Still as a Dogs fan, I prefer this to going back to Belmore.

Fans hate the place but while I believe in putting a team in West Sydney i don’t see how it’s possible that there are 50k people who are willing to travel to homebush but not the SFS. I could imagine some people prefering homebush but not to the extent of not attending A league games at all while they wait for a team in Homebush a mere 12.74 kms from Central.

But is he big on the facts himself?

Parramatta is too small he says. I’m not sure of its capacity, but I’m wondering whether League fans would like to comment on the actual size of Parramatta stadium (I suspect it’s somewhere between 16,000 and 20,000).

Is that too small? We aren’t marketeers so we’re obviously too silly to work that one out.

I know that it was big enough back in 1988 to host a Socceroo friendly – I was there – I recall it was less than half full, and I believe it has since been enlarged.

Mad continues with his “facts”.

No problem with ANZ Stadium he says. We have not done our research he says. It will be the best day out he says (but I’m not sure what we were meant to be researching to work that one out).

He appears to be suggesting that this new WS team would fill ANZ stadium.

What do people think? Does that sound right?

He says this new club has 4000 season tickets already sold before the club is announced.

Now I admit, I’m not as smart as Mad, but I’m wondering how a club that is nowhere near getting the nod, manages to sell 4.000 seasons tickets. Is anyone else a bit unclear on that “fact”?

And thanks ‘the all rounder’…ther are many in Canberra that arent fans of TUFC ; )

Do you people really think that FFA don’t know what they are doing ? Do you think that the HAL will be better served by anything but a western Sydney team.

Some quick facts -
- all bids currently around – are pushing to meet FFA’s strict criteria
- there is a “negotiating point”
- Parramatta Stadium is TOO SMALL for a western Sydney team (obviously there are no marketers out there), plus it has no transport links, nor does it have ONE public car space
- FFA and at least one WS bid have “crunched the numbers” and there is NO CONCERN about ANZ Stadium – and if many of you had actually done any research, you would know this too … if one bid gets up, a “day” at ANZ will be the greatest club football event you’ve seen for a while, and with a catchment area triple that of Sydney FC … watch the people come. There are 4000 season tickets already sold before the club is announced.

Canberra is a POOR option

Wollongong is a POOR option

They both might have a better chance down the track when the HAL is stronger, which will happen if a second Sydney team is generated quickly.

… and it will be.

Rock on habibis.

But the low crowds so far this season are certainly a concern for the WS bid.
But I believe Frank Lowy is part of the bankroll and the FFA are also keen to see a WS team get up and running.

The numbers stack up but they need the local football momentum to pick up again.

____

My only point is that FFA should have been completely up front and say that West Sydney will get the 12th bid and then tell Canberra and Wollongong and Tasmania to work on getting your bid ready for the 13th and 14th team.

The current situation is pretty much, we are welcoming all bids for the 12th team but we are only letting team from one city to win. This isn’t exactly fair play and Canberra has the right to feel that they are getting shafted.

No doubt the football knowledge in the various ethnic villages that make up WS is huge …along with as I said 8 stste or former NSL clubs and five football association who have almost 100, 000 players registered (that is not counting, indoor, fultsal, outdoor 6 a side, school players) …. look at the current first choice Socceroos… Kool sorry Harry Kwell, Timmy Cahill, Bret Ememtion, Mark Sch, Jason Culina, … thats off the top of my head but all WS boys… almost 50% of the first choice team …. and from WS ….

And if it was able to attract the regions best player’s a damn near unbeatable one at that.

The task of uniting te old NSL clubs, the stste league clubs, and the Associations ,… is massive ,, nay mega massive squared… however if anyone did … boy would it be a huge club…

It was a gaffe

Afterwards Ben Buckley came in and contradicted that comment and said that all bids are welcome for the 12 th team and they would all be judge by the same criteria. Ben buckley basically disown the comment from Frank Lowy

The media and newspaper article that said that 2nd Sydney team will get the 12th team was based on well justified opinion on the mood coming out of FFA but it’s certainly wasn’t open policy and they certainly encourage bids coming from Canberra and Wollongong causing these people to waste their time

Wanderers will have a Chairman once the franchise is announced – Ian Rowden.

Neither have a coach, technical director, nor a player.

So for me, that’s pretty even-stevens. By the way, I would like both to succeed.

either way..i feel this team has plenty of potential..especially if a big name socceroo publicly backs it…

btw..Kewell to captain it by …2014??

WS doesn’t even have someone to write the cheques as yet. As Adelaide can confirm relying on the FFA isn’t a good option.