Craig Foster is at the forefront of a fantastic Football inititative in Australia. It's breath taking. Together with the Southern Cross University (SCU), FFA, State Government and Local Government, they have put together a remarkable concept that is about to become a reality. And its all about Football!
As you read this article, just think what we could have done with a part of that $26 million over ten years the ACT Government handed over to the AFL for an AFL Franchise Club start up in Western Sydney. Its not a good deal for AFL, it almost certainly ensures that very little will be available going forward for Football (the largest participation sport in the ACT region) nor any other sport, and its such a rotten deal, an atrocious waste of public funds in its present form. Oh well done Mr Barr. What a spectacularly poor decision for all young sports persons in the ACT for years and years to come. It is a real kick in the guts for Football.
What a clever piece of sports politics at election time. Having established that we seem to have completely missed the AFL raid on the ACT Treasury, did anyone on the Capital Football Board think to use our Football constituency to motivate the Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Simon Crean at election time, at any time, to do some good for Football in the ACT region. Ahh, but then you would need to have a few good ideas. Or is the extent of our fiscal reach and sporting clout limited to applying for grant money - crumbs from the master's table! It makes you weep tears of frustration, particularly when others do it right under your nose. And the AFL deal is such an easy one to beat. Why aren't we out there - loud and proud! Who will lead us?
Why am I on this topic again? Simple! The kind of mistake made by Mr Barr and the ACT Government will hold Football back unless the ACT Government finds new funds quickly and in sufficient amount over time to make a difference for our young players. Only Capital Football could have stood in the way, been an obstacle to this profligacy, and secured some investment for Football. They got king hit and we are penniless by comparison.
Contrast our situation with the the football intitative undertaken by Craig Foster, the Federal Government, NSW Government and importantly, Southern Cross Uni. It demonstrates just how stupid the ACT Government was in handing out money for the equivalent of an A League team and one that doesn't even have the virtue of being domiciled in the ACT region. The vague promise of an "academy" is little more than political slight of hand, because you can bet it wont be in the ACT. Oh yes, and four games of AFL . Strewth!
The Asia Pacific Football Institute by contrast is a sensational idea. It will serve the Football community. A Barcelona-esque kinda thing. Wow! This is thinking right outside the square. Fantastic.
Now just stop and think for a moment about what we might have here in the ACT - Uni of Canberra, Capital Football, FFA, ACT Government, Federal Government, AIS, ACTAS and hand over the A League money Ivan to kick start the bank account and we might have something that is every bit as sensational. Something substantial and designed to last and serve the football community.
I am reminded of a thought that the ever forward thinking John Mitchell said in an interview with the NPL some time ago - he proffered the notion that we here in the ACT could set up a Football development entity that could develop players to the highest standards for the world market and in so doing, fund all our ACT community and talented development needs / programs. Not a bad idea to be starting with and I reckon that the Asia Pacific Football Institute will move into this space in order to underwrite all the other development work they seem to wish to do across the football community.
As Ron Smith is fond of saying - "are you serious". Well, Craig Foster and Southern Cross Uni certainly are!
What about the ACT? What will we do and who will lead us - where?
I'll follow up on this one. Again, we can learn a lot from others. Well done Craig Foster.
World game: Soccer legend Craig Foster with Page MP Janelle Saffin and Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Simon Crean at the announcement of the $2.5m soccer complex at SCU.
Mr Crean visited Lismore yesterday to announce a re-elected Labor Government would put $2.5 million towards the long-awaited Asia Pacific Football Institute in Military Road, Lismore. The institute would be built by Southern Cross University (SCU), which has set aside 14 hectares of land and $1 million for the facility, to be run by a newly-created ‘University Foundation’.
The institute would take about two years to build – much of that time would go to getting the pitch right – and would sit opposite, but utterly dwarf, the Thistles soccer field. It would include five separate football pitches, two accommodation blocks and a combined conference centre, dining area and office block.
The start date for work on the project would depend on when the Lismore City Council passed its new local environment plan, which would provide the necessary zoning for the complex.
Football Far North Coast general manager Steve Mackney said the pitches would be of such high quality – and the region so attractive to visiting teams – that Lismore could expect to be hosting some of the world’s top teams if Australia won its bid for the 2022 World Cup.
Former Socceroos captain Craig Foster, who came up with the idea for the institute, said the idea of it and its close connection to Southern Cross University was to produce ‘not just future Socceroos and Matildas, but future Socceroo and Matilda captains’.
“They’re not just training to be great soccer players, but great people,” he said.
Mr Foster said the institute would help lift Australia’s presence in the world game and provide new diplomatic and business entry points to soccer-playing nations, particularly in South-East Asia.
The ability of the institute to draw in students from overseas had major implications for tourism and the region’s economy, he said.
Mr Foster praised Page MPJanelle Saffin for her efforts insecuring funding for the project.
“When I came to you a year ago ... you said ‘don’t worry, I’m a good advocate’ and you have proven to be a fantastic advocate,” he said.
Mr Crean drew a line between the institute’s potential for success and the National Broadband Network, saying super-fast internet access would be critical to the facility.
University Vice-Chancellor Peter Lee agreed, saying the institute would rely on the network to broadcast teaching to other countries and its ability to draw on the expertise of the world’s top soccer nations.
“You can import expertise. If you want a super-coach from Barcelona to teach a lesson you can use the broadband network for it,” he said.
Mr Mackney said the Northern Rivers in general, and Lismore in particular, was recognised across the footballing world for its enthusiasm for the sport and because of its beauty. He said the things locals took for granted about the region stunned visitors.