Mark Bosnich’s blueprint to rejuvenate Australian football from top to bottom
From re-engaging with fans to rewarding A-League club owners and bringing down junior costs, Mark Bosnich says Australian football needs to go back to basics to reinvigorate its image.
Football
Don't miss out on the headlines from Football. Followed categories will be added to My News.
It seems to be open season on Australian football once more – and to me that’s a good thing.
Amid talk of falling crowds and sliding ratings, my colleagues, Phil Rothfield and Simon Hill, have taken to social media to lay bare the passion on both sides over the future of the game.
While it’s true that some of the criticism of where we’re at, particularly around the A-League, is a bit selective, the fact is that our sport needs to move much faster in the right direction.
Watch every Hyundai A-League game LIVE & On-Demand on KAYO. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
If the critics spark further discussion, inside the game and out, positive and negative, then the result will be transparency, debate and solutions.
In the near-12 years since I came back to Australia, I’ve seen the A-League reach a peak and slide back again, and that goes for the game as a whole.
In my view, these are some of the key issues, short and long term.
1. Re-engage the active fans.
Just over four years ago, the fans groups led by Louie El Khoury agreed a deal with FFA’s then-management to install a fair appeals process against any ban imposed upon them by the FFA, and to start investigating any past injustices that had resulted in lengthy bans.
Although some cases have been rectified, the majority have not. The obfuscation, dragging out, and lack of adherence to the spirit of the agreement by the previous administration was wrong and needs fixing now.
Just complying what was previously agreed in writing would go so far to bringing back the people who make football so unique.
But in my view we then need a working group to delve into the whole status of the active groups, led by someone trusted, and with representatives of all parties.
Its brief would be to ask not why, but why not, around what those fans do. Create a league-wide policy on safe standing, supporter marshalls, police interaction and so on.
2. Unbundle the A-League, in spirit if not fact.
It’s been reported that legal independence might wait until the end of the current TV deal, but allow the clubs to have all their hands on the steering wheel of the A-League immediately.
They obviously will work in collaboration with the FFA, but not to the point of it becoming any type of hindrance.
The club owners have lost a combined total of more than $300m over the course of the A-League and fought for their independence. Let them run what they earned. Anything less is just another way of having them (the clubs) take the blame for decisions that are not theirs completely.
3. Allow the second division to get going.
This is the biggest pressure building in the game, and would be a major step forward because of the extra football, extra opportunities and extra interest it would create.
Let’s debate systemic questions, like should A-League clubs be allowed to include U23 teams in the Second Division, but then reach a consensus and do it.
How will it be funded? That’s a fair question, but it’s clear to me there are numerous clubs ready and willing to join a second division – so long as their model can be seen to be sustainable.
Let’s do it.
Simon, you don't need 'skin in football' to understand the serious problems facing the A League that you continue to ignore. Don'wait until the competition dies mate. Stop being a cheerleader. https://t.co/3AHn4Fc1Xt
— BUZZ ROTHFIELD (@BuzzRothfield) February 10, 2020
4. End the debate over which time of year.
Heat is a problem, there’s no doubt about that, but the solution is not to move the A-League to winter and watch it fight continually for airtime and fan interest.
Ground availability would be a nightmare and our professional season is well established in summer.
We need to protect and grow that opportunity, particularly as all our competitions expand as planned over the coming years.
5. Bring down fees for the elite kids.
The fact that some parents are paying up to $2,500 per year for their girl or boy to try to play football at a high level is a disgrace. If it needs the help of the government to audit where the money goes, then so be it. FFA’s duty is to nurture the grassroots and build the pathway from there to the top.
6. Change the mentality and the narrative.
Our game’s leaders can’t satisfy all the critics, nor should they try, but many people want to feel the sense of being led.
Being the best at what you do means that you have to get used to attacks and constant criticism.
I have seen that first hand. If Australian football believes, as it should, that it is Australia’s number one code in waiting, then we had better get used to what comes with that territory.
But equally, every member of the football community has a positive role to play.
Let’s critique, not just criticise.
Stop blaming others and pointing the finger. Let’s just concern ourselves with what we feel the sport needs to be.