Marconi in bid to join Asian Cup Party
Marconi Stadium has been short-listed as a potential training camp for Australia’s biggest ever football tournament, the 2015 Asian Cup.
The Marconi Stallions home ground at Bossley Park is among 27 venues in every state and territory vying for hosting honors.
Venues putting their hands up to be part of Australia’s Asian Cup party include nine in NSW, eight in Victoria, three in both Queensland and South Australia and one each in WA, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory.
They now become candidates to host one of Asia’s top 16 teams as they acclimatise and train in Australia before competing in the five tournament host cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra and Newcastle.
The pre-tournament host candidates, culled from an initial list of more than 50 nominations, include capital cities Perth, Adelaide, Darwin and Canberra, but most are regional centres. Sites selected include high quality football facilities close to international standard hotels.
Local Organising Committee (LOC) Chief Executive Officer Michael Brown said the LOC would prepare an information brochure highlighting the venues that would be sent to all participating teams to consider as part of their preparations for the tournament.
“The response has been magnificent, and shows Australians are getting behind the Asian Cup in a big way,” Mr Brown said.
“We aim to put on a world class event and it’s clear Australians are ready to provide a world class welcome.
”I am sure if the visiting teams choose to base themselves at one of these great locations the whole region will adopt them as their second team.
Club Marconi Football Operations Manager Jesse Mariani also commented on Marconi being shortlisted as a potential training site for the AFC Asian Cup.
“We are excited to be shortlisted from such a large number of entrants. It is a fantastic opportunity to put Club Marconi on the map as an international training venue.”
“Fairfield has one of the most cultural and diverse populations in NSW, not to mention a high number of its populace supporting and participating in Football at all levels.”
“Marconi Stadium has a great history of hosting national and international teams, and we are very determined to be involved with the AFC to be a part of this world class venture.”
Twelve nations have already qualified for AFC Asian Cup 2015 – Australia as hosts, defending champions Japan, South Korea and North Korea, along with the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Uzbekistan.
