By David Polkinghorne
It hasn't taken long. No sooner had the Central Coast Mariners left Canberra Stadium and the rumours started circulating of an A-League bid coming out of the ACT.
The problem is, it ain't gonna happen.
Canberra Cosmos in action against Carlton in the old National Soccer League in 1998.Credit: Ken Irwin
Apparently Capital Football, soccer's governing body in Canberra, was readying a bid to become one of the two A-League expansion clubs the Football Federation of Australia wants to make a 12-team competition.
Part of that plan involved the introduction of a Griffith team in Canberra's premier league next year, which would allow them to include the Riverina's population as part of the bid.
Empty seats are the norm at elite soccer games at Canberra Stadium.Credit: Elesa Kurtz
This would edge the population of "greater Canberra" towards the magic one million mark FFA chief executive David Gallop has set for the minimum of a successful expansion bid.
But Capital Football boss Phil Brown was quick to kibosh any bid coming from within their headquarters.
"Capital Football isn't preparing a bid for the A-League. We'd support any organisation or we'd love to have a chat to anyone who was looking to put one in," he said.
"But our focus is around community football and the pathway through the National Premier League, and our Canberra United girls.
Capital Football chief executive Phil Brown says they aren't preparing a bid for the A-League.Credit: Chris Nesci
"We'd love to see an opportunity for our young boys in the National Youth League ... but above that we don't have any immediate plans to put in a bid."
And even if they were preparing a bid, it's hard to see the FFA accepting it.
The Canberra Cosmos failed when they were part of the old National Soccer League and a new team would fail as well.
A crowd of just 5497 watched the Mariners go down 2-0 to the Wellington Phoenix last weekend and while it was a record A-League crowd for Canberra it also highlights the problem.
Some people will try and say they didn't turn up because it was a Gosford team against a Kiwi one, but the attendances for Cosmos games in the late 90s were even smaller.
Plus, who's going to fund the team?
Ivan Slavich headed the A-League4Canberra bid that was rejected, raising $5 million, got 20,000 signatures and 2000 foundation members.
He estimates it would now take $10 million. Where is that funding going to come from?
Canberra has two options when it comes to the A-League — zero games or the two games the Mariners are currently willing to bring.
But if their crowds continue to disappoint, that number might also drop to zero.
Brown did confirm the Riverina Rhinos would be playing in Canberra next season.
He said they wanted to develop a pathway from the region into a premier league that's closer than the Sydney-based NSW state league where the Wagga City Wanderers play.
The Canberra NPL will remain a 10-team competition with the Rhinos replacing the controversial Canberra United Academy team.
Canberra's clubs boycotted the CUA team in February and now they've dropped out of the premier league after just one season.
"The Riverina Rhinos are entering our national premier league for men and boys in 2017," Brown said.
"So it's an opportunity for a new club and a pathway for players in the Riverina a bit closer to their place of residence than in Sydney."