Gold Coast seems to be the region all codes are focused on at the moment.
Gold Coast A-League bid
Ray Gatt
March 14, 2007
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/st ... 22,00.html
OFFICIALS at Gold Coast Soccer have urged Football Federation Australia to think carefully before it decides where to place a new A-League club if New Zealand fails to come up with the money to run a team next season.
A consortium from the region emerged yesterday as a possible replacement for the New Zealand Knights, who have been given until tomorrow by the head body to come up with $2million to fund a side.
Townsville, which is understood to have put in an impressive bid and, to a lesser extent Wollongong, have been mentioned as possibilities to fill the Kiwis' spot if they fall over.
While Townsville has six months' head start on the other candidates, Gold Coast Soccer president Peter Gray said the consortium behind the region's bid, consisting of successful local property developers, is "ready to go".
"I have no doubt that, despite giving away a bit of a start, we are ready to put in a very competitive bid for the franchise," Gray said.
"We have a very influential and powerful group of Gold Coast and interstate businessmen who are very keen to get involved in the A-League.
"They are more than capable of making it happen."
The consortium has already decided the Gold Coast team, if successful, will play out of Carrara Stadium, which is the temporary home of the Gold Coast Titans, who will make their NRL debut this Sunday.
The AFL will also use the stadium for matches involving the Kangaroos.
A new stadium is also being built at Robina and the proposed club would have no problems eventually shifting its base there.
While there has been no discussion in terms of player recruitment, The Australian understands several locals have been mentioned as possibilities for the coaching role, including former Newcastle, Sydney Olympic, Marconi and Fijian national coach Lee Sterrey, former Wollongong Wolves coach Nick Theodorakopoulos and former Queensland Roar coach Miron Bleiberg.
Gray believes it would be good for the A-League to get a strong foothold in the booming area and urged it not to give the AFL and rugby league a "free hit".
"We all know the Titans are ready to kick off in the NRL and that the AFL is spending a huge amount of money to try and get a foothold on the Gold Coast," Gray said.
"Football is very strong in our area.
"We now have over 8500 registered players and that is 1200 up on last season's figures. We hosted Sydney FC in a match against Queensland Roar in the A-League pre-season last year and, on a very wet day, we got over 7200 paying customers to the match.
"We have to capitalise on our expanding base and not allow the other codes to get a foothold. If I was the FFA I'd be thinking over this very carefully."
Gray, a former board member of Soccer Australia and former president of Soccer NSW, said the GCS would not have a financial stake in the new licence but is prepared to provide office facilities and staff. "We are not in the business of spending kids' money on things like this," Gray said.
"But we have offered as much assistance as possible to ensure the bid is successful.
"The people involved in the consortium are cashed up and have the support of the Gold Coast council."
Gray added the consortium had spoken to FFA several months ago about gaining a licence for the 2008-2009 season.
"We were due to talk to them again at the end of March in relation to the 2008 bid, but we will try and bring those talks forward, in light of the events of recent days," he said.
The Townsville consortium remains a strong favourite to fill the void if the Kiwi club falls over.
Townsville project director James Gage believes the club, which would have New Zealand great Wynton Rufer as coach, can raise the $2.5m minimum required by FFA within 24 hours.