A-LEAGUE boss Greg O’Rourke says expansion should happen as early as next year and claimed he will investigate why SA has just one NPL representative in the FFA Cup.

O’Rourke said new pros-pective clubs would be asked to submit reasons why they should be part of the expansion that leaves SA open to having a new derby partner for Adelaide United.

The new A-League boss, who was announced in July, revealed 12 clubs would be ideal. “I expect we will see expansion inside this next broadcast deal,’’ O’Rourke said.

“The last year of this broadcast deal is this season and then we start a new broadcast deal. My want is to bring in expansion of up to 12 teams inside that broadcast deal.”

The A-League did host 11 teams in 2010-11 but North Queensland and Gold Coast United could not be sustained, which fast-tracked Western Sydney into a 10-team competition in 2012.

O’Rourke said new clubs needed to put forward a football plan. “We actually haven’t pinpointed (an area for expansion),’’ O’Rourke said.

“I got asked yesterday whether or not we had a surgical plan in respect of whether we’re going to target a certain geography, whether they need a second team for a derby, or they don’t have an existing team.

“It’s fair to say we don’t have that sort of surgical plan.

“What we intend to do is put it to market and I have no doubt we’ll be oversubscribed.

“We already have received unsolicited requests for teams in Perth, Townsville, Tasmania and Far North Queensland and everywhere in between.”

Originally published as A-League growth on the fast track