City Football Group (CFG) [Owner of Melbourne City]

[jw1739]

33 minutes ago, Mr MO said:

Does anybody know where Team11 was proposing to build their ground? If the Cranbourne train line gets extended to Clyde (there are plans for this) that would take you straight to the sports precinct.

I think it was this piece of land here:

This is Bournemouth's Dean Court photoshopped onto the land - from the Team11 Twitter:

Edited December 15, 2020 by jw1739

[Hanz]

Could we build a stadium between dandenong and aami? Hawthorn or something? East-ish facing without going full blown dandenong

[icantthinkofacoolname]

46 minutes ago, Mr MO said:

Does anybody know where Team11 was proposing to build their ground? If the Cranbourne train line gets extended to Clyde (there are plans for this) that would take you straight to the sports precinct.

In terms of stadium Team 11’s plan was to have it literally 10m from Dandenong Station. Basically in a little vacant field next to the station car park. 

https://www.weareteam11.com/dandenong-stadium-plans-announced/

[CityBoyz]

Brad Rowse said in the press conference that they ran out of space at Bundoora 

[Imtellingyou]

There are train and tram line nearby the current stadium. 

It could mean that we are getting free of the Group. 

[jw1739]

5 hours ago, Dezy94 said:

If the club is serious about having a geographical region to call home (ala Western Sydney Wanderers), then training in Casey and playing women's matches in Dandenong won't do it. Ultimately where the men's team plays its home games week in week out will be what matters. 

The club has to decide what it wants to be. Play home games in the city and collect a smattering of fans from across metro Melbourne? Or bite the bullet and move to a purpose built boutique stadium next to Dandenong Station and build a fan base out of a growing region of SE Melbourne, which risks permanently losing the support of many existing fans who live in the North and West?

IMO you're looking at it from the wrong angle. They could get more fans to watch the men's senior team simply by signing a "big name" player. It's not about an instant increase in membership or an instant increase in fans at the Southern End. What they're are doing is trying to sew up a big catchment area for City Football Group and be the focus and identity of football across a big region of the city. Right from when the children are 7-8 years old.

[Dylan]

If we end up with a stadium. Given this development, sad to say it’s going to be in Dandenong. Nowhere else. Oh and it’s only going to be built if there is gov money involved

 

[Jacques Le Cube]

31 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

IMO you're looking at it from the wrong angle. They could get more fans to watch the men's senior team simply by signing a "big name" player. It's not about an instant increase in membership or an instant increase in fans at the Southern End. What they're are doing is trying to sew up a big catchment area for City Football Group and be the focus and identity of football across a big region of the city. Right from when the children are 7-8 years old.

Like a 7-8 year old kid would care where their team trains.

 

If where a team trains has such an significant affect on the local population and a clubs identity/supporter base, why don't we have tens of thousands of fans based in and around Bundoora? The club has been based there continuously for over a decade now.

 

[mus-28]

City of Dandenong and Casey are big spending councils and very round ball orientated. CFG are essentially  buying all the groundwork Team 11 did linking with all the local clubs and Associations. If they can focus their efforts in this one region rather than spreading themselves too thin across the entire state it will definitely build support. 

 

City of Dandenong want a showpiece venue, they have the land and CFG have the money. I'd fancy a bet that there will be a stadium in Dandenong before there is one in Tarneit. 

Edited December 15, 2020 by mus-28

[Bannon]

bring on the south east love, fuck yeah.

[jw1739]

1 hour ago, Jacques Le Cube said:

Like a 7-8 year old kid would care where their team trains.

If where a team trains has such an significant affect on the local population and a clubs identity/supporter base, why don't we have tens of thousands of fans based in and around Bundoora? The club has been based there continuously for over a decade now.

You're completely missing the point. 

[HeartFc]

Don't live Melbourne anymore but I'm an OG E-Hills gangster so I'm happy to see City move down that way. 

Casey is one of the fastest growing areas in Australia, only makes sense. 

 

[Mr MO]

4 hours ago, Jacques Le Cube said:

Like a 7-8 year old kid would care where their team trains.

