LATROBE City is “the perfect environment” to accommodate visiting international soccer teams when the Asian Cup comes to Australia in 2015, according to Football Federation Victoria chief Mitch Murphy.
Latrobe City Council put the region forward for pre-competition camps, to be held in the build up to the country’s first international senior men’s soccer tournament, and has been short listed as one of a minimum 22 sites across the nation.
The FFV has already offered its seal of approval on Latrobe’s suitability.
Murphy and three FFV board members recently received a tour of the Latrobe City Sports Stadium from Gippsland Soccer League chair David Wilson, and were astonished at the quality on offer in Morwell.
“He had no idea what was available down here and he was just blown away by the size of the stadium and he commented it was ‘the perfect environment for the Asian Cup’,” Wilson said.
The top 16 teams in the Asia Pacific region will contest the tournament, to be played in Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Sydney and Newcastle.
Latrobe City and the GSL have lobbied for a team to be stationed in Morwell prior to the cup kickoff on 9 January, 2015, and believe all the prerequisites were in place.
“We’d be desperately unlucky if we didn’t get a team down here, we think we’ve put a good proposal together,” Wilson said.
“What we can offer any Asian Cup team here is first class facilities in a rural environment, probably the best facilities in country Australia.”
Should the region secure a visiting side for a two to three week training and acclimatisation camp, Wilson believed there would be opportunities for local players to benefit from their presence.
“It’s just like having one of the national league teams based here for a couple of weeks and I’m sure they’ll engage with us if we do get it,” he said.
“You’re in a soccer threshold here, a growing soccer environment, they’ll be more than looked after and catered for.”
Council will continue to liaise with the AFC Asian Cup organising committee over the coming months to develop a brochure to market to the visiting teams.
Mayor Sharon Gibson said the bidding process had been highly competitive to date, and praised the events team on reaching this stage in the planning process.
“Here in Latrobe City we have developed a strong reputation for hosting major events and with our excellent facilities we have all the mandatory prerequisites to deliver a professional pre competition camp,” she said.
“The Latrobe City Sports and Entertainment Stadium in Morwell is the cornerstone of our bid and is undoubtedly the best soccer venue in regional Victoria.
“With a long and proud association with the round ball game our city is the ideal home away from home location for participating teams preparing for their campaign.”
Cr Gibson said an Asian powerhouse presence in the Valley would stimulate the economy through increased international and interstate visits.
