It has been a time for letters obviously as last week I received a copy of a letter sent out by the Town of Vincent about the proposed “Home of Football,” that was much talked about at Litis Stadium, the home of Floreat Athena.
Having attended a couple of the public meetings on the issue it had a lot of plusses although many of the residents minds were so closed to the idea it was embarrassing. The least they could have done was attend the meeting with an open mind, maybe that was the problem.
The letter stated that Football West had advised the Town of Vincent that they were no longer interested in pursuing the concept. The reasons given being as follows:
1. “A lack of funding – primarily due to Australia being unsuccessful for a world cup bid in 2018 and/or 2022.” – (we were actually only bidding for 2022).
2. “Opposition from certain members of the Town of Vincent Community.”
3. “The opportunity to co-locate with Perth Glory Football Club on tertiary institution land to establish combined training and administrative facilities (as recently announced on 03 March 2011 by Perth Glory)”
This letter raises several issues, have any of football’s stake holders been advised? Is there a story on the Football West website letting people know that this plan is no longer going to happen?
We were told at length when the design was revealed how the new Chairman Mr Bob Kucera had worked tirelessly on this project last year, and few doubted that. The question has to be what was the contingency plan? Surely we did not put all of our future eggs in the one basket?
As much as there may be benefits being based in the same building as Perth Glory, is this a good fit? One is a privately owned company, with an owner who could walk away from the club at the drop of a hat. The other is a not-for-profit organization charged with running the game at all levels. Yes there should undoubtedly be a relationship between the two for the betterment of football and Western Australian talent, but it should be at arm’s length.
If for some reason this falls through what is the contingency plan for Football West’s base, as with the increase in staff at Maylands they will soon urgently need a new home.
Not really
The regions still manage themselves and as far as i am aware, no attempt has been made to change that….and truth be known, i don’t think the regions would be in a rush to fall under this umbrella.
Would you ?
EXZR, Thanks for your comment.
It is my fault I don’t think I made myself clear in my reply. He has always claimed the game was not under one umbrella with each area managing itself. We are now united in that respect.
I am well aware we are far from united as a “family.” that is up to those given the power to ensure that we are and pull us all together, and I like you don’t have faith that they have the wherewithal to pull everyone together.
Sorry, but i disagree with your reply to Paul…..The game is not United under Football West !
Nor will it be under any Chairman or CEO until such time as a chairman or CEO represent the people who the sport belongs to.
They are Paul, but now he has the opportunity to change that. The game is united under Football West, yet he trotted out the same excuse at a function last year. He is pretty good at rhetoric, but I am yet to be convinced that he is an achieveror the one to lead us where we should be. Time will tell and if I am wrong I will put my hand up. I will be only too happy to be wrong.
Yes it is so sad how so many Western Australian’s want to stay as they are and not improve things
Thanks for your comments as usual.
Yep we are a homelss sport. Big Bob said once that if were weren’t such a basket case when other sports were getting their new homes while he was a pollie we could have got one also. Our football facilities all round are fairly poor.
During the public consultation the best case against was from a delightful local lady who said since the space was stolen from the environment to build a velodrome for the ’62 Empire games this is a great time to tear down the stadium and return it to the ecosystem.
A truly memorable comment!