The push for a second tier and promotion and relegation in Australian soccer will not go away, and while it divides opinion it ensures a lively debate about the finance, economics and future structure of domestic soccer.
While the A-League clubs have forecast a meltdown of catastrophic proportions if the governance issues surrounding the professional game are not resolved in the next few months, those at the semi-professional level have few such fears, arguing that the game at grassroots level is strong enough to survive any further setbacks.
The A-League clubs' apocalyptic warnings have added further pressure to the discussions taking place in Sydney in recent days between their representative group, officials from FIFA, FFA and several other stakeholders over the future control and direction of the game.
But the National Premier League clubs in various states and territories continue with their primary push – to create a second tier and ultimately a pyramid that rewards those who succeed with the ability to climb to the top of the tree, and punishes those who fail with relegation to the lower levels.
Several of the clubs who would aspire to be founder members of any national second division get their 2018 campaigns under way this weekend with the kickoff of the NPL in Victoria.
Australia's strongest team outside the A-League, Heidelberg United, will look to build on their success in what was a remarkable season for them and coach George Katsakis last season.
The Bergers reached the quarter finals of the FFA Cup – losing to Adelaide United – won the NPL Victoria premiership and the National Premier League title, where they came out on top in a post-season tournament involving all the champions from the nation's other NPL competitions.
The only blot on the Bergers' record was their grand final loss to Bentleigh Greens.
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South Melbourne not only aspire to be part of any national second division: they argue that they should be in the conversation when it comes to A-League expansion.
South's penchant for PR activity and their constant insistence that they deserve a seat at the top table because of their support base and history grates with some, but there is no doubt that everyone in the game knows their ambitions.
They could do their case a lot of good by regularly getting crowds of 5000 or more to its Lakeside Stadium and boosting attendances at away games in a season when the powers that be will be considering the claims of all aspirants for potential A-League expansion in 2019-20.
They have signed Greek defender Christos Intzikis and Brazilian Oliver Minatel to bolster their stocks for the new season.
The Melbourne Knights, for so long a powerhouse of the old National Soccer League, have more modest targets these days, consolidation of their spot in the NPL being one of them.
But they have signed one of the most high profile coaches in the league in the shape of Aljosa Asanovic, who played in the Croatian side that finished third in the 1998 World Cup as well as at club level in the Serie A and the EPL.
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SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
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