Johnston is one of Australia’s biggest soccer exports, a five-time winner of England’s first position in the dominant era of the Reds in the 1980s His vision for the new club is to dominate the A-League, establish the point reference for the progression of young people in that. country and make Liverpool FC successful in “every community in Australia”.
Watch European football with beIN SPORTS and ESPN in Kayo. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day loose trial and start streaming instantly>
Seven years ago, a failed assembly in Boston between Johnston and new Premier League coach Billy Hogan threatened to ruin the dream.
But Johnston says the time has come to “resurrect the conversation,” and shows that he has reopened discussions with Hogan, now Liverpool’s CEO, about the plan.
THE PRINCIPLE
Johnston surprised the Reds by announcing their retirement at the age of 27 in 1988, days before the FA Cup final. The final, a 1-0 loss to Wimbledon at Wembley, Johnston’s 271st and final appearance for Liverpool. But he soon began soñar. de connecting the Reds to Australia in one way or another.
Johnston told the foxsports. com. au, “I made a speech when I was 27 or 28 in Liverpool, Australia. It was a corporate speech, however, many and many Liverpool fans came here because I’m not home too. Often, I had just retired and everyone was very interested in hearing what I had to say, many.
“I concept wow, it’s very powerful. And that’s when the total concept to connect. “
Then, in October 2010, Fenway Sports Group, the billionaire U. S. owner of the Boston Red Sox, paid three hundred million pounds to buy Liverpool, and they wanted to expand the club’s already extensive success abroad.
In May 2012, the Western Sydney Wanderers won the race to the next Sydney team. Johnson and an organization of football enthusiasts from southwest Sydney with investments and club management revel in the idea that Liverpool can host a third team in Sydney.
The organization included René Licata, a former NSL player and representative of young Australians who in the past became co-owners of the revolutionary NSL Northern Spirit club in the late 1990s. Corporations Stadimax and StadiArena Australia. Another talented former NSL player and commercial partner of Licata Stadium progression, Richie Williams, another key figure.
The most important thing is that newly elected Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun – himself an avid Reds fan – is also passionate about the project.
Klopp hilarious ‘Star Trek’ front complaint of Liverpool’s first game
LA VISION
Johnston describes his great vision for the club: “Liverpool FC west of Sydney: a house away from home for scousers in the southern hemisphere. It’s a collection of hobbies that everyone gets up at 4 a. m. to look at, but we have our little one here.
‘And the Scousers in Liverpool, they know us, they’re proud of us, they’re doing one thing to see the ‘Reds out’ play at home.
“And (the dream is also) win the A-League. And that’s because (Liverpool coach) Jurgen Klopp and smart players are here more often, so that coaches (here) exchange coaches, exchange ideas.
“And basically, create a group across Australia by setting the benchmark for beating Liverpool FC. “
The stadium’s developers have imagined a complex 35,000-seat rooftop stadium in Liverpool, capable of being used for a wide variety of entertainment purposes, as well as a possible multitude of groups in various codes.
Then there was a youth academy run by Johnston, who spent many years designing football progression systems for young people (one of the many projects of his successful life after football, adding the invention of the iconic Adidas Predator football shoe).
The talented young Reds would have the opportunity to reach the World Cup and continue their progression in the physical A-League. The Australian look would sport the outstanding red colors of the Anfield club, with lucrative sponsorships and outlets to say the least.
He didn’t stop it there. Liverpool Mayor Mannoun, deeply involved, is an opportunity to collaborate not only between clubs, but between cities.
Johnston said, ‘I spoke to the mayor of Liverpool in England, and everyone was in a position to make Liverpool/Twin Cities’ sister a formal thing, and then he said, ‘This is a house away from the house for the Scousers in the southern hemisphere. ‘”
THE MEETING
In 2013, Johnston, Mannoun, Licata and Williams traveled to the United States to meet the new liverpool owners, FSG, and provide their vision of a dual club.
Billy Hogan, in the past head of FSG’s global sponsors department, was appointed Liverpool’s advertising director in May 2012, and would continue to provide the club with stable monetary expansion and forge a record as a very good trader.
But at the time he was new to the club and its proud history – Johnston told Hogan: ‘he didn’t know who I was’, he failed to realize that many Australians had become Liverpool fans after seeing Johnston don the famous red jersey. .
