Tomi Juric Backs “Fair Go For The West” Campaign
There’s a good reason Western Sydney Wanderers star Tomi Juric is a “Fair Go for the West” ambassador because no matter where football takes him Tomi’s heart remains in Sydney’s west.
“I lived right across the road and my old man was always keen to get me involved with football. I fell in love with the game and obviously it brings back a lot of memories in the Edensor Park area where Sydney United 58 FC play their football,” Juric said.
Already the biggest participant sport in Australia, player registrations are booming in Western Sydney after Australia’s AFC Asian Cup final victory, in which Juric played a key role, the star striker concerned there’s not enough places for the next generation of Socceroos and Matildas to play.
“It’s always difficult to keep the facilities as good as they can get for the young kids coming through.”
Juric and Wanderers teammate Brendan Hamill, who started his career at Chipping Norton, met with junior footballers and administrators from the six associations (Southern Districts, Macarthur, Nepean, Blacktown, Granville and Bankstown) of Western Sydney as Football NSW joined the Daily Telegraph’s “Fair Go for the West” campaign.
Southern Districts President Andy Favaloro, Blacktown Districts Soccer Football Association CEO Jack Taylor, Bankstown District Soccer Football Association Director Paul Marler, Macarthur Football Association General Manager Glenn Armstrong, Nepean District Football Association’s Operations Manager Linda Cerrone, Granville & Districts Soccer Football Association General Manager Michael Briggs all took part in the photoshoot alongside local grassroots footballers.
“In our district there are 15,000 participants that play football on a week to week basis but in saying that our facilities haven’t changed in the 40 years I’ve been involved,” Southern Districts Football Association President Andy Favaloro said.
“What we are looking for is to have a synthetic field in Liverpool to keep our participants involved all year round.”
Nearly 60,000 are registered to play football in Western Sydney, with that figure growing by the minute, but many clubs are being forced to turn people away.
Football NSW has identified 62 fields across the western suburbs of Sydney with facilities in urgent need of improvement and is working with all levels of government, clubs and associations to help meet the Future Needs of Football.
“Football has a unique position in the Australian sporting landscape, as anyone from under 5 to over 45 can play, nearly a quarter of players are female and it includes all cultures like no other code,” Football NSW CEO Eddie Moore said.
“Investment in the Future Needs of Football has significant health, economic and social benefits for the community.”
And for those young players aspiring to be future Socceroos and Matildas, some timely advice from Tomi Juric.
“I’m sure there’s a lot of potential around NSW and the whole of Australia for young kids to represent their country but it all comes down to the individual and how much they really want it.”
-By Mark Chester
