Football Tasmania welcomes Labor’s commitment to the World Game

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Labor committed to Football in Tasmania

Football Tasmania has welcomed Labor’s commitment to improve football infrastructure and to support more Tasmanians in enjoying the game, including the construction of a boutique rectangular stadium in Hobart.

If elected, Labor has committed to matching the Liberals’ $10 million worth of upgrades to Valley Road, Birch Avenue, Lightwood Park and Churchill Park in order to prepare each venue for the hosting of basecamps for the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

In addition, Labor will put $4.8 million towards infrastructure upgrades at the Clare Street, Montello Road, Somerset, Ulverstone, Prospect Vale and Wentworth Park footballing venues.

In what comes as exciting news for Tasmania’s potential bid for an A-League side, Labor has committed to building a 10,000-15,000 seat capacity boutique rectangular stadium in Hobart if elected in majority.

Football Tasmania CEO Matt Bulkeley thanked Labor for their recognition of the value that grassroots football has for communities.

“As Tasmania’s most played team sport, football provides enormous health, social and economic benefits to the community,” he said.

“However, as the sport continues to grow, we are beginning to outgrow our facilities, with challenges finding enough adequate training, playing and changing-room spaces for our expanding participant base.

“We thank Labor for today’s commitment, which in addition to allowing more Tasmanians to access our great game, will also put the upgraded venues in a great position to be selected as 2023 World Cup training bases.”

Bulkeley acknowledged that the prospect of a rectangular stadium in Tasmania would take football to the next level in the state.

“We’re excited about Labor’s vision to build a rectangular stadium in Hobart, which will truly take the game to the next level in Tasmania and help us attract more high-level content to clear pathways for our talented juniors to reach the pinnacles of our sport,” he added.

“It’s great to see both major parties have now demonstrated their commitment to a rectangular stadium in the state, and clearly recognise the significant value football provides to the community.

“We look forward to working with the next Government to make a rectangular stadium a reality, and ensure football can continue to grow so even more Tasmanians can enjoy the benefits of the World Game.”

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Manchester City Begins Work on New Women’s Training Facility

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Image Credit: Manchester City website

Manchester City is in the development stage of building the Manchester City Women’s team a new purpose-built training facility at the City Football Academy, known as the club’s training centre.

The project, valued at up to $20.5 million, is set to open next season and marks the latest chapter in the club’s ongoing investment in top-tier facilities for the team.

Once completed, the facility will include a hydrotherapy area, a high-performance gym, and a circular dressing room designed to enhance player development.

In addition to their purpose-built facility, the Women’s First Team will continue to benefit from being an integral part of the $409 million City Football Academy, allowing them to utilise the organisation’s extensive resources and expertise.

To mark the beginning of construction, club captain Alex Greenwood was joined by Managing Director Charlotte O’Neill, Director of Football Therese Sjögran, and Director of Performance Services Emma Deakin for the official groundbreaking ceremony.

Club Captain Alex Greenwood reflects on the current facilities at the club and her excitement for the new development that is on the rise.

“Right from the start we’ve been involved quite a lot so we could discuss what’s going to be in there and what’s necessary. From what I know the facilities are going to be the best, which is nothing short of what I expect. I’m excited to see how it’s going to look,” she said via press release.

The facility has been specifically tailored to meet the needs of the team, with extensive consultation undertaken during the planning phase, including input from First Team Multi-Disciplinary experts and members of the playing squad.

The 17,000-square-foot building has also been designed with future expansion in mind as the team continues to grow.

Managing Director at Manchester City Women Charlotte O’Neill commented on the new facility and the beginning of its construction.

“Over the past decade, the team has benefited from being a part of the high-performance environment here, working with some of the very coaches, practitioners and support staff, as well as accessing some of the best facilities,” she said via press release.

“But the time feels right for the team to move into our own purpose-built home, and we think we’ve designed something really special that will help us in our efforts to consistently challenge for major titles.”

The new facility reaffirms Manchester City’s commitment to women’s football, aiming for success and growth through providing an environment to support the team’s future ambitions.

AFC Youth Panel discusses future of player development in Asia

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Image Credit: AFC

Representatives of the Asian Football Confederation met online on Thursday for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Youth Panel. Through the virtual event, Member Association’s (MAs) shared their experiences of their youth systems for the 2024-25 term.

The panel was hosted with a key focus on identifying how to improve the developmental programmes of the 16–19-year-old age group. The meeting discussed ways to not just improve technical skill but also strengthen the mental resilience of players and increase the number of competitive matches they are playing.

 AFC Technical Director Andy Roxburgh explained why the confederation was focusing on the 16-19 age group.
“This age group is a formative stage where we are dealing with players in national youth teams and it’s a crucial stepping stone for talented youngsters who are at the threshold of pursuing the sport professionally,” he said via press release.
“We must be able to help them master techniques under pressure and develop a winning mentality, so it is imperative to provide them with expert guidance.”
Through the panel representatives also explored conversations on the need to properly prepare coaches for training developing professional youth by providing them with the skills and knowledge required to excel.
Additionally, the meeting presented updates on several high-profile AFC developmental programmes for participants. In particular, the panel highlighted the Triple-A Project, a programme designed to provide tailored support to MAs via continual summits, and the AFC’s ongoing research partnership with the University of Tsukuba, which aims to study elite youth systems across Asia.
To finalise the session, participants were informed of the AFC’s other technical programmes, especially the recent publication of the AFC Elite Youth Bulletin. The Bulletin presents a major step forward for youth development within the Confederation, as it stands as a handbook for MAs to use, highlighting the best initiatives and programmes other MAs across Asia have used to great effect.

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