Confidential: A-League eyes Sutherland expansion, Sydney FC and South Korea share facilities

CONFIDENTIAL: David Gallop reportedly wants to expand the A-League into the Sutherland shire while Socceroo Massimo Luongo has his own cheer squad.

A-League eyes Sutherland shire expansion

THE rumour mill suggests David Gallop wants a team in the Sutherland shire while Massimo Luongo has his own cheer squad.

It’s all in A-League Confidential.

Sutherland shire A-League team on the cards?

The rumour mill suggests David Gallop wants an A-League team in the Sutherland shire by 2017 to cash in on the country’s biggest junior nursery. Timmy Cahill just happens to own a waterfront home in the area. He will be 37 when the team is launched and no doubt capable of a ‘one-for-the-road’ season.

A general view of Remondis Stadium. Will an A-League team be using it one day?

Sydney FC to share facilities with South Korea

Sydney FC’s base in Macquarie Park will become a lot busier than usual in the next couple of months when the club welcomes some training ground companions. Graham Arnold’s work at improving the facilities received a stamp of approval of sorts with South Korea opting to set up camp there for the duration of the Asian Cup. Speaking of the Asian Cup, the tournament’s trophy will be on display in all host cities, beginning in Parramatta on December 4.

Hamill and Appiah’s boyband

They’re the new kids on the Red and Black Bloc and can be seen in Wanderers catalogues all across Western Sydney. Given the Wanderers taxing schedule, it’s hard to imagine where Brendan Hamill and Kwabena Appiah found the time to form a boyband, but we’re glad they did. Hamill, as the lead vocalist, is already understood to have a significant following of screeching girls.

Brendan Hammil and Kwabena Appiah model Western Sydney Wanderers merchandise

Socceroo Luongo has his own cheers squad

Socceroos midfielder Massimo Luongo had a personal cheer-squad of 12 members in Japan for Australia’s final hit-out ahead of the Asian Cup. The 22-year-old might be a Swindon Town player, but in Osaka he is still remembered for the two years he spent at Tottenham Hotspur. His loyal following of Spurs fans all wore Socceroos shirts with his number on the back to support him as the Socceroos lost 2-1 to Japan. Mitch Nichols, who is signed to Cerezo Osaka but has been loaned out to Perth Glory, also had plenty of support at his ‘home’ stadium during the game.

Massimo Luongo had his own cheer squad in Japan.

Happy birthday, Robbie Slater

Robbie Slater has had a lot more on his mind than turning the big 50 and calling A-League games for Fox Sports this week. His nine-month-old daughter, Indigo, no doubt a future Matilda, suffered a broken leg. Robbie has been on hospital duties — happy birthday Robbie.

Spira’s awkward RVP meeting

Matthew Spiranovic, Robin Van Persie and a drug tester walk into a tiny room... The Netherlands had just beaten the Socceroos in a dramatic group game during the World Cup in Brazil, and it’s those two players who were summonsed for a drug test immediately after. “Not a word is spoken,” Spiranovic recounts to Adam Peacock in the Fox Sports presenter’s soon-to-be-released book, ‘Beautiful Chaos’, documenting Australia’s Brazil experience. “Awkward silence is only punctuated when the replay of the penalty decision is shown on a small TV. Van Persie still can’t believe it was given.” The entertaining eBook is available just in time for Christmas.

Adam Peacock, Simon Hill and Michael Cockerill dissect Socceroos v Japan, the burning A-League issues and FIFA’s latest debacle, while David Weiner catches up with Daniel Garb for insight from the Japan clash before he departed Osaka.

Originally published as Confidential: A-League eyes Sutherland expansion, Sydney FC and South Korea share facilities