INVESTORS backing a Brisbane Strikers bid to join an expanded A-League would gladly align themselves with a Western Corridor application to increase Queensland’s chances of having a second team in the national competition.

After a report in The Courier-Mail that Ipswich-based NPL Queensland club Western Pride were poised to bid for A-League entry, Miron Bleiberg, part of the Strikers consortium, revealed he was in talks with influential Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale.

“We’re very happy to be involved with Paul with this because he’s a goer,” he said.

“We are exploring all options. For me the Western Corridor starts at the Toowong roundabout (at the base of Mt Coot-tha), includes parts of Logan and goes all the way to Toowoomba.”

Pisasale envisaged the team playing out of Ipswich – either at a yet-to-be built Springfield stadium or a revamped North Ipswich Reserve – but representing the whole of the Western Corridor, which he said had a population catchment of three million.

“It’s the fastest-growing area in the country,” said Pisasale, who added there were some serious players in terms of business and investors based in the region.

“I want to provide something that our juniors can aspire to.”

Pisasale said a Western Corridor team made more sense than another Brisbane-based A-League club.

“All another team from Brisbane do would dilute the support there,” he said.

All interested bidders from around the nation are waiting for FFA to early next year release the criteria needed to become a future A-League club.

Meanwhile, the RNA has welcomed the possibility of Brisbane Roar playing their AFC Champions League playoff game on February 7 at the Brisbane Showgrounds.

The Roar are interested in playing the match at the Gabba or the Showgrounds because of the unavailability of Suncorp Stadium and QSAC, and unsuitability of Ballymore.

If the Gabba and the Showgrounds are not viable options, the match is set to be played at Gold Coast venue Cbus Super Stadium, the Robina facility that is home to the NRL’s Gold Coast Titans.