Western United FC

[jw1739]

17 minutes ago, MHFC-FAN said:

It really made no sense to rush them in this season. At least could have waited until next season and add generic fc and Macarthur together and avoid the byes... 

Agree, but I don't actually see anything wrong in establishing a club on the western side of Melbourne, where, I understand, they have acquired (or intend to acquire) relatively cheap land and fund a boutique stadium from land sales. A club there can serve as a community focal point for development in the area, especially if is spreads its interests to cover other sports and activities - better than some of the ghastly developments on the fringes of Melbourne elsewhere.

21 minutes ago, MHFC-FAN said:

FFA are great at making bad decisions, the only highlights from their reign has been the introduction of the Wanderers and the Cup. 

Again agree,  but anyone with half a brain could see that both of these were required to grow the game, so it isn't as though they were ideas that no-one else had thought of.

[Shahanga]

I agree with @thisphantomfortress.

1. when we play a team from Geelong, it’s not a derby.

2. I am also extremely sceptical about the “stadium in Tarneit within 2 years”. I’ll believe it when I see it. 

[Dylan]

Anyone else catch Durante saying that last nights game was east v west?

[Dylan]

12 hours ago, Shahanga said:

I agree with @thisphantomfortress.

1. when we play a team from Geelong, it’s not a derby.

2. I am also extremely sceptical about the “stadium in Tarneit within 2 years”. I’ll believe it when I see it. 

I have done a small amount of digging and so far there is no indication that the approval process has started. 
 

you can check for active permit applications on the Wyndham website and given that it would have to include a rezoneing, it would require a planning scheme amendment and the state gov website has no record of anything on it.

the approval process alone with be at the absolute minimum be a year and that doesn’t involve all of the work that has to go into an applications.

in saying all of that, I hope they do build it as it would put pressure on other clubs to lift their game. 
 

ultimately, if cfg hang around long term I think they will build a stadium once they are confident the aleague won’t result in heavy losses and they get a few more decent sales from our younger players. The question is whether that will ever happen.

i also think the non rugby states are at a disadvantage as they can’t team up like wsw did with another large club that uses the same shaped field. Perhaps we should have all wanted AFLX to get off the ground (lol)

[Shahanga]

Geriatric FC getting the job done so far. With all those old hamstrings though, the key will be how good they are when a few of the bigger names go down.

Right now they look like one of the better teams in the league.

[mus-28]

One noticable thing is the depth they have on the bench. Calver, Hamill, Vujica, Burgess, Pierias and Stamatopoulos is pretty decent to have coming on and all would be starters in most other A-League teams. 

[mus-28]

Classic FFA move not wanting Team 11 playing out of Casey Fields, but this shermozzle playing out of an empty Kardinia Park is far more detrimental to the A-League product. They need to push for a move to Knights Stadium next year and run courtesy buses from Sunshine Station for members.

[jw1739]

8 minutes ago, mus-28 said:

Classic FFA move not wanting Team 11 playing out of Casey Fields, but this shermozzle playing out of an empty Kardinia Park is far more detrimental to the A-League product. They need to push for a move to Knights Stadium next year and run courtesy buses from Sunshine Station for members.

Can't see anyone boasting about the attendance of 4,588....

[Young Polak]

3 hours ago, mus-28 said:

Classic FFA move not wanting Team 11 playing out of Casey Fields, but this shermozzle playing out of an empty Kardinia Park is far more detrimental to the A-League product. They need to push for a move to Knights Stadium next year and run courtesy buses from Sunshine Station for members.

no word yet on the Tarneit construction I would assume. Imagine if they fail to get passed all the red-tape stuff with the local councils and government. They'd have to live in Geelong. But apparently they are hosting us at MARS stadium on Good Friday? Seems like another mess of a club is about to unfold

Edited November 10, 2019 by Young Polak

[jw1739]

1 hour ago, Young Polak said:

no word yet on the Tarneit construction I would assume. Imagine if they fail to get passed all the red-tape stuff with the local councils and government. They'd have to live in Geelong. But apparently they are hosting us at MARS stadium on Good Friday? Seems like another mess of a club is about to unfold

It was all rushed through by a lame-duck administration. The League should have been made independent first, before any new clubs were admitted. I have no problem with a team from Dandenong, from the Western Suburbs of Melbourne, and indeed one from Geelong. But a team half-way from nowhere - forget it. We would reach 16 viable teams easily, all based in big population centres. Competition off the field as well as on it is healthy for the clubs, and would make them wake their ideas up about engaging with fans, make them work harder for support and bring costs of going to a match down. 

