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A-League salary cap could be scrapped when new CBA is negotiated in 2018


daniboi
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In tomorrow's Herald Sun....thoughts? Would benefit us more than anyone. Think of the world class strikers we can put in the full back positions.

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THE A-League’s $2.65 million-dollar salary cap could be abolished, potentially paving the way for big pay hikes for local players and an influx of overseas stars.

Most A-League clubs pay well above that figure as each is allowed to sign three marquee players on unrestricted wages.

Melbourne City spends more than $9 million on its 23-26 man squad, Sydney FC almost $6 million and Melbourne Victory more than $5 million.

Major League Soccer in the US is the only other notable soccer league to have a salary cap.

Melbourne City is already flexing its financial muscle. (AAP Image/Julian Smith)

Player union chief executive John Didulica said there would be many possibilities when the new Collective Bargaining Agreement was negotiated in 2018, adding there were no guarantees the salary cap would remain long-term.

“An agreement to a salary cap in football is never an absolute and cannot be taken for granted,’’ Didulica said.

“Consent to wage restraint is always dependent on a number of factors. It works hand-in-hand with having sustainable clubs that are exceptionally well managed, having some measure of job security for players, an assurance that agreed entitlements will be paid, suitable funds being set aside to support players who are transitioning out of the sport.

“Beyond that, we are part of a global sport. If we want to attract and retain the best players to drive the sport forward, we need to be ambitious with our thinking.”

 The union will have a far bigger say in how the game is being run when it has a presence on the Football Federation Australia general assembly, which votes in the FFA board. FIFA is likely to force FFA to lift the assembly number from 10 to 18 in March.

The Herald Sun yesterday revealed that at least 25 Australian-born soccer players were paid more than the AFL’s top earners, Lance Franklin, Gary Ablett and Tom Boyd.

Of the 25, 17 broke through in the A-League, including top earner Trent Sainsbury, or revived their careers back home, such as No.2 Matthew Spiranovic.

The other eight left Australia as teenagers, including Massimo Luongo, Brad Smith and Jason Davidson.

There are 260 players on A-League lists, a number that will grow when the competition expands.

Another 160-plus Australian players are playing overseas, mainly in Europe and Asia.

 Trent Sainsbury earns a packet at Chinese club Jiangsu Suning.

The A-League average wage is $180,000, a $145,000 rise from the final season of the National Soccer League 12 years ago.

The AFL employs 850 players on an average wage of $300,000.

The advent of the A-League, the emergence of the lucrative Chinese market and much-improved Socceroos pay conditions — players average $100,000 a year representing Australia and as much as $200,000 in a World Cup year — have resulted in soccer wages surging past those in the AFL.

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Lol, its the PFA saying it, doesnt mean it's going to happen. Of course the PFA will push for it, as it's better for the players. Though, it has to be said, it will make the PFA a lot less relevant.

Anyway, it would be good if it happens, the sooner the better.

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40 minutes ago, Tesla said:

Lol, its the PFA saying it, doesnt mean it's going to happen. Of course the PFA will push for it, as it's better for the players. Though, it has to be said, it will make the PFA a lot less relevant.

Anyway, it would be good if it happens, the sooner the better.

Didulucia is the new Gorbachev.  Be great if it happens. 

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56 minutes ago, Tesla said:

Lol, its the PFA saying it, doesnt mean it's going to happen. Of course the PFA will push for it, as it's better for the players. Though, it has to be said, it will make the PFA a lot less relevant.

Anyway, it would be good if it happens, the sooner the better.

Can't imagine it will be a good thing for the majority of current players. Without a salary cap I imagine a lot of them will be replaced by better players on more money. 

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11 hours ago, Tesla said:

Lol, its the PFA saying it, doesnt mean it's going to happen. Of course the PFA will push for it, as it's better for the players. Though, it has to be said, it will make the PFA a lot less relevant.

Anyway, it would be good if it happens, the sooner the better.

The first thing that will happen is that we will have five quality foreign players in each squad. I'm not sure that the benefits will flow proportionally to all Australian players. The better ones will gravitate to the richest clubs but I don't see the clubs being prepared to pay lesser Australian players more just because they can.

If there really is any possibility of the salary cap being removed then this will impact on expansion of the league. 

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10 minutes ago, japiedog said:

I haven't heard who the new  free to air tv deal is with

can you enlighten me please ?

Just announced and is just the fox component 57 a season for 6 years. FTA and digital still being finalised. So you could see Optus getting involved to compliment the epl

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4 hours ago, Tesla said:

fwiw, as much as I'm for getting rid of the salary cap, it would make little sense to do it just before expansion. Need to keep it around for at least the first season of the new clubs.

I would think that all the so-called bids that have been rumoured would have to be completely re-worked if there is any possibility of the cap being removed within the next five years. I don't believe that the bids could sustain the start-up losses they would incur if the player wages escalated dramatically.

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Given the struggle street most clubs are on financially, the fact the W League and National Youth League still need significant financial help (particularly whereby the men's comp is the major support through broadcast, commercial deals etc), the complete removal of the salary cap is and should remain a pipe dream at least until we have 14 financially stable clubs.  

If anything, the push should be to rapidly grow the salary cap in parallel with the broadcast deals.  Would help to keep player wages in line with how the market values all clubs across a broadcast deal (as opposed to just looking at the value of big clubs like City or the tards).

Not saying I'm completely for a salary cap, more that there are so many blatant self interested kents out there that removing the cap without expansion or financially stable clubs is putting the short term wants above the interest of the game in Australia 

Edited by mattyh001
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Overall IMO FFA has to make some serious decisions on the future A-League. Will it be 10, 12, 14 or 16 clubs? Much as I am in favour of doing so, it is only after actually reaching the desired number would I contemplate removing the cap, and my suggestion for the first step towards that would be to remove any salary restrictions on the five foreign players. I also think that some of the "number" restrictions on the squad need to be reviewed; I see no reason why a club should not have more than 23 senior players if it wants to. As it stands, a club's chances of winning anything can be wrecked by a couple of key injuries.

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