WA football moved a step closer to its official National Premier Leagues kick-off with a celebration held at Fraser’s Restaurant in Kings Park.
WA football moved a step closer to its official National Premier Leagues kick-off with a celebration held at Fraser-s Restaurant in Kings Park.
NPL WA will launch on Saturday with four afternoon matches and a night game at Floreat Athena-s E&D Litis Stadium before the round is completed at Sorrento-s Percy Doyle Reserve on Sunday.
At today-s launch, more than 100 guests from the 12 NPL WA clubs, members of the media and some of the sport-s most valued sponsors heard from former Socceroos defender Chris Coyne, Fox Sports Football Analyst Mark Rudan and Football West Chief Executive Officer Peter Hugg.
Coyne outlined his hopes for the season as coach of Bayswater City, while Rudan, who led Sydney United 58 to the inaugural NPL national championship last year, spoke of his 2014 ambitions.
Football West also premiered a promotional video, which tied the sport-s history and traditions to a new NPL era that aims to steadily improve Australia-s second-tier senior competitions and drive better junior development.
To add spice to the national calendar, the winners of each of eight competitions around the country will play off to crown Australia-s best NPL club. Teams from five leagues contested last season-s national NPL Finals Series.
Hugg spoke of the great assistance Football West had received from clubs but also emphasised the work still required to achieve the NPL aims.
“Any change is difficult and our clubs, along with Football West, have had to work extremely hard to get to this important moment,” Hugg said.
“On Saturday, we will reach a major milestone when the NPL WA finally kicks off and all those players, officials, supporters and volunteers, who have contributed along the way, deserve enormous credit.
“The start of the NPL WA represents the end of a long period of planning but there will continue to be a need for hard work and a collective effort to ensure its success.
“We can-t expect the NPL to be a magic bullet for the sport but if we all embrace it, I have no doubt it will ensure our game continues to prosper.”
NPL WA, round one fixtures Saturday: ECU Joondalup v Cockburn City (ECU Sports Ground, 3pm); Bayswater City v Armadale (Frank Drago Reserve, 3pm); Perth Glory v Perth SC (Intiga Stadium, 3pm); Subiaco v Stirling Lions (WA Athletics Stadium, 3pm); Floreat Athena v Inglewood United (E&D Litis Stadium, 7pm).
Sunday: Sorrento v Balcatta (Percy Doyle Reserve, 3pm)