I have used search and I can't see this being discussed, so apologies if I have missed a pre-existing thread on this.
There is an understandable concern that the second Sydney bid is our main competitor - the Meisner bid in particular looks solid and although there may be some slightly suspect business deals in the past, that would hardly count as reasons to exclude. In EPL it is almost a pre-requisite!
But what I keep wondering is what is the state of AFC's disinclination to continue the New Zealand franchise, Wellington. Bin Hamman's words are hardly ambiguous: "A-League has permission from FIFA to do so [include New Zealand outfit] but only till 2011. Our Pro-League committee has approved this situation but after 2011 all clubs have to be Australian."
If this issue is still unresolved then FFA's position could be that, having approved Melbourne Heart, they may potentially be looking at an odd number of clubs in A-League if New Zealand get booted out in 2011 - something they are desperate to avoid. It could then be that, far from us being in competition with W Sydney we actually depend on them as the second viable bid to allow us to come in to replace NZ and take the A-League to an even number again.
This could explain the delay in announcement and the open-ended time being allowed to W-Sydney to actually submit a bid. FFA can hardly pull the pin on Wellington but a resolution from AFC (in 2011) would do the job for them. I don't have a position in Wellington playing in A-League either way, but I suspect that it was a good idea when we were still in Oceania, but has served its purpose and is now holding (Australia) back in terms of our relationship with Asia - which is a much, much bigger fish than the additional 5 odd million viewers NZ offered.
All very delicate - but I wonder if either us or W Syd will be in for 2010 with the one that misses out being given a nod and a wink that they will be replacing NZ in 2011.
Cheers
Nobby