Carlo Villani laments AWFA’s decision to sell headquarters

Villani, a founding member and inaugural president of the Italo-Australian Sports Club (Italo Club) in South Albury, was disappointed he wasn’t contacted by the AWFA executive about the sale.

AWFA president Mark Leman didn’t return calls by The Border Mail on Thursday.

According to Domain Media, the building on Abercorn Street was sold on May 29 for $424,000 in a private deal.

In 2006, the Italo Club was gifted to the AWFA because of the inability of the declining membership to service the costs of club operation.

“I expected maybe a letter to apologise, but there was nothing,” Villani said.

“To me, they’re like animals.

“They should have gone to school to learn how to respect.

“They’ve got no respect, they put themselves first like wild dogs.

“In the last four years, we haven’t made any progress either.

“They fight between themselves and no-one gave me a call, but we gave them $400,000.”

The Italo Australian Sports Club was conceived in 1978 by the Italian community of Albury-Wodonga. 

The first meeting to establish the club was held at the Astor Hotel, where a formal committee was organised consisting of 49 members.

The aim was to establish a place for their community to meet and conduct social events and participate in sporting activities, primarily football (soccer).

In 2014, former AWFA president Craig McDonald approached Stephen Chaffey to form a working group to conduct a review of the Italo Club and identify management options for the asset.

“The essence of the original vision of the founding members was based around community and football,” the review stated.

“These two themes are also core principle interests of the AWFA, hence any future decision by the AWFA regarding the Italo Club must and should have these themes as central to it in order to honour the legacy gifted by the Italian community of Albury-Wodonga.”

Villani said he would like to see the funds received from the sale used to support struggling clubs within the association, as well as ensuring the region’s juniors receive the best coaching to aid their development.