Palmer's swipe at the A-League
Gold Coast United owner Clive Palmer labelled the A-League "a joke" and admitted what most football fans have long thought: "I don't even like the game."
"I think it's a hopeless game. Rugby league's a much better game," he told the Sunday Mail.
At the end of a tumultuous week in which coach Miron Bleiberg was stood down for a game for suggesting the elevation of teenage rookie Mitch Cooper to the captaincy was merely a ceremonial gesture, Palmer made no secret of his utter contempt for the A-League and Football Federation Australia.
With Gold Cost United average attendances less than 4,000 and the wooden spoon all but wrapped up, speculation has been rife that the club is on its final legs.
Palmer's latest comments do little to dampen that talk despite Gold Coast having an A-League licence for at least another two campaigns.
"It's not my decision. Clive Mensink's the CEO. Whatever he decides, I'll go along with," billionaire Palmer said.
"The club is a very small, insignificant portion of what I do. We've got over $20 billion of projects."
With FFA desperately trying to revive the introduction of a team from western Sydney, CEO Ben Buckley appears to have had enough of Palmer's whims.
However, Australia's fifth richest person is unperturbed.
"If we wanted to stay (in the A-League) and they (FFA) wanted to take it (the licence) off us, they'd all be in court, and Ben Buckley would run a thousand miles," Palmer said.
"That's the reality of it. They can say what they like ... the A-League's a joke. I don't think I'll ever talk to Ben again in my life, to be honest."
This season Gold Coast has promoted a number of teenagers to the first team with Palmer proud of this legacy.
"I know our team's bottom of the table, but ... they've got all the skills these guys. They're going to be Socceroos most of them," he said.
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/news/1094113/Palmer-s-swipe-at-the-A-League
The FFA responded with
FFA hits back at Clive Palmer comments
Football Federation Australia has hit back this afternoon against Gold Coast United owner Clive Palmer's comments on the Hyundai A-League. Palmer labelled the league "a joke" this weekend, stating he believes rugby league to be a better game than football.
"Football fans across Australia will today rightfully condemn the lack of respect inherent in comments made by Clive Palmer," said FFA CEO, Ben Buckley.
"The comments are offensive to the players, coaches, administrators and volunteers who are the life and soul of Australian football.
"We welcomed Clive into the game and lauded his investment, but no matter how frustrated Clive may feel about his involvement, these comments are out of order.
"I remind Clive that as a chairman and owner of a club, he has obligations to the competition, his fellow club chairman and investors in the other nine clubs, and to the game itself."
This slamming rebuttal by the FFA will now bring Gold Coast United's future in the Hyundai A-League into further question. The club, who have yet to re-sign the bulk of their playing roster, have dwindling crowd numbers, and sit bottom of the ladder, are in dire straits. These shocking comments from Palmer could be the final straw for the governing body and they now may look into rescinding the Gold Coast's A-League franchise.
http://www.thefootballsack.com/2012/02/ffa-hits-back-at-clive-palmer-comments.html
Seriously fuck Palmer, couldn't care less if GCU go under or not.
