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Socceroos boss Ange Postecoglou says it’s time the national team had a permanent training base from which to hone their assaults on the World Cup.
Postecoglou said on Wednesday establishing a home base was “definitely a necessity” as he looked to build on this year’s Asian Cup triumph.
It may not be a pipedream as Football Federation Australia’s Whole of Football Plan, to be released next month, is expected to confirm a strategy around developing such a facility.
It’s been a belief of Postecoglou’s that long pre-dates his appointment as Socceroos boss.
“I’ve been banging on about this stuff my whole career,” he said.
“It’s the basic premise of life, especially Australian life, owning a home … a football team is no different.
“It’s pretty hard to feel a part of something unless you have somewhere to call your base, your foundation.
“It’s no different at national team level.”
Many of the world’s leading football nations have permanent training bases for their national teams.
England have established the St George’s Park training facility, at a cost of STG105 million ($A204 million), which includes 11 pitches and state of the art features for their national teams.
Postecoglou said a permanent facility would help as he tackled one of the greatest challenges in world sport.
“It seems pretty ridiculous now but at some point that should be our goal, to win the World Cup,” he said.
“I’m happy to be first cab off the rank to try and do it.”
Postecoglou was speaking as a guest of Melbourne City at their annual business lunch and praised the A-League club’s development in the city’s north.
At Bundoora, City have laid the most advanced training pitch in the country, utilising the same technology as many leading European football powerhouses.
Postecoglou said the development was exactly what the sport needed to see an at elite level.
There were “two undeniable facts” that would underpin the code’s growth – and necessitate more grounds and facilities at all levels, he said.
The worst scenario would be not enough pitches or facilities for young players.
“The game has never been more popular, and it’s being played by more boys and girls than ever before,” he said.
“That’s not going to stop, that’s just going to keep going.
“Facilities, coaching become real challenges to us.
“Our challenge is to keep taking the game to whoever wants to play it.”
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