The Western United Thread

[Kappa]

Well the whole league will be in trouble not just WU if the broadcast money is substantially cut.
I agree at the Western United stadium being a pipe dream one that the FFA got sucked in too by a bunch of corrupt property developers.

And when the league is in trouble they'll cut the weakest clubs first to save money and save the others.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

FFA/A-League knew the stadium 99.999999% never going to happen. They just had bidders willing to front millions of dollars for a license, and who cares when it falls over as Melbourne has 2 clubs already.

 

[General Giant]

FFA/A-League knew the stadium 99.999999% never going to happen. They just had bidders willing to front millions of dollars for a license, and who cares when it falls over as Melbourne has 2 clubs already.

Supposedly South and Team11 were going to put up a bigger few, south had the most of any of the bids besides the South Sydney/Coast/Illawarra side.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[giggler99]

Some good news extended two year deal!

 

[giggler99]

Some news on Western United's Stadium.


Seems like the some sort of news gets rehashed every few months with these hobos.
None the less steps are being made although it's it may seem like good news I still wont believe it until I see construction beginning.

 

[giggler99]

The full article


Wyndham City Stadium receives planning amendment approval
Western United FC
Published: an hr ago
Western Melbourne Group is one step closer to delivering Wyndham City Stadium after State Planning Minister Richard Wynne today approved a key planning amendment.

The planning approval allows detailed design of the stadium and development to be finalised and construction timelines to be determined.

Wyndham City Stadium is set to be the home of Western United Football Club, the A-League team representing the people of Melbourne and Victoria’s west.

The development will be the first major sports stadium owned by a professional football club in Australia.

The stadium will be the centrepiece of a broader development that links sports, commercial and residential precincts.

The development, being undertaken by Western Melbourne Group and Wyndham City Council, will turn approximately 70ha of land in Tarneit into a mixed-use precinct comprising of sport, entertainment, commercial, residential and community uses.

“Today’s announcement is a huge milestone and is a significant step towards the vision for a world class sport, entertainment, business and living precinct within Melbourne’s West,” said Western Melbourne Group Chairman, Jason Sourasis.

“The planning approval signals the official start to the project and means construction on the stadium can commence by mid-2021 and should be ready in time for the Women’s World Cup in 2023.

“We could not have achieved this milestone without the amazing support from Kate Roffey and her team at Wyndham City Council, as well as our state government representatives, in particular, Sarah Connolly.

“Finally, we would like to thank our passionate and dedicated supporters. The football family and the community of the west have been behind us since day one and their belief and energy have truly been felt throughout this whole project,” concluded Sourasis.

Wyndham City Mayor, Cr Adele Hegedich, said the stadium and training facility will provide widespread infrastructure, economic and community benefits to Wyndham and beyond.

“This is an exciting project for Wyndham,” Cr Hegedich said. “The planning approval means we can now get on with the job and start preparing to construct the main stadium and elite sports training facility.

“Large projects such as this are significant for a city like Wyndham. As we continue our Covid recovery, we’re working hard to ensure our local economy bounces back and this project will provide jobs and create a fantastic new community asset.”
Australian Professional Leagues (APL) Commissioner, Greg O’Rourke, also welcomed the news of planning approval.

“The construction of a purpose-built stadium was a key part of Western United’s long-term vision for the football club, and today’s announcement marks an important milestone in realising that vision.

“Stadiums play a big part in creating the unique atmosphere that the Australian Professional Leagues are known for, and we are all looking forward to seeing this project progress.”

Western United Football Club is in its second year in the A-League, with their inaugural season in 2020 seeing them reach the preliminary finals.

The club have also partnered with women’s Calder United Soccer Club and have signalled their intention to field a W-League team in the 2021/2022 season.

The junior pathways of the club have also developed with the creation of two National Premier League sides set to join the competition this year.

If you want to be part of the Western United family, memberships are on sale now for as little as $37. Join the family here.

