Canberra FC applied for entry to the Football NSW competition. It was a grand dream for an ACT Football Club to have, it was achievable and offered so much going forward for a Club that had done it all for the last ten years in the ACT competition. The entry point to NSW Premier League is through admission to NSW State League 2. Then by promotion based on results, you work your way through to the Premier League. CFC have not been granted admission in 2012.
Football NSW have announced the composition of the 2012 competitions and Canberra FC is not included.
It would interesting to know why Canberra FC missed for 2012, but you have to think that the appalling behavior of some their supporters at the Capital Football Grand Final and the disciplinary action that followed, did nothing to recommend them to the Football NSW Board.
The disciplinary action initiated by Capital Football against Canberra FC is still unresolved, and the NPL understands that Capital Football has issued Canberra FC with a new Breach Notice (in place of the original notice), and that the Capital Football Tribunal will convene on on the Canberra FC matter 12 October 2011 (Wednesday this week). Its not clear if action has been taken against the 6-7 players that were positively identified by Capital Football and mentioned in the original breach notice.
The Football NSW Board are under no obligation to explain their decisions to the ACT Football community, but you could understand their reluctance to give the "thumbs up" to Canberra FC while significant disciplinary action is still to be resolved. Football NSW advised the NPL that they had several NSW Clubs also seeking admission to the NSW State League 2 competition. There can be no doubt that the Canberra FC playing roster would give an excellent account of its itself and all things being equal, find its way to the NSW Supa League in quick order. The Canberra FC players are the big losers in this matter and that is a damn shame, disadvantaged by the behavior of some of the Club's supporters.
The troubles with Canberra FC supporters at the Grand Final and the initial action by Capital Football to impose heavy penalties, does not seem to have brought an enormous outpouring of sympathy for Canberra FC. The Club is very upset, no doubt the players are upset and rightly so, but that doesn't translate into wide football community support for their situation. Why should it?
Which is interesting, because Capital Football is not always the most popular party in Football among Clubs and their officials - for both right and wrong. Perhaps football people are just simply disgusted with the behavior of some Canberra FC supporters. Who needs it? No one. Some have pointed out that Canberra FC simply does not represent the ACT Football community and the competition brand name "Capital Football" is something that Capital Football should have reserved for ACT representative teams.
I believe that Canberra FC have paid a heavy price for the disgraceful behavior of a number of their supporters. Their ambition to enter the NSW competition in 2012 is gone. Canberra FC will need to give very careful thought to how they make the next approach to Football NSW and must have Capital Football's unqualified support. As things appear to stand at this time, there is a lot of work to be done all round.
I see little reason to comfort the CFC in relation to the behavior of some of their supporters at the Grand Final. I wonder why they bother to object to being held responsible for the behavior of these supporters. Surely, the Club would be better off without people who behave as these people did that day. Perhaps the Club hierarchy feels they are not responsible for these supporters because, in their view, some were their supporters just for that day and that game. Well, if that proves to be the case, I would imagine that it is a line of argument that would not find much traction with Football NSW. It hasn't with Capital Football and why would the FFA take a different view? That's something for CFC to consider going forward.
So 2012 will see Canberra FC remain in the Capital Football Premier League. On one hand, that's good for the local Premier League. But this is not what the Club had hoped for, however, unless things change, it may be the way it stays.
Below is the Football NSW announcement on the Competitions for 2012 in State League 2:
FOOTBALL NSW LIMITED.
