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David Gallop must be feeling a little besieged. As the chief executive of the FFA, an organisation that seems to dig deeper into its beleaguered foxhole every week as mortars crash down around, it is his face that appears plastered on the agitprop.
This is the visage of the man apparently responsible for stunting the world game in Australia.
Well, that might be a little dramatic. But the situation has cranked up a few notches over the last few months; the FFA are taking fire from all sides, and the manner in which they’ve dawdled around mediating these issues has only served to draw more of it.
Obviously, the delays – or the impression of delays – in the process of clarifying and mobilising the expansion of the A-League is the most visible and risible problem.
Their latest comment on the issue – namely, the lack of urgency they’ve shown in providing a clear blueprint, setting out the criteria for prospective outfits looking to submit expansion bids – was bathed in the same irritating reluctance, a stymied coyness as to when their criteria would arrive.
“FFA will have more to say on this in the coming weeks after engaging with external experts and consulting with the clubs, member federations and other stakeholders.” Gallop said, in a statement.
“With the certainty provided by the new broadcast deal, FFA has been analysing the commercial position of the sport to determine both the feasibility of A-League and W-League expansion and the process to determine where and when expansion should occur”
“Has been analysing”? The mootings, rumbling around for a while now, have been that the FFA would have their criteria ready to release this month.
Now statements loosely referring to “the coming weeks”, that amble lazily around even the idea that expansion would be feasible, are being released.
There are a number of bids so eager to submit – namely those coming out of Wollongong and Tasmania – they’re practically trembling, fingers hovering above the send button on their keyboards, confident in their suitability even in lieu of specific criteria.
Are the FFA waiting for the bids they want to prepare sufficient financial backing? Gallop prefaced the comments above by reasserting the need for any bid to have significant financial support. At this point, with the sentiment leaning in the direction it is, it would be a surprise if any significant progress was made this month.
Meanwhile, red hot shrapnel is flying in from a slightly different direction, as the AFLW’s sudden and raucous rise casts the floundering, unsupported W-League into an even more unflattering shadow. Yes, the handsome television figures for the AFLW’s opening round, as well as the hugely encouraging attendance numbers will not be representative of the averages as the season goes on.
But the concerted marketing campaign, the hugely positive atmosphere surrounding it, and the way the AFLW has been woven neatly into the men’s side of things makes it almost seem as if there is a concerted effort to make the W-League as clunky and hindered as possible.
The fact that the W-League doesn’t play a full home and away season is bad enough. The fact that the players are all criminally underpaid – a worldwide problem in the women’s game – exacerbates things as well.
Adelaide’s women didn’t click into gear until after round 11, and then proceeded to score 17 goals in their next three games. But, tragically, those three wins came in the final three rounds of the regular season, and it all was too little, too infuriatingly late.
There is a serious risk, perhaps not immediately, but eventually, that the W-League will wither away – certainly in the minds of young women eager to pursue a professional sporting career – in the face of the vibrant, bold new AFLW rival.
The FFA hierarchy made a visit to FIFA earlier this month, and released a statement a few days ago, stating that they confirmed with FIFA president Gianni Infantino that they are seeking to expand the FFA congress.
After news announcing the visit was released in late January, the Australian Professional Football Clubs Association issued a stern warning that if the intention of the visit was to delay any congressional revamp, that there would be dire consequences. This was one of a number of veiled threats over the past year or so, each one thickening the tension between the professional clubs, the league itself, and the FFA.
Thankfully, the FFA have not escalated this issue, and the March deadline appears to be agreed upon. The changes ought really to dramatically expand the influence the A and W-Leagues have on the democratic process at the FFA, as well as expanded representation for the Matildas. The changes that are made had better take this into consideration, if the FFA want to avoid fighting on a third or fourth front.
As the professional clubs simmer, a new rival looms up, and A-League expansion stumbles, the FFA appears as the pencil-moustached villain of multiple melodramas. How they act in, as they say, the coming weeks, will have a huge say in the immediate and long-term future of football in this country. They’d better get a move on.