Football Gold Coast hoses down talk of an SEQ Premier League to replace the faltering QPL in 2020

FOOTBALL Gold Coast has responded to speculation a new SEQ Premier League featuring Gold Coast teams could replace the faltering Queensland Premier League in 2020.

FOOTBALL Gold Coast has hosed down speculation a new SEQ Premier League featuring Gold Coast teams could replace the faltering Queensland Premier League in 2020.

Stream over 50 sports live & anytime on your TV or favourite device with KAYO SPORTS. The biggest Aussie sports and the best from overseas. Just $25/month. No lock-in contract. Get your 14 day free trial

With Football Queensland in the midst of a review of its elite pathways, rumours have surfaced the QPL - introduced last year to underpin the NPL - could be set for the chopping block.

As revealed by the Bulletin in May, preliminary discussions regarding the formation of an SEQ Premier League have taken place between the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and South West associations.

ROAR’S REARDON READY FOR COAST HOMECOMING

But while the QPL’s potential dissolution could hasten the need for such a competition, FGC general manager Damien Bresic said it was not on the radar – at least for next season.

“There’s no plan for it in 2020. There’s been some very basic, low-level discussion about whether something like that would be worth it down the track,” Bresic said.

Surfers Paradise’s Bruno Gomez (right) in action against Broadbeach United in this year’s Gold Coast Premier League. Picture: Richard Gosling

“There are just so many unknowns. They’re reviewing the NPL-QPL structure and format at the moment so any change to the BPL and GCPL wouldn’t happen until after that.

“As far as I’m concerned (the idea) has been put on the backburner for at least 12 months.

Coomera, Southport, Broadbeach United and Robina City this year made the move into the Brisbane Women’s Premier League, with all four sides holding their own to finish mid-table.

Bresic said they may have provided a blueprint for the men’s competition.

‘THEY NEED A GOOD, HARD LOOK AT THEMSELVES’ - BOELEN

“Down the track you might see a couple of Gold Coast clubs go up (to Brisbane) like the women’s teams have,” he said.

Surfers Paradise president Telly Karadimos said Apollo had no interest in being part of an SEQ Premier League, despite finishing second in this year’s Gold Coast top flight.

“There is too much costs associated with it,” Karadimos said.

“Too much travelling involved and hard to get people and volunteers travelling abroad every second weekend. We are definitely not interested in it.”

FGC chairman Paul Rushton said earlier this year the men’s Brisbane Premier League had been “weakened significantly by the introduction of the QPL”.

RABBITS REWARDED FOR OFF-FIELD TOIL

“Whether it would be worthwhile looking at a merger of the men’s (leagues), as with the women’s, definitely it’s worth considering. The difference with the women is the number of competitive teams was diminishing,” Rushton said in May.