Gold Coast owner Clive Palmer: The A-League is a joke and football is a 'hopeless game'

By Paddy Higgs | GOAL.com – Sun, Feb 19, 2012

A dramatic week for Gold Coast United has been capped off by owner Clive Palmer's startling revelation that he does not like football and considers it "a hopeless game".

In an interview with The Sunday Mail, mining magnate Palmer revealed he considered United an "insignificant portion" of what he does, but will not give up his A-League license - which still has two years to run - without a fight.

United has struggled to attract solid crowds to home matches since their debut 2009-10 A-League season, while they have had several issues regarding player contracts.

On Thursday, the club suspended coach Miron Bleiberg for comments about the appointment of 17-year-old debutant Mitch Cooper as captain against Melbourne Heart.

Under the control of assistant coach Mike Mulvey, United - with their starting XI featuring Kristian Rees as their only player over 23 - lost to Heart 1-0, all-but consigning Gold Coast to the bottom of the A-League at season's end.

But the club's week has only gotten worse, with Palmer's confession sure to plunge United further into crisis.

"I don't even like the game," he said.

"I think it's a hopeless game. Rugby league's a much better game."

Of Bleiberg's suspension, Palmer said: "It's not my decision. Clive Mensink's the (chief executive officer). Whatever he decides, I'll go along with.

"The club is a very small, insignificant portion of what I do. We've got over (AU)$20 billion of projects."

Football Federation Australia chief executive officer Ben Buckley told The Sydney Morning Herald on Friday a "serious evaluation" was needed of United.

Palmer, however, will not be handing over his license easily:"If we wanted to stay (in the A-League) and they (FFA) wanted to take it (the licence) off us, they'd all be in court, and Ben Buckley would run a thousand miles," he said.

"That's the reality of it. They can say what they like... the A-League's a joke. I don't think I'll ever talk to Ben again in my life, to be honest."