[Shahanga]

The venue situation has all the hall marks of the Brisbane Bears. For those that don’t know the story, in about 1986 the then VFL created a new team “in Brisbane” with the shock winners being funded by high profile Entrepreneur Christopher Skase and the front man being actor Paul Cronin, best known for his role in the long running drama The Sullivans. For reasons lost on the mists of time rather than set up in Brisbane, the bears set up at Carrara on the Gold Coast. Given the rivalry between the two cities it was a weird move. To make things even more stupid the temporary arrangement then became permanent. It wasn’t until Bears eventually  moved to Brisbane that they got any traction either on or off the pitch.

This Western United based in Geelong has the same stench about it.

[NewConvert]

53 minutes ago, Shahanga said:

The venue situation has all the hall marks of the Brisbane Bears. For those that don’t know the story, in about 1986 the then VFL created a new team “in Brisbane” with the shock winners being funded by high profile Entrepreneur Christopher Skase and the front man being actor Paul Cronin, best known for his role in the long running drama The Sullivans. For reasons lost on the mists of time rather than set up in Brisbane, the bears set up at Carrara on the Gold Coast. Given the rivalry between the two cities it was a weird move. To make things even more stupid the temporary arrangement then became permanent. It wasn’t until Bears eventually  moved to Brisbane that they got any traction either on or off the pitch.

This Western United based in Geelong has the same stench about it.

Skase owned a resort and other tourism ventures (well as far as Skase owned anything) and wanted a main attraction to drag victorians to his resort. The VFL and others discovered that his word was worthless as the Carrara stadium and training facilities were made of cardboard.

[Shahanga]

Loving the body language from Berisha. Hits a header straight at the keeper and rather than chase the rebound, drops his head.

Gets dragged 5 min later and didn’t look happy.

[kingofhearts]

Anyone else heard the rumour that Scott McDonald wants out from tarniet United?

[Nate]

1 hour ago, kingofhearts said:

Anyone else heard the rumour that Scott McDonald wants out from tarniet United?

Geelong United**

Interesting and sad if true though, hope he stays in the A-League. Might be a handy super-sub for Maclaren but probably wouldn't get close to a sniff of starting XI action for us.

[haz]

16 hours ago, Nate said:

Geelong United**

Interesting and sad if true though, hope he stays in the A-League. Might be a handy super-sub for Maclaren but probably wouldn't get close to a sniff of starting XI action for us.

Wazza would have been salivating at having him on our team

[Harrison]

Chapman off to South Korea in January.

https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/chapman-eyes-korea-return-as-western-exits-looms

[Dylan]

Quote

Seven star Mel McLaughlin target of stalker: Police probe series of threats and apartment break-in

A USB stick left behind at a fast food outlet contains hours of unauthorised surveillance footage of TV sportscaster Mel McLaughlin, sparking an investigation into a celebrity stalker.

The misplaced USB stick was handed to staff at a McDonald’s in Mascot in March. The manager passed it on to police, who were already investigating a string of threats recorded on a Seven Network phone used by McLaughlin.

The chance discovery of the USB stick led to police ­officers stepping up their ­investigation into “dozens” of reported threats and a break-in at McLaughlin’s north shore apartment.

Police have interviewed a man in relation to the threats though McLaughlin, 37, has requested the investigation not proceed further.

Seven Network Sydney news director Jason Morrison yesterday confirmed the network had been in contact with police.

“Police have been involved in investigating a series of threats and serious incidents,” he said.

“I am aware that police have spoken to a suspect several times and warned him. ­Despite that warning, the problem has continued.”

Television insiders claim the man threatened “to ­destroy” McLaughlin if she obtained an AVO.

Morrison said: “Police have been great in helping Mel with security and are taking this very seriously. The next step is to take out restraining orders to further protect her from the man.”

The man allegedly hired a private investigator to follow McLaughlin and capture 18 hours of footage of the presenter in casual domestic and professional situations.

The footage, discovered on the USB, includes vision of the oblivious TV identity walking with a colleague in a city mall, attending the cinema with children, driving in traffic and visiting relatives.

