Auckland A-League football team in 2024
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@frugby said in Auckland A-League football team in 2024:
The question for me, is not whether this team will work - for me, it is whether it will kill the Wellington Phoenix.
I wouldn't think so? I thought the thing for the nix is the passionate fanbase they've built up? I highly doubt that's masses of people that routinely travel to the capital from AKL.
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@Bones said in Auckland A-League football team in 2024:
@frugby said in Auckland A-League football team in 2024:
The question for me, is not whether this team will work - for me, it is whether it will kill the Wellington Phoenix.
I wouldn't think so? I thought the thing for the nix is the passionate fanbase they've built up? I highly doubt that's masses of people that routinely travel to the capital from AKL.
Nope, but it is more about quality players available... the Auckland team will surely gain greater levels of talent.
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It certainly makes a mockery of Union salary caps/ budgets, when a tiny start-up team in little old A-League is talking $20 million, which is more than the cap for any rugby team in the world - France could be similar I guess, depending on the number being accurate and what it covers.
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@Bovidae said in Auckland A-League football team in 2024:
There are rules in place around the salary cap and the number of marquee players you can sign. The Phoenix were smart in that they recently signed some of their young Aucklanders to long-term contracts (e.g., Alex Paulsen).
I'm aware there is a salary cap, but the point is the Phoenix clearly don't challenge the salary cap, and certainly don't pay their marquee players the big bucks... (hence why they lost Davila).
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@frugby said in Auckland A-League football team in 2024:
I'm aware there is a salary cap, but the point is the Phoenix clearly don't challenge the salary cap, and certainly don't pay their marquee players the big bucks... (hence why they lost Davila).
The Phoenix definitely spent a lot on wages in Talay's last year, but I doubt they can compete with the salaries the marquee players want.
I found this info:
The A-League is a salary-cap league without promotion or relegation. Clubs can sign two “marquee players” whose salary is unlimited and two “designated players” who can be paid up to A$600,000.
BTW, Central Coast Mariners won the 2023 A-League with the smallest budget and youngest squad.
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@frugby said in Auckland A-League football team in 2024:
@Bones said in Auckland A-League football team in 2024:
@frugby why?
Bill Foley will be able to blow the Phoenix out the water.
Are both teams restricted to NZ players then? If not, I don't see how the Auckland team isn't just like any other team in the league.
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@Bones said in Auckland A-League football team in 2024:
@frugby said in Auckland A-League football team in 2024:
@Bones said in Auckland A-League football team in 2024:
@frugby why?
Bill Foley will be able to blow the Phoenix out the water.
Are both teams restricted to NZ players then? If not, I don't see how the Auckland team isn't just like any other team in the league.
I guess my point is, if the Phoenix and the Auckland team are after the same player, particularly top-level overseas players (even someone like Chris Wood), I struggle to see why someone would pick the Phoenix unless otherwise connected.
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@Bones said in Auckland A-League football team in 2024:
@frugby I'm still not seeing it. Wouldn't pretty much every team in the league have more money than Wellington?
Think about it like this.
The Phoenix squad is pretty much made up of New Zealanders and Overseas players (Not Australians).
Assuming the Auckland team follows the same sort of setup, if you split the talent, is there enough players to have two quality teams? Obviously there will be a few Australians, but they won't be the top ones going around, and are more than likely to be fringe players.
This is where I wonder if there is enough quality to support two teams.
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@Bones said in Auckland A-League football team in 2024:
@frugby said in Auckland A-League football team in 2024:
This is where I wonder if there is enough quality to support two teams.
It doesn't really boil down to that though does it? There's a helluva lot more than two teams in the league.
I disagree. Due to the fact Kiwis are treated as foreigners for the Australian teams, the Phoenix effectively have a free run at just about every Kiwi who doesn't wish to play in Europe. As I say, if you cut the Kiwi talent down the middle, both teams are probably quite weak, and serious Australian reinforcements will be needed/overseas players attracted home.
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Ben Old, another Aucklander at the Phoenix, has re-signed until 2027.
Football: Wellington Phoenix secure another long-term player contract as Auckland A-League expansion looms | Newshub
Auckland-born midfielder Ben Old will stay in Wellington at least another three years.
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Bill Foley is buying a significant amount of teams, he will have access to be able to bring certain players to a tournament within financial parameters because he can also promise players, that if they stay in a certain team for a few years he will move them. This is already happening now.
I think the competition will be great for NZ as well, a much better way to get more NZers up to international speed tooEDIT : Now add Hibs to the mix and the potential flow
Bill Foley in further Hibs takeover hint after he launches A-League franchise
The billionaire has suggested he is close to a deal for Hibs
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@Bones I believe Kiwi teams are allowed unlimited Aussies, but Aussie teams are only allowed to have five non Aussies, so teams don't generally use these on Kiwis.
I'm sure as a result of this new team, you'll probably see a few of decent Kiwis to start with... Oli Sail to return, maybe a Tommy Smith and a Marco Rojas, but on top of that they'll need to fill their squad, and realistically to be competitive in the long run, both them and the Phoenix are competing for a select group of players, because the top Aussie players in the competition want to play in Aussie (Like with the Warriors in the NRL).
Of the Phoenix's main 18 sort of players, just over half are Kiwis. If you split that in half again, I struggle to see where enough talent is coming from, unless the Auckland team hauls in some top-end marquee players.
