Geelong thinking big
Determined push is on to join North Geelong in the NPL
LODGE expression of interest PRE-QUALIFICATION checklist: – Coaching (meet the head coach requirements for at least four of the eight coaching positions) – Junior teams (three junior boys teams between the under-11 and under-16 age groups) – Facilities (must meet or have plans in place to meet FFV’s NPL Facilities Standard for NPL2) – Governance and finance (Must establish that they meet minimum requirements of appropriate regulatory body and provide an approved NPL operating budget) * Top team from each State League 1 division has the option to be promoted. If that is knocked back, the second placed team can be promoted. GEELONG SC is currently third in State League 1 North West, 11 points behind Altona Magic with a game in hand and nine rounds remaining.
“I am of course delighted and very proud too because Arsenal is a legendary club. Throughout my childhood, thanks to Thierry Henry and other French players, I always dreamed of playing for this club so today that dream has been fulfilled.”
— Arsenal’s record signing ALEXANDRE LACAZETTE upon joining the club from Lyon for a reported $79.2 million GEELONG makes no apologies for its ambition.
The Stead Park-based side is pushing for promotion into the NPL and remains in contention to achieve that this season.
But this isn’t a plan that has come about overnight — there’s been years of careful planning involved.
It all culminates with one goal — NPL football.
“We sat down as a committee and put together a five-year road map,” vice president Steve Bogdanovski said.
“Part of that was new facilities, a third ground, additional lighting. But also to get to the point where we can take the club into the future.
“Where we want to be is playing at the highest level.
“We don’t want to forget where we came from, but we want to play at the best level we possibly can.”
Geelong was one of several applicants for the National Premier League when the competition was announced back in 2014.
And while Geelong missed out then, they knew promotion/relegation would start at the end of 2017 and have slowly built to that.
It involved a $1.6m upgrade to their club rooms which include function centre, media room and men’s and women’s changerooms.
They built a squad in 2016 that was good enough to earn promotion into State League 1 for this season and then they topped it up with international flair to go for the title.
“We set a target last year to win the league . . . we ticked that box. This year we set the same goal, we recruited accordingly to get promoted,” he said.
“We also recruited to set a base set of players so that if we do get promoted to the NPL that we can continue on with just a few top ups and a few changes. We didn’t want to rebuild from scratch again.”
North Geelong is the region’s only club in the men’s NPL competition.
Many question whether there is a need for a second representative club given the population, but for Bogdanovski it’s a no-brainer.
“We can live happily sideby-side,” Bogdanovksi said.
“Geelong being the highest regional growth area, there is a need for more kids to play at that higher level.
“There isn’t any issue with a bit of friendly competition and options for the Geelong soccer community. We can easily work together.”
Geelong knows its ambition may have put some noses out of joint locally.
“It’s difficult to make everyone happy. I think certain clubs out there probably look at what we are doing, what we are spending and are a bit envious,” Bogdanovski said.
“It’s always hard to attract sponsors and get significant dollars invested in a club.
“Within the same breath, we have been a long standing club in the community.”
Bogdanovski said the club prides itself on its junior development.
From under-7s juniors are given the same kit, training gear and tracksuit as seniors. They may only be kids but they are treated the same way.
Geelong is also keen to keep a community aspect to the club running, allowing young players to choose from NPL or local systems.
“The NPL balance with our community side guarantees that we can cater for kids at the highest level . . . and also those that want to just enjoy it,” Bogdanovski said.
“We are an open and inclusive club and welcome people from everywhere. We want to grow with the region, that’s our intent.”
Bogdanovski said the club submitted an NPL expression of interest before last month’s deadline and had “pretty much ticked every box” set out by the governing body.
The hardest part now is to get promoted.
Just the top teams from the two State League 1 divisions earn promotion into the NPL.
Geelong currently sits 11 points behind league leader Altona Magic with nine rounds remaining. It needs to be perfect from here on in, but it has the talent to do so.
“We are a little bit behind Altona Magic, but it is a long season and anything can happen,” Bogdanovski said.
Altona Magic has made it clear it is also hunting promotion. Geelong and the Magic are two of a handful of clubs that have the ambition to go to the top.
It makes for some very competitive fixtures, especially towards the end of the season.
So what would NPL mean to Geelong?
“For the club itself (NPL) would be the reward of a minimum three to five years of planning, of setting a goal and achieving it. It ticks a box that say we will be around for a long, long time,” Bogdanovski said.