Legends of Australian football inducted into Football Australia Hall of Fame

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Football Australia
Image credit: Football Australia

The celebratory atmosphere sparked by the CommBank Matildas’ 4-0 triumph over world No. 2 Sweden on Saturday at Melbourne’s AAMI Park was further enhanced by Football Australia’s induction of six greats of Australian football into the Football Australia Hall of Fame.

Matildas’ greats Moya Dodd and Collette Gardiner (née McCallum), former Socceroos’ Head Coach Ange Postecoglou, globally revered administrator Brendan Schwab, leading Tasmanian media personality Walter Pless, plus past Socceroo and significant contributor to the Australian game off the pitch, Ted Smith, joined an esteemed list of Australian football personalities in the Football Australia Hall of Fame.

All six were nominated to be inducted into the Football Australia Hall of Fame via a public process, with the nominees then considered by a panel of Australian football historians.

The panel of historians provided their recommendations to the Football Australia Board, with Football Australia’s Directors subsequently ratifying each person’s elevation into the Football Australia Hall of Fame.

Football Australia Chair Chris Nikou said in a statement:

“The Football Australia Hall of Fame is the highest honour bestowed upon players and participants who have served the game – either on or off the field – with distinction, with no better demonstration of this than our Class of 2022.

“These six highly regarded figures of the Australian football community have not only made significant contributions at a local and national level but in the case of Moya (Dodd), Ange (Postecoglou), and Brendan (Schwab), their impact and influence has been felt on the global stage.

“With Australia to co-host the FIFA Women’s World Cup next year, it’s timely that one of Australia’s greatest female footballers in Collette Gardiner is acknowledged for her pioneering feats, along with former Socceroo Ted Smith who continues to play an important role with our men’s national team, and Walter Press for his unwavering dedication to the promotion of football in Tasmania.”

Since the initial induction of 84 players and participants in 1999, more than 250 male and female players, coaches, referees, administrators, and media representatives have been recognised for their outstanding contributions to our game.

Following the induction of the sextet, Football Australia Chief Executive Officer James Johnson added via press release:

“The Football Australia Hall of Fame is an exclusive club featuring members of our community who have represented Australia with the highest of distinction, have influenced the corridors of power to drive our sport forward, or given tirelessly to support the growth of the game.”

“The six newest inductees are outstanding ambassadors for Australian football, and I would like to provide our warmest of congratulations to Moya (Dodd), Collette (Gardiner), Walter (Pless), Ange (Postecoglou), Brendan (Schwab), and Ted (Smith) on their richly deserved recognition and thank them for their important contribution to our great 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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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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