13 teams have been shortlisted to join the new FIFA funded Oceania Professional League (OPL). South are supposedly a chance to enter the 8-team league, so with that in mind, let’s see how the new competition could change the club.

The first thing we would see would be an increased reliance on non-commercial revenue. The OPL will require international travel to places like New Zealand so South will need either FIFA or Australian Government funds to make the OPL viable for the club.

Secondly, with the OPL running from January to May, it’s likely that we will see South shift its focus to summer football. The Seniors could play in summer competitions (Australian Championship Oct-Dec and then OPL Jan-May), while its reserves play in winter competitions (NPL Mar-Sep).

The composition of the Senior squad will also have to change. Current senior players often have full time jobs but OPL travel requirements makes this situation impossible. South will need to recruit full time footballers but with lower wages than those of the A-League. South’s OPL squad will likely comprise young developing players, or players between professional contracts who want to avoid a drop to the NPL.

Wellington and Auckland have also applied to join the OPL but will likely field reserve sides. This indicates the likely standard of the competition, and also interestingly makes the Australia Cup game against Auckland feel like a trial for the OPL.

Off-field, the increased travel requirements and international regulation mean that South will need to invest in more non-football staff. More administrators and office people will be needed to manage increased logistics. Overall, whether the OPL is a long term move for the club is unknown. However, what is clear is that the club will need to improve standards on and off the field to make participation in the new competition work.