Farina supports A-League expansion
Posted
Updated
Gold Coast United CEO Clive Mensink, coach Miron Bleiberg and FFA boss Ben Buckley celebrate at Skilled Park. (Dave Hunt: AAP Image)
Queensland Roar coach Frank Farina has welcomed the inclusion of two new A-League teams in the state and believes local rivalries will strengthen the competition.
Football Federation Australia (FFA) yesterday approved licences for clubs in Townsville and on the Gold Coast for next season.
Farina says the growth of the game in Queensland is strong.
"The first two new teams coming from Queensland shows that football is alive and well in this state," he said.
"We're producing good players and to have two new teams... for the derbies it's going to be fantastic.
"Obviously for the banter between the coaches and clubs and that, it should be very interesting."
Meanwhile the chief executive of Gold Coast United, Clive Mensink, says the city's lifestyle will be a major attraction for players to the new A-League franchise.
Mr Mensink says the Gold Coast should not have trouble putting a team together.
"Everyone knows the Gold Coast is just the centre of the earth really, there's no other place to be," he said.
"I was born here - I lived here almost all my life until I had to go work in Brisbane which is very depressing but you know this is a great place to be and why wouldn't you come here."