 

If where a team trains has such an significant affect on the local population and a clubs identity/supporter base, why don't we have tens of thousands of fans based in and around Bundoora? The club has been based there continuously for over a decade now.

 

Our youth teams can’t even play and train at Bundoora as there is no room, so that addresses that now.

JW means with bringing accessible grassroots football back under the youngsters, more players means more talent. If not talented enough they can hop onboard as fan with your family or because your friend plays in the youth academy. This will be a slow and steady process.

And yes kids do care, much better club exposure in that precinct, wether you are playing cricket, AFL or cycling it’s all there.

Anyway my two cents.

Edited December 15, 2020 by Mr MO

[Thrillhouse]

I just want a solid squad with visa players that deserve their spot, couldn't care less about where we train 

[Mr MO]

7 minutes ago, Thrillhouse said:

I just want a solid squad with visa players that deserve their spot.

I’ve lost hope on that a while ago, we have no ambition to win the league that way.

[mjake1234]

There is another factor to consider with access to a stadium in Dandenong for those wanting to use public transport - the suburban rail loop. The Clayton station is 15mins from Dandenong. Makes it easy for those near Cheltenham!

[jw1739]

29 minutes ago, mjake1234 said:

There is another factor to consider with access to a stadium in Dandenong for those wanting to use public transport - the suburban rail loop. The Clayton station is 15mins from Dandenong. Makes it easy for those near Cheltenham!

I'm surprised that there is a handful of contributors on here who can't get past "where the team trains." I would rate that as of "almost zero" significance. What this is about is the long-term future of a football club - it's own catchment area, room for growth and development of junior footballers right through to adults by alliances with local clubs, a home for all the City under-age and senior teams, room for potentially its own stadium for "lesser" matches, and an ideal base for the activities of "City in the Community." A major criticism of Heart and then City has always been "lack of identity" and now the club has made a move to address that and some can't see it!

[IssySG]

29 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

I'm surprised that there is a handful of contributors on here who can't get past "where the team trains." I would rate that as of "almost zero" significance. What this is about is the long-term future of a football club - it's own catchment area, room for growth and development of junior footballers right through to adults by alliances with local clubs, a home for all the City under-age and senior teams, room for potentially its own stadium for "lesser" matches, and an ideal base for the activities of "City in the Community." A major criticism of Heart and then City has always been "lack of identity" and now the club has made a move to address that and some can't see it!

Big agree. People that are so outraged, ask yourself, when was the last time you went to Bundoora to watch City train or watch an NPL game? I went to every W League home game last season and Hume isn’t close to much (about a 40 minute drive from Southbank), but people didn’t seem too pissed off about that?

The club are trying to create an identity - which is something we desperately need. There’s no way to say this is definitely going to work, but the potential pros of the move far outweigh the potential cons.

The club couldn’t keep stagnating forever. Done well Brad Rowse!

[Imtellingyou]

Show me trophies, enjoyment and success.  This is a professional club not local area community  project. I pay the membership as a form of support. 

[malloy]

On 16/12/2020 at 9:38 AM, jw1739 said:

I'm surprised that there is a handful of contributors on here who can't get past "where the team trains." I would rate that as of "almost zero" significance. What this is about is the long-term future of a football club - it's own catchment area, room for growth and development of junior footballers right through to adults by alliances with local clubs, a home for all the City under-age and senior teams, room for potentially its own stadium for "lesser" matches, and an ideal base for the activities of "City in the Community." A major criticism of Heart and then City has always been "lack of identity" and now the club has made a move to address that and some can't see it!

I couldn't care less where the team trains, but I am worried that with the way the A league is going, that we might find the team fully relocate their. When the club uses terminology like "its not in our plans" when discussing whether home games will relocate it makes me worry more as that is the type of term that clubs roll out before they do that thing anyway. Imo it is synonymous with "the manager has the full backing of the board".

[Imtellingyou]

I thought the forum was down for name change to Casey Town.

[fensaddler]

I don't know where you buggers got to, but I'm delighted to have you all back for Christmas. Charge your glasses... 

