Gold Coast United owner Clive Palmer has warned Football Federation Australia that it would commit a major blunder if it kicks his club out of the A-League.
Palmer told SBS's The World Game program that he would take FFA to court if the governing body revoked the club's licence for the next A-League competition.
”We will injunct them in the Supreme Court and we will fight them in court to a standstill,” Palmer said.
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”I have been involved in major business transactions in my life and unfortunately in 68 litigations and our record is 68 to zero.
”So if they want to come on that turf and get off the football ground I would be more than happy to accommodate them.”
Gold Coast's A-League licence expires in two years.
Palmer sparked a huge controversy last week when he stood down coach Miron Bleiberg after he commented adversely on the club's decision to appoint 17-year-old debutant Mitch Cooper as captain.
Palmer followed this up with a stinging attack on the game and its governance that sparked a strong response from FFA.
Palmer said his comments to a Sunday paper were taken out of context.
”What I was saying was not that I don't like the actual game but I don't like the game how it was set up in Australia because we can do a hell of a lot more,” he said.
”When we compare football with rugby league we see the chief executive of the NRL earning less than a million dollars, we've seen the five top executives at FFA paid over $5 million.
”We've seen the situation of the FFA being insolvent and they had to get $8 million from the Australian government.
”That's a matter of great concern.
”We are not in crisis. We've paid all our creditors, we have a lot of money, I have a lot of money and we see our club as highly successful.
”But someone has to point out the fact that owners are losing an average of $4 million per club which is very disconcerting.
”And there is no light at the end of the tunnel.
”The FFA has run out of finding new owners every year to replace owners who are leaving their clubs.
”That can't be sustained and we need to have something done about it.”
FFA chief executive Ben Buckley, who also was on the show, said Palmer's comments at the weekend had angered him and his organisation would evaluate Gold Coast's status in the competition in the next few weeks.
”A lot of people are calling for things to be done like the termination of the licence and so on but the real issue is making sure that the season finishes,” he said.
”It's been a wonderful season, we've had a resurgence in crowds, record television audiences and memberships and I don't accept that the A-league is in trouble.
”Where has it gone wrong (on the Gold Coast)? There will be some commentary on that in the next six to eight weeks.
”What we say to every new club is 'what is your strategy around these criteria?' and I must say the Gold Coast's one was well put together.
”But there is a difference between strategy on paper and execution.
”This is where we have been collectively let down.”
