Where does the VPL stand?

What is the place and purpose of the Victorian Premier League, how does it fit into the big picture of Australian soccer, and how should it be managed going forward?

It's that time of year again. Local clubs are back in preseason training, new players are being signed up, promises are being made, and excuses are being prepared for when, not if, those promises are made. Our local 'community' clubs, branded ethnic and divisive by many of our mainstream friends, are gearing up for another season of winter football, some of them casting envious glances over at their A-League neighbours, others looking at the mess of the national league and letting out derisive snorts of laughter.

South Melbourne with it's new facilities and a deal with the state government, will be as financially secure as any A-League club- just so long as they don't overstretch themselves. Ditto Green Gully, supported by their social club, they are the only club in the VPL who can afford to pay players throughout preseason as well as the season itself - but there's a limit to how much they can spend. Whittlesea Zebras, transitioning into Brunswick Juventus and backed by the personal fortune of former Victory and Heart board member Joe Mirabella, can pay the bills for as long as Joe is interested - but as Victory and Heart will both attest, his attention span can be surprisingly short. The other clubs, whether cashed up or not, continue to sign deals in order to remain competitive, but knowing very well that come mid-season they will be struggling to pay the players.

Just as we ask whether the A-league is sustainable, we must ask whether the elite state competitions can continue in this way? The squeeze is on, there is less and less sponsorship available, the fully professional clubs are eating into public interest, the traditional supporter base is getting smaller - and without the budget or skills to tap into new supporter markets, interest in our clubs will continue to diminish. Clubs need to take this into account and act more realistically when putting their plans together. How many young players will be blooded by the likes of South Melbourne, Green Gully, Oakleigh Cannons and Whittlesea/Brunswick this season? How many A-League failures will trot around in the vain hope of getting another run in the big league next season?

I'd suggest a salary cap for the league, but there isn't a chance in the world that it could be policed. Clubs already use every trick in the book to reward the players the maximum benefit from relatively small resources at their disposal.

There should certainly be a youth quota - a requirement for all sides to have at least three teenagers on the pitch at any time.

There is also the question of whether state league sides should partner up with A-league clubs in order to provide clear pathways to the elite level, and the suggestion that the league should be regionalised with the new regional sides limited to selecting only those players who live within their allotted zone. Both of these, to me, are abhorrent. The only thing most of our clubs have is their independence, and long may that continue. But please guys, use common sense, pay only what you can afford, and don't give that old guy another year on the pitch when you could be playing a kid with a future.

I'll continue to address the issue of where the clubs fit into the big picture, and how we can all work together for the benefit of the game, next week. In the meantime, you can follow my random rants on Twitter @JimSpiropoulos