jw1739

Yep. Joey Nepotism finally timed out. Wazza beginning to make his mark.

Almost caught me there @Shahanga. I hadn't realised that FFA had finally made a decision on that. But it is scheduled to come into effect next season (2018/19) rather than this one. http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2017/01/16/ffa-introduce-asian-import-quota?cid=inbody:41-rule-good-for-aleague-and-australia

The problem with this is that "not guilty" does not mean "innocent." It means that the Crown has been unable to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the accused is guilty of the charge. The Scottish legal system allows a verdict of "not proven." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Not_proven

Ah. Now I see it. You've all apparently been caught by the terms of the City Opt-in facility. The terms and conditions that apply to Opt-in are listed in detail here: https://cms2.performgroup.com/dct/ffa-dtc-performgroup-eu-west-1/Melbourne City FC City Opt-In Terms and Conditions_1l2017lyp79va1l062kiqyfc9x.pdf The critical section is section 2, which reads as follows: 2. If you pay your membership fees by MasterCard or Visa credit or debit card, unless you elect to opt out of City Opt-In in accordance with directions issued by the Club from time to time, you authorise Melbourne City FC to automatically renew your membership each season into the same seat (if applicable) and package (or a reasonably comparable package) and to deduct the applicable membership fees from the MasterCard or Visa credit or debit card used to purchase your previous membership. The underlining is mine. In essence, it's an "Opt-out" system rather than "Opt-in." The question is whether you have been contacted as per section 4, which reads as follows: 4. If you participate in the City Opt-In program, the Club will contact you prior to processing any renewal. You will have 28 days from the date of the Club’s notice to advise the Club of any changes or upgrades you wish to make to your membership package, or to notify Melbourne City FC in writing if you do not wish to roll over your membership into the next season. Strict timeframes apply. If you do not notify the Club that you do not wish to roll over your membership during this period, you will be taken to have agreed to your membership being rolled over. I don't keep my e-mails long enough to check whether a reminder was issued - I would think if it was it would have been in early May. Maybe someone who keeps their messages for longer could check?

My advice would be the same as I gave neio above. Your travel arrangements are a sound justification for asking. I see no real reason why they would refuse - you wish to retain your membership but pay monthly. All they need do is reverse the $500 and then charge you a first monthly instalment. Suggest you give it a go. Good luck with it.

If I understand it correctly, if you've opted in for automatic renewal and haven't specified monthly payments, then that's what happens. If you're unhappy I suggest calling the membership line on Monday. I'm sure you could reverse this payment and opt for monthly if you wished - you can always say "financial hardship" or similar. No harm in trying. They handled my change of membership category very easily and were most helpful while doing so.

Yes. First monthly payment. City Blue. And just looking at a few sections, seats have been released for general sale. But not as many as I had perhaps expected.

Completely agree.

Is that Tim "It's not all about me" Cahill? He should be back here training by now. Get onto it Wazza.

I haven't read the charges - are they public? - but I do sometimes question the need to pursue at great expense some of these cases against very old men when the crimes, if proven, took place a very long time ago. Sure there is the principle of accountability and punishment to be considered. But, even if convictions result, do we really see a change in behaviour in the present day communities from which the perpetrators come? For example, the cases against Rolf Harris and George Pell - do we see a change in behaviour in show biz and the church respectively?

Three consecutive saves in a shoot-out. Some kind of record? http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-29/confederations-cup-chile-beats-portugal-on-penalties/8662064

Transfer to Huddersfield appears to have been consummated. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-30/aaron-mooy-becomes-australia27s-most-expensive-footballer/8665626?section=sport

I don't support a second-tier league at this stage because IMO FFA is not yet managing the A-League properly. It beggars belief how FFA consistently fails to meet its targets - in this case a new or alternative financial model for A-League clubs, the criteria for expansion, a timetable for expansion etc. And how in this day and age we can have the Chairman inheriting the job from his father...just stinks to high heaven IMO. In Zimbabwe perhaps, but not in Australia. Edit: Worth a read: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-30/richard-hinds-difference-in-funding-for-men-women-world-cup/8663794

Yep, quite rightly this is hotting up. http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/aleague-clubs-demand-forensic-audit-of-ffa-books-as-revenue-row-escalates-20170629-gx1ijh.html

My guess on the "announcements" likewise. Probability in the following order: 1. Brattan. 2. Jamieson. 3. Visa player. 4. Marquee player.

"Every man has his price", so, in theory CFG could offer so much that the Trust could not refuse. But in practice the answer has to be "no", because it would be much cheaper for CFG to build its own boutique stadium.

No, you send a decent team to make sure that you go through to the next round. Once you're absolutely sure that you have it in the bag then you sub off your most important players. Wazza won't let this one slip away.

How did Matt Windley get that wrong?

W.A.

Done it for you. Not as easy as at first appears.

I'm the opposite.

Jamieson is based on one tweet isn't he? IMO we should wait for confirmation before assuming too much.

My bad. I guess that pushes NYC down the list too. MLS does have three designated players however, making it a bit easier for them.

If we do go down the pecking order it's because we are the only one playing in a salary-capped league, meaning we're the only club that cannot receive decent loan players except with marquee status. The benefits we can obtain from being a part of CFG are therefore severely restricted. FFA just cannot deliver on anything...but that's another story.

IMO Retre is the perfect example of why transfer fees should be allowed between A-League clubs. At the very minimum, Sydney should be required to pay what remains on Retre's contract l.e. next season's wage, and City should be entitled to ask for a further fee so that the transfer can go through. And what City receive as the transfer fee should be added to our salary cap figure for next season. As it is, there is little incentive for clubs to spend several years developing a young player - they do that and then see him picked off by another club with zero compensation, and then have to turn around and find a replacement. I don't care whether it's City, Sydney or any other club that benefits from the present system - it stinks, and transfer fees should be one of the first changes to A-League "rules."