Why Archie Should Be The First Veteran

The decision to keep Archie Thompson for one final season cannot be an easy one for Champions Melbourne Victory under the current rules, but if we want to grow football in this country it should be.

A decision for the FFA to ratify salary cap concessions for the veteran are holding up contract talks and are a shining example of why the league in many ways is still lagging behind the other football codes in Australia.

Football clubs are not only built on results or trophies, they are built on individuals who give their loyalty to one particular club.  Far too often we see players changing clubs all too frequently and it breaks the fibre of these clubs so many individuals work to create.  ‘Plastic clubs supporting plastic clubs’ is a term thrown around by too many who aren’t willing to support the top level domestic competition in Australia.  In some ways they are correct when you see the player movement between competing clubs during the winter months, the time is now for the FFA to step up to the plate and reward the players who stay loyal to their club thus rewarding the fans who stand by their A-League teams.

The league must bring in a veterans rule and Archie Thompson should be the initial case for this ruling.  Personally I would like to see players serve a minimum of six years service and play a minimum of 100 A-League games to seek qualification for the salary cap relief.  The league should reward this loyalty and follow a similar path to the AFL.

50% of the player’s wages would go towards the clubs salary cap and the club could only use the veterans rule for a maximum of two players per season.  Their players would need to reach both game and tenure requirements to be considered eligible for a veterans place.

Clubs such as Western Sydney Wanderers and any new club that enters the league would be at a disadvantage initially but when you look at the benefits of the concessions it can only assist with the long term future of the league.

Too often poor decisions are made by those running the game and this is reflected in the empty stands we see on a weekly basis, we need to work smarter not harder when making these decisions regarding the future of football in Australia; this is the first smart move to be made for Season 2015/16.

Archie Thompson has played 210 games and scored 79 goals for Melbourne Victory.

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