Team name and colours announced
FOOTBALL: The A-League’s newest franchise will be called Western United and will wear green and black when they join the competition next season.
In a warning to A-League rivals yesterday the club’s football chiefs said they would continue to recruit aggressively, after poaching Socceroos fullback Josh Risdon from the Western Sydney Wanderers.
Risdon, 26, became the second player to sign after Greece international Panagiotis Kone was announced last week as the club’s first marquee player.
Western United is Victoria’s third A-League club, but unlike Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City it does not have the state’s capital city in its name.
The name and colours came about via a Herald Sun poll, with club chiefs opting to incorporate black and green, which were “neck and neck” in voting.
“This week the club proper has been born,” football director Steve Horvat said.
“It will no longer be a consortium or a bid. We don’t have to refer to a group anymore ... it will be a real football club with a real name and colours, so it’s a really exciting time for us.
“This was a big part of our real engagement plan – to go to the community and get their feedback on what our colours should be and our name.”
Lou Sticca, in charge of player recruitment, declared Risdon – who signed a two-year deal – is the first of many signings.
“People might not like it but we’ll be very aggressive in the marketplace both locally and overseas,” Sticca said.
“We’ll abide by A-League protocols but we won’t be timid. We don’t have any special conditions like expansion clubs have had previously or in AFL.
“We’ve been thrown in the deep end and we have to fend for ourselves.”
— David Davutovic