[jw1739]

18 hours ago, malloy said:

I couldn't care less where the team trains, but I am worried that with the way the A league is going, that we might find the team fully relocate their. When the club uses terminology like "its not in our plans" when discussing whether home games will relocate it makes me worry more as that is the type of term that clubs roll out before they do that thing anyway. Imo it is synonymous with "the manager has the full backing of the board".

Well, when you see the way that the MOPT are buggering the club around over attendance at matches scheduled for the coming season you could not blame the club for looking elsewhere - that's if it is. We have to realise that the football landscape is forever changing, that football is not and never will be the number one code in Melbourne, and that Heart/City with an average attendance of 7,000 or so has never caught on with the public here (in part the result of FFA's, and CFG's own, stupid decisions) and that playing out of a 30,000 stadium just doesn't make sense in the long term. We can't even get a long-term lease on the stadium, so we have to put up with other codes playing there and other events being held there. I think it's better in the longer term to cut our coat according to the cloth and try and carve out a niche for ourselves rather than be just another Melbourne A-League club.

Edited December 25, 2020 by jw1739

[Shahanga]

18 hours ago, malloy said:

I couldn't care less where the team trains, but I am worried that with the way the A league is going, that we might find the team fully relocate their. When the club uses terminology like "its not in our plans" when discussing whether home games will relocate it makes me worry more as that is the type of term that clubs roll out before they do that thing anyway. Imo it is synonymous with "the manager has the full backing of the board".

With you. 
If they do relocate games to nowhere’s ville that’s me done.

[jw1739]

4 hours ago, Shahanga said:

With you. 
If they do relocate games to nowhere’s ville that’s me done.

IMO the key point about moving HQ to Casey Fields is that the Cities of Dandenong and Casey actually want us to be in their local government area. As has already been pointed out local councils have access to land and State government funds and if they at some point were to offer us a stadium with the necessary facilities, either as owners or on a long-term lease then IMO we would be crazy not to look at the offer and weigh up the pluses and minuses. We're not growing as we are.

[haz]

1 hour ago, jw1739 said:

IMO the key point about moving HQ to Casey Fields is that the Cities of Dandenong and Casey actually want us to be in their local government area. As has already been pointed out local councils have access to land and State government funds and if they at some point were to offer us a stadium with the necessary facilities, either as owners or on a long-term lease then IMO we would be crazy not to look at the offer and weigh up the pluses and minuses. We're not growing as we are.

Yep exactly. If in the future the club shifts games to the SW then I'll still support the club, but won't be able to attend.

[Mr MO]

23 hours ago, haz said:

Yep exactly. If in the future the club shifts games to the SW then I'll still support the club, but won't be able to attend.

Same here mate. My team was Heart and is now City, that will never change. Sure some won’t be able to attend but others will. I’m in the West so it will be hard for me.

It’s clear, this club will slowly grow through the academy as its clear we aren’t chucking bags of money at the first team. And we ran out of space, were scattered all over the north.  the Bundoora facility upgrade was only a five year plan.
 

I might sound harsh here but I wonder if the people opposing to club growth by this South East training facility move are the same selfish bunch who got upset that that their City Blue seat got moved to the sidelines in order to improve the match day experience - both discussions are undoubtedly all about self interest.

Edited December 26, 2020 by Mr MO

[jw1739]

I think it's worth looking at these two websites: https://www.casey.vic.gov.au/casey-fields-masterplan and https://www.casey.vic.gov.au/facilities-hire/casey-fields.

I guess the issue of where you play and where you draw your support from is a feature of all clubs located in major cities around the world, and also includes considerations of socio-economics and available transport. There are plenty of areas of Melbourne for which AAMI Park is not very convenient to access by both public and private transport, especially when match times are inconvenient as well. I guess that if we ever do play senior matches at Casey or Dandenong then people will make decisions on attendance at that time.

I used to drive to Thornbury to watch the Heart youth team play there, even though it's a bit of a hike. I could get a leave pass for a Sunday afternoon, but when KO times started to jump around, some even in the morning, that was the end of that. 

