Soccerscene the only online publication dedicated to the Australian and international football industry. It serves as a practical guide for those involved in the business of running a football club and bringing readers up-to-date research and development across all football matters providing insights, discussion and information related to topics that matter.
The Canberra United Academy and its secrets to success
2022 has been another hugely successful year for the Canberra United Academy.
Graduates Alexia Karrys-Stahl and Chloe Lincoln both earned their first top level contracts with United, while past alumni continued their trajectory upwards.
Young winger Hayley Taylor-Young had a breakout year and found her feet in a new role as a fullback, while Emma Ilijoski, Laura Hughes, and Karly Roestbakken’s careers continue to grow.
Roestbakken played her second season with Norwegian club LSK Kvinner and barely missed out on Matildas selection for the Asian Cup. Lincoln and Ilijoski, meanwhile, just featured for the Young Matildas in their victory over New Zealand. Lincoln also earned the club’s Rising Star award.
And while it was a tumultuous year on field for the club, the Capital Football pathways are as strong as they’ve ever been.
Capital Football Technical Director Phil Booth sees this success as an extension of the program’s core values and resources.
“Canberra United Academy is set apart from other teams not only by its all-weather synthetic training facilities, its training load and load management and through its continued use of GPS tracking, which is now available to all age groups,” he said.
“Supported by constant access to physiotherapists, sports psychologists and conditioning coaches, the link to Canberra United’s Liberty A-League team is seamless with the same club culture and values being displayed.
“Canberra United Academy prides itself on diversity with having highly accredited female and male coaching staff. Its coaches are in constant communication with Football Australia technical staff as we support and build stronger connections with FA National Teams. The Academy strives to continue to look at new opportunities to bring into the academy, to always give our players the best experience possible.”
As it stands currently, the academy hosts programs from the 9-12 skill acquisition phase all the way up to first grade football. This includes u13, u15, u17, reserves and first grade teams in the NPLW.
Watching players like Lincoln making their first starts for the Young Matildas shows the commitment the program encourages in all of its players all the way through to national level.
While she is one of the success stories, not every player goes all the way up. While it is a challenge to keep players engaged, those pathways outline a clear path to top level success.
“This is a key part of our club culture and values and is not only done through our players and parents’ engagement- we have a clear and transparent player pathway for our player from CUA to CU and hopefully onto the Matildas,” Booth said.
“We continuously place our players in the challenging environment for their own personal development in the team environment. This honest and open development process/opportunities create bonds both with the parents and players to create a great working relationship.
“This has the outcome that the players and parents feel comfortable within the academy and agree that the process/opportunity is in the best interest for their daughter to reach their full potential.”
The recent success of the academy team in the NPLW is another point of pride for Booth and Capital Football.
Canberra United Academy made the jump to fourth place in the competition last season. Fielding a strong side at the highest level of NPLW isn’t of vital importance, but speaks to the development of the players within the programs.
“The success of the Academy has many factors,” Booth explained.
“We look at developing the individual in the team environment, so we can have many different moments of success. For the individual is playing up and has success, for the team playing in finals and feeling the excitement and nerves.”
Image credit: Preston Lions Football Club Facebook
The National Second Tier competition is taking on a different approach from the traditionally planned home-and-away format, with Football Australia announcing it will be a ‘Champions League’ style format starting in October 2025.
With the introduction of this format, Football Australia announced the following in regards to fixturing:
– NPL season will conclude in September before all clubs take three weeks off in preparation.
– In October, they will move in to the nationwide NST format involving the eight foundation clubs.
– There will be a group stage where the final positions will determine the fixtures for the Quarter Finals stage followed by the Semi-finals and Final which will wrap up by December.
– It will be a precursor to a full home-and-away NST.
For historic clubs like Preston Lions, one of the eight foundation clubs getting involved next season, it provides an opportunity to take that next step towards professionalism and bring back the passion that football has been missing in the top flight.
In a conversation with Soccerscene, Preston Lions President David Cvetkovski touched on several important topics surrounding the recent announcement.
He discussed the financial success of the Preston Lions, how the new format is enhancing the development of young talent, the importance of preserving the traditions of clubs founded by migrant communities, and the need to celebrate these historic ethnic clubs by bringing people together as a united football community.