A.B.N. 25 003 215 923
Friday 7 October 2011
DIVISION TWO STATE LEAGUE (MEN)
SEASON 2012
The Board of Directors have determined the composition of the Division Two State League
competition for Season 2012. The Division Two State League will consist of the following:-
Competition Brand Name - Venue
Bathurst 75’ - Alec Lamberton Field
Belmore - Hercules Blick Oval
Fairfield Wanderers FC - Knight Park 4
FC Gazy Lansvale - Cherrybrook Park
Hakoah - Hensley Athletic Field
Hawkesbury City SC - Bensons Lane
Hurstville City Minotaurs - Punchbowl Oval
Luddenham United - Luddenham Oval
Mountains United - Summerhayes Park
Nepean FC - Cook Park (St Marys)
Prospect United - William Lawson Reserve
West City FC - Chopin Park
Important Notices:
Nominated home venues
Consistent with the policy determined for Season 2011 in circumstances where the nominated home
venue is not available, and a State League Division Two Club is unable to supply a substitute ground
which satisfies the criteria, then the match will be set down at the venue of the opposition team and
will still be regarded as a home fixture for the club which is in default.
Teams are accepted subject to meeting all Football NSW requirements and completing the Football
NSW participation agreement.
EDDIE MOORE,
Chief Executive Officer
I'll think you'll find that Football NSW had seven applicants for the division and in fact cut their league from thirteen to twelve clubs. Therefore, no matter what CFC did on or off the field made the slightest bit of difference.
ReplyDeleteSeems like you can barely your gleeful schadenfreude, Peter. Your small-mindedness and insularity is a disgrace to football in the ACT.
ReplyDeleteIn response to the first comment:
ReplyDeleteYour are correct to say that the competition for a place in the NSW State League 2 was substantial. However, I can assure you that those that run the NSW competitions are well aware of the potential that CFC might bring, in time, to their Premier League. Not every NSW State League 2 team can do that. In my view, CFC had a lot to offer on the field to a NSW competition. They would have blitzed the SL2 competition and the next year sailed through the SL1 competition - then it would be on to the second level of the Senior mens competition - Premier League Supa League.
Well that's they way it could have been. The appalling behavior of a small group of CFC supporters at the Capital Football Grand Final, may well have been serious "lead in the saddlebags" when the hard decisions had to be made by the Football NSW Board.
But I reckon that CFC needed everything going for them, to give Football NSW the confidence that bypassing a NSW team was justified. Alas, CFC provided reasons, unrelated to their football power on the field, for the Football NSW Board to let it pass for 2012.
However, I can understand your position, after all, Canberra teams have been given admission to Football NSW competitions in the past, only to be given the flick later (and in large part because other NSW based teams in the competition expressed their reluctance to travel to the ACT to play).
But that was then and this now - and I believe Football NSW would welcome a suitable team from the ACT. After all, they have done it for the Boomerangs FS in Futsal and there is a success story if ever there was one. The people behind the Boomerangs FS did their homework, got it all correct and have conducted themselves admirably, played brilliantly and got themselves promoted from the NSW Supa League to the NSW Premier League, the hotest Futsal competition in Australia. CFC should talk to these people.
Response to the Second comment:
Clearly you have not read my Post carefully. "schadenfreude" - pleasure gained from the discomfort of others! What rubbish! You need to come to grips with the reality of this situation. See comments above and body of the Post you responded too. It seems you have some difficulty accepting the truth of this situation. I hope that CFC management takes a different view. The unacceptable behavior of a small group of of CFC supporters, has not been let pass without comment and sanction by Capital Football. Nor should it. CFC as good as shot itself in the foot on this one. What pleasure is there in a top notch club not being admitted into the NSW Football competition? None. As one who would have occasionally traveled to see them play and attended their home games, I assure you, I am single-minded in my criticism of those that did what did not need to have been done and who may have titled the balance against admission to NSW Football. This does not pass without comment - if it does there is risk these ill behaved individuals will do it all again. And just maybe, that's what crossed the minds of those that considered the CFC application! You join the rest of the dots together! "Gleeful"- you must be joking. The only evidence of "insularity" is the conduct of those ill behaved CFC supporters and anyone silly enough to excuse their behavior and the club's responsibility for its supporters - and, importantly, anyone foolish enough to imagine this issue would not be picked up at Football NSW.