As we are aware, our Mens Premier League Football season in the ACT is too short.
The season is too short to sustain the development of younger players, or enable teams to develop and improve their position over a competition that holds a small number of teams and schedules them to play each other only twice in a season (Fed Cup and pre season do not count).
Not every Mens PL Clubs is enthused by the prospect of a longer regular season, but the majority seem to be in favour. The argument put by CF is that the Fed Cup covers the gap. That's misleading - the Fed Cup is seen as a pre-season playing opportunity and importantly, does not count toward the Premiership.
The Womens PL competition has fewer teams but does schedule teams to play each other three times in their regular season. It works.
Our regular season is now drawing to a close. The time goes quickly.
Football, like so many other big participation sports (and Football is the biggest) demand more of players across a longer section of the calender year. This is particularly the case, if we are to talk in terms of the development of young talented players. No more so than the Under 17 to Under 20 age group.
If you follow the NPL interviews with Ron Smith, Alfred Galustian, Jan Versliejen to name just three the NPL has interviewed on talented player development in the last three years; one point is made by them all - the Australian regular football season is too short to provide the sort of sustained competitive development opportunities that enable young players to be as good as they can be. We marvel at the technical proficiency of the visiting Asian teams youth teams and gasp at the amount of training and games they play. The get there by addressing the game in what amounts to a whole of year basis. Ron Smith in his report to the CF Board on high performance / development of young players, made teh requirement for off season activity plain enough. So why are we faultering?
Simple first remedy for us here in the ACT - lengthen the domestic premiership competition and then provide an additional playing opportunity for Clubs to develop their emerging players in the off season
In 2009 Capital Football did something fantastic - it started the Mens Summer 20s! It was an outstanding first effort. Clearly some one had done thinking and got it right. WHy did we go backwards after sucj a good beginning? Far too many questions!
In 2010, Capital Football forgot about the Summer 20s, left the planning and consultation too late to be effective across all the PL CLubs and as a result only three PL Clubs participated (one of whom provided two teams). It was a useful experience but a shadow of the previous year. It was damn shame and a good initiative was killed off before it took hold. Some PL CLubs had issues with CF over the Summer 20s, but that's another story and there has been plenty of time since to get them straightended out. Has anyone at CF bothered to enquire? Thos damn questions again!
At the time of writing, the PL CLubs are yet to receive any news of a Summer 20's competition for men in 2011. To this point there has been no consultation or communication with the PL Clubs. What are the Regional Reps and Mens Standing Committee doing about this issue? is this something the CF Board could get interested in? It should be, because it is a strategic planning issue, not a simple operational matter. Do the responsible Capital Football staff have sufficient instructions to engage with the PL Clubs on this matter? Will Mens Football for our best Under 17 to 20 players stop in the ACT at the end of this regular season? Looks like it at the moment. Too many questions where there should mostly be answers already in place.
Perhaps Capital Football have something else planned - but if they do, the PL Clubs have not heard about it yet and the time to have been discussing it in a steady, contemplative fashion is now behind us - Summer 20s or no Summer 20s or anything else for that matter.
This can be fixed, but we need some careful consultation with the PL Clubs. No PL Clubs should pass up an opportunity to play in the Summer 20s - if its good enough for CFC, the most successful Club in the last ten years and best current roster in the ACT, to have supported this concept from the outset, why would other PL hesitate? Perhaps they need some assistance, I don't kow for sure. So get them together and talk - Now!
Perhaps this could be seen as a development opportunity for the CF Technical Director to charge of going forward. That would make sense.
But if its off, its off, and if we can't do it well, don't try and say so now.
If CF has an alternate proposal then put it to the Clubs now and not later and in time to deal with it and participate. Some Clubs are already thinking of solving this off season matter and not relying on CF. Not sure that's a good position for CF.
Capital Football made an excellent start in 2009 - let's hope we can improve on that for 2011!
With that in mind, the NPL has sent the following questions to Capital Football. Let you know when we get a answer:
What plans are afoot for the Summer 20s in 2011:
- Who in Capital Football operational staff responsibility for a Summer 20’s competition in 2011?
- Has a 2011 Summer 20s competition been discussed at the CF Board level and if so what was the outcome?
- Has planning begun at CF (if so when?)
- Has a decision been made on the conduct of a Summer 20s competition in 2011?
- What is the current CF planning timeline from whenever planning started (or will start) to advice to Clubs (advice it will not happen or advice of the draw and supporting details)?
- What is the minimum number of teams required to conduct the Summer 20s?
- What is the proposed format (aims and objectives of a Summer 20s etc)?
- Competition rules (where different from mens PL currently in use)?
- Have the PL clubs been formally contacted about entering a team?
- Playing location / time?
- Canteen responsibilities?
- Player registration costs and basis of calculation of these costs to Clubs?
- Is the Mens Standing Committee involved in the planning of this competition and if so what is their role and who is involved?
- When will Capital Football advise Club of the Summer 20s (go ahead or no competition) and how will the Clubs be advised?
- Will Capital Football hold a meeting of interested Clubs to discuss the Summer 20s competition in 2011?
- What financial assistance will CF give to Clubs to participate in the Summer 20s.