Sydney FC shareholder and Hollywood star Anthony LaPaglia has backed the expansion of the A-League, and would eventually like to see 16 teams in the competition.

Reports have suggested the league was preparing to admit two new Queensland-based franchises, one based on the Gold Coast and the other in Townsville.

“I’m all for it. I think that it’s really important,” LaPaglia told reporters after taking part in Sydney FC’s training run at the Sydney Football Stadium.

“The bigger the league becomes the more interesting it becomes.

“I’d like to see it jump from eight to 10 … Eventually it would be great to see the league build up to 16 and then I think you really start to have an interesting league.”

The Los Angeles based film and TV actor said the recent visit to Sydney by David Beckham’s LA Galaxy showed the Australian market was ripe for expansion.

“It’s a friendly on a Tuesday night and 82,000 people turned up so there’s a market,” he said.

“Sydney could support another team, Townsville would be a good place, there’s a number of places. I think that possibly Melbourne could support another team.”

Sporting a black Real Madrid goalkeeper’s jersey and white gloves and boots, a hobbling LaPaglia said recently appointed coach John Kosmina – Sydney’s fourth mentor in less than three years – had brought a simple commodity to the club – stability.

“Some coaches deal with players on a collective level and just yell at everybody,” he said.

“Kossie kind of understands the psychology of each player and what works for them and how to get the best out of them.”

He also paid tribute to Mark Rudan – who will play his last game for the club against Perth on Saturday before heading to Japan – and opened the door for the ex-skipper to return to the club, possibly as a coach.

“Personally it’s a huge loss but it’s something that I totally understand,” he said.

“In my book (the door) will always be open to Mark.

“We can always go overseas and pay lots of money for coaches of questionable talent when we have home-grown people who are much, much better and people like Mark Rudan have the potential to develop into first rate coaches.”

Meanwhile, Socceroos defender Mark Milligan has backed a squad of A-League players to get Australia through next year’s World Cup qualifiers while European-based stars are unavailable.

“I think the biggest thing, especially about Australian football in the A-League, is the boys will go out there and give a hundred per cent no matter what – what the temperature, what the conditions, whatever,” he said.

“So all the boys would definitely play with a lot of passion.

“It may not be quite up to the standard of all the European boys but I’m sure we’d all be able to do a job.”

Milligan will have the chance to impress new national coach Pim Verbeek when the Dutchman is part of the Sydney Football Stadium crowd for Saturday’s clash with the Glory.

© 2007 AAP

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