A-League boss Greg O'Rourke says he has taken full responsibility for the Victoria border bungle that has put the resumption of the season at risk.
Victoria's three Melbourne-based clubs — Melbourne City, Melbourne Victory and Western United — have attempted to leave Victoria twice in a 48-hour period, only to be foiled on both occasions.
Speaking on SEN Radio on Thursday morning, O'Rourke said Football Federation Australia (FFA) relied on Government information to enact plans, as it did when Wellington Phoenix players were moved to Sydney in June.
However, O'Rourke said there were no indications that the Victorian state border would be closed until they were advised at 7:00pm Monday night.
"Last Friday there was no talk of closing borders and then on Monday we decided anyway to get a charter flight … for Tuesday.
"At 7 o'clock on Monday night we were advised that we only had five hours to leave Melbourne."
On Monday night, FFA's exit plan for the Victorian clubs was unfortunately stymied when a hastily-arranged charter flight to Canberra was cancelled due to fog.
On Tuesday, players were once again assembled at Tullamarine airport, but were told they would have to spend 14 days in isolation in the nation's capital, a complication that was apparently unforeseen by the FFA, resulting in a second failed exit attempt.
The clubs are now reliant on exemptions from the NSW Government to be able to enter New South Wales and continue the season.
O'Rourke defended the decision to wait until this week to attempt to relocate the teams to NSW, even as Melbourne teams from other sporting codes departed earlier.
"No Victorian team was due to be in New South Wales until July 22, and in fact Melbourne City as an example were not due to be in New South Wales until August 1," O'Rourke said.
"We made that decision on the weekend to [bring them up two weeks early] for Tuesday [with] no border restrictions in place.
"It failed because the situation changed, and I take full responsibility for that."
The Professional Footballers Association slammed FFA in a statement on Wednesday, saying players were "embarrassed, frustrated and entirely lacking confidence in the process" due to "the lack of clarity, the ad-hoc planning and shifting commitments".
"Whilst the situation is complex," the statement read, "what the players require is simple: a reliable and feasible plan that does not shift the game's inability to effectively manage these challenges solely onto players and their families.
"Responsibility sits with FFA to present and then execute an achievable resolution that will ensure the completion of the A-League season and does not create further distress for the players."
O'Rourke said FFA will "make sure we have written exemptions" before attempting to leave the city a third time and that there was a chance the Melbourne clubs could play their opening games of the resumption in Melbourne while waiting for exemptions to be granted.
He added that the responsibility for the bungle rests on his shoulders, but that his sole focus on ensuring the league could get started on schedule.
"I'm not going to shirk that [responsibility] at all," O'Rourke said.
"What I need to do, like any other coach and any other leader, is come out and make sure we win the next game."
Western United are expected to restart A-League season on July 16 against Melbourne Victory.
