In the NRL the salary cap allows you a window to win the comp of maybe 3 years. Then the cap will tear your team apart (unless you pay your players in Storm or Bronco dollars).
I reckon in the A-League you have one year to assemble a team and win it as your good players will be plucked to play in Asia or Europe. Very hard to win a comp and even when you do, you're cursed with a double workload of the Asian Championship whatchamacallit.
That's pretty much spot on.
It's why some fans discredit clubs like ESFC, Melchester City and Victory, and wonder how they can assemble a squad that most would think is impossible under the salary cap. Just like we do in the NRL with Storm, Roosters, Bulldogs, Cowboys and Broncos.
Popa has been turning over his squad year after year because as soon as the Wanderers have become successful, the players want more money because those same players have been bought on the cheap. It has happened every season.
Look at Adelaide. They won the comp last year and are near bottom because the salary cap has forced them to release players that were brilliant and wanted more money the next season after they won the competition. To comply with the cap, Adelaide couldn't pay them what they wanted but other clubs could.
The Wanderers won the biggest championship in Asia so there's all of Asia and parts of Europe wanting our players and offering far bigger dollars than what we could afford to stay under the salary cap. How could we keep them?
The salary cap is ok because it keeps clubs financial, but we are competing against impossible markets elsewhere. The amount of money China is throwing at players is obscene. We'll never compete with Europe.
It's what will forever hold the A-League back and stop it from becoming the dominant sport in this country.
