’Not as we know it’: Bold change to Gold Coast football season

It’s Gold Coast football, but not as you know it.

IT’S Gold Coast football, but not as you know it.

Thanks to the coronavirus officials have formally drawn a line through previous plans for the Coast season and have instead devised methods to maximise game time for the rest of 2020.

A balloon on a bed of nails has had more certainty about its future than grassroots sporting codes but Football Gold Coast has at least moved to offer some assurance.

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Gone will be the previous divisions in the senior competitions, with clubs instead asked to nominate which level they would like to play.

This is in part because of the lack of certainty over player numbers, and means promotion and relegation won’t be included in the 2020 format.

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Gold Coast Premier League football Palm Beach vs. Broadbeach United from last season. (Photo/Steve Holland)

With competitions on hold until June 30, teams who normally play in, for example, the fourth tier could now nominate to line up against sides who are usually levels above.

The Premier League, initially scheduled for eight teams, could end up with more sides before normality is restored for the start of the 2021 campaign.

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In juniors, the standard competition format could instead be replaced by single-day carnivals or round-robin formats, with some age groups likely to be merged.

Football Gold Coast general manager Damien Bresic confirmed the deadline for the season to start would be August 1 – “if it’s after that we’d probably say ‘see you in 2021’.”

“The season as we know it won’t happen. What we offered in March we obviously can’t offer now so that notion of the season is gone,” said Bresic, who met with all 28 clubs last week.

“Now once we get clearance we will be putting on something, whether it’s six-a-side or carnivals for juniors.

Gold Coast Premier League action between Nerang and Coomera. Picture: Kris Matthews/KMP Sports Images

“The reason we took this stance is because of the unknown; the under-13 side who nominated in February, are they still around?

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“If some sides have lost players then they’ll nominate for the six-a-side comp.”

Bresic confirmed Football Gold Coast would be lenient with player registrations to ensure no one is left without a club should any side no longer be available.

However he admitted he held reservations about the viability of some clubs reopening at all if money-aiding options like canteens were forced to remain shut.

There has been growing speculation that some clubs have already confirmed they won’t field teams in 2020 due to wider financial concerns around coronavirus.