A split between the FFA and clubs has seen the axe fall on a nationwide A-League radio ad campaign on the ARN after disputes over the content and strategy, with all clubs needing to sign off on the promotion – but were unable to agree..

And football appears to have disappeared from Foxtel's print ads for their Fox Sports content this summer with newspaper ads focused on cricket, motorsport, rugby, basketball and gridiron...and no mention of the A-League, just days out from the start of the new season.

"I think we needed to make an allowance that this season was probably a challenging one for everyone involved, including the FFA and the clubs," Tsatsimas tells the new FTBL Podcast.

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A-League pulls plug on national radio ad campaign

A nationwide A-League radio ad campaign for the launch of the new season has been scrapped after clubs couldn't agree on a strategy.

"These are specifics that are done behind closed doors. Notwithstanding that, what heartens me is that, if there is rigorous debate about what is best for the league, then any ideas put forward are tested properly and it can only be good for the game.

"If we need to take the time to make sure those debates are held, those dialogues are conducted and everyone is involved in those conversations, it can only be good for the game in the broader scope of representation."

 

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It comes as the sport's governing body is in limbo as club owners take ownership of the A-League itself and the FFA faces major upheaval at the top with key executives leaving.

FFA Head of Leagues Greg O'Rourke is one of the few remaining senior people left from exiting CEO David Gallop's era, with women's football chief Emma Highwood and high performance boss Luke Casserly leaving along with Gallop.

"We're less than two weeks away from the start of the season and we're still in transitional phase," he admitted. "I think the transitional period has thrown up a lot of uncertainty.

"I think the detachment of the A-League from the FFA is certainly causing a bit of a cloud over the administration...but I think that will be resolved in the next few weeks.

"I have every confidence that the final screws are being put in place and there's an understanding of what needs to be done.

"All the all the ugly things and the things that people don't want to know about - the legalities and transitional elements still to be formally settled upon – I think that takes away from the ability for the league to have a very seamless move into the season."

 

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But Tsatsimas is confident that once the dust settles, the A-League will be better off than ever before.

"It's all done for the good of the game," he said. "And I believe all parties have come together believing that it's good for the game. You'll see elements of that this season.

"But I think the hope for next season is even greater than what what's been proffered for this year."

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On the sidelines: At Wanderers training

Just days away from the season kicking off, Western Sydney Wanderers threw open the doors to the media to see their squad in training. Check out the pics...

Tsatsimas insisted future seasons will see a marked improvement on the way the A-League is sold in Australia.

"I don't think it's harboured any difficulties in rolling out this season," he said. "You talk about the marketing, I think that will just get better once everything is settled.

"Once there is a settled framework and a settled staffing element to the A-League there will be no excuses and it will be full steam ahead for everyone."