[HughJass]

https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/focus-grows-on-dandenong-stadium-in-wake-of-melbourne-city-s-south-east-move

 

[Dylan]

I think it’s only got a realistic chance is if the state or fed seats in the area become marginal or are marginal. no idea if they are or not

Edited January 6, 2021 by Dylan

[jw1739]

3 minutes ago, Dylan said:

I think it’s only got a realistic chance is if the state or fed seats in the area become marginal or are marginal. no idea if they are or not

Sadly and TBH I think it's just a dream. If CFG really wanted us to have our own stadium it could buy the land and build it and take the money out of petty cash. I'd rather see us have a decent squad with top-class visa players and marquees and go out there and win the League and ACL on a regular basis first.

[Dylan]

14 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

Sadly and TBH I think it's just a dream. If CFG really wanted us to have our own stadium it could buy the land and build it and take the money out of petty cash. I'd rather see us have a decent squad with top-class visa players and marquees and go out there and win the League and ACL on a regular basis first.

Well id normally agree with you JW but I’m surprised that CFG are forking out more money for a facility only 5 ish years after they built Bundoora. So I’d say in terms of the stadium, they would if the gov comes to the party and the move to the SE pays off I think it could happen eventually.  Also if WU’s actually gets built that will add pressure.

if that 5k seater gets built and youth and women’s teams use it, it might be a bit of a yard stick for the full size stadium 

 

Edited January 6, 2021 by Dylan

[jw1739]

43 minutes ago, Dylan said:

Well id normally agree with you JW but I’m surprised that CFG are forking out more money for a facility only 5 ish years after they built Bundoora. So I’d say in terms of the stadium, they would if the gov comes to the party and the move to the SE pays off I think it could happen eventually.  Also if WU’s actually gets built that will add pressure.

if that 5k seater gets built and youth and women’s teams use it, it might be a bit of a yard stick for the full size stadium 

 

If we don't invest in some better players then that 4k stadium will be big enough for the A-League team.

[Jovan]

12 JANUARY 2021

Club Bolivar joins City Football Group as first Partner Club

 

The largest Bolivian club, Club Bolivar, has joined the City Football Group family as its first Partner Club. Founded in 1925 and based in the world’s highest capital city, La Paz, Club Bolivar boasts 29 domestic league titles, the most of any Bolivian football club.

As a CFG Partner Club, Club Bolivar will be able to access a wide breadth of expertise, proprietary technology, best practice, and strategic advice developed by City Football Group over the past seven years through its multi-club structure. More specifically, Club Bolivar will be able to call upon advice on scouting and coaching methodologies, youth academy development strategies, sports science and more. Club Bolivar will also receive access to CFG’s proprietary Football Data and Insights platform, including multiple tools and dashboards to allow Club Bolivar to further deepen its understanding of the performance of its teams and players. On the business side, CFG will help Club Bolivar grow its partnership revenue, build world-class facilities, promote league-wide improvements, and support the development of its key executives.

Ferran Soriano, Chief Executive Officer of City Football Group, said:

“We are very pleased to grow our global presence through this important collaboration with Club Bolivar, City Football Group’s first Partner Club. This long-term agreement is the first of its kind and will enable Club Bolivar to draw down on and utilise the wide range of football industry expertise developed by City Football Group. As well as supporting Club Bolivar’s ambitions, we have an opportunity to learn. Our work in Bolivia will certainly strengthen our knowledge of, and network in, South American football.”

“Club Bolivar is the biggest and best club in Bolivia with a rich and successful history. We are excited by Marcelo’s vision for the Club and we are looking forward to working together and striving to help Club Bolivar achieve very ambitious goals in the coming future.”

Marcelo Claure, President of Bolivar, said:

“Today, a dream becomes reality. Club Bolivar joins the City Football Group family as a Partner Club, consolidating a long-term project developing world-class football, corporate and infrastructure standards that will enable Club Bolivar to become even bigger. We will utilize the expertise and advice that CFG brings to continue in our goal to place Bolivar as a top club in Latin America.”

