Perth Kangaroos IFC
Encyclopedia
Perth Kangaroos International Football Club is a now-defunct soccer
club from Perth
, Australia
. Perth Kangaroos played as an overseas team in the Singapore Premier League
in 1994 and won the league title. The team was in some ways a forerunner of the Australian A-League
football club Perth Glory
.
Perth Kangaroos was put together in 1994 by Global Football Australia, a consortium led by businessmen Joe Claudio. Western Australia
had been keen to be represented in Australia's National Soccer League (NSL) since it was formed in 1977, but a series of logistical problems and financial concerns meant that the league were not keen to include a Western Australia
n club. It was hoped that entering a team in the Singapore league would either help pave the way for entry into the NSL or, alternatively, help the Perth club establish a place in a mooted Asia-Pacific
Super League which could become a sporting and financial empire. The Kangaroos were one of two Australian teams to compete in the Singapore
league in 1994 – the other being the Darwin Cubs
.
The team was captained initially by Craig Naven
, and later by his brother Gareth Naven
, under manager Gary Marocchi
and assistant manager Mickey Brennan.
On the field, the Perth Kangaroos were a tremedous success. They finished the 1994 league season undefeated and comfortably won the Singapore league title. However off the field the venture was a financial disaster. Attendances at the matches were far lower than expected, and part way through the season Global Football Australia had to declare itself bankrupt and hand over control of the team to the Soccer Association of Western Australia.
The Kangaroos were disbanded after the 1994 season. However their success in the Singapore league gained the NSL's attention. In 1995, another Perth-based consortium led by Nick Tana
successfully bid for entry into the NSL. Perth Glory were created and joined the NSL in 1996. In 2005, Perth Glory were selected to enter the re-vamped Australian national league, the A-League.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
club from Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Perth Kangaroos played as an overseas team in the Singapore Premier League
FAS Premier League
The Football Association of Singapore Premier League is a now-defunct football league competition held in Singapore between 1988 and 1995. During that period, it was the top tier of the Singapore football league structure...
in 1994 and won the league title. The team was in some ways a forerunner of the Australian A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
football club Perth Glory
Perth Glory FC
Perth Glory Football Club is a professional football club in Perth, Western Australia, Australia, competing in Australia's top football competition the A-League. Perth Glory is one of only three clubs to survive from the now defunct National Soccer League...
.
Perth Kangaroos was put together in 1994 by Global Football Australia, a consortium led by businessmen Joe Claudio. Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
had been keen to be represented in Australia's National Soccer League (NSL) since it was formed in 1977, but a series of logistical problems and financial concerns meant that the league were not keen to include a Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
n club. It was hoped that entering a team in the Singapore league would either help pave the way for entry into the NSL or, alternatively, help the Perth club establish a place in a mooted Asia-Pacific
Asia-Pacific
Asia-Pacific or Asia Pacific is the part of the world in or near the Western Pacific Ocean...
Super League which could become a sporting and financial empire. The Kangaroos were one of two Australian teams to compete in the Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
league in 1994 – the other being the Darwin Cubs
Darwin Cubs
Darwin Cubs is a now-defunct soccer club from Darwin, Australia.The Cubs played as a foreign team in the Singapore Premier League in 1994 and finished runners-up to another Australian team, Perth Kangaroos IFC...
.
The team was captained initially by Craig Naven
Craig Naven
Craig Naven is a former Australian football player. He is the twin brother of Gareth NavenNaven played for NSL club Perth Glory FC and also played for Bayswater Inter, Perth SC and the Perth Kangaroos....
, and later by his brother Gareth Naven
Gareth Naven
Gareth Naven is a former Australian football player. He is the twin brother of Craig Naven.Naven was club captain of Perth Glory FC between 1996 and 2002, He also played for Bayswater Inter, AIS, Adelaide City, Perth Kangaroos, Perth SC and Sarawak FA. He is now the coach of the Perth Glory youth...
, under manager Gary Marocchi
Gary Marocchi
Gary Donald Marocchi is an Australian football coach and former player.- Playing career :Marocchi represented Australia 13 times in full internationals playing as a midfielder...
and assistant manager Mickey Brennan.
On the field, the Perth Kangaroos were a tremedous success. They finished the 1994 league season undefeated and comfortably won the Singapore league title. However off the field the venture was a financial disaster. Attendances at the matches were far lower than expected, and part way through the season Global Football Australia had to declare itself bankrupt and hand over control of the team to the Soccer Association of Western Australia.
The Kangaroos were disbanded after the 1994 season. However their success in the Singapore league gained the NSL's attention. In 1995, another Perth-based consortium led by Nick Tana
Nick Tana
Nick Tana is the former chairman of the Australian football club Perth Glory. He had been the chairman and the majority shareholder of Perth Glory from the club’s inception in 1995 until 2006....
successfully bid for entry into the NSL. Perth Glory were created and joined the NSL in 1996. In 2005, Perth Glory were selected to enter the re-vamped Australian national league, the A-League.