Robbie Slater: This isn’t the end for A-League and football in Australia — it’s the beginning

Following the Fox Sport deal to broadcast the A-League through to 2021, football has the next 18 months to prove the broadcaster should stick with us long term, writes Robbie Slater.

Kosta Barbarouses of Sydney FC and Captain of the Roar Tom Aldred challenge for the ball during the Round 9 A-League match between Sydney FC and Brisbane Roar at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium in Sydney, Saturday, December 7, 2019. (AAP Image/Jeremy Ng) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

• Fox Sports, FFA reach broadcast agreement
• Reunions, dogfights: EPL restart has the lot

Let’s be crystal clear from the outset — the days of football taking our broadcast partner for granted are over. Everyone in our game is on notice.

The FFA and Fox Sports have reached a new agreement to show A-League until the end of 2021. Fox Sports has saved football.

FFA chief executive James Johnson, you’re a star. Fox Sports, thank you. Without Johnson and Fox Sports, I shudder to think where our great game was headed.

Watch Kayo-Mini Football Replays On-Demand with KAYO. A-League, Socceroos, Matildas plus European and English leagues. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >

Football now has 18 months — the length of the new Fox deal — to prove the broadcaster should stick with us long term.

The A-League will be broadcast by Fox Sports for the next 18 months.

We as a game have to show why our matches should be telecast on Fox Sports. An extension after next season won’t just happen — we have to work bloody hard for it and stay unified.

We cannot rest now because a new deal has been reached. This isn’t the end — it’s the beginning.

Fox Sports don’t just cover sports — at immense cost — because they’re good blokes. It has to be financially viable and attractive to viewers.

Our game has been in trouble for a number of years. Let’s not sugar this.

The clubs were fighting with the FFA about independence and the game suffered badly, no doubt about it. The development of Australian-born players has also plummeted to horribly low levels.

A-League clubs are back in training ahead of the season’s restart next month.

There were genuine fears the pay television broadcaster was ready to walk away from our code – but they didn’t, thankfully.

A new revised broadcast deal was nutted out on Friday and football, at least for now, remains safe.

And I understand it, Johnson played a massive part in the successful negotiations. I cannot remember a previous football administrator who has managed to unite our game like Johnson has.

Football still faces considerable challenges. The game cannot relax and think Fox Sports is back so all our issues will now suddenly evaporate.

We as a code have to show Fox Sports that they made the correct decision — and show them why the deal should extend beyond the end of next season.

It pains me to say this but I would have understood had Fox Sports walked away. Football almost took for granted that Fox was there injecting considerable cash every season.

There must have been times when Fox Sports wondered whether their financial investment was justified. Yes, I am employed by Fox Sports, but without them I feared for the future of football.

Our security blanket has returned but we have to learn to stand on our own two foot. And I’m sure — with Johnson in charge — we can.

The fans have been patient and we now it’s all about them — more of the dressing room and less of the boardroom.