PLFC’s Financial success
Preston Lions have emerged as one of Australia’s most successful football clubs, known for drawing massive crowds, strong merchandise sales, and a dedicated membership base. But what’s the secret behind their financial success, and how have they set the blueprint for other clubs moving into the NST?
Club president David Cvetkovski attributes this success to identifying and maximising key revenue streams that go beyond just match-day ticket sales.
“The key pillar of our strategy was to pinpoint the main revenue areas for football clubs—not just ours, but for all clubs,” he said.
“The success started by elevating the gameday experience for football fans, who on average might spend $20-25 dollars on a Canadian Club, chips and Kebapi roll so there’s a $25 to $55 per head potential there when the product is right.
“We then went to sponsors, we have 120+ sponsors but what’s the value proposition for them? What’s the merchandise like? Well the improvement in our merchandise sales in the last four years is incredible. What we’ve done is provide custom ranges that our merchandise team have designed the T-shirts that people enjoy. We love the fact that every Preston supporter has a Preston garment.”
Cvetkovski emphasised that match-day revenue is only part of the equation. “Every club has loyal supporters, but how can they buy that hoodie or Canadian Club or Kebapi at the right price? Because canteen and gates revenue make clubs but merchandise and sponsors elevate them” he continued.
“It’s no secret that we have the biggest attendance figures in Victorian football and with the South game, we had over 6,000 people, and we had an online portal to capture ticket sales so we’ve been innovative in driving the key revenue streams otherwise without it, you’re at risk as a club.”
NST format improving player development
The introduction of the new NST format is providing clubs with greater flexibility to secure player contracts and create optimal conditions for their development.
While Australia continues to produce top-tier talent, the path to recapturing the golden generation of 2006 lies in ensuring that the NST system allows players to focus on football full-time.
Cvetkovski highlighted how this change will transform clubs like Preston and others, offering younger players more opportunities to shine on the biggest stages.
“From a footballer’s perspective, I have to usually contract them for 26 weeks in VPL1, next year in NPL1 would’ve been 26 weeks + potentially three finals so 29 games, but with the NST I’ve been able to contract and take better care of both our young and mature footballers,” he said.
“They’re now being contracted for 40 plus weeks of games but they also need to do 8 weeks of preseason so it’s over 40 weeks. This makes football richer, not only financially, but us being able to play younger kids.
“40% of our team is under 23 years of age. The A-League this weekend had heaps of kids involved because of the budget reduction and this is fantastic for the game. How do we create a platform for kids to play and let these kids find out at 22, 23 or 24 that they are still a baller.
“Look at Jordy Bos who played through the City academy, broke through at 18 almost 19 and played a few years before making a move to Belgium and now he’s playing for the Socceroos at 21. We need 17 Jordy Bos’ in the Australian team, that’s a generation! and Preston are following the same path,” he concluded.
Return of cultural heritage
During the transition from the NSL to the creation of the A-League, many of today’s NPL clubs boasted a proud history of players and staff representing their cultural heritage with passion.
These clubs served as symbols of identity, reflecting not just individual families but entire communities, offering a sense of belonging through football.
Cvetkovski is committed to preserving these traditions at Preston, ensuring that the club’s strong Macedonian roots remain a core part of its identity as they move forward whilst also encouraging the other NPL clubs to work together to achieve the same goal.
“It is the first time in a while, that we have signed 6 or 7 Macedonian boys to stay true to our heritage, the response from supporters, sponsors and members has been incredible and I’m encouraging other clubs like Avondale, Knights, Heidelberg, South [Melbourne] etc to do the same,” he said.
“You can’t get away from South’s Greek community or Marconi’s Italian community and this makes the fabric of the game richer.
“People ask why is Preston so successful? Because we stay true to our community in one sense, yes, we’re Australian but how good is the multicultural landscape of Australian football!
“I want to work together with our rivals, who are also our friends, so that when Preston plays away at these grounds, they make money.
“There’s no secret to enjoying a game. We go there, have a few drinks and something to eat on a Friday or Sunday night out and watch a good game, it’s entertaining. We’re in the entertainment business at the end of the day.”
Uniting the many cultures in Australian football
These historic ethnic clubs, built by migrant communities with a deep love for football, are making a significant return to the mainstream.
