PERTH GLORY PRE-SEASON HEADS TO SOUTH AFRICA‏

Western Australian based Hyundai A-League team Perth Glory will head to South Africa this weekend for an important part of their pre-season program in the build-up to the 2011/12 Hyundai A-League season.

The 16 day camp will begin on Sunday, with a 30 man touring party to be based between elite sporting facilities in Rustenburg and Durban.

The squad will play three games against top flight South African sides Platinum Stars, Amazula FC and a third to be confirmed.

“The main objective for me is to try a few things, experiment with a few positions and personal,” Perth Glory coach Ian Ferguson said.

Having prepared his squad for the recent friendly against Celtic FC, Ferguson says the squad have now entered the second phase of pre-season and the most crucial.

“This is when it really starts now.

“With all the new players we’ve recruited, we basically have a new team.

“We now have 12 weeks to get ready for the season, 12 weeks to work and get a team together,” Ferguson added.

Prominent South African focussed resources company Continental Coal Limited and natural resource focussed corporate advisory and capital raising firm Komodo Capital are the two major sponsors for the trip. 

Continental Coal Limited (ASX:CCC : US-OTCQX:CGFAY) is a South African thermal coal producer with a portfolio of producing and advanced coal projects located in South Africa’s major coal fields.

It currently has two operating mines, Vlakvarkfontein and Ferreira, producing 2Mtpa of thermal coal for the export and domestic markets. The company has also commenced, or soon will commence development of two further thermal coal mines in South Africa.

Komodo Capital offers capital raising and corporate advisory services to a range of companies, predominately in Africa and in A-League season 2010/11 was the shorts sponsor for Perth Glory.  

They also recognise the importance of, and are committed to, establishing and maintaining strong relationships with local communities in South Africa.

“South Africa has a strong football culture, enhanced by the recent World Cup, and with the large South African community in Western Australia we believe there are great synergies between Perth Glory and the wider South African football community,” Perth Glory CEO, Mr Paul Kelly, commented.

In addition to the significant playing and training commitments Perth Glory will be undertaking as part of its South African tour it will also be visiting a number of local communities and hosting football skills programs which support and develop opportunities and initiatives for South African youth. 

Continental Coal and Komodo Capital see the local community youth initiatives that Perth Glory will undertake as the key basis for their involvement and support of the tour.

It is expected that Perth Glory will host 3-4 coaching clinics at its training venues, with the participants made up of children from local schools, and will visit local communities at both locations.

During these community visits the players and coaching staff will conduct skills session and provide sports clothing and equipment.

“The sponsorship of the Perth Glory pre-season tour to South Africa, and the various community initiatives that will be undertaken during the tour, is an important part of our community development and social programs,” said Continental Coal Executive Director, Mr Jason Brewer.

“We see this trip as a way of bridging cultural divides and building strong and mutually rewarding relationships with the communities in which we operate and importantly contributing to them in a positive manner,” Mr Brewer added.

With the support of its co-major sponsors for the trip, Continental Coal Limited and Komodo Capital, Perth Glory has also had designed and will play in a special kit – which along with all training apparel taking to South Africa will be donated to local South African communities at the end of the visit.

“While this trip is about football, it is also about exposing our players to other cultures and customs and ensuring that we give something back to the communities in which we visit,” added Mr Ferguson.

Both sponsors see this trip as an opportunity for the Perth Glory and the South African football community to build closer ties, which it is hoped will lead to a regular sharing of resources and personnel over time.