WHEN, and more importantly, where, is the right place to expand the Hyundai A-League?
It's a question that has spawned a thousand articles and debates. But if the football community of Townsville has its way, it'll be a case of back to the future by 2018 at the latest, with a very familiar name re-entering the fray.
Northern Fury has kept the football dream alive in the far north, after the region's A-League club was disbanded in 2011. Fury currently compete in the National Premier Leagues (Queensland) - but on Thursday, they will meet informally with FFA in Sydney, where they hope to be given a framework, to work towards regaining their senior league place.
Football romantics will also be pleased to learn that they plan to return to their old name.
"We've done some research, which shows that they (Fury fans) would like to have North Queensland back in the name. We're looking at it for next year. Internally, the feedback we have (from FFA, which owns the name), is that they wouldn't have an issue with it, or the logo and colours, which we already use," says Chairman, Rabieh Krayem.
Aside of the name change, the next stage in Fury's plan is to gain admittance into both the National Youth League and W-League, in time for the 2015-2016 season.
"They would (both) cost $1 million - we're capable of doing that. We need to give a pathway to the young players in North Queensland. We don't want an A-League licence today, but we do need a vision as to where the game is going." says Krayem.
Football Queensland are supportive of the Fury's plans, and have already held discussions with the governing body. Thursday's meeting is to test the waters still further.
"David Gallop was a strong supporter of the Cowboys when he was with the NRL, so we're hopeful. With the Fury, it's about open dialogue. We know that we need to prove we can be financially viable, but when the next expansion phase comes in - in line with the next TV deal - we want to be discussed at the very least," says Krayem.
In the meantime, Fury believes it is building the club in the right way - from the grassroots up. Averaging around 2,400 at the Townsville Sports Reserve last year, Fury say they have sold more merchandising than all the other NPL (Queensland) clubs combined.
Next week, Fury launches a membership program for the first time, which, Krayem says, will aim for numbers of around 5,000 within two years. The club has re-appointed Ian Ferguson as its senior coach, while behind the scenes, former FFA head of corporate and public affairs, Bonita Mersiades, has also joined in their push towards re-admittance.
Expansion isn't officially on the FFA timetable - at least not publicly - but it seems reasonable to expect that, by 2018, the game will be looking at pushing into new markets once more.
As Gold Coast and Fury remind us, expansion has its risks.
Geelong, Wollongong, Canberra, Tasmania will all have their supporters when the time comes - perhaps even other areas of Queensland - but Krayem believes there can be only one choice.
"There's no doubt Queensland deserves two A-League clubs, given the size of the state. We're trying to earn the right to have a team again by developing the foundations, which we didn't do last time. What we're saying to FFA is, what's it going to take? If they tell us you need a, b and c, then we'll know what we have to deliver." says Krayem.
By Thursday evening, they may know a little more - and North Queensland Fury may be a working entity once again, three years after it disappeared out of the lexicon, seemingly never to return.
Originally Posted by MFKS
