Professional Footballers Australia publishes Socceroos 2022 FIFA World Cup report

PFA Socceroos 2022 Report

Professional Footballers Australia (the PFA) has released a report which analyses the Socceroos’ 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign.

The report here provides the PFA and the broader Australian football community with insights from the experiences of Australia’s elite players at the pinnacle tournament of men’s football and a benchmark against which to measure the Socceroos’ future participation in international competition.

The report comprises player feedback on the Socceroos’ priorities during the next World Cup ‘cycle’, and insights into the production of the next generation of national team stars, from a player perspective. It also includes an overview of the economic impact World Cup qualification delivers for Australian football.

The release of the PFA’s research arrives at a time where the Socceroos continue preparations for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup (to be held in January/February 2024), Australia’s junior national teams compete in international tournaments in Europe and Asia and the Matildas prepare for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Key findings of the report include:

A world class environment delivers World Cup success

The report reveals a ‘blueprint’ for the ongoing international success for Australia’s National Teams, including insights into the world-class environment provided to the
Socceroos. The same environment will be afforded to the Matildas at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup kicking off next month through the world-leading Collective
Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed between the players and Football Australia in 2019.

A new generation emerges

The squad selected at the 2022 FIFA World Cup was the Socceroos’ second youngest by average age. Coupled with emerging talent from the A-Leagues and junior National Teams, the face of the Socceroos is set to evolve further during the next World Cup cycle.

The A-League provides a clear pathway to the National Team

Eight players in the 26-man FIFA World Cup squad were playing in the A-League Men when selected, a record high. A further 12 players had played in the A-League previously, with only six players not having played domestically. These selections and recent developments surrounding youth development provide a promising signal that the A-League is capable of providing a pathway into the national team under current settings.

Players’ feedback on the future

Looking ahead to the Asian Cup, the 2026 FIFA World Cup and beyond, the players said they were focused on building on their progress in 2022 with a preference for more matches against the right opponents to maximise their performance. Nearly half the players (47%) believed that prioritising matches in Australia should be a focus. The players also said that issues impacting young children, such as the cost to play, marketing to attract more children to the sport, and more community facilities for kids, as the highest priorities to help facilitate the production of the next generation of Socceroos and Matildas.

Commenting on the report, PFA Co-Chief Executive Beau Busch said:

“This report is unprecedented in its scope and scale. It is designed to help the Australian football community and all our interconnected stakeholders to deeply understand the conditions that deliver success for our National Teams, to support our collective ambition of sustained international success.

“It is also an important benchmarking tool to help contexualise the achievements of the Socceroos over time and provide an evidence-based, objective analysis of our players and team. There’s a ‘boom and bust’ narrative that often clouds the performance of our National Teams and the performance of our sport, so long-term, data-driven evidence provides a better basis for our game to take calculated strategic decisions towards improvement.

“The report reflects the vital role that collective bargaining has played in delivering a world class environment, which is a clear pre-condition for international success. Equally to the credit of Head Coach Graham Arnold and his staff, the players’ assessments of aspects such as the environment, team culture, and tactical preparation, were also very positive.

“Our hope is that this report provides a foundation for dialogue around the key areas of collective focus and responsibility for our players, Football Australia, the A-Leagues and our National Teams as we pursue a competitive edge on the global stage.”

Click here to download the report.

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Melbourne Victory’s brand-new infrastructure strategy

Melbourne Victory & SEDA

A-League giant Melbourne Victory has revealed a brand-new extensive infrastructure strategy to foster and support tomorrow’s footballing stars.

The strategic infrastructure plan set out by Victory will aim to develop youth and women’s football programs by providing improved access to world class footballing facilities and player pathways across Victoria.

To achieve this, Melbourne Victory has opted for a campus model to enable players access to connected and consistent facilities across the North, East, South and West of Melbourne, all within an hour’s journey of Victory’s club administrative centre and the A-League Men’s training facilities at Gosch’s Paddock.

The club also intends to build another campus within the Melbourne city centre, with the first campus location to be announced by the club soon, as it continues to review and assess possible sites across the city.

Melbourne Victory Chairman, John Dovaston, explained why the club had chosen the campus model.

“The announcement of this project, and the direction taken, is aimed at ensuring we are best placed to attract and retain football talent across the State,” he said in a press release.

“Our innovative approach will allow us to have a number of campuses with not only an elite focus, but also, an eye on building our community to ensure that all Victorians have an opportunity to participate and engage in our game.”

