Barbieri said there are issues with financial regulations as NPLW in Victoria as an amateur league and no entrance fee can be charged to fans. Players also cannot be paid, but can be compensated.

In the case of a double header with a men’s match and rare exceptions, the home club can only charge after half time of the preceding women’s match.

“We’re allowed to give players an allowance, you’re not exactly allowed to pay them,” Barbieri told FourFourTwo while laughing ironically.

“We’re not allowed to take money at the door for women’s games. I just don’t understand why they’re different to men’s.

“If you’re trying to make NPL better, even like a dollar ticket entry would help… Somewhere where the club can recoup losses. Even a basketball stadium, just to walk through the door, whether you’re playing or not, you have to pay a $2 entry fee and everyone seems happy to do that.

“For a club wanting to do the best by their players and pay them, so they can get to training. We’re only paying for petrol so it’s not like we’re busting a bank, but two bucks less, going to watch a match, what’s the big deal?”

Heidelberg currently sit second-last on the table but have given Brisbane Roar and Young Matilda forward Cortnee Vine an opportunity during the W-League off-season.    

Melbourne City striker Melina Ayres has turned heads in NPLW, scoring 25 goals for table-topping South Melbourne.

But Barbieri questioned why Ayres isn’t included in the Young Matildas and whether the NPL is enough of a challenge for her.

“Is she really excelling scoring 20 goals? It doesn’t seem hard enough for her,” Barbieri said.

“I can see the positives in that she’s got a platform, that people are taking notice of her and that she’s got a great avenue, but it still hasn’t got her into the Young Matildas squad.

“Where’s the hoo-hah about that? She’s scored 25 goals and we still have 10 games left, why hasn’t she made the Young Matildas squad? We’re missing something.

Barbieri captaining the Matildas in the 2011 World Cup quarter-final against Sweden

“Should we have our best players playing against boys? I don’t know what the answer is but for me it’s 'yes she’s awesome, got great players around her, so how do we now manifest her season into a Matildas spot?' Because that’s ultimately why they’re playing, they want to play for Australia.

“It’d be lovely for them to play overseas but contracts overseas for women, you can only have five international spots for some teams, are you going to waste that on an 18-year-old striker from Australia?”

Current Matildas co-captain Lisa De Vanna is on South’s list this season, but is battling a hamstring injury.

Barbieri doesn’t believe individuals win games in NPLW because top players require service, however De Vanna feels four players can make a team in the competition.

“In this competition, it's not teams winning games, individuals are winning games for the teams if that makes sense,” De Vanna said.

“You don’t want that, you want it to be competitive all over and that’s just the stepping stone for now.

De Vanna runs with the ball against Alamein FC at AAMI Park. By Milan Krmpotic

“Hopefully we can get this league right and then the transition into W-League will be much better and more of an opportunity for the girls to know what it’s like to play at a higher level.”

Despite the negatives, Barbieri sees positives in Vine’s game as she is still with the Young Matildas.

“She’s been working off the park in terms of strength, conditioning and sprint work,” she said.

“All the things I’m trying to bring to the club and make it more professional, working with U20s men’s teams, whilst she plays for me. I want her training in a hard environment working with the U20s men’s teams.

“It means she has to do everything quick and many times the U20s coaches ask me if she can play with them because she’s that good.”

Main Photo: By Rachel Bach - TheWhiteLine