Zeljko Kalac’s Worries About the National Second Division
Zeljko Kalac, a former Socceroo and coach of Sydney United, is worried about the new National Second Division launching this year. He’s known for his time at Sydney United, which will play in the second division. His main concern? Where will the money come from? What Scares Kalac About Second Tier.
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The B-League and Its Money Issues
After a lot of talk, they’re finally starting a second division called the B-League. It’ll have eight teams from Sydney and Melbourne, plus eight more that earn spots based on how they do in the National Premier Leagues. While it sounds exciting, Kalac isn’t sure if the league can pay its way. He thinks it might struggle financially over time.
“Where is the money gonna come from? This is what drives me crazy in Australian football,” he said in an interview on Optus Sport’s Takes from the Terrace. He pointed out how the A-League depends on rich owners. He wonders if the B-League can find that same kind of help. His big worry is how teams will pay players, especially those moving from the National Premier Leagues to the 12-week B-League.
Kalac stressed that without sponsorship or TV deals, the league could have big money problems. He feels it’s not right to pay players very little to compete professionally, as this could hurt all of football in Australia.
Need for Help
Kalac thinks Football Australia should step up and help out the B-League clubs. If they could give around $300,000 to $400,000 to each club, it would ease the pressure. But right now, there’s been no word from Football Australia on this, and many questions remain.
“If Football Australia said ‘each B-League club will get $300,000 or $400,000,’ we would know where the money is,” Kalac explained. Without that kind of support, he fears clubs will rely on fees from youth players, which could hurt football overall.
Call for Clarity
Kalac also wants Football Australia to be clear on what the B-League needs to survive long-term. He wonders how much money clubs can expect and what help they’ll get. The unclear answers on this have left him and others in the football world feeling anxious about the league’s future.
Will the B-League work? It can definitely work, but can they tell us how? How much do clubs need to play in this B-League? he asked. These are key questions that still need answers.
Kalac’s Exit from Sydney United
Amidst these worries, Kalac was unexpectedly let go from his job as coach of Sydney United, despite having a good season and almost reaching the finals. He said politics played a part in his removal, which was disappointing after he had hoped to lead the team in the new division.
It’s a tricky situation, still a bit touchy, Kalac admitted. It was an amazing year with a great team. But some politics got in the way, and that was sad. What Scares Kalac About Second Tier.
