Coast on target for national team
THE Sunshine Coast would have a place in a national sporting competition within five years.
And it did not need an imported billionaire to make that happen, according to Peregian lawyer and Sunshine Coast Fire Football Club owner Noel Woodall.
He said last week that billionaire Clive Palmer's approach was the wrong way to build a sporting franchise.
The Fire is now five years into a 10-year plan that Mr Woodall is confident will win it not only a place in the national A-League but also a place in the women's W-League by 2017.
"We've had long-term ambitions to join the A-League," he said.
"But first you have to try to work for a position in the community and grow support.
"You can't just buy a licence and say, 'Here we are', like Clive did at the Gold Coast," Mr Woodall said.
Without firm foundations in the community, and fans genuinely passionate about the game and the club, success and sustainability would be extremely difficult to achieve, Mr Woodall said.
He said he had been offended by the call from mayoral candidate Brett Winkler for Mr Palmer to be offered land opposite Corbould Park racecourse as a home for his A-League team.
"We've worked with council and Quad Park and have the runs on the board," he said.
