Walter Pless on Football

Craig Foster supports Tassie A-League push

By Walter Pless

Former Socceroo and SBS football pundit, Craig Foster, would love to see a Tasmanian side in the A-League.

Foster, 39, was in Hobart on Friday to join former team-mate and one-time Socceroo captain, Paul Wade, in conducting junior coaching clinics.

Craig Foster at Ogilvie High School

“I’d love to see Tasmania in [the A-League],” said Foster, who earned 29 caps for Australia and scored nine goals, and who also played for Portsmouth and Crystal Palace in England.

“I think these areas, such as, for instance, North Queensland, Canberra, Tasmania, and even perhaps, in future, Darwin, are very important.

“The simple reason is that it capitalises on one of the strengths of our code and, that is, we are the strongest nationally, right across the country.

Craig Foster signs a shirt

“We all know that AFL in the southern States is extremely strong, but they struggle in many of the other ones.

“We know that the same applies for Rugby League, and the same applies for Rugby Union.

“Our code may not be the strongest in all of them, yet it is the strongest across all of them.

“That’s why it’s important, because we are the only true national football code, and we have to take advantage of that.

Craig Foster…29 caps for Australia

“Tasmania has a very strong history in football, it has a strong development system, and it has the right to participate in a national football competition.

“I’d love to see a team come from here.”

Foster also said he was not a huge fan of television sports coverage being pay-per-view.

“Philosophically, I don’t really agree with it,” he said. “I’m from Lismore, which is a country area.

Craig Foster fields a question

“Many of the people there, and in country and regional areas, cannot afford to pay monthly sums just to watch the sport they love.

“Many, many kids are missing out.

“If the A-League has to be on pay TV because of the revenues it needs, okay, we can accept that.

“But I can never accept the Socceroos, the national team, being on pay TV.

“I think it’s a disgrace.”