Auckland FC Faces Limits on A-League Players in New Oceania League

Oceania football officials have set clear guidelines regarding the participation of Auckland FC A-League players in the upcoming Oceania Pro League. The new league, which will begin with a match against South Island United on January 13, 2024, will see Auckland FC field a separate squad, with specific restrictions on player eligibility.

According to Stuart Larman, the Pro League’s general manager, Auckland FC is allowed to select three A-League players over the age of 23 for participation in the Oceania competition. Additionally, any players under 23 from the A-League squad are eligible to compete. The designated over-23 players must be confirmed when the first team squads are submitted to the Oceania Football Confederation by January 11, 2024.

Auckland FC’s A-League roster includes five scholarship players aged under 23: midfielders Adama Coulibaly, Finn McKenlay, and Oliver Middleton, goalkeeper Joseph Knowles, and striker Jonty Bidois. Liam Gillion, a two-cap All White and also a scholarship player, is listed among the under-23s. His younger brother Fergus Gillion is set to play for Fijian club Bula FC in the Pro League.

Auckland FC’s coach for the OFC Pro League, Luke Casserly, indicated that there would be “very limited” interchange between the two squads. He noted that while some younger players who are not getting ample playing time in the A-League might have opportunities, the two squads will largely operate independently.

The Pro League follows a “circuit” format, consisting of five hubs where teams will play three matches over a span of ten days. This structure, combined with the necessary travel, complicates the movement of players between the squads, according to Casserly.

Auckland FC currently manages three squads: the A-League team, the OFC Pro League team, and a reserves squad participating in regional leagues. Casserly emphasized the club’s commitment to creating pathways for players, stating that the OFC Pro League will serve as a vital step up from the domestic league.

“I’m certain there’s a couple of boys that are with us that by the time the Pro League is finished and we roll into a new A-League squad next season, a couple of boys will step up and be involved in the A-League squad,” Casserly remarked.

One player Casserly has highlighted as having potential for advancement is Isa Prins, a 20-year-old attacking midfielder recently recruited from Wellington Olympic.

This week, Auckland FC bolstered its Pro League squad with the addition of four players. Ronan Wynne, a New Zealand under-23 right back, returns after a stint with Major League Soccer club Atlanta United. Also joining the team is Australian defensive midfielder James Bayliss, who previously played for the Central Coast Mariners. Joining them are Kiwi midfielders Reid Drake and Nathan Lobo, both of whom have extensive experience in Oceania, having participated in multiple FIFA Club World Cup finals with Auckland City.

In other developments, Larman confirmed that the Oceania Football Confederation is exploring “additional regional broadcasting opportunities.” This follows a recent agreement to air matches involving Auckland FC and South Island United, as well as the semifinals and finals, on TVNZ+. This deal is expected to enhance viewership, allowing fans of both teams to follow their progress during the tournament circuits in Papua New Guinea, Australia, the Solomon Islands, and Fiji. This arrangement is particularly significant for South Island fans, who often miss out on home games.