Football fans woke up on Sunday the 30th of August to some great news. The Victorian Government announced $1.5m in funding to support planning for the construction of the Home of the Matildas at Latrobe University.
We can all agree the Matildas (and the Socceroos) deserve a home base and I applaud those involved in pushing this idea however there are two important questions that must be answered about this announcement.
1. Is the home of the Matildas being adequately leveraged for football as a whole?
The idea for the home of the Matildas was not conceived by the FFA – it was conceived by Football Victoria. There was even conflicts between the states about this process with the FFA reported to have sent a delegation to lobby the NSW Government fund the project.
Despite this, Football Victoria had already secured a $15m commitment from their State Government. It is disappointing to see a facility of national significance not being driven at national level – and more disappointing that a single State snatched a prime lobbying tool from under a sleeping FFA’s nose.
Without guidence from a national framework fans deserve an explanation as to why Victoria is the best place for the facility, and going forward deserve these ideas of national importance not to be developed in silos but as part of a plan.
Victoria, NSW and Queensland all have Facilities strategies… maybe google is broken on my laptop because I can’t find one for the FFA.
If the States can do it, the FFA must do it.
2. Why was La Trobe selected as the location for the site?
La Trobe University was selected from a short-list comprised of the municipalities of Brimbank, Casey, Darebin, and Maroondah.
Darebin is already home to the State Football Centre and houses a boutique stadium ripe for redevelopment and two underutilised grass pitches. Located rather centrally as well, it’s hard to understand why this wasn’t selected as the home of the Matildas.
With Melbourne Victory increasing their physical presence in the West and Melbourne City rooted to the North the South East would have greatly benefited from professional representation of the facility – and it’s a little baffling that the Federation would double down on a North West concentration of football presence (Team 11 come back we need you!).
More worryingly Melbourne City are based at La Trobe University and James Johnson, the FFA’s CEO, was a former Vice President at City Football Group. The Football community must know why La Trobe was selected against Football Victoria’s own shortlist and Melbourne City’s access to the facility must be explained to clarify an perceived conflicts of interest.
For all their investment, Melbourne City have not funded spectator facilities (stands) at La Trobe and if a mini-stadium is build for the Matildas will Melbourne City commandeer this as a their NYL, W-League and NPL home ground for the 45 weeks a year the Matilda’s aren’t in Australia?
There probably is a fair explanation. La Trobe has been building it sporting precinct with a potential home of Rugby Union to be built on campus alongside existing facilities for Carlton Football Club.
For the avoidance of doubt though, the FV and FFA will win big brownie points with the community if they can explain the process and show transperency.
It’s great news that the Matildas are one step closer to securing a home, but from this process the Football Federation Australia has an obligation to provide the community with a plan, and with transperency.
The Beautiful Game 