Perth Glory owner Tony Sage reveals breakaway talks, but sees solutions to the A-League's problems elsewhere

Sage claims he had discussions with outspoken Gold Coast United owner Clive Palmer about a rebel league, but believes a board of representatives is the answer for the clubs.

22/02/2012 1:50:00 PM

By Paddy Higgs

More On :  Gold Coast United, Perth Glory
A-League - Perth Glory - Tony Sage
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Perth Glory owner Tony Sage has revealed he had discussions with Gold Coast United counterpart Clive Palmer over a breakaway national football competition, but believes a board of club representatives is the answer to the game's problems.

Palmer has leveled numerous allegations of mismanagement at Football Federation Australia over the past few days, putting the future of his club - which parted ways with coach Miron Bleiberg on Sunday - in the A-League in doubt.

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Speaking to the The World Game, Sage claimed Palmer approached him with the concept of a rebel league, but said the concept was unfeasible.

"I had recent discussions with Clive and he did suggest the idea of a competition replacing the A-league and being run independently of FFA," Sage told the website.

"I explained to him how that would put Australia outside the umbrella of FIFA and that you wouldn't be able to sign FIFA-registered players and play in FIFA-sanctioned competitions and he understood that.

"There's no way it could happen here, unlike in rugby league where of course it did a number of years back. So the idea got knocked on the head pretty quickly."

Sage understands Palmer's desire for change, however.  While keen to take a different tact to Palmer and discuss things with the FFA "behind closed doors", he said the United boss had highlighted "a lot of things that the other owners agree with".

Sage wants the FFA to lift the salary cap from AU$1.2m to $2.5m, and is after more support from the governing body to meet costs for away games.

Easing on the restrictions of club sponsors - some of who may be in competition with the league's sponsors - is another contentious issue, which Sage believes a board of representatives could help work through.

"I think that is a necessity," Sage said. "I have spoken to A-League chief Lyall Gorman, Ben Buckley and Frank Lowy about it and it needs to happen. It's something the owners all agree on.

"The guys who have funded the A-League to the tune of [AU]$40-50 million since its inception and deserve a say in the running of the game and how their money is spent.

"What Clive is saying is that all they want is somebody on the board promoting their viewpoints. We all support him in that ambition."


 
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