Ex-Socceroos captain joins Canberra to renew 'stale' A-League

Socceroos legend Craig Moore wants to back a winning side, jumping on board the new Canberra A-League expansion bid, Capital Region FC.

With Fox Sports ending their broadcast relationship with the A-League amidst plummeting attendances and television ratings - reaching new lows this season in the four figures - Moore believes real action is required.

Capital Region FC, the name given to Canberra's A-League bid, has created a lot of traction in recent months with revelations even Paris Saint Germain were interested in funding the club.

[551676]

PLUS...

"Six months since I last played': Key Socceroo in clubless limbo

Uncontracted Socceroos midfielder Jackson Irvine admits he may have to leave England to continue his career as the 2020-21 season kicks off without him.

PLUS...

Optus launches groundbreaking Matildas TV show

Optus Sport have launched a new women's football TV show hosted by former Matildas star Alicia Ferguson Cook.

Now they have big-football experience, with former Brisbane Roar director Moore joining the bid's football department.

“There’s great potential in the Canberra region, and being involved for the foundation of a club will be quite an exciting adventure,” he told The World Game.

“There is probably a feeling amongst the local community that they are always missing out, I can see there’s a real hunger and desire to be successful.

“Canberra is renowned for producing top players, names like Ned Zelic, Tom Rogic, Josep Simunic and Carl Valeri (come to mind)."

Moore believes entering Canberra into the A-League is the perfect way to rejuvenate the struggling competition, with new clubs - FFA saying more than one expansion bid is in the pipeline - set to spark new interest in the competition.

Victorian Dandenong-based club Team 11 were reportedly close to securing an A-League franchise in the last expansion sweep and have kept a bid profile in existence, meaning FFA could go down a 1-1 route across New South Wales and Victoria once more.

“It’s fair to say that we are all finding life a bit of a struggle at the moment with Australian football," Moore continued.

“It has had some really good times, but it is feeling a bit stale.

“Having the opportunity for a new club from a new region to come in, I think is something exciting that will enable a lot more interest in the game in general."

“In terms of broadcast rights and what that looks like moving forward, we need to offer something fresh and new to be able to get that interest in the game again.”