West is best - from FC board to the driver's seat in push for new Sydney club

[Joey47]

West is best - from FC board to the driver's seat in push for new Sydney club

Michael Cockerill
July 3, 2009

IAN ROWDEN, a former Australian youth international with worldwide marketing experience, has cut his ties with Sydney FC to become the founding chairman of a new western Sydney team.

Rowden returned home to Australia last year after 16 years overseas, including a lengthy spell in the US with Coca-Cola and was immediately seconded to the Sydney FC board by former majority owner Frank Lowy.

Now the boss of Asia-Pacific operations for advertising agency Saatchi and Saatchi, Rowden had big ambitions to improve the profile of the Sky Blues before losing his board position in the reshuffle caused by the recent change of ownership.

Instead Rowden, who played in the inaugural Young Socceroos side of 1979, will devote his energies to promoting a new western Sydney team owned by businessman Joe Meissner after being lured to the franchise last week by Meissner's bid organiser, Berti Mariani. It is a major coup for the fledgling club - achieved largely through the friendship between Rowden and Mariani, who were former teammates in the old NSL with Apia-Leichhardt.

Rowden yesterday said he was flattered by the offer to become chairman and was excited by the challenge of establishing a second Sydney team.

"Football is in my blood, it always has been, so to get this opportunity is very exciting for me," Rowden said. "My business career was born out of my football career, but because business took me away for 16 years I have never been in a position until now to put something back into the game.

"When I came home last year that was a priority for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Sydney FC. But I completely understand the new owners wanting to go in a different direction, there is no ill-feeling from my side whatsoever.

"Now there is a new opportunity, and I'm flattered that Joe and Berti have asked me to be involved. It's a great bid, which has all the structural components you need to make it successful. Having a really strong alternative to Sydney FC in this market is good for the game, and good for everyone involved. For the A-League to grow into the competition it should be, having two sides in Sydney is crucial. I see the two clubs as having a very strong rivalry on the park, but working together, in a business sense, off the park to make sure the game continues to grow. That's the challenge, and that's the part which excites me. I can't wait to get started."

Meanwhile, Meissner and Mariani met FFA officials for the second time on Wednesday to finetune their submission to join the competition next year. Three western Sydney bids plus one from Canberra are on the table, and the FFA is likely to make a decision by the end of this month.

Meissner's bid has emerged as the clear frontrunner among the Sydney bids - largely because it is the only one ready to satisfy the FFA's financial guarantees, which include start-up capital of at least $6 million. Meissner already owns a ready-made training base, the Gabbie Stadium at Seven Hills, and a feeder team in the NSW Premier League, Penrith-Nepean United, and is in advanced discussions with three potential venues - ANZ Stadium, Parramatta Stadium and CUA Stadium.

Despite some reports, no firm decision on a home ground has been made.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/football/a-league/west-is-best--from-fc-board-to-the-drivers-seat-in-push-for-newsydney-club/2009/07/02/1246127635789.html
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[Joey47]

The talk of the Western Sydney bid being crap and all now, IMO is a myth. I have read a number of articles lately and TBH, they are making good progress:

$6 million
Founding Chairman Confirmed
Went a looked for a coach already
Bid organiser has said that the bid is great

It is looking like they have a pretty good bid now, and we are on the back-foot to succeed IMO.

During the time of this forum i have gone from:

Western Sydney > Canberra > Western Sydney > Canberra > Western Sydney, for succeeding.

But seriously why don't we go to 13 teams if Canberra's bid is complete, as we know and so is Western Sydney's. A decision was expected in early June and has now been pushed back to late July so, I smell something VERY suspicious from the FFA towards the Western Sydney bid.

[Chris1822]

yep, i'm nearly ready to concede defeat for the reasons aformentioned.

[(::FAQ::)]

same.. I have gotten more and more realistic that we will not get that spot.

[Pittodrie Boy]

C'mon Ian Slavich- re-assure us!

[Toby]

Damn.. my days just gone sour... we should hold like an anti FFA march... :x

[Galileo]

C'mon Ian Slavich- re-assure us!

Here Here.

Seriously, we really need to up the ante of our bid for the rest of this month.

[Raider_United]

Damn.... their bid is looking the goods now. Am hoping we are still above them in bid quality wise.

[Toby]

Well we do have the community support and those putting money towards the bid which western Sydney doesn't have but im not not sure the FFA would really take that on board..

[Alex351]

Sure the West-Syd is looking pretty strong but we've got good government support and publicity and TBH we've got a really strong bid as well. They're probably worrying about us as well!

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