Football Federation Australia chief executive Ben Buckley has dismissed concerns the new Western Sydney franchise will not be ready in time for the new Hyundai A-League season, and is confident they have the model to make the new franchise a raging success.
Football Federation Australia chief executive Ben Buckley has dismissed concerns the new Western Sydney franchise will not be ready in time for the new Hyundai A-League season, and is confident they have the model to make the new franchise a raging success.
Buckley confirmed a new club in Western Sydney will join the Hyundai A-League for the start of the 2012/13 season.
The FFA will fund the new club themselves with the hope of a community model taking over in the near future.
But the first job which needs taking care of is appointing a CEO and board, establishing the club’s name and colours, and appointing a coaching staff and playing group, with the season kick-off just six months away.
Despite the short timeframe, a defiant Buckley insisted the new club would be ready to go and believes having the team in a region considered the heartland of football in the country would ensure its success.
“We’ve been working on a team in Western Sydney for some months, it’s not something we’ve just started on today,” Buckley told reporters on Wednesday.
“We’ve been talking with the local community, the local councils and possible stadia.”
“We have a prospective list of CEO’s and candidates to run the football department. We’ve been in discussions with prospective coaches.”
“We’re very confident we can have a successful club and a successful team up and running come the first match of the 12/13 A-League season.”
“It’s the most populous playing region in the country and has been the supplier of some of the best talent for the Socceroos and Matildas.”
“The people of Western Sydney, their football fans and participants deserve a team.”
Buckley denied it has taken too long for the Hyundai A-League to establish a club in the area, given the success the AFL has had since the inception of GWS.
While the announcement is a great boost for football in Western Sydney, it would seem Gold Coast’s brief stint in the national competition is over.
Asked if Western Sydney’s admission meant the end of a franchise on the Gold Coast, Buckley said: “We’ve said before we’ll only have a 10-team completion next season.”
“We intend to make an announcement within the next 24 hours.”
Buckley said the new club would not be given any special salary cap dispensation in their start up season, like the AFL did with their new franchises on the Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney.
He confirmed the members of local clubs and community would have a say in establishing a name for the new club and its colours, which they hope to have finalised within the next month.
