(Josh Dascal is a freelance writer, BPL citizen journalist and Media and Communications graduate at Melbourne University.)

It was a gut wrenching, even humiliating, decision. Three years and $45 million dollars later, Football Federation Australia is now confronted with the harsh reality that Australia is unlikely to have the opportunity of hosting a World Cup in the next 25 years.

With the FFA failing in its attempt to win the rights to host the 2022 World Cup, the game's governing body should now turn most of their attention to making the A-League the best it can be.

Yes, the Socceroos could very well become our pre-eminent sporting team. But attempts to achieve this status should be pursued by growing the local product.

While it would be unfair to suggest that the A-League was largely ignored during the World Cup bidding process, it clearly took a backseat. We have hardly seen FFA chairman Frank Lowy or chief executive Ben Buckley address domestic matters in recent times, particularly in the past year.

In that time, we have seen several clubs require FFA assistance, including Adelaide United, Newcastle Jets, and North Queensland Fury. But at the same time, the quality of football on the pitch has never been better. This season's product is almost unrecognisable compared to years gone by, as more teams adopt an attacking, free-flowing brand of play.

Several perennial underachievers are looking like potential champions this season. Adelaide, wooden spooners last season, is now exhibiting an expansive brand of football under new manager Rini Coolen, which has lifted them clearly into the top two.

The introduction of Melbourne Heart has challenged the dominance of Melbourne Victory, the best-supported club in the league, in the sports-mad city.

Former Socceroos whipping boy Graham Arnold has transformed the Central Coast Mariners from a dour, defensive-minded unit into a fast, youth-driven side prepared to take risks.

The biggest success story of this season so far has been Brisbane Roar, with some experts describing it as the best side to ever play in the A-League.

Many pundits criticised coach Ange Postecoglou last season when he cleaned out the old guard (including former Socceroos captain Craig Moore) and invested in the exuberance of youth. But now, even after losing three of Australia's best young players to Europe, being Tommy Oar, Michael Zullo and Adam Sarota, Roar coach Postecoglou, has his players employing a fluid and flowing brand of football so far unseen in the competition.

Nevertheless, despite the fine football being played, crowds have dropped off around the country. The average crowd at Melbourne Victory home games has fallen by more than 6,000, Gold Coast owner Clive Palmer continues to enforce his controversial crowd cap, Sydney is still unable to attract 10,000 to most of its home games, and other teams' figures have simply stagnated.

It is here that the FFA must step in. It is no doubt unrealistic to expect the FFA to inject the kind of money it invested in the World Cup tilt into the A-League. And it is also clear that winning the World Cup in 2022 would have generated hype around the code that the FFA might not be able to replicate.

But the FFA must put all of its efforts into engaging the sporting public. The A-League will never match the level of the Europe's finest leagues, but it is incumbent on the game's governing body to effectively sell its drastically improved product to the nation's sporting marketplace.