Southern Expansion’s A-League bid is a step closer to winning a licence to join the competition after being named as one of the top six expansion proposals.
Southern, representing the St George district, Sutherland Shire and Football South Coast, are vying to be part of the A-League’s expansion for the 2019-20 season.
Bids from Wollongong and Ipswich were cut on Tuesday, leaving Southern Expansion to compete with Macarthur South West Sydney, Canberra, Western Melbourne, Team 11 in Victoria and South Melbourne.
Southern Expansion has welcomed today’s announcement by the FFA that the club had been selected on the new shortlist of bids for A-League expansion.
CEO, Chris Gardiner, said Southern looked forward to the opportunity to meet with FFA to discuss any final questions about its bid.
“We are confident that the strengths of the Southern region as the location for the next A-League Club will be apparent to the new FFA board in November,” Mr Gardiner said.
“We have the stadia to play out of immediately; we have the grassroots football partnerships to build upon which are unequalled in any part of Australia; we have the most respected football and governance leadership in place to make it the most professional club in the league and we have the capital and finances available to launch the club immediately and sustain it into the future.
“The Southern region has so much unmet potential in terms of A-League fans and engagement.
“The new Sydney derbies between us and Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers will see those fans mobilised in their thousands.”
Fox Sports has a preference for teams in Sydney and Melbourne to create more derby contests but the A-League has not discounted expanding into new regions.
While a top six short-list has been announced uncertainty still clouds plans to grow the league after the FFA board opted to defer a decision on the successful teams at a meeting on Tuesday.
"Since receiving the eight bids, we have carefully evaluated information provided and commitments made by the bidding parties. It was clear certain bids were stronger than others," said FFA boss David Gallop.
"We have six bids that all have positive aspects but require further work in certain areas.
‘‘We need to continue our consultation with those bid teams to ensure that they adequately address these areas to ensure their future sustainability, which includes securing stadia, catchment area and financial capital."
Southern Expansion chairman Morris Iemma told the Leader earlier this month there was no reason to delay expansion of the A-League despite Football Federation Australia’s impending board reforms.
Mr Iemma is worried the leadership uncertainty at the FFA will hamper the original plan for expansion.
The FFA board was expected to make a decision on the two successful bids and make their decision public on October 31.
But a delay on the decision now appears inevitable with the FFA board split on whether to proceed with the current timeline.
Any delay will likely put back the announcement to December at the very earliest, likely leading to the successful bids entering the 2020-21 A-League season rather than the 2019-20 campaign.
"It is critical that FFA can be satisfied the successful bidders will be sustainable from day one as well as meet a variety of commitments that will benefit the longer-term growth of the Hyundai A-League," Mr Gallop said.
"It is universally acknowledged that expansion of the A-League is an important next step forward.
‘‘We know it will provide a shot in the arm for our game by providing more opportunities for young Australian footballers, bringing in new fans and engaging new communities.
"We look forward to continuing to work with these groups, the existing clubs and other stakeholders to make expansion a success for the whole of football.
"FFA will continue to work towards expansion in the next season of the A-League should it be satisfied the remaining bids address some of these outstanding issues.’’
Mr Iemma told the Leader any delays to the expansion process were an “obvious concern”.
“Because probably the number one issue facing the game in Australia at the moment is the A-League competition,” he said.
“We just don’t see any case to delay a decision no matter who is in charge.
‘‘For us, if there is a change in who is running the game it should not cause deferral or abandonment of expansion of the national competition.
“Everybody in Australian football from players, fans, broadcasters, sponsors, the current administration itself, even the two opposed factions, people are unanimous about one thing.
‘‘And that is the A-League, the showpiece of Australian football, needs re-invigoration, new blood and expansion.
“It’s not a decision that can be delayed.”
The FFA has serious concerns over the financial backing for one of its favoured bids for A-League expansion with no certainty surrounding funding for Team 11's stadium.
The bid hailing from South-East Melbourne is among the frontrunners to be granted a licence to enter the competition, but is not yet assured of receiving much-needed grants from the Victorian state government to build its permanent home.
