Terry McFlynn still at Bonnyrigg?

Football NSW to unveil $22 million home of football
Date
December 6, 2014

"This creates a new home for football in NSW": Football NSW chief executive Eddie Moore. Photo: Kate Geraghty
At a time when Sydney FC, Western Sydney Wanderers and Central Coast Mariners are set to sharpen the pointy end of the pyramid of football development in this state, Football NSW will begin strengthening the base with the biggest off-field investment in grassroots football.

Children, local coaches, parents and those involved with elite youth men's and women's teams will have access as of the end of January to a standard of facilities previously reserved for the top tier of professionals.

Football NSW's newly developed home at Valentine Park will include $22 million worth of unprecedented football infrastructure.

Valentine Sports Park site plan illustration.
Valentine Sports Park site plan illustration. Photo: Supplied
Five new fields, two of them synthetic, a full-size futsal court, six new professional change rooms, medical rooms, referee rooms, spectator facilities, accommodation, meal rooms, offices and, most importantly, state-of-the-art coach education facilities attached to a new office administration building highlight the state's new centre of football.

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The project in Sydney's north-west is a multi-use complex that provides a home of performance, education and training for community and professional use.

"This creates a new home for football in NSW," Football NSW chief executive Eddie Moore said.

"We were fortunate that we owned this property and it is well located for transport. The idea was to maximise this asset for all aspects of the game, whether it be community, grassroots or elite football. It's important that we have a flexible, multi-use facility for local clubs and also visiting teams – a hub of football that can drive not only learning and football opportunities but it drives revenue that can be reinvested into the game."

The Valentine Park redevelopment is the first of the so-called football centres of excellence to be completed in Sydney. A-League clubs Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers are set to follow with youth academies of their own.

Central Coast Mariners are advanced in the construction of their centre and the professional tier's establishment of links to youth development as young as 11 may force Football NSW to redefine the role of its youth academy.

Its attention is turning to education, providing coaches of all ranks, whether it be community or semi-professional, with education at the new school of football.

With their offices surrounded by three fields closely monitored by camera for analysis purposes, coaches will be able to follow individual players and entire games.

"With these facilities, you can be in a class for a while, pop out on the field, go back into the learning centre, do some video analysis and go through it," Moore said. "Taking what has normally been the coach education model with facilities like that takes education to the next level."

Improved accommodation attached to the facility allows rural coaches from all grades to attend seminars and courses, while improved facilities and technology equipment cater for easy distribution from the centre to the country.

"The real opportunity is not just having the learning systems and curriculum but how we share that with not just the local community but the broader community. How can we use our technology smarter in a HQ like this where coaching courses can be held here, but also how we can record and share it and deliver it to people in rural areas – or vice and versa, people from rural areas can come here?"

The widespread improvement of coaching standards is part of the fundamental strategy of improving the bottom line of football education and performance in NSW, and the facility will also allow for more game time.

There is a strong emphasis on making the facility open to all tiers of football, male and female, as well as support community programs.

The effect of wet weather will be minimised through a full-size futsal court and two synthetic fields with state-of-the-art drainage alongside professional-standard grass fields that can be available for play 12 hours after the end of long periods of torrential rain.

Professional clubs will begin polishing players tailor-made for their system, and with more fields, better education and improvements in the state standard of most junior players, Football NSW believes the knock-on effect will extend beyond the state borders.

"With 45 per cent of the playing population nationally based out of NSW, there's every expectation that up to half of national squads in the future will be from this market," Moore said.

"Not only for the A-League category but we need our NPL (National Premier Leagues) clubs to be stronger, deeper and better in their playing environment so the next Harry Kewell or Tim Cahill that comes out of our city has the same challenging and coaching environment."

The Wolves will be playing at WIN Stadium again in 2015 following the success of the move this year.

what are the groups, dates and rounds for the pre-season cup?

starts 1st week of feb.

group A: utd, bonno, apia, rockdale, blacktown city, wolves

cheers.

the tougher group out of the two.

Olympic plays Canberra Olympic trial game 7 pm tmw night Sat

Come on down

is it true the jap boys have left Olympic? loved watching those guys.

no both back next year
both offered big bucks by rockdale

Very strong Olympic this year
rockdale whos left

Well I made that up he he

More evidence that you are a certified halfwit.

wsw keep supporting them
might get 4k next game

you really have no idea

Olympic vs iraq trial game yes plz

nothing confirmed yet

great way to start the season

Who cares wat the score is
jan 7 win staduim
behind closed doors im going

[quote=MACEDONIA ]Who cares wat the score is
jan 7 win staduim
behind closed doors im going

Preseason cup commences this weekend, looking forward to it!

top 5 predictions this year?

1. United
2. Olympic
3. Bonnyrigg
4. Rockdale
5. APIA

no blacktown? even though they've lost a couple of key players, they always seem to produce. shows how tough this comp is. not sure what to expect of sutho. not sure who they've bought in. should be a fascinating season.