Western Sydney To Be Unveiled Tomorrow

 

FOOTBALL Federation Australia are tomorrow set to announce a new Western Sydney side for the A-League next season.

 

The FFA are tipped to be investing $5 million into the Government-backed community-based model club, according to Sydney's Daily Telegraph.

 

The new team will be fast tracked into existence to make it in time for the start of the new season, just seven months away, with recruitment for coaching and polaying staff beginning almost immediately.

 

It comes in the wake of the disastrous expansion into Queensland three years ago which has since seen North Queensland Fury collapse after just two years, and Gold Coast United owner Clive Palmer being stripped of his licence.

 

The future of Gold Coast is still up in the air - but it looks unlikely they will now remain in the A-League next season.

 

The launch of the so far un-named West Sydney side - which could get its name from a public vote - will ensure the competition remains a 10-team side at a crucial moment for the domestic game in Australia.

 

TV rights are set to be re-negotiated imminently, and the inclusion of a 10th side is essential.

 

However the fact the 10th side will now be Sydney-based - giving the fixture list at least three Sydney derbies each season - is a huge selling point in TV deal-making.

 

Sydney is consistently the biggest mark for Fox Sports - and a regular Sydney derby could throw viewing figures off the chart.

 

But the FFA will need to overcome a cynical market after the failure of West Sydney Rovers last year and the delay in meeting the needs of an area generally regarded as football's heartland in Australia.

 

The new club will be funded by the FFA from this season's unused contingency fund to prop up struggling clubs, and money from the existing TV deal.

 

A separate board will be established to run the actual club itself, independent of the FFA.

 

Government involvement is expected to come from a $3million grant to redevelop Football NSW's Parklea HQ to double as a training base for the new side.

 

According to the Daily Telegraph, there will also be a further $5 million Government investment into the sport in Western Sydney, including $1 million to promote the women's game, opening the door to a West Sydney W-League side.

 

Tim Cahill is also tipped to be an ambassador for the club, although he is not expected to play for the club.

 

More details on the side are expected to be unveiled at an FFA press conference tomorrow (Wednesday).

 

Copyright © FourFourTwo Australia . All rights reserved.

WESTERN SYDNEY..OLE OLE OLE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sydney's western suburbs are to be base for new A-League club

An A-League team based in the western suburbs will be announced today, with soccer chiefs having elected to fund the club themselves, and the aim is to include the new side in next season's competition.

After months of trying to find a wealthy backer for the most prized region in Australian sport, Football Federation Australia will back its belief that a West Sydney team will tap into a huge market that Sydney FC has largely failed to engage with.

Recruitment of players and a coach will begin almost immediately, with a core of local products expected to be an essential part of the building program.

Funding for the club will come from within FFA resources, including the TV grant each club receives plus the contingency fund set aside to prop up any failing clubs this season.

Though funded by FFA directly it will be run by a separate entity, led by an advisory board of football and community figures from the region.

Ultimately there are hopes that a representative of the supporters will be included on the board, a model pioneered by Adelaide United.

It's understood a deal has been struck with Football NSW to use their training facilities and community programs, essentially sharing the association's back office.

In a remarkable twist, The Daily Telegraph understands that $3m of government funding will be announced shortly by Julia Gillard to redevelop the Football NSW headquarters at Parklea - allowing FNSW to abandon its costly but abortive plans to move to a new base at Riverstone.

A further $5m of federal funding will be given to grow soccer in the western suburbs specifically, funding infrastructure and training programs for children. Of that, $1m will be earmarked specifically for the women's game in the west, including a potential W-League team for the new club.

The new team's name, badge and colours are likely to be decided by popular vote, with soccer chiefs sensitive to any suggestion that the new model is being dictated by the game's head office.

Socceroo star Tim Cahill is set to be approached to be an ambassador for the new club, though he is thought to have no plans to return to play.

It's believed no stadium deal has yet been struck apart from an agreement to stage up to three marquee games at ANZ Stadium - most likely derbies with Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory's trips north.

Parramatta Stadium remains the logical choice for the remainder of the new club's home games, though the Showground at Homebush and even Campbelltown Stadium will pitch to be involved.

The advent of the new team seems certain to be the last rites for Gold Coast United, meaning the A-League will stay at 10 teams next season.

Sources close to the project have told The Daily Telegraph that it has received final sign-off by the board, after months of preparatory work, and the new club will be up and running within days.

The new club faces an almighty rush to be ready to play when the new season kicks off in October but documents prepared for it show a substantial amount of work on ticketing, community engagement and possible recruitment has already happened.

Intriguingly FFA owns the contracts of four Gold Coast players, including young talent Ben Halloran.

A coach originating in western Sydney such as Tony Popovic or Ante Milicic will also be an obvious target, though it's thought that Popovic is adamant he will stay as assistant at Crystal Palace while Milicic is in line to succeed John van 't Schip at Melbourne Heart.

Could this finally be it? I'll try not to get to excited until I see something physically representing our club :coolio:

wow, very excited. To be supporting West Sydney next season would be fantastic!

I almost feel like crying, this is so amazing!

Happy days!

**** yeah!!!!!

**** yeah!!!!!

**** yeah!!!!!

+1

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

piss up tonight?????

**** YEAH!

****en finally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Still wont believe it until they have actually announced it.

I'll save my excitement until we actually see something definitive happen. Don't want another Rovers situation where we get all pumped only to be dissapointed. Keeping my expectations low for this to begin with.

Screw that, I'm partying right now!

The Rovers bid failed to meet the mark that FFA had set for them. This is being implemented and bank rolled by the FFA. If it doesn't happen for the start of the season then it will happen for the beginning of the season after anyway which is still awesome!

Driving to work this morning, and the first piece of sports news all over the radio was Western Sydney to be announced today. I check Twitter and it was going off last night. Sad I missed it all

Now very excited

Let's hope they don't **** it up completely. And let's show all the haters and naysayers why we deserve a team by killing it in the stands every week.

Let's show all the haters and naysayers why we deserve a team by killing it in the stands every week.

This

Lets just hope they don't pull the plug on it a year down the road like Gold Coast ...

Lets just hope they don't pull the plug on it a year down the road like Gold Coast ...

That was asked at the forum. They said the FFA are in it for the long haul and won't stop after 2, 3 years etc.

Dare I say, if a team in West Sydney fails, the A-League wouldn't be too far behind.