Some of the footage is believed to have been shot through the glass walls of Seven’s Martin Place newsroom and in Seven’s car park.

A Seven Network source said McLaughlin had told colleagues the alleged stalker was a former associate.

McLaughlin’s colleagues fear the man may be obsessed with her and jealous she has begun a new relationship.

The new man in McLaughlin’s life is retired British soccer player Ashley Westwood, 40, who had a career playing for third-tier English football division clubs including Crewe Alexandra and Bradford City until 2012.

He moved on to coaching duties in India and it was while working in that ­capacity in late 2015 that Westwood met McLaughlin, who was working briefly as a soccer commentator at Star TV and living at the same Mumbai hotel as Westwood and his then pregnant wife Huma.

Westwood, who has been unemployed since March when his contract as head coach of Malaysian Super League team Penang was cancelled by mutual consent, has five children by three women.

According to friends of the Westwoods, wife Huma, a juvenile probations officer in Northampton, recently filed for divorce.

Westwood yesterday denied his relationship with McLaughlin began while his wife was pregnant. “I have been separated from my second wife since early 2016 and we are going through divorce proceedings,” he said.

“I started seeing Mel last year after the breakdown of my marriage. We’re very happy.”

Sources say police believe some of the “dozens” of telephone threats made to a Seven mobile in McLaughlin’s possession may have been intended for Westwood.

Rattled by a break-in at her apartment earlier this year, McLaughlin has since moved out of her home. She did not wish to comment when contacted yesterday.

News of the stalking investigation comes days after an unrelated incident in which the TV host was publicly insulted at a Sydney bar as tempers flared during A-League grand final celebrations last ­Sunday.

Westwood and local soccer commentator and retired Sydney FC player Mark Rudan clashed heatedly outside Frankie’s Pizza Bar on Hunter St in the early hours after the match.

Fox Sports commentator Rudan was allegedly assaulted by an unnamed 18-year-old as he and a group arrived at the bar at the same time McLaughlin and her boyfriend were leaving.

Witnesses have said the two men started exchanging angry ­insults — Rudan allegedly shouting crude abuse at McLaughlin — before bouncers stepped in and police arrived, ­although officers did not take statements.

The argument between Westwood and Rudan had begun earlier in the evening at The Clock Hotel in Surry Hills where 41-year-old Rudan had been drinking with Fox Sports colleagues.

While McLaughlin, a Fox Sports presenter from 2007 to 2013, remained downstairs, Westwood went upstairs and had an argument with Rudan, angrily demanding he “take a walk outside” with him, which Rudan declined to do.

Rudan, who is married to childhood sweetheart Sylvia, with whom he has children, refused to comment about the altercations.

Always good to bring up this gem

This also has to be tweet of the decade?

 

The Nix's twitter account is so far ahead of all other Aleague clubs its not funny

[CityBoyz]

https://amp.theage.com.au/sport/soccer/western-united-float-idea-of-double-headers-with-city-or-victory-20191231-p53nur.html?__twitter_impression=true

🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[thisphantomfortress]

On 31/12/2019 at 5:25 PM, CityBoyz said:

https://amp.theage.com.au/sport/soccer/western-united-float-idea-of-double-headers-with-city-or-victory-20191231-p53nur.html?__twitter_impression=true

🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

What a disaster they are

[Nate]

are they Geelong United or Ballarat United this week?

[HughJass]

 Lou Sticca manages Scott so signed him even though Rudan said no.... Lou has been moved aside 

[Shahanga]

On 03/01/2020 at 5:13 PM, HughJass said:

 Lou Sticca manages Scott so signed him even though Rudan said no.... Lou has been moved aside 

I thought McDonald started the season well.  Have to say this whole business surprises me.

[mus-28]

Will they last longer than North Queensland Fury and their 2 seasons? At this stage they're looking like a 1 season thing, the FFA Board and Deloitte should have some serious questions to answer if they go bust.

[Shahanga]

I’ve got one for the tin foil hat brigade.

CFG pulling strings behind the scenes to get the “little threat” Geelong/Tarneit instead of the “big threat” team XI? 
certainly was a convenient outcome for them, but was it really just dumb luck and FFA greed/incompetence?

[Harrison]

1 hour ago, Shahanga said:

I’ve got one for the tin foil hat brigade.

