The Bundesliga giant, who had four Australians on their books over the years including Socceroos great Ned Zelic and national team gloveman Mitch Langerak – will set up a full time academy here with on-going player education after an initial series of coaching clinics, starting next January in the city’s south-west.
Dortmund's arrival down under follows on the heels of Liverpool setting up a full-time academy in the city, and is further proof of Australia’s growing significance as a talent breeding ground.
And they will also be here in person for exhibition matches in the coming years in proof of their commitment to Australia as a growing presence on football's world stage.
The link-up between the eight-time Bundesliga champions and SSDFA was brokered by Benchmark Sports and Entertainment, whose managing director Buddy Farah, a former Australia Under-23 international who is passionate about growing the game in Australia, said: “Dortmund have been building their brand in places like Singapore, China, USA and now here … they are reaching out and they are all about discovering the best youth players in the world.
“In the latest transfer windows, they brought in six of the top 20 players under the age of 23 on the planet and they are now keen to helping kids here develop their games and reach their full potentials.
“They see Australia as a promising market to tap into, hence why they want to cement some roots here.
“And to do that, geographically Sydney’s western suburbs couldn't be a better location.
"Everybody knows how many Socceroos players have come from the region over the years. It's been a powerhouse.
“So the proof is in the pudding."
Southern Districts boasts a junior membership of 22,000, the highest in NSW.
“That's a pretty significant number," said Farah. "This is a joint venture which will hopefully have far reaching implications for all those involved.
“Andy Favallaro (the SSDFA chairman) saw the potential in this project and hopefully it’s just the start of a long-time partnership.”
The Dortmund brand's expansion will eventually include Fan Shop engagement, the broadcasting of live Dortmund games, player and coaching pathways and an exchange of philosophy plus a full-run academy and coach education programs.
Representative teams will be taken on tours to Dortmund and there will be hospitality packages to watch Dortmund in action in the UEFA Champions League and Bundesliga.
The first clinics run from January 10-13 and 16-19, 2017, at Ernie Smith Reserve, Kelso Park, Moorebank.
