“Canberra has people who want to invest in the game. And has supporters invested in the game; and Canberra punches well above its weight in talent development. 

"Look at Leo Mazis, who went from Belconnen to Celtic bypassing the A-League [he subsequently transferred to Italian club Triestina].

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"And this is what James Johnson [FFA CEO is saying - moving away from dependence on TV money to transfer revenue in the A-League."

Schimizzi believes Canberra’s active support base could rival mid-size A-League clubs. 

Canberra NPL fans from Tuggeranong celebrating during an FFA Cup clash

“There are potential active fans from all the various multicultural communities we have here… and they really mobilize when we have something to mobilize about,” he adds. 

“Active support is the A-League’s biggest asset in terms of differentiating from other sports. 

“And it’s something as a league we’ve struggled at times to get it right. 

“This has been a by-product, I feel, of poor communication between active supporters and A-League clubs."

“I’d want to be talking to other active support groups, learning lessons from them if we get in. 

“The question will be: can Canberra's supporter base be embedded in the club with a clear liaison point… when you’re actually promoting active support rather than suppress it?"

Schimizzi hopes that the fans will get to have a say in the new club's colors, if and when the decision to join the A-League gets greenlit. 

“It’s always been a community-lead process around colors. You won’t get decisions fans and members aren’t supportive of. 

“My personal opinion, I don’t mind green but also the ACT capital region colors of white, blue, and yellow could be really good. And something unique in the A-League.”

And in keeping with fan banter, Schimizzi has fired the first shots in what could be a tasty new A-League derby. 

“There is a Canberra-Sydney feeling, it is like the smaller versus larger city tension," he says. 

Canberra's fans want to support an A-League and W-League side

“So Sydney FC in particular would be our biggest derby. 

“Most Canberrans when they visit Sydney say, ‘couldn’t live there’.

“Canberrans hate Sydney!"

"The Canberra community is just crying out for this A-League team," he adds.

"The momentum has built up for so long."