Increasingly anxious and frustrated A-League players are demanding Australian football powerbrokers deliver clarity over the competition's future.
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An FFA assessment of the A-League's status during the coronavirus pandemic is set to be finalised on Wednesday, though it's unclear when the assessment's recommendations will be made public.
The league was postponed indefinitely in late March and since that decision was made at least six of the 11 A-League clubs have stood down players and staff.
Host broadcaster Foxtel's commitment to the competition is also increasingly uncertain. One of those clubs to stand down players is Newcastle and as he and his teammates face an indefinite period without pay, Jets captain Nigel Boogaard said players have had enough of being kept in the dark.
The 33-year-old said those in charge need to come together and devise a plan for the short and long-term future of professional football in Australia.
"To let it drag on to this point is a little bit ridiculous to be honest with you," Boogaard said. "These are the powers that are going to dictate the future of the game moving forward.
"If the likes of FFA, club owners and everyone involved can't come together and, I suppose, be grown ups and sit at a table with each other and come to a decision about - not only the end of this season and what the next few months look like but the professional game in this country for the next few decades - it doesn't give you great confidence."
Boogaard is one of approximately 130 players whose contracts expire on May 31.
Any attempt to complete the 2019-20 season, which has only a handful of rounds remaining before finals, would need to work out what happens to those off-contract players. The veteran defender doesn't believe a point of no return has been reached for this season and said players are still hopeful of completing the campaign.
"As an overall playing group, everyone would like to see it out and if we're able to, that would be our preference but not knowing where everything lies, that's going to be hard," he said.
Adding to the uncertainty has been persistent speculation over Foxtel's plans.
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AAP
