Get it right ... Ange Postecoglou urges the FFA to ignore the AFC's demands. Source: News Limited
Melbourne Victory coach Ange Postecoglou says the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) shouldn't be allowed to influence whether the A-League championship remains the domestic competition's top prize.
Postecoglou, who led Brisbane Roar to the past two championships, said if it was up to him, his former club would be fiercely protesting the AFC's decision to strip them of automatic Asian Champions League qualification.
Instead, the only Australian club granted direct entry to next year's Asian competition is last season's minor premiers Central Coast, after the AFC last week announced a change in criteria.
Previously the Roar, as reigning champions, would also have been guaranteed a spot, but now must earn their way through qualifying.
Postecoglou believes Football Federation Australia (FFA) should be taking up the fight and said on Thursday if he was still leading Brisbane, he would want to boycott the qualifying competition.
"If I was still at Brisbane I'd be pushing for it,'' Postecoglou told reporters.
"I just don't get it.
"We put blood, sweat and tears into everything to try to win a competition.
"What's that competition? I'm not really sure at the moment.
"I'm not sure who's going to get acknowledged at the end of the year.
"So I reckon somebody ought to come out and tell us.
"We're in a race at the moment and I can't see the finish line.''
Postecoglou said FFA's acceptance of the decision left A-League clubs confused as to what was the top honour - the championship or premiers' plate.
"There's two different finish lines and everyone's got an opinion,'' he said.
"In my mind the champion for our league has always been the one who wins the grand final.
"I am totally bemused as to how we can take somebody else's definition of that.
"It's pretty simple in my mind. I just want to know what competition I'm in and what I'm going for.
"Because otherwise I don't want to be 78 and in a retirement home and having to ring up people to see if I won something or not.''
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