Soccer: Brisbane shocked at exclusion from league

By TERRY MADDAFORD

The Brisbane Strikers are stunned and devastated by their exclusion from next year's National Soccer League.

In a shock announcement, Soccer Australia said the sole NSL Queensland club would be axed from the 2001-2002 league.

Also out are Canberra Cosmos and Victorian clubs Carlton and Eastern Pride, who fell by the wayside during the just-finished season.

Soccer Australia's board said the decision adopted the finding of an independent review, which has seven New South Wales clubs joined by two from Melbourne and one each from Perth, Adelaide and Auckland.

No new clubs have been admitted.

Strikers benefactor and general manager Ray Evans said the decision came out of the blue.

"We finished with a better mark than the Kingz when the criteria were considered," Evans said. "We plan to have a meeting and then ask some questions."

Soccer Australia said: "The decision will not please everyone.

"However, the time has come for a change. Any decision not to accept the recommendations of the review committee would have exposed the directors to allegations of making decisions other than on the basis of proper criteria."