The A-League season continues for Western United as they take on Perth Glory this Saturday at GMHBA Stadium in Geelong. Get your tickets to the match
here.

Wyndham City Stadium receives planning amendment approval

Western Melbourne Group is one step closer to delivering Wyndham City Stadium after State Planning Minister Richard Wynne today approved a key planning amendment. The planning approval allows detailed design of the stadium and development to be finalised and construction timelines to be...

www.wufc.com.au

 

[giggler99]

Another article on the stadium. Sounds more of a rehash of the previous one as they all seem with this mob but I want to post them in order to held them accountable if this stadium doesn't go ahead in the time frame they are predicting.

Western United aim for stadium to be completed for 2023 Women's World Cup


With a major planning milestone now achieved, Western United officials are confident of breaking ground on their much-anticipated stadium by mid-2021, with delivery of A-League leading fan experience then targeted for completion by the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.


Western’s commitment to construct their own, boutique stadium and develop a surrounding precinct in Melbourne’s growing Western corridor played a key role in the group being awarded one of two A-League licences on offer during the last round of expansion - a decision that surprised many that had been tipping South East Melbourne-based bid Team 11 to get the nod.

Intense scrutiny has followed the move ever since, with each day that passed without tangible news on the construction of the stadium adding to scepticism around if it would be delivered any time soon in the coming years - if at all.

Despite the club tasting on-field success in their first season by reaching the A-League’s semi-finals, this latent discomfort was only exasperated by their nomadic existence; playing games in Geelong’s Kardinia Park, Ballarat’s Mars Stadium and Footscray’s Whitten Oval that, though part of the club’s catchment areas, provided sub-standard atmospheres for football.

But with the announcement on January 22 that Victorian State Planning Minister Richard Wynne had approved a key planning amendment that would allow “detailed design of the stadium and development to be finalised and construction timelines to be determined”, it means that the stadium and the associated development surrounding it has never been closer to its commencement according to Western Melbourne Group Project Director Chris Frangos.

The club are now forging ahead with a mid-2021 target date for breaking ground on the stadium project, with the end goal of having the venue complete ahead of the Women’s World Cup in 2023.

An adjacent training facility announced last September should proceed on a similar timeframe, with its delivery potentially arriving slightly faster than the stadium.

Work on the surrounding precinct of residential and commercial projects would also begin in the months following, with the pace of its delivery driven by demand.

“What was announced last Friday was the approval of that [planning] amendment,” Frangos told SBS The World Game.

“Pretty much the whole development has now been approved by State Government - that’s what the announcement was.

“We still need to work with the Government, we’re working with different government departments to work out the details. But they’ve given the high-level approval.

“That it’s a planning amendment has made it a project of state significance, because they don’t do this often. They’ll only do it if it’s something significant.

“Having an international football standard stadium in the Western suburbs is significant on its own, but when you add to that the elite training facilities, the ability to have a sports science printing like Olympic Park, the commercial areas, indoor arena, the hotel and all the houses around it, it makes it into quite a unique and large development.

“Obviously, that’s not the only approval that we will need, there’s a bunch of approvals downstream.

"So the next one for us is to get the development approval from the council [Wyndham City Council is a partner of Western in the stadium and developmental project] to build the stadium.”

Upon its completion, Western and their partners at Wyndham envision the seventy hectares of land reserved for stadium and development projects in Tarneit as being transformed into an area that will host Western’s base of operations as well as entertainment, commercial, residential and community features.

Though local NPL Victoria side Melbourne Knights also own and operate their Sunshine home, the Wyndham stadium would become the first major sports venue owned by a professional football club in Australia.

Western’s training facility is planned to hold three pitches - one of which will feature 5000 seats - to house its A-League, academy and proposed W-League side, and be capable of hosting smaller games for broadcast.

The group has also submitted the location for consideration as a training venue for nations competing at the 2023 Women’s footballing showcase.

“The timing of 2023 is to have it ready in time for the World Cup,” said Frangos.

