Australian Premier League

Mods- Move as necessary. Only placed in Local forum since it will affect NNSW competitions.

Wiki Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Premier_League

Article from Herald (21/11/2012) Kasey Wehrman Story:

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FORMER Newcastle Jets midfielder Kasey Wehrman has been appointed player-coach of the Western Pride for the inaugural Australian Premier League.



The Pride are based in Ipswich, where Wehrman’s family live, and are one of 12 teams competing in the Queensland conference of the APL, which kicks off in March.

Partly funded by Football Federation Australia, it is anticipated that the APL will become the second tier of football in the country.

Queensland and South Australian conferences will be held next season. NSW, Western Australia, Victoria and possibly Northern NSW will enter the league in 2014.

Wehrman had been doing work with Football Federation Australia as an indigenous ambassador but has been without a club since he was let go by the Jets at the end of last season.

The 35-year-old former Socceroo was in the Jets leadership group and played 36 games for the club before falling out with coach Gary van Egmond 13 games into last season. He continued to train but did not play another game.

‘‘It’s good to be back involved,’’ Wehrman told the Herald yesterday.

‘‘The APL is an exciting challenge.

‘‘Western Pride are a start-up club with teams from under-12s through to seniors. I’m predominantly looking after the first team.

‘‘Our aim is to make the club as professional as possible.

‘‘The idea is to develop young players from the area, but we have to look at bringing a couple in if we are short in specific areas.

‘‘The FFA has written up the curriculum. It is going to be a good challenge and one I’m looking forward to.’’

Wehrman, who will sit his A-Licence in Canberra next week, said he was still adjusting to life as a coach.

‘‘We have had some trials and I had to let some players go,’’ he said.

‘‘I’m not used to being on the other side of the coin.’’


Queensland APL teams are spread throughout the state.

Six, including the Queensland Academy of Sport, are in Brisbane.

The others are in Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton, Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.

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Says it will be run April - September which will coincide with NNSW competitions. As it is intended as a 2nd Tier A-league, do you think we (NNSW) will choose a NBN/NNSW Select Squad, or will Broadmeadow Magic become the region's representative.

It appears to be set into conferences. I'm assuming no more than 4 teams in the NSW conference. Good idea? Bad idea?

I thought the whole thing was just a rebadging of the the State leagues??

May be mistaken but the whole thing is being poorly organised and no clear message coming to us football fans as to what it is all about. Was under the impression that it was only QLD and SA for the time being as both NSW Feds, Victoria and WA had been holding back to 2014 at the earliest from what I am aware.

F

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OOTBALL Federation Australia says it has no plans to introduce promotion and relegation to the A-League - despite Football Queensland's declaration the system was on its way in 2022.

On Wednesday, at the launch of the Australian Premier League's Queensland conference, FQ chief Geoff Foster claimed pressure from the Asian Football Confederation had forced FFA into making plans for a national second-tier competition in 10 years time.

The desire to increase the A-League's presence in the AFC Champions League was the driver behind the decision, he said.

But an FFA spokesperson was quick to pour cold water on FQ's claims.

"It remains an aspiration that one day promotion and relegation may become a possibility for the Hyundai A-League," the spokesperson said.

"However FFA has made no decision and given no timeline to introduce promotion and relegation.

"The introduction of the APL structure is an important enhancement in the evolution of the talented player pathway for football in Australia and we congratulate Football Queensland on the announcement of the teams they will be putting forward for the competition."

Foster said earlier FFA boss Frank Lowy had approached the CEOs and chairmen of its member federations in September.

"He said to us that the AFC were running out of patience and that we needed to prepare and that we needed to make this happen, perhaps sooner than we are ready," Foster said.

"I would be surprised if the AFC were patient enough to give us (beyond) 2022, but that's what we're representing as a plan."

All bar three of the FFA's member federations will introduce APL 'conferences' in 2013 - Football West, Football Federation Victoria and Northern NSW Football are to follow the year after.

However, when pressed on the myriad issues that a national second division would present, Foster said it was a 'realistic' prospect that could be worked with the appropriate governance changes.

"I don't want you to think that this is not going to happen without its challenges - it's a cultural change from football as we've played it traditionally," he said.

"We believe with some rationalisation and cooperation in governance, we will be able to have a more seamless promotion-relegation opportunity."

FQ chief operating officer Ben Mannion said the APL, which is first and foremost designed as a pathway for elite players and coaches, was the 'best thing that's come out of the national federation for a long time'.

"The game is moving forward. This shouldn't be seen as anything but a massive step forward for football," Mannion said.

"The new TV rights deal will help the A-League clubs, no doubt about that, and depending on how long that is (FFA will) look at the next step of the World Cup and the Asian Cup here in 2015 as two tools to actually drive participation and drive kids to those clubs.

"Over time, our game will change. Traditionally we've been a funding-up model.

"Hopefully one day in the not too distant future, the funding will start coming up from the top from the likes of TV rights deals and different commercial arrangements that the FFA will work on."

The 12 clubs who will make up the APL Queensland division are Brisbane City, Brisbane Strikers, Central Queensland, Far North Queensland Bulls, Moreton Bay United, Northern Fury, Olympic FC, Palm Beach Sharks, the Queensland Academy of Sport, Redlands United, Sunshine Coast Fire and Western Pride

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Source: http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/25249...n-by-2022.aspx




So, going of that, you are right. Just rebranded, and I'm assuming the top 2-3-4 will have sort of playoff system/national cup.

After seeing a few Wherman sessions with juniors I think it will be the start of a quality coaching career, very interesting decision at that level to appoint a player/coach.

It is good too see him still on the park and shows he obviously feels he has a lot of faith in whomever his assistant might be too.

I think the next big thing will be the introduction of the National second division.