A-League woes ‘must be fixed’ before promotion, relegation

Confusion surrounds the issue of A-League promotion and relegation after comments from FFA chair Chris Nikou.

Association of Australian Football Clubs chairman Rabi Krayem says the A-League needs to be on solid ground to advance to a two-tier competition. Picture: Getty Images

Association of Australian Football Clubs (AAFC) chairman Rabi Krayem says fans have jumped the gun in relation to the introduction of promotion and relegation, declaring the sport is in disarray and needs to sort itself out first.

While expressing disappointment with the controversial comments made by Football Federation Australia chairman Chris Nikou on Sunday that promotion and relegation is a long way off, Krayem called for calm and a level-headed approach in order to fix the game’s ills.

Outraged fans took to social media on Sunday after Nikou, speaking at the Football Writers Festival, suggested promotion and relegation wouldn’t come into effect in the A-League until 2034.

That also prompted responses from FFA board members Remo Nogarotto and Joseph Carrozzi, with both appearing to distance themselves from the comment.

Nogarotto used his Twitter account to say: “I have no idea if Chris has been misquoted or if his comments were taken out of context but I can assure you that to the best of my knowledge, and unless it predates my election, it does not represent any board resolution, so can only be a private view.”

FFA later issued a statement clarifying the chairman’s comments.

The statement read in part: “Under the terms of the existing Club Participation Agreement (CPA), existing and incoming Australian A-League clubs are entitled to participate in the A-League until the year 2034.”

Speaking to The Australian, Krayem, who is involved in a working group for the formation of a national second division competition, said Nikou had “inflamed the situation” regarding promotion and relegation but that it wasn’t the whole issue.

“The game is in disarray. We have an A-League going for independence, which everyone agrees with,” Krayem said yesterday.

“If the A-League doesn’t sort itself out then we will have nothing to promote and relegate to and from.

“We need to fix the A-League first and we have a three-year window to do it in with the new television contract coming up for renewal.

“As I see it, there are three components.

“One is to get the A-League sorted to make sure it is ongoing and survives financially.

“Two is we have to get the second division up and running and stable and financially viable, and three we have to get promotion and relegation sorted. The A-League clubs are not against it. It’s just a matter of working through how it will operate.

“What everyone is doing is jumping to number three without fixing one and two.

“One and two are working concurrently through the new leagues working group and the national second division working group.”

Krayem went on to issue a statement late yesterday afternoon in which he “heartily endorses” Nikou’s comments regarding sorting out the right model for the proposed national second division, which is hoped to kick off next year and will likely involve a number of NPL clubs, who are represented by the AAFC, around the country.