With that completion date in mind, plans are currently in place for three parking structures to be built around the stadium, as well as for there to be shuttle services direct to the stadium from public transport hubs throughout the region immediately upon opening.

The stadium’s proposed site is in close proximity to the existing V-Line railway line between Melbourne and Geelong, talks with the Victorian Government also remain ongoing over a train station.

The Victorian government, in partnership with their Federal counterparts, announced $4 billion towards the first stage of upgrades to the rail corridor between Geelong and Melbourne in November.

“There are a few little things we’ve got to do like landscape plans and a few other bits and pieces but the stadium design is pretty much done, we’re pretty much just finalising that,” Frangos told The World Game.

“Given that it takes a long time to design a stadium, you’ve got to make sure that before you start building it that it’s actually going to be future proof.

“We’re going through that review process at the moment.

“The renders externally are looking similar [to what has already been shown], we’re working with the architects at the moment to try and review the aesthetics, the wrapping around the outside.

“We’ve focused most of our attention on the fan experience. We want to make going to this stadium better than any other stadium. Ultimately it’s the experience that the fans have while they’re there that will have them coming back week after week.”

Though action must now follow words, the news on the planning approvals provides a significant boost to Western, who have struggled to create the groundswell of support and passion that marked the last entrant of an A-League expansion side into a city’s west.

Exacerbating the groundhopping problem the club have had, Western this season, citing the economic and health realities of staging games in the shadow of COVID-19 restrictions on major events, are playing a number of home games at AAMI Park this year - the home of Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City.

For coach Mark Rudan, however, the progress on the stadium represents an important step forward in building his fledgling side’s culture.

“There’s still a way to go but we got some fantastic news as a football club,” Rudan said. “It’s the go-ahead.

“I know people perhaps doubted that [the stadium] was going to happen but there was never any doubt [for me] from the information I received from the board.

"That’s a huge bonus for our football club. I don’t think people understand just how big an announcement that was and what that means for our club.

“The players want to be part of it now, and there’s a lot of players coming out of contract so they want to stick around and be part of this because we’re building something pretty great, I feel.

“I’ve said last year, we were not a club, we were only a team.

“Now, we’ve got two NPL teams participating in the youth league, we want to have a W-League side, we want an academy - that’s a club. And we want to build this club.

“The women’s game is getting stronger, the World Cup coming in 2023 - the girls are extremely important and we want to make sure we play our part.

"We want to be the only A-League club with a proper, full academy devoted to the girls. And I think that’s going to separate us from everybody else as well.”

Western United aim for stadium to be completed for 2023 Women's World Cup | The World Game

With a major planning milestone now achieved, Western United officials are confident of breaking ground on their much-anticipated stadium by mid-2021, with delivery of A-League leading fan experience then targeted for completion by the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

theworldgame.sbs.com.au

 

[Zidane98]

Another article on the stadium. Sounds more of a rehash of the previous one as they all seem with this mob but I want to post them in order to held them accountable if this stadium doesn't go ahead in the time frame they are predicting.

Western United aim for stadium to be completed for 2023 Women's World Cup


With a major planning milestone now achieved, Western United officials are confident of breaking ground on their much-anticipated stadium by mid-2021, with delivery of A-League leading fan experience then targeted for completion by the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.


Western’s commitment to construct their own, boutique stadium and develop a surrounding precinct in Melbourne’s growing Western corridor played a key role in the group being awarded one of two A-League licences on offer during the last round of expansion - a decision that surprised many that had been tipping South East Melbourne-based bid Team 11 to get the nod.

Intense scrutiny has followed the move ever since, with each day that passed without tangible news on the construction of the stadium adding to scepticism around if it would be delivered any time soon in the coming years - if at all.

Despite the club tasting on-field success in their first season by reaching the A-League’s semi-finals, this latent discomfort was only exasperated by their nomadic existence; playing games in Geelong’s Kardinia Park, Ballarat’s Mars Stadium and Footscray’s Whitten Oval that, though part of the club’s catchment areas, provided sub-standard atmospheres for football.

