fm11: Hyundai A-League Expansion

[rabbitoh rob]

BREAKING NEWS​

North Queensland Fury axed from A-League​

March 1, 2011

Football Federation Australia boss Ben Buckley confirmed North Queensland Fury had been axed from the A-League after being deemed "too big of a financial risk". Buckley flew into Townsville today with A-League boss Lyall Gorman to deliver the bad news to the Fury. North Queensland - solely owned by the FFA - had been asked by Buckley to secure half of the club's predicted $3 million shortfall for the 2011-12 season to ensure its future.Buckley said today that the Fury had secured less than $300,000 of the required $1.5 million capital that would have earned it a one-year conditional licence from the FFA. The axe fell even though the Fury claimed to have raised more than $1 million in sponsorship money and with a $500,000-a-year sponsor announcement looming. "While the club and the advisory board had attracted some very encouraging sponsorship commitments, the projected loss to run the club next season is still, in our assessment, in excess of $2 million," Buckley said. "FFA had been looking for capital from the campaign to set the foundations for a move to local ownership and a long-term future for the club. "However with the capital-raising falling well short of the target, FFA has had to make the hard decision that it cannot continue to own and finance the club in these circumstances." Buckley believed cutting the embattled Fury would strengthen the A-League.
He said continuing to fund North Queensland in excess of $2 million ??reduced the capacity to invest in the A-League as a whole??. ??We need to concentrate our resources on the growth, promotion and stability of the entire A-League competition and this level of investment would prevent us from undertaking programs to achieve the above,?? he said. ??Many leagues around the world have adjusted the composition of clubs in early years and we feel this move will strengthen the Hyundai A-League just as it did for Major League Soccer in the United States and the J-League in Japan. ??We acknowledge the region is an important development area for football and there are some fantastic supporters, and FFA remains committed with Football Queensland to nurturing football in North Queensland. ??I would like to thank everybody who supported the Fury including the fans, staff, players, sponsors and the Fury Advisory Board.?? The Fury have been cut after just two seasons. They entered the A-League in 2009-10 along with Gold Coast United, expanding the competition from eight to 10 teams. But the Fury never recovered from foundation owner Don Matheson?s withdrawal after their debut season. They received a lifeline from the FFA ahead of the 2010-11 kickoff and were asked to secure the $1.5 million capital to ensure their future late in 2010. The A-League will intend to continue with a 11-team competition following the introduction this season of Melbourne Heart. FFA will be accepting franchise applications for the admission into the 2011/2012 season.
​

 

[hedger_14]

Good luck with this story. Are you going to be following one club in particular or just the whole league?

 

[rabbitoh rob]

FFA set to approve new South Coast Team​

March 12, 2011

THE new A-League team for the South Coast of NSW, based in Wollongong, should be officially born today with the Football Federation Australia board expected to rubber stamp inclusion of the league's 11th club.

Franchise representative Richie Roberts met with FFA staff, including chief executive Ben Buckley, this week and presented the new team's financial backing, numbers that went down well with league bosses.

The group, which also includes former local junior Scott Chipperfield and film star Russell Crowe, the co owner of rugby league team the South Sydney Rabbitohs is now expected to be granted entry for season 2011-12.

While that decision is likely to be made today, franchise bids from western Sydney, Canberra and Tasmania are also under strong consideration.

However we understands the new club South Coast club is likely to get the no? which goes by the provisional name of South Coast Rabbitohs but will be renamed by a public competition ? has compiled extensive market research, suggesting the city has enough latent soccer support to sustain a second team.

"Sydney FC have done very well but there are a lot of indicators that suggest there are still a lot of people who still have not embraced the A-League but follow the sport," said a source who has seen the material.

The club will present itself as a community organisation, smaller and more in touch with the grass roots of the sport than Sydney FC. It will play out of the Win stadium, Wollongong, and is understood to be planning to construct it's own centre of excellence backed and partly funded by socceroo star Tim Cahill.​

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South Coast Dream now a reality​

Buckley has today announced that FFA has awarded the licence for a 11th A-League team to the group chaired by Russell Crowe, local business man Richie Roberts and backed by socceroo star Scott Chipperfield who will commence participation in the 2011/12 season.

I think this is a gigantic leap forward, we are now committed to a team in the most populous football region in the country, Buckley said.

Three other separate groups had originally vied for the 11th club licence but they suffered a variety of setbacks.

Crowe, who is also co owner of the South Sydney Rugby league franchise said he had assembled the new group in just over a month.

He (Crowe) has put together a very strong group of people to develop, build and lead the development of this team for entry into the Hyundai A-League in season 2011-12, Buckley told reporters on Tuesday.

In our mind, this group of people has a great combination of business acumen, marketing expertise and certainly understands the game as well as anyone.

