The future of NSW Premier League football in the Illawarra is all but secure after months of uncertainty, with Wollongong Community Football Club ready to rise from the ashes of the Wollongong Wolves. WCFC has started training for their inaugural NSW Premier League campaign under coach Tony Pace.Last year's leading goalscorer Ilija Prenzoski, midfield combination Balla Conde and Steve Hayes, Alfredo and Samet Kaynak - who all played in the Wolves' grand final win last year - form the nucleus of Pace's first-team side. The group started training at Kooloobong Oval on the first Monday of the new year and the club is promising more signings in the coming weeks. In the meantime, the new club's interim committee, dotted with members of the last Wolves committee, have a lot of work to do to ensure a first grade team - and by extension the club's seven junior sides - takes the field this year. The money raised through a rally in December to save the region's NSW Premier League licence is sitting in trust to go to the new holders, Wollongong Epic Events South Coast, once the new club's entry is approved. Although they won't say it publicly, club sources are confident Football NSW will approve the transfer of the region's licence from the Wolves to the new club at a meeting on January 21. An AGM will be held the same day to elect WCFCs board.The club has also been told it will play Premier League rivals Manly FC in the Johnny Warren Cup and the competition draw, which was released last week, has the club scheduled to play its home games at Crehan Park. Although the plans for coaches, uniforms, colours, logos and a team name are well advanced, the new club still needs to raise money, and lots of it. WCFC needs to raise more than $100,000 before a ball is kicked this season and hopes its 2009 operating budget will be about $360,000.The club will be relying on its foundation membership drive, which has raised more than $60,000, and mid-level sponsorships to bankroll this season. WCFC also concedes it will be difficult to attract a major sponsor to tip in more than $100,000. "A number of exiting new and existing sponsorship arrangements are being negotiated at the present time and we hope to make some announcements shortly," WCFC spokesperson Dave Wallace said. "We are still looking for a major sponsor, however, given the current financial climate it will be difficult, with many clubs finding larger sponsors deals hard to come by."Coaches have been named for all teams: Seniors, Pace; Wayne Farnsworth (under 20s); Dino Muratovic (under 18s); Peter Willis (under 16s); Matt Borg (under 15s); Mark Vinton (under 14s); Shane Raynor (under 13s); Michael Garcia (under 12s) and Chris Jackson (under 11s).