Soccer: National Premier League still a chance next season

The National Premier League Victoria concept may yet be implemented in Victoria next season after further developments in the ongoing saga.

Football Federation Victoria (FFV) had previously announced that the status quo, the existing competition structure headed by the Victorian Premier League, would continue into 2014.

But a statement from Football Federation Australia (FFA) last week said: “In summary, the position is that FFA is in discussion with both FFV and the co-signatory clubs and is very keen for a solution to be found that will see the NPL implemented in Victoria next year.”

The “co-signatory clubs” refers to a group of clubs whose representatives successfully sought a court injunction against the FFV implementing its National Premier Leagues reform model.

The Weekly attended a meeting last week at which representatives of the co-signatories reported to members on the outcome of talks with the FFV mediated by the FFA.

The end result of the talks was that the FFV and co-signatory clubs could not come to a signed agreement on implementing the NPLV reform for next year.

However, the Weekly understands negotiations between the parties are continuing this week with both sides remaining hopeful the National Premier League Victoria reform will happen in time for next year’s winter season.