Gold Coast United effectively throw in the towel

Gold Coast United believe that the A-League will not last and in turn will only offer one-year deals to their players.

Reports have emerged that United’s billionaire Clive Palmer is downsizing his investment in the club with the view that Australia’s domestic competition will not survive in its current formation.

Gold Coast coach Miron Bleiberg told the Herald that Palmer and the rest of the club officials will not offer contracts longer than one season which is likely to only attract young players trying to make the grade rather than established players.

“The owners just don't believe in the current model of the A-League and many of them are not sure that the competition can survive,'' Bleiberg said.

''That's why Gold Coast are only going to be offering one-year contracts for now. We're going to have a team next season of youth players and a few senior players, but not many.

''Clive is like any businessman, and he doesn't like throwing money away on something that isn't working. He's listened to what the other owners are saying, and it's simply responsible fiscal management in the current economic climate of the game in Australia.

“The future, at the moment, looks very bleak … Clive doesn't want to make any unfair promises to anyone,'' he added.

''Gold Coast does not want to offer contracts to players who may not be playing if the competition goes broke. Of course, that makes my job harder obviously because I can't offer long-term contracts.''