CLIVE Palmer already sees his team as the next best thing after the Socceroos. In fact, if he had his way, his team might just about BE the Socceroos.

To see the launch...

"There's many players - nearly as good as Jason, I could say, in the Australian team - who would love to play for Gold Coast United next year but can't. And that's a sad thing. It's a sad thing that they can't come back home and play in Australia while they are at the peak of their career."

He repeatedly emphasised that Gold Coast fans who come to watch his squad will be seeing five or six Socceroos in action. And he clearly wants more Aussie internationals coming home to boost the A-League.

"We shouldn't be frightened of ourselves," he said. "We've got great players in Australia and we've got great juniors. And our juniors want to see our best players play.

"It's embarrassed me a little bit to see all of the hoo-ha about Jason Culina coming back. After all, Australia's his home, that's where he wants his children to live, that's where he wants to settle down in the future, so why wouldn't he want to be here?

"And why shouldn't the soccer authorities in Australia make it so the best Australians can live and play in Australia?"

Palmer suggested that A-League clubs who recruit a Socceroo "could get a $10,000 credit in the salary cap for each game the Socceroo plays for Australia". So for example, a player who plays eight games for Australia would earn his club an $80,000 exemption.

"We're just a normal club," said Clive when asked about his personal finances creating a possibly unfair advantage other clubs. "We're not gonna lose too much money. But the point about it is, well, it's the chicken or the egg...

"What comes first? I've always thought you've got to develop your product in your business, to get public support, to get the revenue.

"So we can't be frightened of the future. We can't say we want to restrict people because they are too good for us. I don't think anyone's too good for Australians to watch playing soccer in Australia. Do you?"

Reflecting on the fact that Sydney FC was still in contention for the finals despite a run of nine losses in a row, Palmer dismissed the artificial equality of the eight-team A-League today.

"You've got to have elite clubs from time to time, in any competition, for the fans to get excited."

Mion chipped in: "Someone to love and someone to hate."

"Do you think having more money and more superstars next season is going to make people love you or hate you?" asked a reporter (the guy from Fox I think).

"We don't have more money," said Clive. "We can't spend more money. All these players are within the salary cap except for Jason.

"They have come here because I have said to them, 'Do you want to make history? Do you want to be part of an inaugural club in the A-League that goes through undefeated?

"When you are 45 you can sit down with your kids and say I played for the Gold Coast in 2010/11? Or do you want to sit where you are in Brazil and enjoy a Pina Colada?'"

The drinking theme was something that Bleiberg - a teetotaller himself - took up later on the pitch. He said that if he called up Jason Culina and said "Let's go for a beer", he would expect Jason to politely make an excuse. And he said he expected the same level of professionalism from all his players.

Miron described Culina's return to Australia as "the opportunity of a lifetime". He compared how Culina's life at PSV could have been for the next few years - a few games, a bit more money, but minimal coverage in the newspapers - with the excitement already being generated in the Aussie media.

He also spoke about commercial revenue opportunities for Culina if his move home generated increased popularity.

Bleiberg pleaded for fans to understand that Culina was accepting a huge weight of responsibility as part of his move.

"The first game of next season, I will have a two ton weight on my shoulders. But Jason will have a three ton weight."

And in a possible veiled swipe at a certain well-known marquee, Bleiberg said: "A lot of great players, without mentioning any names, that came here towards the end of their career, and what happened to them now? They are 35 and nothing, we just remember the last... It's like you go to a restaurant, maybe the dessert is bad, that's what you remember, you know?

"And Jason will come here, and maybe after the age of 45 he will be the Lord Mayor of the Gold Coast. Who knows what's the future like?"

A reporter asked if Culina would play a more offensive role in midfield. Bleiberg joked that it was a "trade secret".

"I remember Jason when he was 18 or 19, and he was a purely attacking player. Over the years in Holland last time I saw him play, he played as right fullback and he hated it. And that's part of the answer for you, why he wants to come back. Maybe I promised him something that I am not allowed to say publicly..."

Whoops!??

Clive quickly jumped in and started talking up defensive midfielder Robson, who has been playing since the age of 17 for Flamengo, in front of crowds between 75,000 and 120,000. The implication was clear to anyone reading between the lines - Culina wants to play up front!!!

The press conference was drawing to a close. But before it ended, Palmer made two more slip-ups with players' names.

"When you look at our strike power up front," said Clive, "With Schulz, with, sorry, with Smeltz, and - "

Bleiberg's head dropped to the desk, his hands seemingly in prayer.

"And then of course we picked up... what's that fellow from Roar?"

"Tahj," said Miron, as the journalists again burst into laughter.

"As a dessert!" explained Miron.

Miron asked journalists to appreciate that Clive Palmer's knowledge of football had improved a lot since the last press conference. Fair enough, but clearly he still has some way to go.

Nevertheless, there is no denying that with the advent of Clive Palmer's Gold Coast United team, the A-League has already changed forever. Miron has done a fantastic job of assembling a stellar squad, and Clive Palmer is clearly fully committed to ensuring their success and home and abroad *.

More power to both of them. Now it's up to other teams to respond.

The declaration of the Gold Coast squad spells the end of the long recruitment phase. Now the marketing campaign starts in earnest. Ticket packages will be announced next week.

And Clive insists that the local community will ultimately be funding the team, not his money.

Meanwhile, it seems that Mile "Plan B" Sterjovski is clearly one of those "other" Socceroo players who missed out on a deal. I suggest other A-League clubs should be calling his agent ASAP.

* The Gold Coast team are hoping to have warm up games against two INTERNATIONAL squads from Asia on their way to the Beijing Birds Nest game next June.

To see the launch...