Australia News
San Jose To Link With Olympic?
EXCLUSIVE: Sydney Olympic officials visited MLS club San Jose Earthquakes recently and have not ruled out a strategic alliance between the two clubs in the future.
Sydney Olympic director of football Manny Spanoudakis, who visited the US in recent weeks with the FFA's approval, says Australian football can learn much from US football and sees opportunities to develop links.“Their game day experience is quite unbelievable. It's just so much more professional in that regard,” he said.
“And some of the stadiums over there, they are like shopping malls.”
Spanoudakis toured San Jose’s training facility and the club’s two grounds- the Buck Shaw and McAfee stadiums - and was very impressed with what he saw.
He also hinted that he may meet San Jose officials later in the year to discuss way in which the two clubs could reach an alliance of sorts.
“I spoke with Frank Yallop the coach and we spoke about his time coaching Beckham and there seems to be a greater recognition of Aussie football over there after the Galaxy matches here and the Pan Pacific tournament.”
Meanwhile Spanoudakis confirmed the club’s had inquiries regarding three Olympic players from at least three A-League clubs.
One target, attacking full-back Shannon Cole, is currently injured with an ankle ligament injury but is expected back in two weeks.
Olympic haven't ruled out dipping into the NSW Premier League transfer window which opens on May 5 should they lose any of their stars.
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