“Led by our recently appointed Sporting Director, Javier Recio, and now supported by the advice and expertise of City Football Group’s consultant, Bolivian native Rodrigo Marion, Club Bolivar aims to build a strong organization and develop players to help the nation qualify for the World Cup. This arrangement will allow Club Bolivar to call upon the significant experience and knowledge of City Football Group to help it realise its ambition to develop leaders on and off the pitch and give Bolivian kids the opportunity to achieve their dreams.”

[Shahanga]

Vale Club Boliviar .

Hello La Paz City, who plays in sky blue.

Edited January 19, 2021 by Shahanga

[Torn Asunder]

CFG has an ambition to win the league by having the best Aussie players (especially youngsters) and for us to be managed by an Aussie coach nurtured in the ways of CFG football. 

We do have a bunch of really good youngsters,  but do we absolutely have the best compared to other Aleague clubs?

In terms of more senior Aussies, McLaren and Good are really our only genuine tier 1 players who would walk into a starting spot for any other Aleague club.

I think there are clearly better Aussie coaches at other Aleague clubs and PK does not strike me as ever being able to be an elite coach. 

CFG should have the best Aussie coach. If we can't have the best Aussie coach,  we should have a foreign coach who is the best in the league.  CFG should have the best visa players.  CFG should have the best marquee player in the league.  CFG should dominate the league. 

Unfortunately, all we get is continual failure and misery ... we are the other teams' highlights package,  because when it really counts,  we inevitably lose. Their strategy here is doomed to fail and will only turnaround if they buy in talent. 

The other successfull clubs have learnt to be the best they can with what they've got,  because they have no other option.  We run on business plan that restricts the potential that could be unlocked in a second, if the organisation allowed us to fulfill our genuine recruitment potential.  

 

Edited February 3, 2021 by Torn Asunder

[jw1739]

38 minutes ago, Torn Asunder said:

CFG has an ambition to win the league by having the best Aussie players (especially youngsters) and for us to be managed by an Aussie coach nurtured in the ways of CFG football. 

We do have a bunch of really good youngsters,  but do we absolutely have the best compared to other Aleague clubs?

In terms of more senior Aussies, McLaren and Good are really our only genuine tier 1 players who would walk into a starting spot for any other Aleague club.

I think there are clearly better Aussie coaches at other Aleague clubs and PK does not strike me as ever being able to be an elite coach. 

CFG should have the best Aussie coach. If we can't have the best Aussie coach,  we should have a foreign coach who is the best in the league.  CFG should have the best visa players.  CFG should have the best marquee player in the league.  CFG should dominate the league. 

Unfortunately, all we get is continual failure and misery ... we are the other teams' highlights package,  because when it really counts,  we inevitably lose. Their strategy here is doomed to fail and will only turnaround if they buy in talent. 

The other successfull clubs have learnt to be the best they can with what they've got,  because they have no other option.  We run on business plan that restricts the potential that could be unlocked in a second, if the organisation allowed us to fulfill our genuine recruitment potential.  

You are right on the button - a contender for "Post of the Year."

I still don't understand why our marquee players are not both loanees from somewhere within the CFG stable. Even our youth imports - why bring them every year from Adelaide? Keeping it in the Group would mean no extra costs incurred by the CFG as a whole. Yes, it would affect the accounts of the subsidiary entity, but no extra cost for the Group as a whole.

I just don't understand our player management. Yes, every club will get it wrong sometimes, but how come players such as Genreau, Dukuly, Ianucci, Najjarine etc. can walk into another starting XI but can barely get any game time with City?

[HeartFc]

I think we might be only club from the City Group who've had zero success LOL.

[Imtellingyou]

Include NYC. 

[bt50]

1 hour ago, jw1739 said:

I still don't understand why our marquee players are not both loanees from somewhere within the CFG stable.

I suspect that a large part of the answer here is that players at our other clubs don't want to come to Australia at that stage of their careers. It would be viewed as a 'downways' move, or sideways at best for most of the clubs, particularly Manchester. We've got to remember that its a global market, so for Manchester to try to force one of their kids down here that didnt want to come then they'd quickly lose their appeal as a destination club amongst European youth.
Likewise, players coming to the end of their Manchester term probably still think they have plenty to give at a better level than the A League, or at very least will be subject to far better $$ as we've seen with China and the Middle East.