This is probably the first article criticising the A League that has not included a reference to the old NSL (specifically, the author has not stated that the NSL was somehow better).

I think this is telling point.

It reveals that as much as the A League is an improvement on the old league, there are still many problems that the World Game needs to constantly address.

'firmly entrench soccer into the hearts and minds of Australians, once and for all.'

Why? If people don't happen to like soccer, why is that a problem? Why must Australia be like the rest of the world. You sound like you're a missionary on a crusade.

Liking soccer was trendy with the yuppies for a while as they wanted to appear worldly and sophisticated. This was never really a love of the game as such, just a desire for a certain image, and a desire to distance themselves from the working class games such as Rugby League. Not really an endorsement of the game as a spectator sport.

You see, soccer will only grow in popularity as a spectator sport in Australia from new migrants who already like the game.

It may be good to play for kids (especially kids encouraged by parents that don't want their kids injured in contact sports), but that doesn't necessarily translate into adult spectators. There is no 'gladiator' aspect of soccer, which is why it doesn't sell on TV in particular. Games like Rugby League are made for TV, and games like AFL have a long historical support in Australia.

As the pace of the world has increased, games like soccer and Test cricket are hard to promote to NEW audiences. Cricket is too 'slow' and there isn't enough scoring in soccer. Promoting a game which quite often has a 0-0 final score, or a game that takes 5 days isn't easy.

There generally has to be a historical and cultural connection for the sport to remain popular. Without the new migrants support, it wont be popular in Australia. As a TV product (and lets face it that's where the real money is) you might as well be selling 'The Cosby Show' to today's youth. Maybe even 'Leave it to Beaver'.

Contrary to Mr. Costa's impression, I would say that the A-League is about on track. I don't think that anyone in the FFA would have expected that five years in, the A-League would be in the position of the NRL or AFL.
It will take a lot longer than that to firmly establish clubs and supporter bases, and attract the kind of sponsorship and television deals that will allow the competition to move to the next level.
FFA is approaching it the right way. As Mr. Costa points out, there are Youth League, Women's League, coaching initiatives etc. all aimed at raising the grass roots standard of the game in this country, so that the future standard of A-League and Australian football will be higher and so a better product.
It is a way off yet, but once the standard is right and the clubs are established and well run, support for the competition will accelerate. The product is a good one, all that is required is good administration and a bit of faith!
There will need to be care taken with expansion plans though. It was possibly too early for a club like North Queensland this year.
Club owners too, will need to take a fairly co-operative and "big picture" view in order to progress the league as a whole. Decisions like Clive Palmer's will not help the cause.
The FFA has so far managed to keep at bay the old difficulties that have been the major contributer to soccer being at the bottom of the pile over the years - namely the fact that clubs controlled by ethnic groups have put their own interests before the long term interests of the game.

Its actually called Football and it makes sense. Think about it - Rugby and Aussie Rules are basically running Handball games with physical contact.

Its always interesting to hear the old view of Australia being a Rugby League/Aussie Rules/Cricket/Horse Racing nation. The Media still promote this view of Australia because they have invested heavily in it and some people obviously still actually believe what they are told. Believing that Football is an 'ethnic game' is 1960's thinking about a code invented in England.

The average crowd numbers for "Soccer" in Australia in 2007-8 were 14,610 Rugby League 16,577. So much for the unpopular ethnic only Sport.

It's nothing to do with being 'ethnic' and everything to do with selling a NEW product as a TV SPECTATOR SPORT. Crowds are irrelevant. Rugby League crowds are pathetic compared to AFL. Rugby League is a TV sport. TV is where the money is. What are the ratings for soccer?

To bring the sport of cricket to huge TV audiences, look what had to be done re Twenty20. Soccer, with it's 0-0 score lines just wont get NEW people interested in these times. It's the short attention span action action action generation.

Football would make more sense as a name, but it is called soccer in Australia, so as the author said, just get over it. The word soccer was invented in England.

Oooh the big media conspiracy.
I suppose you think if the media saturated us with women' s sport everybody would start watching it? Chicks don't watch sport on TV like guys do, and guys would rather watch men play. Do you think the AFL will get a massive following in Western Sydney no matter how much they promote the game? Do you think Melbourne fans really give a toss about Rugby League even if the Storm win all the time?

'firmly entrench soccer into the hearts and minds of Australians, once and for all.'
Sure you guys love your game, but what makes you think that everyone just needs to 'see the light' and they will love soccer too? I like Rugby League, but I can accept it's a sport played primarily in NSW, QLD, Northern England and Auckland. The NRL are kidding themselves just as much as the FFA with their 'world' cup, and the 'Melbourne' Storm..

Some people are stuck in the past and will stay there. BTW its no longer generally called "Soccer" by the media in Australia. Australia wants to compete on the world stage and you can't do it with Aussie Rules and NRL. Rugby is fading quickly. The rise and rise of Football is inevitable.

Nothing is inevitable. The whole Football/Soccer thing is standard cultural cringe. It's pathetic. Be proud of Australia and dare to be different. Everyone knows what soccer means.

'Australia wants to compete on the world stage and you can't do it with Aussie Rules and NRL. Rugby is fading quickly'

That's what you don't understand. Yes we do want to compete on the world stage, in the Olympics for example, and Aussies will back any sport if Australia wins. But locally, at the grass roots, people love their local competitions. Soccer is destined to be top down like Rugby Union. Nobody's gonna watch club Rugby, and soccer as a club comp will never be successful.

All the best players will always want to play in Europe, and the population and TV audience here will never sustain the salaries of quality players. Rugby union is losing players to French Rugby, they have the same problem. The A league will always be a feeder for the Premier league, which is what soccer fans even will prefer to watch.

Rugby League and AFL comps will always have an audience and enough grass roots support and be sheltered from poaching by the more established overseas competitions.