Club Update

Club CEO Glenn Elliott gives his latest insight following the Reds’ progression to the AFC Champions League Quarter Finals.

Adelaide United CEO Glenn Elliott gives his latest insight following the Reds’ progression to the AFC Champions League Quarter Finals.

Support of local clubs pivotal to ACL success
One of the challenges of the AFC Champions League campaign for Australian teams is to maintain match fitness once the domestic season is over. To that end we are grateful for the support of local clubs Birkalla, Raiders, Croydon and White City for agreeing to play friendlies in the off weeks of our ACL games. Special mention to all of the players from these clubs who played the games in fantastic spirit and of course all of the officials and volunteers at the clubs who made the team feel so welcome. These games when coupled with an astute training schedule allowed the squad to compete and excel against international teams who were in their full domestic competitions.

Another magical night at Hindmarsh
The 9,758 fans who ventured out on a cold Tuesday night in May witnessed another great moment in the club’s history. The players reported the massive vocal support after the game and importantly the pre match challenge we set out to our fans was met – for there to be a great playing surface BUT notably with parochial crowd support. Much is made of crowds in the current era, a real challenge in light of direct broadcast coverage. But the crowd figure against Nagoya compares favourably with Seongam Ilhwa-s crowd number for their home Round of 16 clash against Bunyodkor, which drew a crowd of just 3,808. Adelaide United fans have done it again so thank you.

Behind the scenes of ACL fixtures – it’s not all glamour
The regulations controlling ACL matches are formidable. It is not simply a matter of a team flying in, playing and flying out – AUFC is responsible to basically every visiting team requirement from the time they step of the tarmac. The following gives you some idea of the schedule and the Club volunteers who make it happen:

Visiting Team Serge Bria spent three days with the team including staying with the Nagoya contingent. Sounds glamorous but imagine being at the whim of an international side who are accustomed to having everything done for them. All the associated problems arising from interpretation, diet, customs, luggage and transport – this is no holiday, he is actually going home for one!!

Referees Guess you have to be one to know one, Barry Panella, a former referee himself, performed this role for three days including all transfers, meetings, trainings and inspections with all of the match officials.

Match Commissioner Nazario Mignone (Naz) and Maurzio Ruggiero (Mozzie) serviced the requirement for transfers, ground inspections, meetings, stadium standards and endless paperwork over 4 days.

Put simply, the club is not resourced to action all of these duties and relies on the generosity of the above mentioned to make it happen. It is with great pride we advise that Adelaide passed all regulations with flying colours, no fines and full endorsement from the visiting team. We are pleased to acknowledge them all in the public arena.