By David Gold
February 20 – Clive Palmer, the chairman of Australian team Gold Coast United, has been condemned for an outspoken tirade in which he admitted not liking football and refused to guarantee the future of his “insignificant” club.
Palmer had told Brisbane’s Sunday Mail: “I think it’s a hopeless game.
“Rugby league’s a much better game.
“The club is a very small, insignificant portion of what I do.”
It is perhaps little surprise that Palmer is disillusioned; his team are bottom of the league and coach Miron Bleiberg has been sacked.
In response, Australian Football Federation chief executive Ben Buckley said: “Football fans across Australia will today rightfully condemn the lack of respect inherent in comments made by Clive Palmer.
“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.”
Despite the prospect of the team losing their license to play in the A-League, Palmer seem unconcerned.
“If we wanted to stay [in the A-League] and they [the FFA] wanted to take it [licence] off us, they’d all be in court, and Ben Buckley would run a thousand miles,” Palmer claimed.
“That’s the reality of it.
“They can say what they like … the A-League’s a joke.”
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