The A-League draw may be out but the letters ‘TBA’ are peppered throughout the schedule. And while we are tantalisingly close to knowing the full composition of the A-League’s newest club, what does it really mean for fans in Sydney?
Perhaps the proposed ‘Wanderers’ moniker is a nod to the fact the new western Sydney team will be wandering all over the city in search of a home ground?
A-League draw inspires confidence for the season ahead
I kid, of course, and am well aware of the historical significance of the name – linked as it is to the first local side reputed to have played in the region.
But when the A-League’s newest team is yet to finalise a ground, let alone a name, playing squad or team colours, it’s a bit difficult to get excited about what it all means for the competition.
And that’s especially the case when three A-League clubs have already come and gone and another has failed to get off the ground.
Much has already been written about the defunct New Zealand Knights, North Queensland Fury, Gold Coast United and the non-existent Sydney Rovers.
But few critics have questioned what kind of impact a new western Sydney team will have on Sydney FC and the city’s lower league clubs.
It’s a question I ponder as someone who used to travel from Sydney’s north-western fringes to the Sydney Football Stadium on a regular basis.
In all the hullaballoo over the creation of a new club, has anyone else wondered what Football Federation Australia expects western-Sydney based Sydney FC fans to do?
After all, it’s not as if a single A-League club can afford to bleed fans to a rival entity, least of all Sydney FC.
Will a western Sydney club honestly bring a raft of new fans through the gate? Why weren’t these fans going to Sydney FC games in the first place?
I personally think this whole ‘western Sydney identity’ is overblown.
When someone can geographically define what ‘western Sydney’ is actually supposed to be is when fans from Campbelltown might feel an affinity for a Parramatta-based football club.
And while I think it’s a sensible move from a marketing point of view to try to appeal to as broad a fan base as possible, I also hope there’s been some consideration given to the fact that many who play the game in western Sydney are already rusted-on fans of other clubs.
And that includes teams like Marconi and Sydney United now plying their trade in the New South Wales Premier League.
There’s nothing to say fans of those particular clubs can’t support an A-League team as well.
But if the hostility towards the A-League from certain sections of Sydney Olympic supporters is anything to go by, it’ll be a long time yet before there’s universal acceptance of a club purporting to represent western Sydney.
With all that said, I still want the western Sydney team to be a rip-roaring success.
The league itself can ill afford another failure and it should be seen as a positive that the sports-mad fans of the nation’s most sprawling city now have a second top A-League team to call their own.
But just as Melbourne Heart seemed to cannibalise somewhat from the Victory support, so too is there a danger for Sydney FC’s crowds to fall in the wake of the addition of a new team.
What would be far more preferable (obviously) is for the new club’s arrival to energise supporters and help give the A-League a boost throughout the city.
And for that reason Monday can’t come quickly enough, with football fans finally set to be given a clearer understanding of just who ‘western Sydney’ are and precisely what they are supposed to represent.
dohmatt
Guest
Skivvies, please! Can't wait to ride my single-speed to the quay for that lovely Rivercat ride...
Kasey
Guest
Poor from Seb. Is the editorial direction from Fairfax now all about starting code wars? No wonder they’re all out of a job soon. Thank god the dinosaur media will soon be a memory. IIRC whoever has the home game at Docklands, changes the ‘names of the ends to reflect stars past from that footy club? Why should WSFC be any different?
Midfielder
Guest
JB, Fuss, Asanchez, Kassy & others Wow & double WOW... from smh... MOVE over Mick Cronin, you're being bumped for Johnny Warren. And Ken Thornett? Step aside, Mark Bosnich is coming through. That's how the A-League's newest club, the Western Sydney Wanderers, is planning to convert Parramatta Stadium from rugby league's sacred turf to football's newest base. Just days after the AFL was revealed to have made a move on the home of rugby league, Birchgrove Oval, today Football Federation Australia will reveal how they plan to make their mark on another patch of traditional league territory. Almost all traces of the Parramatta Eels will be moved aside for the summer months so that the Wanderers - whose name, colours and first players will all formally be announced today - can make the stadium their own when they take up tenancy at the venue from October. Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/a-league/wanderers-take-a-stand-in-fight-to-establish-team-20120624-20wj3.html#ixzz1yimmkaeu
Kasey
Guest
Middy, I'll bet body parts there'll be a whinge-fest piece on this very site at the earliest opportunity(Tuesday morning?) likely from somebody who doesn't even live in Western Sydney perhaps doesn't even follow the sport, telling us all how thanks to what ever is unveiled at noon tomorrow this venture is guaranteed to fail:( Oh so much to look forward to:( Do I need to remind anyone of the famous cry from bitters on TWGF of "3 years tops!" regarding the survival of the entire A-League?
