FA push for new stadium

Football Australia will add its weight to Melbourne Victory's push for a stadium to be built at Gosch's Paddock when it holds talks with the State Government next week.

FA operations manager Matt Carroll ruled out allowing Victory to play at Bob Jane Stadium saying the preferred option was for a purpose-built 25,000-capacity stadium for soccer and rugby league.

Carroll was in Melbourne yesterday as guest speaker at the launch of the Victorian Premier League.

State Sports Minister Justin Madden said the government was working on an $80 million business plan that canvassed several options including Gosch's Paddock, upgrading Olympic Park or possibly even upgrading Bob Jane Stadium.

"We hope to make an announcement by June but no matter what's decided, there will be no building works started until after the Commonwealth Games (March 2006)," Madden said.

Carroll said he was confident Melbourne Victory could raise the $6 million it needed to enter the A-League, based on information provided by franchise owner Geoff Lord to FA chief executive John O'Neill.

"They met for breakfast this week and we believe Victory is ahead of a couple of (A-League) clubs," Carroll said.

A one-week tournament for A-League clubs will be staged in May, with the winner set to earn $1.4 million for representing Oceania at the World Club Championship.

Peter Desira