How Bulls bid to stampede the A-League

If off-field acumen is the recipe for on-field success, then A-League newcomers Macarthur FC are already on to a winner, according to newly-minted director of football Ken Stead.

Macarthur FC, the A-League's newest club Source: @mfcbulls (Twitter)

With $15 million worth of sponsorship, a state-of-the-art training base, a boutique stadium and billionaire property tycoon Lang Walker in their corner, the Campbelltown-based Bulls aren’t taking a backward step as they jostle for attention with Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers.

And Stead - who rode shotgun with Ange Postecoglou during a period of unprecedented success at Brisbane Roar - claims Macarthur FC are showing an ambition and “bravery” reminiscent of those halcyon days in Queensland.

“The club reminds me of the Roar (back then) in the sense that they’re quite brave in their approach,” the Scotsman said.

“We are not looking to copy any other model and are looking only at ourselves but you can also learn from what happened in the past.

“I think on and off the field we can set the right example. The First thing I noticed here was the professionalism – we’re not taking shortcuts in any area.

“The club are totally community focused and will look into developing players for the future in a region that’s well known for being a hotbed of football talent. We want that to continue.”

Stead’s breadth of football experience includes stints with the Socceroos, Young Socceroos - working alongside Bulls coach Ante Milicic - Australia’s U-23’s, Wellington Phoenix and the Scottish FA.

The appointment of the 57-year-old was among a raft of announcements last week which included the election of two fans to their seven-strong board of directors and the unveiling of former Socceroos coach Frank Farina as director of football at their Charles Perkins Soccer Academy, which aims to offer a pathway to indigenous players.

Stead, 57, believes the Bulls - who already have 1,600 foundation members 11 months out from becoming the A-League’s 12th team - will drill into an untapped seam of support.

“There’s a large group of people there who firstly don’t see themselves as Sydneysiders and have never followed an team A-League team,” he said.

“There are others in our catchment area who may have followed Western Sydney Wanderers (but want their own local team).

“With the population growth I feel there’s easily enough room to accommodate three large clubs (in greater Sydney).

“People are excited by our approach - we’ve seen what’s worked with other clubs and what hasn’t and we have a clean slate.

“If you’ve done your homework properly it should give you a little bit of a leg up.”

Chairman Rabieh Krayem reiterated the Bulls’ determination to stampede the league, insisting: “We are not going to be there dwarfed by Sydney FC and Western Sydney. We intend to be their equal.

“What we’re doing from corporate and community perspective puts us right up there on par with them.

“I think off the field we’ll be among the top three or four in the competition.”