The ill-feeling between Gold Coast United and Football Federation Australia has escalated with the expansion clubs boss Clive Palmer labelling the governing body as a dictatorship and CEO Clive Mensink saying he was left speechless by a draw that sees the club play five of their first seven games away from home.
Already enraged by a first round FFA back-flip, which forces United to travel to face local adversaries Brisbane Roar at Suncorp Stadium rather than at Skilled Park on August 8, Palmer pulled no punches when assessing the merits of the 2009/10 A-League fixture list.
We're very disappointed and it shows that there's not too much democracy in dealings with the FFA. Clubs don't get too much of a say, he told The World Game.
Weve established a club here on the Gold Coast and handing us five of our first seven games away just shows a lack of respect to the people of the Gold Coast. Its really hopeless.
Palmer is so livid he even mischievously threatened to up the ante by sending the clubs Under-21 team to Suncorp Stadium to degrade a duel the FFA new majority shareholders in the financially-bereft Roar hopes will attract a 50,000 crowd and a $500,000 windfall.
We're currently training up our youth team to go up to Suncorp, he cheekily claimed.
We might very well not send our first grade team with all our internationals and just let the under-21s fill their shoes. That would be a good way to swell the crowd.
We won't want to risk injuries on what is really a rugby league surface.
Though Palmers pledge is more posturing than practical, his anger was echoed by Mensink.
We're a new club and I thought the whole idea was to give the local fans a bit an incentive to come out and give us there backing. In that regard this draw has left me almost speechless, he declared.
Originally we were drawn to play the Roar at home but that's not the case now.
From the point of view of the local community, who we are trying to serve, it's a dreadful draw and very disappointing.
The draw will bind us even more tightly together and we won't be using it as any excuse. It won't stop us winning the championship.
FFA CEO Ben Buckley insisted United had not been harshly treated and he refuted their claims that the staging of the Roar game at Suncorp was a slap in the face to Palmers team and a cynical move to prop up the Roar.
Weve made a conscious effort to play the marquee matches at the biggest possible stadia around the country and this one is no different, he explained.
Thats our only motivation. Nothing more than that. Its untrue to portray our actions in any other way.
The draw cant just be about one team. Its whats best for all 10. And its impossible to please everybody.
United play four of their first nine games at home and their first three home games are against Robbie Fowlers Fury (August 15), Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory, which is an attractive and fantastic package of matches.
After their North Queensland clash, next up is a road trip to recent AFC Champions League finalists Adelaide United on Friday 21 August.
Palmer's private plane will hit the runway again on Sunday 30 August for the journey to the Hunter to face Newcastle Jets.
Sydney FC visit Skilled Park on September 5, before United journey to Perth (September 13) and the Central Coast (September 19).
Locals, no doubt suffering separation anxiety by then, will be re-united with Miron Bleiberg's men on Saturday 26 September when they make their homecoming against defending champions Melbourne Victory.
Bleiberg labelled the task set by the FFA as cruel.
From a professional point of view it's a hard draw for us, he added.
It's not good, on or off the field. Any team, in any code, would find it a tough situation, especially a new team that's trying to build an audience.
But we're not scared and we'll get over any hurdles ahead of us. It will only make us stronger.
While Palmer believes market forces should dictate the destiny of the Roar, he feels sorry for their fans.
And he has offered existing Roar members a 25 per cent discount on packages to switch their allegiances to Gold Coast.
Any member of the Roar is welcome to join us at that rate because we feel sorry for what has happened to their club, which is now effectively owned by people living in Sydney and Melbourne.
Palmers unusual offer is open between now and September 1.
