs are "still ongoing".

Jansen labelled the announcement "just a minor setback" as the club continued into the fourth year of a five-year NPL plan.

"As far as we're concerned, we're there for the future," he said.

FQ could not provide an update on the state of play for the 2021 NPL season.

"Today's statement is in relation to the participation of Magpies Crusaders in the 2020 NPL Men's competition only. Any changes to the 2021 competition structure are yet to be considered."

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