They represent the foundation upon which the beautiful game in Australia was built, and the generational loyalty fans have for their local clubs and communities is finally being recognised again.
Cvetkovski passionately spoke about the importance of uniting all cultures in the top flight of football, regardless of background, to celebrate the shared love of the game and foster a sense of community across the sport.
“There’s opportunity to respect the cultural backgrounds of the clubs. I think we went too far towards cleansing the game but the migrant story of Australia is something that should be celebrated,” he said.
“My best friends are Greek, Italian, Croatian, Bosnian, I don’t care, do I? I’ll sit in any coffee shop; I don’t care where I sit. Let’s bring that friendship to football.
“The new way of thinking is making it about the game, removing any political agendas and making football the star.
“The South [Melbourne] game there was no animosity, there was nothing but celebration of football between two communities who traditionally are rivals.
“They realise now they have a lot more to lose if they get it wrong versus working with each other to make it right,” he concluded.
Football Australia is beginning to recognise that the true beating heart of the game lies with these foundation clubs, which have not only survived but thrived since the dissolution of the NSL.
Their passion, rich history, and deep-rooted respect are unmatched in Australian football and this announcement signals an exciting new era for fans across the country.
If the South Melbourne vs Preston match earlier this year is any indication, the spirit of the game is well and truly alive, bringing back the sense of unity and pride that Australian football has been missing.
More on the details of the newly announced NST here.
“There was of course really good football on show across the age groups and great sportsmanship, which was fantastic to see.
“I think the message is getting through about how important it is to provide a positive environment for kids to play sport in. It was pleasing to see everybody there, both players and parents/supporters, had a good time.”
Navas estimates that there were well over 12,500 people attending the event across both venues over the weekend, providing a giant boost to the local Shepparton area.
“You are talking about a wide range of people who are, at a minimum, staying in the city of Shepparton or close by for two nights,” he said.
“The economic impact was massive.”
Director for Sustainable Development at Greater Shepparton City Council, Geraldine Christou, further explained the greater benefits the tournament had on the local community.
“Australia’s largest junior weekend football tournament right here in Greater Shepparton showcases the strength of our community spirit and our capacity to host major events that bring joy, talent, and visitors to our region,” she stated.
“The economic benefit of this tournament is immense with an estimated $3 to $4 million generated for the region, supporting our local businesses and creating lasting memories for thousands of young athletes and their families.
The Greater Shepparton City Council’s Parks, Sport and Recreation team played a big hand in the organisation of the tournament, which included looking after the setup of pitches to the placement of goals at the venues.
Football Victoria CEO Chris Pehlivanis, who attended the tournament over the course of the weekend, was impressed with the execution of it.
“I’m proud of the whole tournament, it was an amazing opportunity to come down here to Shepparton and see lots of boys and girls playing football and playing lots of games,” he stated at the event.
“I think most kids had six, seven, eight games which is an amazing opportunity and not only that, there was amazing organisation.
“Everyone should be extremely proud of what they have achieved here this weekend…the logistics, everything was run smoothly…the referees were great and all the parents and participants were great.”
The Shepparton Cup has continued to grow exponentially over the years, initially starting with just 30 teams in the inaugural tournament in 2007.
This year’s edition also featured a wide range of off the field activities that contributed to a carnival like atmosphere. There was live music, on stage entertainment, food trucks, a fun zone for players and families.
Navas detailed to Soccerscene that the enormity of the event was not lost on him and is investigating ways to make the competition better in the near future.
“(The growth of the event has been) overwhelming, compared to many of the previous years. It was the biggest by far this year and there was a great positivity around it.
“The plan is to not necessarily make it bigger in the future, just to tweak it and add more to it and make it a better experience for everyone.
“I’d love to be able to attract some more international teams, we are looking at that to see how we can get some of the Asian teams to come across to the event.
“This would be fantastic, as it would show the kids here how football is played in different parts of the world. The way we look at things is ‘if I was 10- or 12-years-old what would I want this tournament be?’
“That’s what drives a lot of our thinking and ultimately our initiatives. It’s important to us because if the kids have a good experience, they’re going to become better players and better people because of it.
“We’ve also received some really good information from the feedback surveys we put out, which is very beneficial in shaping the tournament suitably in future editions.”