Get the name right

YESTERDAY’S announcement of the addition of two new teams in an expanded A-League competition had a distinctly Geelong flavour.

The man behind one of the successful new franchises was Geelong soccer legend and former Socceroo Steve Horvat, and there was much celebrating the fact that the team would be playing its early seasons out of Geelong’s Kardinia Park.

However one very notable exception to the local flavour was in the new team’s name — Western Melbourne.

While we have a long, proud soccer tradition in this region, yesterday’s announcement will be a kick in the pants for those who have long lobbied for an A-League franchise in Geelong.

Instead, Football Federation Australia opted to award the franchise to Western Melbourne, which will be based out of a purpose-built stadium at Tarneit when it is completed in approximately 2021.

And while the plan, no doubt, is to capture some of that local passion to get behind the new team, there will be some resentment among proud locals to supporting a team with Melbourne in its name.

It is an issue that continually raises its head at major events staged locally.

The Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, international cricket clashes and the UCI World Cycling Championships are all events that have been broadcast to international audiences with widespread Melbourne signage in front of a Geelong backdrop.

The signage, which comes with the Melbourne major events sponsorship, is a pretty good deal for Melbourne but sticks in the craw of locals who are justifiably proud of the major events our city and region have managed to put together without getting any of the international credit.

If there is one thing guaranteed to frustrate Geelong people, it is saying that we are part of Melbourne. We are our own city with a thriving, growing economy and very much our own identity.

The sooner our city cousins realise this, the better for us all.