But with the announcement on January 22 that Victorian State Planning Minister Richard Wynne had approved a key planning amendment that would allow “detailed design of the stadium and development to be finalised and construction timelines to be determined”, it means that the stadium and the associated development surrounding it has never been closer to its commencement according to Western Melbourne Group Project Director Chris Frangos.

The club are now forging ahead with a mid-2021 target date for breaking ground on the stadium project, with the end goal of having the venue complete ahead of the Women’s World Cup in 2023.

An adjacent training facility announced last September should proceed on a similar timeframe, with its delivery potentially arriving slightly faster than the stadium.

Work on the surrounding precinct of residential and commercial projects would also begin in the months following, with the pace of its delivery driven by demand.

“What was announced last Friday was the approval of that [planning] amendment,” Frangos told SBS The World Game.

“Pretty much the whole development has now been approved by State Government - that’s what the announcement was.

“We still need to work with the Government, we’re working with different government departments to work out the details. But they’ve given the high-level approval.

“That it’s a planning amendment has made it a project of state significance, because they don’t do this often. They’ll only do it if it’s something significant.

“Having an international football standard stadium in the Western suburbs is significant on its own, but when you add to that the elite training facilities, the ability to have a sports science printing like Olympic Park, the commercial areas, indoor arena, the hotel and all the houses around it, it makes it into quite a unique and large development.

“Obviously, that’s not the only approval that we will need, there’s a bunch of approvals downstream.

"So the next one for us is to get the development approval from the council [Wyndham City Council is a partner of Western in the stadium and developmental project] to build the stadium.”

Upon its completion, Western and their partners at Wyndham envision the seventy hectares of land reserved for stadium and development projects in Tarneit as being transformed into an area that will host Western’s base of operations as well as entertainment, commercial, residential and community features.

Though local NPL Victoria side Melbourne Knights also own and operate their Sunshine home, the Wyndham stadium would become the first major sports venue owned by a professional football club in Australia.

Western’s training facility is planned to hold three pitches - one of which will feature 5000 seats - to house its A-League, academy and proposed W-League side, and be capable of hosting smaller games for broadcast.

The group has also submitted the location for consideration as a training venue for nations competing at the 2023 Women’s footballing showcase.

“The timing of 2023 is to have it ready in time for the World Cup,” said Frangos.

With that completion date in mind, plans are currently in place for three parking structures to be built around the stadium, as well as for there to be shuttle services direct to the stadium from public transport hubs throughout the region immediately upon opening.

The stadium’s proposed site is in close proximity to the existing V-Line railway line between Melbourne and Geelong, talks with the Victorian Government also remain ongoing over a train station.

The Victorian government, in partnership with their Federal counterparts, announced $4 billion towards the first stage of upgrades to the rail corridor between Geelong and Melbourne in November.

“There are a few little things we’ve got to do like landscape plans and a few other bits and pieces but the stadium design is pretty much done, we’re pretty much just finalising that,” Frangos told The World Game.

“Given that it takes a long time to design a stadium, you’ve got to make sure that before you start building it that it’s actually going to be future proof.

“We’re going through that review process at the moment.

“The renders externally are looking similar [to what has already been shown], we’re working with the architects at the moment to try and review the aesthetics, the wrapping around the outside.

“We’ve focused most of our attention on the fan experience. We want to make going to this stadium better than any other stadium. Ultimately it’s the experience that the fans have while they’re there that will have them coming back week after week.”

Though action must now follow words, the news on the planning approvals provides a significant boost to Western, who have struggled to create the groundswell of support and passion that marked the last entrant of an A-League expansion side into a city’s west.

Exacerbating the groundhopping problem the club have had, Western this season, citing the economic and health realities of staging games in the shadow of COVID-19 restrictions on major events, are playing a number of home games at AAMI Park this year - the home of Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City.