Buckley said the FFA would back Crowe's group in many and varied forms, but said his organisation didn't need to inject any financial resources into the franchise.

Rowden, who is executive chairman of advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi, stressed time rather than money had been the biggest stumbling block to his group getting a team ready for next season.

Buckley also revealed Canberra was in the box seat if the FFA decided to ultimately expand the A-League to twelve clubs.

We believe that Canberra is the obvious choice for the next A-League licence should we take that step to expand beyond eleven teams, Buckley said.

We believe there's great opportunities there in the longer-term. It's not the right time to expand to Canberra at this point in time.
Emma Kelly appointed as Rabbitohs CEO, Stephen Waugh, Russell Crowe and Richie Roberts as Directors​

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Good luck with this story. Are you going to be following one club in particular or just the whole league?

Thanks, going to follow the progress of a fictional new franchise replacing the fury.

 

[hedger_14]

Oh dear, Rabbitoh's in the A-League, oh well, all the other teams need a bunny team

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And by the way, why do you have question marks at the start of some sentences and have both a fullstop/comma and question mark at the end of some?

 

[rabbitoh rob]

Taylor signs with South Coast​

Amy Taylor will be the team manager for the new South Coast franchise, the A-League club announced today.

The Rabbitohs are keen for Taylor to join the club immediately.

South Coast CEO Emma Kelly was delighted with the appointment.
"This is a fantastic signing for the club as we continue to build and improve our coaching staff and the club in general," Kelly said today.
"We believe that bringing people of the calibre of Amy Taylor and physio Prue Roberts to the club can only help us in our plans for success both on and off the pitch".
"We will continue to complement our current staff with people who we believe can help us towards success in the future."
Taylor said she was pleased to be joining the Rabbitohs.
"I'm excited about being part of the Rabbitohs and the challenges that it will bring," Taylor said.
"I'm impressed with the direction the club is taking and I want to be a part of the success the club is planning for and the excitement surrounding that."
Taylor was a member of the Australian women's national team, known as "The Matildas", playing as a defender in over twenty international matches.​

 

[rabbitoh rob]

Rabbitohs Sign Scott Chipperfield​

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The South Coast Rabbitohs are delighted to announce the signing of former Socceroo star Scott Chipperfield for the 2011,2012 and 2013 seasons.

Chipperfield, 35, has played 75 international games for the socceroos, scoring 12 goals in his international career to date.

Standing 177cm and weighing in at 71kg, Chipperfield was one of the leading players in the Super League competition, and will return home to Australia over the next three years.

Rabbitohs CEO Emma Kelly is pleased to be bringing an experienced player to the Club.

We re really happy to be able to attract a player with the experience and talent that Scott Chipperfield possesses to our Club for the next three years, Miss Kelly said.

He has the runs on the board and we?re looking forward to welcoming Scott and his family to South Coast next season.​

 

[rabbitoh rob]

South Coast staff & squad finalised​

 

[HawkAussie]

Hope to go well in this. If I had it then I would do a Tassie team.

 

[rabbitoh rob]

South Coast travel to Suncorp Stadium for season opener​

Brisbane Roar are 4-5 favourites to over power the South Coast Rabbitohs is the opening match of the
2011/12 Hyundai A-League. The referee for the match is Strebre Delovski from Melbourne.​

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Honours even at Suncorp Stadium​

 

[hedger_14]

tbh, it looks a bit of a mess like that. I would just use the Split View and just choose the Match Overview and another page.

Also, I would use full size in those images. I can barely see it.

 

[rabbitoh rob]

South Coast hit by injuries​

The South Coast Rabbitohs have been hit with two serious injuries in the clubs debut match in the Hyundai A-League. Striker Robbie Kruse has sustained a broken foot and is looking likely to be sidelined for at least 3 months. Kruse joined the Rabbitohs from Victory and was looking establish himself as a power house for the South Coast. Jade North is also facing between two for weeks on the sideline after landing heavily on his elbow representing Australia v Mexico in Mexico.​

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tbh, it looks a bit of a mess like that. I would just use the Split View and just choose the Match Overview and another page.

Also, I would use full size in those images. I can barely see it.

Thanks for the advice, i'll be sure to tidy things up.

 

[rabbitoh rob]

South Coast Rabbitohs face Perth Glory FC​

A solid home crowd is expected for the South Coast Rabbitohs first ever home fixture in the Hyundai A-League, Win Stadium Wollongong.

South Coast go into the clash as underdogs even though they have the home advantage over Perth.

The Rabbitohs will be with inspirational fullback Jade North, who is suffering a damaged elbow, and Young striker Robbie Kruse is looking at a lengthy stretch on the side line with a broken foot.

