http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/foo...318996030.html
Seems like a fight between the gong and WS as Melbourne appear in if this article is correct
Two's company: Sydney needs second team, says Neill
Matthew Hall
November 16, 2008
A SECOND A-League team will help - not hinder - Sydney FC, according to Socceroos skipper Lucas Neill, who is leading a bid for a western Sydney team to join the competition in 2010.
Neill's proposal - which includes deals with Football NSW, Blacktown City Council and Parramatta Stadium - has been well received by Football Federation Australia but sent shivers down spines at Sydney FC.
Sydney FC chairman Andrew Kemeny has expressed concern but Neill believes competition will benefit both teams.
"Sydney can definitely support two teams, and this will bring the best out of Sydney FC," Neill told the Sun-Herald. "It will be a great rivalry. Imagine having derbies. Imagine having a western team and an eastern team, and the hype and the commercial attraction and the crowd that will come with it.
"We are not far from the Mariners as well and there will be two Melbourne teams by 2010. It is going to be great for the game getting people supporting their team and having something to brag about."
Neill's bid is believed to have up to eight potential investors, several from overseas, considering taking a major share in the new team.
An official behind Neill's proposed bid confirmed an agreement with Parramatta Stadium but said the team would play at other venues in the area.
"We anticipate the Sydney derby will have a high level of interest, so we have left ourselves open to take that game, and maybe clashes with Melbourne, to ANZ Stadium," said Paddy Dominguez of Inspire Sports Group, which represents Neill and Sydney FC star John Aloisi.
"We have the ability to take other games to Penrith or Campbelltown. We want to represent the whole area."
Any proposed western Sydney franchise would have to receive a tick of approval from FFA chairman Frank Lowy, whose family retains majority ownership of Sydney FC.
Neill revealed he had discussed his proposal with the FFA at a high level and was confident the governing body would see the appeal of a western Sydney team.
"I have had very brief conversations with [FFA CEO] Ben Buckley about what I would like to do," he said.
"Obviously, he has had a lot of communication with my bid team. He thinks it's a great idea but until he sees my bid he is not giving a lot away.
"Western Sydney is the supposed heartland of football in Australia. So many good players have come out of there. There's 1.9 million people in western Sydney and you only need to get 2 per cent of them interested and you have 15,000 to 20,000 people coming to a game every week."
A second Melbourne team has all but been confirmed to kick off in 2010, while groups from the NSW South Coast, Canberra, and Tasmania are also lobbying for a franchise.
Billionaire Bruce Gordon, who owns the WIN TV network, has been receptive to an invitation from Lowy to invest in an Illawarra bid.
Contrary to other reports, Gordon favours investing with personal finance rather than committing the support of his regional TV network. Football NSW has written to the South Coast consortium offering assistance for its proposal.