Kasey
Guest
double post:( removed
Steve
Guest
Does it need to 'represent' anything? I sometimes wonder if it's best to just start the club with the basics: people who want to see the new team will turn up and watch- let the culture develop organically from there. Worrying about why the team doesn't have it's own traditions and established fan base yet seems a bit silly, trying to guess how that culture will develop is too speculative to be helpful, and trying to force an ersatz 'ready-made' marketing-board-approved culture seems like a recipe for inauthenticity. The whole thing might well end in abject failure, that's true, but I don't think it's any more likely to if everyone just backs off and sees what happens.
John
Guest
I think basing the team out of Parramatta is a smart idea but having 1-2 home games a season at Campbelltown and Penrith will help the club in lift its profile. WS is a huge area and to properly engage with as many communities as possible games have to be shifted around occasionally. Despite this, a regular home ground is required and Parramatta is perfect for it.
asanchez
Roar Guru
People should be happy their getting a local team. Who cares if there called the Wanderers or whatever... This club will give the people the WS the chance to watch the highest quality domestic football in the country in their own backyard, they finally have a team to call their own. The pettiness of what colours or nicknames is irrelevant. When MV came in 8 years ago, I had no choice of a name, any colours, nicknames etc. I was just wrapped to watch a National Competition of Football in Oz again. I wasn't entirely sure that Victory was a great name, but I took to the club, and now am a proud and very passionate 8 season member. It's my club. I usually prefer clubs with red jerzeys, but this is my club, I can go to the games with my mates, enjoy the football, and have a ball. 90 minutes, 90 emotions as they say. And I love it. It's all about the game. Everything else comes second.
Midfielder
Guest
Fuss Be interesting to register on the Wanders forum and ask what else could we do ... my reading of the forum is most seem to be pleased with Gormans response for why so long in announcing anything major... Gorman said we understand when we have to be ready but what we build today is what all those that follow have to work with and we must get it right ... he went on to say business that rush the setup foundations live to regret those mistakes and wish they could go back in time...
Titus
Guest
Yeah, good luck with your team....once it comes into existence that is.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
"dare I ask what has happened to all those magical electronic avenues you promoted as a cheap way of keeping the brand in front of interested parties" jb, from what I gather the NewSydneyClub has been actively using social media tools to directly engage with fans. The Club is heavily involved on Twitter & Facebook, fans have already set up forums (refer to Middy's link) and people, who attended the fan forums, have provided email details to enable the club to liaise with them directly. Big announcements on Monday, including the names of 10 players who are now on the NewSydneyClub's books.
Minister for Information for the Democratic People's Republic of Football
Guest
Yes good on you wanderer. No wait......DAMN YOU! Long live the sky blues!!
Kasey
Guest
Drummoyne is 'West' of Balmain;) LOL A snappy ferry ride to Parramatta and a short walk to Parra stadium. seems too easy to me:) Good luck with your new team, welcome to the HAL:)
Minister for Information for the Democratic People's Republic of Football
Guest
We have to accept that the arrival of Western Sydney will impact on the growth poential of SFC. But there's no reason why SFC can't be averaging crowds of 14 - 15 000 down the track. Yes the areas you mentioned should be targeted first and foremost but I see more limitless potential for growth for WSW. SFC can still bring back the "bling" but it will be on the back of Tracktovenko and not through gate receipts. It all depends on how much he or any other future owner wants it. I'm prepared to make these concessions in return for the future Sydney derbies which will be something very special.
Wanderer
Guest
I live in Drummoyne and have never felt anything but contempt for Sydney FC. After waiting 5 years, I will travel to Parramatta, Blacktown or Broken Hill to support Western Sydney FC.
Minister for Information for the Democratic People's Republic of Football
Guest
Ok, Titus, I know Sydney FC draws supporters from the inner-western suburbs you mentioned. As for the south, and lower north shore.... I always considered them to be SFC orientated ahead of a western sydney side. It's not like it's as simple as drawing a line on a map of sydney anyway. I made the comment simply to inform people who are not from sydney about where the west of sydney begins and that is west of central station. I lived in Bankstown for a couple of years which is still inner west and if I lived there now and didn't already have an allegiance with SFC and wanted to go and see HAL football I would probably lean towards the team playing in Parramatta as opposed to the one playing in Paddington.
Jack
Guest
Membership to WSW is the key - I hope they get 20,000 singed up.
Kasey
Guest
It hurts me more as a football fan when we attack ourselves rather than reading the diatribes of dinosaurs like Fitzsimons or Wilson. I just wish people that consider themselves football people didn't feel the overwhelming urge to be so negative all of the time. Support the game of get the hell out of the way!
Kasey
Guest
As an Aussie football fan[AU for 10 years now] and not a target of WSFC as a potential fan, I would be happy to see Wanderers or Athletic chosen as the WS suffix. Either of those choices beats the marketing w@nk of something like Fury or even the MLS/WUSA names like Burn, Fusion or CyberRays etc. Our country is still an Anglo-Celtic dominated culture at the moment[demographics are changing slowly] and like it or not, names that lean on that A-C culture are much more likely to gain widespread acceptance in the marketplace.
Kasey
Guest
Middy, What if contrary to the leaks, the name is unveiled as Western Sydney Athletic FC? Its still a (slim) possibility I guess.