Match odds brought to you by Centre Bet
SCR - $1.85
Perth - $1.50
Draw - $1.20

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Classy Chipperfield on form for Rabbitohs

Quality of possession provided a solid 2 nil victory for the South Coast over Perth. The win was extra special for former Glory players Scott Neville and Josh Mitchell who's crafty header from point blank range in the 51st minute opened up the scoring for the home side. Centre back Jonathan McKain rounded off their victory in the 64 minute with a header from point blank range from a Chipperfield cross, which brought the home crowd of 10103 to life.

Chipperfield was in impressive form for the Rabbitohs and proved his ability to create goals for his side with no less than two superb assists. The threat the left midfielder posed with his passing ability constantly unsettled the Perth Glory defence.

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Newcastle Jets favourites against South Coast Rabbitohs​

Newcastle Jets go into the clash as firm favourites.

The Rabbitohs will again be without Jade North and Robbie Kruse.


Match odds brought to you by Centre Bet
SCR - $2.20
Perth - $1.30
Draw - $2.00

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Chipperfield double inspires South Coast ​

​

The South Coast has their midfield to thank on a fine evening at Energy Australia Stadium as they showed their strikers how to finish. The match was certainly not one for the purists with neither side able to keep control of the errors in their game.

Rabbitohs french imported striker Ahmed Soukouna's was red carded for a vicious foul in the 32 minute leaving his team mates under enormous pressure and his manager ready to blow a fuse.

An error from jets Taylor Regan allowed SCR captain Scott Chipperfield a easy header to give the visitors an unlikely lead in the 67th minute, the inspiration captain then sealed the win with a deftly executed finish in the 87th minute.

Chipperfield has been in superb form for SCR so far this season and is said to be attracting interest from Hertha BSC Berlin.

Manager Amy Taylor also singled out defender Matthew Spiranovic for praise, "he was simply faultless today".

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Soukouna banned for one match​

South Coast Rabbitohs FC's striker Ahmed Soukouna has been given an automatic one match suspension after being send off in the A-League class against the Newcastle jets. A disciplinary comittee will meet on the 23/08 and may decide to extend the band further. It's understood the SCR dont intend to appeal the ban, issuing Soukouna with a fine.

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Rabbitohs looking for three on the trot​

Amy Taylor took several questions about her players performances in the build up to her sides clash with Melbourne Victory, asked how the three day turn around since the Jets clash would affect the players? Taylor's response was "These runs can be tough on the legs, but the momentum they gernerate is fantastic."

Despite the home advantage the South Coast are underdogs for the clash, and will be miss key plays North & Kruse through injury and Soukouna through suspension.

Match odds brought to you by Centre Bet
SCR - $2.75
Mel - $1.25
Draw - $2.20

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Melbourne Victory a class above South Coast Rabbitohs

In a free flowing game at Win Stadium, Melbourne Victory have come away with the points in the Hyundai A-League. The highlight of the match was undoubtedly a superb hattrick from Victory striker Danny Allsopp. Rabbitohs winger Mathew Leckie got the homeside off to a flyer scoring from a well struck effort in the 6th minute of the match.

Victory responded in the 20th minute via Allsopp's well placed shot and then put his side in front 3 minutes before the half time break.

Allsopp then rounded off his hat trick with a good header from inside the box in the 54 minute.

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Sydney FC favourites for South Coast Rabbitohs clash​

Sydney FC are clear favourites in there home encounter but will still have to make sure they put in a professional performance against South Coast.
SCR will be boosted by the return from injury of fullback Jade North, but will be again short up front with the Kruse's broken foot and Soukouna being handed an extra weeks suspension by FFA.

Match odds brought to you by Centre Bet
SCR - $3.00
Syd - $1.15
Draw - $2.00

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Rabbitohs Defeated​

SCR manager was proud of her troops efforts against the clubs rivals, "we can hold our heads high. The result wasn't ideal, however the performance please me a lot and the player showed plenty of character."

Sydney FC's Terry McFlynn gave the homeside the lead with a eighteen yard screamer in the 32nd minute, which was capped off right on the stroke of half time by young winger Kofi Danning, doubling Sydney FC's lead.

Rabbitohs winger Mathew Leckie's 47th minute stike proved the only consolation for the visitors.

Highlights from today's Hyundai A-League match between Sydney FC and South Coast Rabbitohs. The match was played out to a crowd of 10166 at Sydney Football Stadium in Football Manager 2011 with Sydney FC picking up the win with a 2 - 1 victory.

 

[rabbitoh rob]

no interest it would seem!

 

[Umair7]

i like your story very much

 

[hedger_14]

Sorry mate, I'm finding it so hard to read. The pictures are all over the place and everything.