For coach Mark Rudan, however, the progress on the stadium represents an important step forward in building his fledgling side’s culture.

“There’s still a way to go but we got some fantastic news as a football club,” Rudan said. “It’s the go-ahead.

“I know people perhaps doubted that [the stadium] was going to happen but there was never any doubt [for me] from the information I received from the board.

"That’s a huge bonus for our football club. I don’t think people understand just how big an announcement that was and what that means for our club.

“The players want to be part of it now, and there’s a lot of players coming out of contract so they want to stick around and be part of this because we’re building something pretty great, I feel.

“I’ve said last year, we were not a club, we were only a team.

“Now, we’ve got two NPL teams participating in the youth league, we want to have a W-League side, we want an academy - that’s a club. And we want to build this club.

“The women’s game is getting stronger, the World Cup coming in 2023 - the girls are extremely important and we want to make sure we play our part.

"We want to be the only A-League club with a proper, full academy devoted to the girls. And I think that’s going to separate us from everybody else as well.”

Western United aim for stadium to be completed for 2023 Women's World Cup | The World Game

With a major planning milestone now achieved, Western United officials are confident of breaking ground on their much-anticipated stadium by mid-2021, with delivery of A-League leading fan experience then targeted for completion by the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

theworldgame.sbs.com.au

The only thing WU bid really had going for it over Team 11/SE was the guarantee of a stadium. Everything else T11 was superior in terms of local support & engagement. They even had Casey Fields teed up to play at until the Dandenong Stadium was ready to go (which is in a much better location right in the heart of Dandenong next to the train station).

I would almost expect Team11 franchise to launch legal action if WU's guaranteed stadium doesn't go ahead as that is pretty much why T11 lost the bid.

 

[giggler99]

The only thing WU bid really had going for it over Team 11/SE was the guarantee of a stadium. Everything else T11 was superior in terms of local support & engagement. They even had Casey Fields teed up to play at until the Dandenong Stadium was ready to go (which is in a much better location right in the heart of Dandenong next to the train station).

I would almost expect Team11 franchise to launch legal action if WU's guaranteed stadium doesn't go ahead as that is pretty much why T11 lost the bid.

Can't see how that happens or if there is any legal loophole for team11 or any other bidding team to exploit on the matter. But with Melbourne City relocating themselves in the South Eastern Suburbs Team11 is virtually a dead entity now.

 

[Zidane98]

Can't see how that happens or if there is any legal loophole for team11 or any other bidding team to exploit on the matter. But with Melbourne City relocating themselves in the South Eastern Suburbs Team11 is virtually a dead entity now.

Are they officially joining up with Melb City?

 

[General Giant]

Are they officially joining up with Melb City?

There was some talk of them jumping in with them.

 

[Quivorir]

Are they officially joining up with Melb City?

YEah they have. Team 11 is no more and have rebranded everything as Team City SE. From their facebook:


About



Team City, born out of the Team 11 A-League bid, will showcase all the Melbourne City FC news and community activity in South East Melbourne. Not an official MCFC page.


In 2017 Greater Dandenong City Council, the City of Casey and the Cardinia Shire Council signed a Memorandum of Understanding outlining their collective vision and commitment to secure a new A-League, W-League and National Youth League Club for south-east Melbourne.
And while the region’s compelling and professional expansion bid was knocked back in December 2018, the bid team continued its quest to deliver a professional football club to the community.
On December 15 2020 that dream became a reality when Melbourne City FC announced it was establishing a new Etihad City Football Academy at Casey Fields in Cranbourne East.
We now have pathways for our juniors, positive role models, a marketing advocate for South East Melbourne, a great platform in City In The Community to do a power of outreach work. Above all, we can now unite the 160 different nationalities in our 1.9 million strong community behind our one common language - football!
Not an official MCFC page.

 

[Zidane98]

YEah they have. Team 11 is no more and have rebranded everything as Team City SE. From their facebook:


About



Team City, born out of the Team 11 A-League bid, will showcase all the Melbourne City FC news and community activity in South East Melbourne. Not an official MCFC page.


