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FFA drafts in Greg O’Rourke as new A-League boss

Is a Big Bash-style A-League experience the way to go? (Image: Twitter/FFA)
13th July, 2016
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Australia’s premier football competition has a new boss, with the FFA announcing Greg O’Rourke will take over as the head of the A-League.

O’Rourke was a board member of Football NSW, where he was also chairman, but it is in business that he made his name. O’Rourke spent five years as the operations manager for PepsiCo Australia and New Zealand, the organisation which produces products such as Pepsi, Gatorade and Smith’s.

O’Rourke was also a member of PepsiCo’s executive leadership team.

“He [O’Rourke] has extensive corporate and commercial experience blended with a love of the game,” said FFA chairman David Gallop.

“It’s going to be an excellent period for the game, and Greg is well placed to lead the game and the clubs.”

O’Rourke does have an extensive background in the sport. He became involved in the administration of football in 2001, when he became treasurer of Barden Ridge Football Club in Sydney’s south. He held a number of different positions at the club before becoming president of the Sutherland Shire Football Association in 2008, and later moving onto his stint at Football NSW.

“I’ve been playing the game since I was six. I’ve played ever since, and will continue until I get good at it,” said O’Rourke.

“That’s the last time you’re going to hear about me, from me. From now on, I want to focus on the league, and the football.”

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Talking about his vision for the league, O’Rourke said the wishes of fans would be an important factor in the direction for the competition.

“In the corporate world, if you can’t build relationships, you won’t succeed. It’s the same in football,” he said.

“There’s no use the FFA having a strategy that’s not aligned with the clubs, and the clubs being aligned to the fans.”

The new A-League boss also said he was looking to expand the competition.

“I think expansion is inevitable, and it’s the right thing to do. But we need to make sure the ten teams we have are sustainable,” O’Rourke said.

“Expansion is a matter for the board, but it should be sooner rather than later. Not saying next year, but we need to capture excitement.

“I want to say expansion will happen in my tenure.”

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O’Rourke will officially begin his role in late August

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