Canberra clubs in mix for national second division

Both Canberra Croatia and Gungahlin United will throw their hats into the ring after Football Australia called for expressions of interest on Friday.

Applications will close on March 3, with the successful clubs notified in about August-September with a view to the competition kicking off in March next year.

That would see them playing before the next ALM expansion club, which could be part of the 2024/25 season.

The drums have started to beat louder about Canberra's chances of being that next ALM team, with A-Leagues boss Danny Townsend meeting with the ACT government last week for "preliminary discussions".

Both Croatia and United have been involved in the process from the start as part of a second division working committee.

Now, provided they feel they can meet the criteria, they'll look to be part of the next stage.

Canberra Croatia president Tony Vidovic said they'd go through the paperwork and then talk to their members.

"We'd be very keen to go for it," Vidovic said.

"It'll be huge for a Canberra club to get in. There's always talk about an A-League for Canberra, but it's going to be very, very difficult.

"A B-League [team] would be the most obvious one if someone can afford to do it and it just provides the people in Canberra, players, a higher form of football to go and watch and be part of."

Football Australia said promotion and relegation between the ALM and the second division would be considered once the second-tier competition had "matured".

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The second division was expected to be made up of between 10-16 teams, with a season of 24-36 games.

Players would have to be full-time professionals along with some staff.

New Gungahlin coach Chris Caggiano said the club was interested in giving their players a pathway to higher levels.

He felt the second division would provide a valuable stepping stone to the ALM.

Caggiano said there were a lot of "boxes to tick", but they were definitely interested in being involved.

He said they'd already put steps in place so would be ready to join the second division next year.

"It can't compare to the A-League, because that would be massive for our town and give them that massive, national footprint," Caggiano said.

"But this would be that stepping stone between the two and give us more opportunity to develop players to be ready for that level and eventually international level as well.

"It's a path in that direction, it will just make us produce more quality players.

"If we can make it happen we'll do everything we can to be there."

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