A-League clubs poised to invest heavily in comp after assuming control from FFA for 2019-20

The English Premier League is coming here! Well, at least it’s highly successful trading model, which will see the 12 A-League clubs, including the two expansion sides, acquire stakes in the competition.

A-League clubs will invest in the competition as they plot to follow the lead of the English Premier League, which exploded after independence.

Football Federation Australia has run the A-League since 2005, but the clubs have the green light to take charge from August 1.

Australia is following the EPL model. The 12 clubs — including expansion sides Western United and Macarthur Rams — will acquire stakes in the competition.

While stopping well short of the toxic negotiations between the English FA and Premier League clubs in 1992, which ended in the High Court, Sunday’s deadline day talks exceeded three hours after months of tense negotiations.

David Beckham playing for Manchester United in 1996, when the Premier League started reaping the benefits after becoming independent from the English FA.

VISION: NEW COACH TO MAKE CITY ‘BEAUTIFUL’ AGAIN

FOREIGN CHOICE: VICTORY CONFIRMS KURZ

KEY SIGNINGS: CITY SECURES AUSTRIAN TO BOLSTER DEFENCE

The W-League and national youth league, both of which require significant investment, will also be controlled by the A-League clubs, with an independent chairperson set to be appointed alongside 12 club representatives plus two representatives from FFA.

It marks a huge breakthrough after a two-year impasse, which was intertwined with the governance talks where FIFA threatened to intervene.

A-League clubs have vowed to invest in marketing and growing the competition, with key pillars of the independent league set to include:

# FFA to retain a 20 per cent stake in the A-League;

# A-League clubs to pay a minimum $4.5 million annual dividend to FFA;

# FFA to receive 10 per cent of any new or existing A-League licenses that are bought;

# FFA’s A-League staff to be deployed immediately.

Wanderers owner and chairman of the A-League umbrella group Paul Lederer said independence was a must.

A-League clubs will be encouraged to invest, a la 2012, when (from left) Western Sydney Wanderers (Shinji Ono), Newcastle Jets (Emile Heskey) and Sydney FC (Alessandro Del Piero) all arrived.

“For the professional game in Australia, and indeed the game as a whole in our country, these recommendations are the foundations for a critically needed evolution and vitalisation,” Lederer said.

“Once executed they will create the environment for investment and associated opportunities that we all want to see. The 12 member clubs are focused on completing the process and committed to investing in and delivering the elevation of all three of our national professional leagues to the status they deserve and the levels that all of the stakeholders of our game rightfully expect.”

FFA chairman Chris Nikou believes that this will unite Australia’s fractured football community.

“The recommendations of the New League Working Group serve to align and unite Australian football’s interests like never before,’’ Nikou said.

“Clubs would have greater control, triggering significant new investment in the quality and marketing of all three leagues and FFA would be able to focus its energies and resources on the national teams, grassroots and the overall strategic direction of the game.”