ADELAIDE United chairman Greg Griffin says the powerful City Football Group may discuss the potential of running an independent A-League competition.

The company which owns Manchester City, New York City and has a majority stake in Melbourne City and about 20 per cent of Yokohama F Marinos has invited the A-League’s 10 chief owners to a gathering in the United Arab Emirates and to be guests of the Formula One race in Abu Dhabi this weekend.

It’s understood most of the A-League clubs owners including Newcastle Jets’ Nathan Tinkler will be attending but no-one from FFA has been invited.

“FFA is aware of the meeting and we wish them well,” stated an FFA spokesman.

Griffin and Melbourne Victory chairman Anthony Di Pietro left Adelaide for UAE last night.

Griffin said he expected A-League independence — like the model used in England when the English premier league broke away from the English Football Association in 1992 — to be discussed.

The English Premier League is a corporation where the 20 clubs are shareholders.

Key decisions — like TV rights which has been the key to fiscal security — are made at shareholder meetings.

Currently all A-League clubs are run under the jurisdiction of FFA rules.

“They’ve organised meetings at the hotels,’’ Griffin said who paid his own way to UAE.

“I’d have to see the (A-League) model that is put forward it’s all dependent, it must FIFA compliant, it must be AFC compliant and it must work for the league and it must be for the fans and it must work for the FFA.

“There is no doubt that the English model is one of the best and the US MLS (major league soccer) model is one of the best.

“Once you can establish those and establish it’s financially solid the game will only be better for the club owners, players and the fans and that’s when you start talking.”

Ferran Soriano — the chief executive of the City Football Group — will be attending the A-League gathering after Griffin met the revered former Barcelona vice president during Adelaide and Melbourne City’s clash in a corporate box at AAMI Park last month.

“All of the major players from the City Football Group will be there and they’re presenting to us things like digital economy and how we can improve our businesses,’’ Griffin said.

“This is also about making us better businesses.

The salary cap could also be discussed.

But Griffin wasn’t aware of the topic being on the City Football Group agenda.

“We go into (salary cap) negotiations in three of four months time with the PFA (Australian players union)’’ Griffin said.

“And that will be with FFA I’ll be part of that negotiating we’ll certainly be discussing the cap and where it stands and I can assure you there is no appetite to increase it from us.

“There are a lot of players who are quite well paid and the important thing about this league is we pay every week.

“Our wages are around the MLS mark.”

Meanwhile City Football Group have handed Yokohama F Marinos a list of coaching candidates for the new J-League season.

The J-League giant has — through its City Football Group connections — been made aware of the good work of the Reds coaching team comprising Josep Gombau and Guillermo Amor.

Yokohama officials are expected to meet in the coming days before making a decision.