Sydney FC call on Football Federation Australia to rule out south Sydney A-League plans
Tom Smithies
The Daily Telegraph
THE chairman of Sydney FC has reacted furiously to the possible introduction of a new A-League team in south Sydney, accusing Football Federation Australia of breaking assurances and of “cutting our market in half”.
Scott Barlow said he and the other club owners had been told consistently by FFA CEO David Gallop that new A-League licences were “not on the agenda”, and warned that Sydney’s owners would “think long and hard” about how to react if a third Sydney team was introduced.
With Wellington told on Monday that their application for a new 10-year licence had been rejected, speculation has intensified that they could be replaced by a new team in Sydney – possibly as early as next season.
But Barlow said the southern part of the city was “a critical market” for Sydney FC, and he called on Gallop to rule out any immediate plans to introduce a team there.
“I’m surprised and disappointed that David Gallop hasn’t yet come out to refute these rumours, having assured all the A-League chairmen that new A-League licences are not on the agenda,” Barlow said.
“He said that no new licences would be issued for years, and certainly not before the existing clubs are financially sustainable.
“So we have real concern that FFA appear to be involved with meetings with multiple representatives from south Sydney in regards to a new club. I’d urge David to publicly reconfirm that this is not on the agenda, as he has said repeatedly to all the other A-League clubs.”
Wellington have the option of seeking a four-year term, or walking away at the end of the season – with a team in Sutherland and/or the St George area favourite to replace them,
almost certainly funded and run by FFA.
But Barlow reeled off a list of statistics that he said illustrated why the introduction of a south Sydney team would have a “devastating” effect on the Sky Blues.
“South Sydney is critically important for us, he said. “Around 25 per cent of our members live south of Mascot; 40 per cent of our junior members live south of Mascot, and we have more members in Sutherland than any other region.
“There’s no question that a new team in the heart of a region so important to us would be a devastating blow and cut our market in half.
“It’s not what we signed up for and agreed to invest in more than 10 years ago. All A-League clubs must be able to operate with the assurance that their market won’t be cut in half, otherwise what’s the point in investing further?
“We don’t agree with the way Wellington have been treated, they deserve more respect.”
Asked what he and his father-in-law, majority owner David Traktovenko, would do if a new was introduced, Barlow said: “We’ll do everything we can to ensure that’s not the case, but if it happens, we’ll have to think long and hard about what to do next.”
