By ADEM SARICAOGLU
THE immediate future of Victorian soccer remains in limbo after clubs were told to prepare for the imminent rollout of the National Premier League last week.
Just days after Football Federation Victoria announced its plans for the Victorian rollout of the NPL had been put on ice, the co-signatory clubs convened a meeting in Coburg on Tuesday.
South Melbourne director and co-signatory spearhead Tom Kalas addressed the gathering of more than 40 clubs.
He told them Football Federation Australia has given its blessing for the group to proceed with the implementation of its own NPL model.
Under the newly-proposed model, all current Victorian Premier League and State League One clubs would qualify for the new two-tier NPL, provided they meet the required coaching and administrative standards.
While nothing has since been announced or confirmed, Kalas told Star on Sunday he expects a resolution to come through sometime this week.
“I’m confident there will be an NPL next year,” Kalas said.
“We want to know what’s going to happen sometime soon and obviously before Christmas, so we can get organised and cued up for next year.
“We’ve asked the FFA to work as quickly as possible because it’ll make it easier to get organised.”
Kalas also revealed at the meeting both Sunshine George Cross and Werribee City had been invited to join the co-signatory group.
Failure to do so would mean each club’s place in the NPL would be offered elsewhere – a position re-iterated by Kalas on Sunday.
The two SL1 clubs were given until Sunday evening to make their intentions clear.
But Werribee City president Sam Panebianco told Star he will only deal with the FFV or FFA on the matter, and not the co-signatory clubs.
“We’ll just wait until the official news comes out from the FFV and FFA on what direction they’re going,” Panebianco said.
“They’re the people that drive and are in charge of soccer in Victoria and Australia.
“If we get notification from the FFV or FFA then we’ll go to the next step, but only once we get actual notification from one of them.”
New Sunshine George Cross president Jamie Chetcuti chose not to comment on his club’s position, but it is understood the club’s board was due to meet on Sunday.
