Shopping list … Off-season transfers are now complete but several FFV stakeholders believe the salary cap should be re-introduced to limit player movements in the top competition. 52124
SEVERAL Football Federation Victoria (FFV) stakeholders believe the salary cap should be re-introduced to help stop the “merry-go-round” of player movements among the state’s top clubs.
The silly season of Victorian Premier League (VPL) transfers has now ended, after teams grappled with each other – and looked overseas – in an effort to build a winning list.
But, as the VPL season kicked off last weekend, there is a prevailing school of thought that player payments could eventually kill off some clubs, as the thirst for short-term success takes over.
St Albans president Danny Jutrisa supported a salary cap and was adamant it would limit player movements between seasons.
“I think the biggest problem has been that a lot of the clubs with a lot of money tend to splash out on players,” Jutrisa said.
“What happens there is that those players who chase the money, they’ll chase it, which makes it very difficult for (other) clubs who don’t have the same financial backing to sustain a quality side.
“Personally, I think they should bring in a salary cap. A salary cap would definitely put a stranglehold onto that. However, that being said, it does bring in a number of other issues, such as how to maintain books.
“A salary cap is probably the best way to minimise the increasing cost of players. At the moment, for what they (higher paid players) are getting paid, I don’t think they’re worth that money.”
Jutrisa said investing in juniors was the best way to build club loyalty.
But what of the teams relegated to State League One after last season, Sunshine George Cross and Altona Magic, who will inevitably lose a significant chunk of their playing roster?
Jutrisa said relegation and promotion must remain, despite the fact that, if removed, it could result in less player movements and allow struggling clubs to build from the bottom.
“It’s always good to have relegation and promotion, but it does mean that those clubs who are struggling – and usually those clubs who do struggle are struggling financially at the same time – (relegation) gives them a chance to drop down to a lower league and probably rebuild themselves.
“It also allows other teams from lower divisions to strive for something.”
Clubs playing without the risk of relegation may also hurt the quality of the VPL and result in several “dead” fixtures late in a season.
Sunshine George Cross secretary Victor Brincat also said scrapping relegation and promotion would be foolhardy, despite his own team’s predicament.
“I think there’s always got to be something for clubs down below to aim for,” Brincat said.
“I think we’ll lose most of our players because they’ll probably prefer to stay in the Premier League. But we’ll build again and we’ll come back again.
Green Gully technical director Ian Dobson knows his way around the VPL. He has won seven titles in the top competition, including five with the Cavaliers.
He believes moving towards a competition without the prospect of relegation would allow clubs to dedicate more money towards improving facilities.
“I think they should stop promotion and relegation (in the VPL). This will stop the same merry-go-round of players each year, and they should spend the money on the facilities a little bit and improving the facilities for the spectators,” Dobson said.
“At the A-League level, there is no pressure to get relegated and you can spend money in different areas within the structure of the game.”
FFV CEO Mark Rendell said: “Football Federation Australia (FFA) is currently completing a national competition review, with issues surrounding the second tier competitions on the agenda.
“FFV is working with FFA to get a standard approach to second tier competitions in Australia, and promotion and relegation is obviously a part of this review process.
“The salary cap is also part of the review. However, we would require a streamlined approach as traditional salary caps are too resource intensive for state bodies to effectively administer.
“Until that review process is finalised, FFV is not in a position to comment any further.”
