Chief Executive Officer of Football Federation Australia, Ben Buckley, has announced he will step down from his role at the conclusion of negotiations for the FFA’s new broadcast deal in about two months.
Former CEO of the NRL and Australian Rugby League Commission, David Gallop, has been appointed the new Chief Executive Officer.
Chairman of FFA, Frank Lowy, said Buckley first raised the prospect of moving on from FFA several months ago and the two had agreed the conclusion of the broadcast deal was a logical time to make a career move.
“The broadcast deal is at the heart of the future of football in this country and it has been the most critical aspect of my work for the past 18 months,” said Buckley.
“I told the Chairman some time ago I was determined to negotiate the best possible deal to underpin the future growth of the game but that once done I would like to work with he and the board to identify a successor.”
Lowy said Buckley had discussed Gallop with him about two months ago. Buckley had contacted Gallop soon after he had left the NRL and had discussed possible opportunities at FFA.
“These discussions created the opportunity for us to consider Gallop as a successor to Ben,” he said.
Lowy described Buckley as one of Australia’s finest sports administrators.
“Ben has worked tirelessly for football both at home and abroad and has steered the game through a difficult period of consolidation.
“He has the respect and thanks of the board for his contribution and he will remain a valued friend of the game.
“I wish him well for the future.”
Lowy said he was looking forward to working with Gallop to build on past achievements and grow the game into the future.
“Mr Gallop comes to the job well-equipped to meet the challenges ahead.
“He is an experienced sports administrator of high standing and is widely respected across all sports.”
Gallop is on leave overseas and will be available to media on his return in about two weeks. He will assume his new role with FFA before the end of the year with the commencement date to be confirmed soon.
phutbol
Guest
NQ and GCU were WC bid pawns. They were pretty much toast as soon as we lost the bid. Blame BB if you want but I dont think it was his decision to try to host a WC. In hindsight the WC bid was probably the biggest mis-step made by FFA/lowy et al. It's demise started a bit of a downward spiral that took a while to halt due to so many resources bieng aimed at the bid at the expense of the A-league in particular it seems. The 'badwill' (is that a word?) generated in the fallout of the bid also exacerbated the spiral i think too. But to say it all BB's fault is a bit rich IMO.
Kasey
Guest
What is it with some football fans and the obsession with expansion? Can't we just see if we get one right (WSWFC)before we jump headlong into even thinking about Canberra, Townsville or Wollongong.
Kasey
Guest
What a surprise, I actually agree in part with something MelbCro has said: As I said in todays Roar Article: Ultimately though, it is not the CEO(Buckley or Gallop) that sets the agenda of the FFA. It is the Chairman. I predict that not much will change in overall direction under Gallop because most of the important decisions are still obviously Frank Lowy’s. What I think we can expect from Gallop is a better day-to-day running of the A-League as a competition and how it interacts with the media.
Salty
Guest
+++++2Million
Salty
Guest
I will bet my superannuation fund to yours that he is RIGHT and you will be left with egg all over your face.
He told me SO
Guest
Gallop is tried and tested. He got the NRL through some of their darkest days. He has the "legal" background . He can 't be worse. The TV deal that they just got is what we deserve. Happy days I hope for football fans ;) -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
MelbCro
Guest
"DG is more likely to understand Aust Football club and supporter culture than an Asian or American" An Asian or American football person would certainly understand football supporter culture better than Gallop
MelbCro
Guest
Yeah mate, great fan interaction like when he called Melbourne Storm fans terrorists. Gallop will be a yes man to Lowy, just as Buckley was.
Midfielder
Guest
Fuss Sorta agree re home ends .. but the fear of anyone in charge is crowd behaviour no matter how small will be shown as the end of the world as we know it see the recent WSW thing...
Football United
Guest
Peter Wilt. He has been pushed by football fans over the last year to replace BB as he was one of the key players in the MLS to make it sustainable by pushing for Soccer-Specific Stadiums and fan engagement. His knowledge of Australian Football is very impressive considering his heritage and has been involved in much discussion with Australian Football fans and online media. As for DG being more likely to understand Aust Football club and supporter culture than an Asian or American, I call bull. We had an absolute nightmare in a ex-AFL BB led FFA clamping down on Football supporter culture through ticketed 'home ends', the hiring of Hatamoto and until recently little sympathy for the crack down on active fans. RL and AFL people don't get football fans and what a football club should be unless they themselves are football fans.
Philip Coates
Roar Guru
Mike, you sound just like QSAF. You forget John O'Neil and Frank Lowy did a TV deal for a competition that had not even kicked a ball. Despite your negativity, and no doubt a glitch or two here or there, the A-League will do fine over the next few years - Just wait AND see if I'm not right!!!
Philip Coates
Roar Guru
I'll bet if FFA had appointed an Asian or American you'd be saying "why didnt they employ a local?" DG is more likely to understand Aust Football club and supporter culture than an Asian or American - unless you can actually name some for us who are available and who want the job. Whether DG understands Football enough we will have to wait and see, but I'd rather a local administrator and someone who knows the movers and shakers in Aust sport and business, than a foreigner who would be learning on the job.
Philip Coates
Roar Guru
How can you say he hardly came across as competent? The fact is the NRL has just signed a $1B TV deal ... that wasnt done on the basis of the guys running the NRL show for the past few weeks, it was thanks to the administration DG ran for the past ten years building the NRL to what it has achieved today.
Bondy.
Guest
Jamesb. I agree Gallop can handle a crisis with aplomb, he had plenty.
mike
Guest
You forget that he had the commercial media 'ON HIS SIDE' when he worked for the NRL! But NOW he has crossed over to the darkside by joining Football, he has become their WORST ENEMY and just like John O'Neil and Ben Buckley before him he will find the WELCOME MAT will suddenly be withdrawn AND the DOOR slammed shut in his face - Just wait AND see if I'm not right! When will Lowy ever learn that courting the commercial media by offering an olive branch is a complete waste of time and will never return positive results for Football. As Einstein said, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again AND then wondering why you keep getting the same result.
mike
Guest
And exactly how much is this "enormous FFA media deal" worth genius?
mike
Guest
Anything less than $90M per season will be considered a total failure by Ben Buckley and prove that the FFA's critics were correct all along that Football is being robbed by the media!
whiskeymac
Guest
good appointment.
Brick Tamlin of the Pants Party
Guest
To be honesty Gallops cautious approach is probably something the A-League needs right now.I just want a new era of stability and making sure the ten clubs we have now flourish.
Jon stevens
Guest
All this guy was interested in at the nrl was self preservation. Hence (reactionary).Just wanted to sit comfortably in his high paid job and do nothing. Just ask phil Gould. He had him pegged. Not sure about this one. I JUST PRAY I'M WRONG.