CFG pulling strings behind the scenes to get the “little threat” Geelong/Tarneit instead of the “big threat” team XI? 
certainly was a convenient outcome for them, but was it really just dumb luck and FFA greed/incompetence?

When the hell are we going to become noisy neighbours?

[Shahanga]

Gulum gonski

[Dylan]

https://www.reddit.com/r/Aleague/comments/eujsth/whats_going_on_with_western_united/

Then there is this

 

There is no way in hell they will have a Planning Permit in 6 months. But they can start cleaning up the site without Planning so they will probably call that 'soil has been turned'

[haz]

1 hour ago, Dylan said:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Aleague/comments/eujsth/whats_going_on_with_western_united/

Then there is this

 

 

There is no way in hell they will have a Planning Permit in 6 months. But they can start cleaning up the site without Planning so they will probably call that 'soil has been turned'

'flora and fauna analysis', feel sorry for the guy having to do the analysis on all the weeds.

[Nate]

sooner the better, I'm pumped for away days there

[mus-28]

With the problems they're having getting people to games and the constant changing of venue would it not make more sense to build the stadium in stages to get it up and running earlier. Get the main stand and corporate facilities built and put a temporary hill behind the goals or on the opposite side of the pitch while they build other parts of the stadium. If Arsenal, Chelsea, etc could knock down entire stands and keep playing whilst landlocked in the middle of suburbia surely these guys can do the same with nothing around them and the longest off season in the world to get the majority of the work done. It'd mean they'd have to change the plans from the generic bowl type stadium everyone seems to be building nowadays

[jw1739]

15 minutes ago, mus-28 said:

With the problems they're having getting people to games and the constant changing of venue would it not make more sense to build the stadium in stages to get it up and running earlier. Get the main stand and corporate facilities built and put a temporary hill behind the goals or on the opposite side of the pitch while they build other parts of the stadium. If Arsenal, Chelsea, etc could knock down entire stands and keep playing whilst landlocked in the middle of suburbia surely these guys can do the same with nothing around them and the longest off season in the world to get the majority of the work done. It'd mean they'd have to change the plans from the generic bowl type stadium everyone seems to be building nowadays

We could do the same of course...

[strider]

i work right near their HQ. nice bunch, the area loves them

west till i die

[Thrillhouse]

handing out bulk tickets today at pako festa 

[Nate]

Their latest game in Geelong against CCM which incidentally, is their last for the rest of the season only drew 3.5k.

Fair to say, the Geelong experiment has been a resounding failure and it's almost definitely the last time they'll play out of Kardinia Park. Can't really blame the people of Geelong for not identifying with the club either given they're only going to relocate an hour up the road anyway.

[bt50]

With Ballarat they fucked up not playing out of Morshead park imo. 4k at Morshead would be absolutely humming and they'd all of a sudden have demand to go. The 3-400 odd seats would be able to be sold at a total premium imo.

4k at Mars is like a graveyard and they cant give them away.

[Jovan]

1 hour ago, bt50 said:

With Ballarat they fucked up not playing out of Morshead park imo. 4k at Morshead would be absolutely humming and they'd all of a sudden have demand to go. The 3-400 odd seats would be able to be sold at a total premium imo.

4k at Mars is like a graveyard and they cant give them away.

Yep Morshead would make more sense, and could become a something different. But deals have most likely been done and early on they were probably bullish about themselves. 

[bt50]

43 minutes ago, Jovan said:

Yep Morshead would make more sense, and could become a something different. But deals have most likely been done and early on they were probably bullish about themselves. 

Probably right, but they were deluded. Ballarat was never going to do much better than 5k. Soccer is a fart in the ocean in this town.

[Jovan]

10 minutes ago, bt50 said:

Probably right, but they were deluded. Ballarat was never going to do much better than 5k. Soccer is a fart in the ocean in this town.

I would also argue, in this country. Too many people forget that soccer is still seen as a foreign game.

[malloy]

7 hours ago, Nate said:

Their latest game in Geelong against CCM which incidentally, is their last for the rest of the season only drew 3.5k.

Fair to say, the Geelong experiment has been a resounding failure and it's almost definitely the last time they'll play out of Kardinia Park. Can't really blame the people of Geelong for not identifying with the club either given they're only going to relocate an hour up the road anyway.

I think the Geelong experiment is a failure because WU isn't seen as a Geelong team. If it was a Geelong team I think it would be a different story.