Casey pitches for A-League

The round ball game is a kick away from Casey Fields

By Callan Date
CASEY Fields is set to be the home of Melbourne’s second professional soccer team.
The Cranbourne sports precinct firmed as the favoured destination of the A-League Melbourne Heart franchise this week after Football Federation Australia (FFA) gave exclusive negotiation rights to the consortium.
The club, which has held positive talks with the City of Casey about using Casey Fields as its training and administration base, is likely to enter the A-League in 2010.
Prominent businessman Peter Sidwell is heading the push for Melbourne’s second professional soccer team.
Mr Sidwell said he liked the look of Casey Fields.
“We have certainly got an interest in that area,” he said.
“As to how that matures it depends on a couple of things, not the least of which is turning the opportunity to be the exclusive bidder into getting a licence.”
Mr Sidwell said the south east region – which broadly encompasses Casey, City of Greater Dandenong and Cardinia Shire – had strong soccer links.
Current Socceroo Scott McDonald played for Cranbourne while Australian team-mate and English Premier League player Vince Grella was raised in Keysborough.
McDonald, who grew up in Berwick, earlier this year expressed his desire for an A-League team to be based near his home town.
Mr Sidwell’s consortium defeated Southern Cross Football Club for the exclusive rights.
“The greater population down there have embraced the round ball game,” Mr Sidwell said.
The team is likely to play its matches at the under construction Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.
FFA CEO Ben Buckley said he was impressed with the professionalism and strength of the Sidwell-led bid. He said the FFA would now accelerate its discussions with the consortium.
Arrangements for the new team are expected to be finalised by early 2009.
Casey council acting CEO Peter Fitchett said the city was pushing ahead with its plan to have the South Eastern Regional Soccer Centre of Excellence established at Casey Fields.
He said an A-League presence was part of this project.
“This would be a tremendous resource for local players and representative teams from the region,” Mr Fitchett said.
“Interest in using this facility as a base for training and the development of soccer has also been expressed by a second A-League team.”