In 2017 Greater Dandenong City Council, the City of Casey and the Cardinia Shire Council signed a Memorandum of Understanding outlining their collective vision and commitment to secure a new A-League, W-League and National Youth League Club for south-east Melbourne.
And while the region’s compelling and professional expansion bid was knocked back in December 2018, the bid team continued its quest to deliver a professional football club to the community.
On December 15 2020 that dream became a reality when Melbourne City FC announced it was establishing a new Etihad City Football Academy at Casey Fields in Cranbourne East.
We now have pathways for our juniors, positive role models, a marketing advocate for South East Melbourne, a great platform in City In The Community to do a power of outreach work. Above all, we can now unite the 160 different nationalities in our 1.9 million strong community behind our one common language - football!
Not an official MCFC page.

I always thought Sth Melb should join up with Melb City.

 

[Roogal]

WUN v MC in Ballarat

A-League gets green light to open Mars doors

The A-League has been given the green light to host spectators in Ballarat on Saturday. 4000 people will be permitted entry to watch Western United do battle with league newcomers MaCarthur FC at Mars Stadium.

The figure is 35 percent of the venue’s capacity in consideration that the venue is presently undergoing extensive modification to its standing areas and construction of permanent new entries and toilet facilities for the standing zones is presently underway.

United chief executive Chris Pehlivanas says tickets are on sale.

"Our media team and marketing team is ready to go and our partners in Ballarat will be made aware, so hopefully we can flood the market pretty quick and give everyone a chance to get there as soon as possible," he said.

 

[Zidane98]

WU should play a game up in Mildura.

 

[Roogal]

WU should play a game up in Mildura.

... Agree. And why not? Even after the new Tarneit stadium is built, why not farm a couple of home games Westward each season in Mildura, Horsham, Warnnambool or Ballarat? Let 500,000 Western Victorians claim support as well.

 

[Quivorir]

How about Tassie?

 

[giggler99]

They really have become gypsy United. Any guesses where to next? Might as well head east too into Gippsland.

 

[Pacman82]

They really have become gypsy United. Any guesses where to next? Might as well head east too into Gippsland.

Snag a few more fans in Timbuktu maybe

 

[Elmer_Judd]

Would it be fair to say tonight was/is the greatest win Western United's short history?

It certainly won't hurt selling the club and it's brand to potential new fans

 

[giggler99]

Would it be fair to say tonight was/is the greatest win Western United's short history?

It certainly won't hurt selling the club and it's brand to potential new fans

Personally I hate the campaigners! and wouldn’t care two shits if they die tomorrow! But Diamanti is a ******* beast!

 

[Elmer_Judd]

Personally I hate the campaigners! and wouldn’t care two shits if they die tomorrow! But Diamanti is a ******* beast!

Didn't Victory want to/planned to sign Diamanti a few years ago, but were knocked back by the FFA ?

Don't want to pour salt on your wounds mate, but I am pretty sure that is what happened.

 

[giggler99]

Didn't Victory want to/planned to sign Diamanti a few years ago, but were knocked back by the FFA ?

Don't want to pour salt on your wounds mate, but I am pretty sure that is what happened.

Yes! on the Cahill rule.But the FFA knocked us back because he didn’t fit the ‘metrics’ in other words he wasn’t popular enough! or most likely Gallop had never heard of him!

 

[Quivorir]

Didn't Victory want to/planned to sign Diamanti a few years ago, but were knocked back by the FFA ?

Don't want to pour salt on your wounds mate, but I am pretty sure that is what happened.

Yup. He didn't have enough twitter followers.

A-League 2021: Alessandro Diamanti opens up on failed Melbourne Victory move | Sporting News Australia

 

[Pacman82]

If it wasn't for WUFC I don't reckon I'd be watching the A-League this year. I'd like know exactly who in the FFA swayed that call, I'm betting some chick with a marketing degree..