Aussie bosses snub Bledisloe-style clash

BY SIMON PLUMB

EXCLUSIVE: DON'T hold your breath waiting for an annual Socceroos-All Whites clash – the arrogant Aussies don't want to know about it.

Despite agreeing to a May 24 clash in Melbourne as a pre-World Cup friendly, Football Federation Australia officials are not interested in creating a Bledisloe Cup-styled regular encounter.

The FFA are content to use New Zealand's only A-League franchise, the Phoenix, as a convenient cash cow (see story below) but when it comes to providing Kiwi soccer fans with an annual trans-Tasman clash, the prospect is falling on deaf ears.

The FFA initially misled Sunday News last week when we chased officials for several days on whether an All Whites-Socceroos match would take place this year. Officials had promised the story to Australian News Limited newspapers for Monday morning and didn't want us spoiling the party.

Nor were they particularly co-operative.

They wouldn't take phone calls and dismissed any suggestion of regular trans-Tasman internationals with short email answers.

Sunday News: "Have the FFA discussed resuming more regular contact?"

FFA: "No"

Sunday News: "Is it realistic to do so?"

FFA: "Not realistic at all. Football is an international game and a very different proposition to rugby and cricket."

Besides the fact rugby and cricket officials will be surprised to learn the FFA doesn't regard them as international sports, the FFA's arrogance carried over to talking about their bully-boy monopoly over A-League finals revenue.

The Wellington Phoenix's coffers could have been swelled by almost $2m if they were allowed to keep revenue at all from their two home finals appearances – the second, next Sunday against Newcastle, is soaring towards a 35,000 sellout.

Instead the FFA pockets the lot – and doesn't like being questioned about it either.

FFA spokesmen took three days to respond to repeated phone inquiries about their finals stance and blocked any discussion with CEO Ben Buckley about it.

The FFA refused to front for an interview and would only answer questions by email, ignoring any relating to A-League playoff revenue, except for our query on whether the situation was likely to change. "No," was the blunt answer.

With a record crowd of 24,278 in the Cake Tin for last Sunday's Phoenix win over Perth Glory, and an average adult ticket price of $35, the FFA have just lifted a sum somewhere in the region of $850,000 out of Wellington.

Next week's playoff could clear the Aussies more than $1m.

Football NZ boss Michael Glading admits to wanting an annual clash with the Aussies.

"Yeah, I like the idea. We would be very keen to get a relationship with the Australians," Glading said.

However, it looks like the words will be falling on deaf ears.

- © Fairfax NZ News