Melbourne Victory Managing Director, Caroline Carnegie, outlined why the new infrastructure strategy was so important to the club.

“It is well understood that sport and football can influence social cohesion, and it’s our responsibility as a Club to establish infrastructure and programs that can positively impact members of the community, regardless of gender, background or location, whether that be through training the next generation of football stars, or using football as a vehicle to lead, unite, connect and inspire the community more broadly,” she said via press release.

“By enabling Victory to connect with communities across the North, South, East, and West of AAMI Park, our spiritual home, we can truly grow the Victory family and set new standards for elite facilities in our Pathway and community programs.”

The infrastructure project is an important move for the club, allowing it to grow, improve and future-proof its current suite of footballing programs. Currently, Victory operates nine elite and 23 pathway programs, providing services to over 16,000 participants across Victoria. Through the campus model, the club hopes it will be able to more efficiently develop the new generation of A-League and national team players.

“The priority is to provide not just an entry point for individuals to engage and participate in football, but to keep them engaged and provide a holistic journey to grow the Victory family across the State,” Carnegie continued.

“We are excited about the opportunities that the project can provide and the potential for growth for our Club and for football in the future.”

Melbourne Victory will continue to issue updates as it sets on the 5-year-plus journey to complete the entire project. For more information on the club’s major infrastructure strategy, access the plan HERE.

 

PFA issues legal threat to Premier League over new financial rules

The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) has issued a legal threat to the Premier League, warning of potential legal action if new financial rules are passed without union consultation and approval.

The PFA alleges that the league and its clubs have deliberately withheld critical information about the proposed squad cost rules (SCR) and top-to-bottom anchoring (TBA). These changes, according to the union, could severely impact player wages and club finances.

Legal Warning Over SCR and TBA

The Premier League and its 20 clubs voted on the proposed rules during a meeting on 13 February. In a letter addressed to the league and its stakeholders, the PFA’s legal team stated they “anticipate being instructed to commence legal proceedings” if the rules are approved without adequate consultation with the union.

The union has demanded a written guarantee from the league by 4 pm on 11 February, confirming its intention to fully consult the PFA on the matter. Failure to do so will also trigger legal action.

The PFA described the proposed squad cost rules and top-to-bottom anchoring system as “fundamentally flawed” and expressed deep concerns about their potential consequences for players and clubs alike.

What Are the SCR and TBA?

The squad cost rules (SCR) would limit clubs to spending a maximum of 85 per cent of their revenue on squad-related expenses, aligning with similar rules introduced by UEFA. From next season, UEFA plans to reduce its revenue-to-spending cap to 70 per cent for clubs involved in its competitions.

The top-to-bottom anchoring (TBA) system, however, is more contentious. It would enforce a strict cap on how much a club can spend on squad costs, calculated as five times the amount received by the club earning the least from central Premier League funds.

Critics, including the PFA, argue that TBA effectively introduces an indirect cap on player salaries. Some clubs, such as Manchester United and Manchester City, have also expressed opposition to the proposal, fearing it would weaken their ability to compete with elite European teams.

Accusations of Withholding Information

The PFA has accused the Premier League of failing to follow proper consultation protocols, which are required for any matters impacting player wages or conditions.

Under the rules, the Premier League and English Football League (EFL) must consult with the PFA through the Professional Game Negotiating and Consultative Committee (PFNCC). Any changes that affect players cannot proceed without the union’s agreement.

However, the PFA’s lawyers, Mills and Reeve, claim the Premier League missed its own deadline to provide an updated version of the SCR before Christmas. Instead, clubs received the document on 9 January—too late for meaningful discussions during a PFNCC meeting held on 8 January.

The union further alleges it only received the full 87-page SCR manual after an ad-hoc PFNCC meeting on 20 January, despite indications that clubs had access to the document as early as July last year.

PFA’s Position on the Financial Rules

The PFA remains firmly opposed to the introduction of TBA, stating it imposes an unnecessary cap on player wages under the guise of financial regulation.

The union believes such measures are not only unfair to players but also risk undermining the competitiveness of Premier League clubs on the international stage.

In their letter to the Premier League’s legal team at Linklaters, the PFA’s lawyers described the handling of the proposed financial rules as “flagrant breaches” of the league’s obligations to consult with the union.

As the 13 February vote has taken place, the tension between the PFA and the Premier League appears to be escalating, with the prospect of legal proceedings looming should the union’s demands for consultation remain unmet.

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