Things got worse even before the assembly began. The Australian organization suffered jet lag and its plans were thwarted by a severe snowstorm. Things were just as cold once they started their presentation.
“It didn’t start on the right foot,” Licata said, “according to Hogan, “he didn’t get what we wanted to do by involving them in the Australian product. “
Australians have been frustrated by Hogan’s approach, which seemed aimed exclusively at finance. Johnson, calm and calm, accused Hogan of asking irrelevant questions and misunderstood the vision of the sister clubs on opposite sides of the planet.
Licata recalls: “Billy supported, Craig aggressive. They had words. I said, “Guys, come on!”It’s right in the middle of the presentation, and I’m like, me!”
They took a five-minute break to ease the tension, but when the presentation resumed, things got complicated for the comedian.
Licata recalls: “They entered the room and the next slide they gave us was: ‘Ambassador of Australia for the Football Club – Craig Johnston’.
“I would probably have heard a pin fall. We looked at him and I swear after ten seconds everyone laughed. We just laughed! He intended to be our ambassador and diplomat and had just had an argument with (Hogan). Even Billy had a big smile on his face.
The Australians, who jokingly called themselves “Hogan’s hero,” returned home disappointed, even though Johnston was determined not to give up.
“In my opinion, we missed the opportunity,” Licata says, but admits, “To be fair to him (Hogan), he saw us get to each and every shift with this presentation and it was a little hard to handle.
“We didn’t expect him to say, “Yes, here’s a check. “It wasn’t like that at all (in fact, the organization wasn’t asking the FSG for money, just to help build the club). What I was looking for was to show you the opportunity I had to do it.
REBUILDING THE RELATIONSHIP
Liverpool travelled to Australia for the first time in the club’s history that year, promoting the Melbourne Cricket Ground for a friendly opposite Melbourne Victory, as Reds venues reached new heights.
In front of more than 95,000 fans (including this writer), Liverpool won 2-0 with goals from legendary Steven Gerrard as Iago Aspas.
Johnston, a Liverpool ambassador for the tour, a role he reprised in 2015 and 2017 when the Reds returned for games opposed to Brisbane Roar, Adelaide United and Sydney FC, all massive hits in front of massive crowds.
His continued interactions with the club – and Hogan – have helped him out with Liverpool’s new CEO after his complicated start. “I’ve had some things to do with it ever since and I think the air has cleared a lot. “Johnston praised Hogan’s understanding of the club and its culture, as well as its immense popularity in Australia.
Meanwhile, European megaclubs have followed the foreign franchise style Johnston had dreamed of for Liverpool. The “City Football Group”, owned by Royal Abu Dhabi and current deputy prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, Sheik Mansour, moved from Manchester City to take over clubs in nine countries, adding Melbourne City, Australia, formerly known as Melbourne Heart.
Melbourne City’s collected owners and global ties have led superstar players like David Villa to play, led to greater national good fortune for men’s, women’s and youth teams, led the club to build world-class amenities and led to Manchester City regularly. visit Australia for pre-season matches.
Perhaps the most vital of all, the highest City in the A-League has led four Australians to sign for Manchester City: Luke Brattan, Anthony Caceres, Aaron Mooy and Daniel Arzani, the latter of whom is still in the City books.
IT’S TIME TO ‘RESURRECT THE CONVERSATION’
Johnston has observed the expansion of the City’s presence and now believes the time has come to resume discussions about Liverpool’s participation.
“I’m calling the club now, now, to restart the conversation,” Johnston said last Friday. “I called him last night and left him a message. And I have to call back, and I’ll e-send it today. “
As for the dream of a 35,000-seat stadium in Liverpool, he revealed in July this year that NRL club Canterbury Bulldogs had hired world-renowned architecture company Populous to expand a plan for a stadium with those specifications. Telegraph, the Canterbury League Club owns a 35,000 square metre block on the Hume Motorway, next to the Whitlam entertainment centre in Liverpool.
If investment can be secured under the New South Wales government’s suburban stadium plan, Liverpool would possibly end up with the best home for a new A-League team.
However, the dream faces a major hurdle, as the festival will host Campbelltown-based Macarthur FC expansion team when the new season begins on December 27.
But Johnston remains determined to understand: “How to make it a painting for the intelligents of Australian football and for liverpool smarts. “
“I need to have Liverpool in every single network in Australia, that’s my dream. “
Subscribe to our Fox Sports newsletters
Success!