International officials have finished top level talks with Australian football stakeholders but the absence of Steven Lowy at a final all-in meeting has thrown up further questions about the FFA chairman’s future.
Having heard from all vested parties over the course of three days, the three-man FIFA delegation wrapped up Thursday’s joint meeting more than three hours early.
They will return to Zurich before stipulating a timeline, composition and mandate for a working group to finally resolve the Australian game’s long-standing impasse on governance reform decreed two years ago.
Representatives from the A-League clubs, state federations and players’ union, along with two FFA board members, were present at FFA headquarters on Thursday to reiterate their positions on who should get a voice on an expanded congress – the body which elects the FFA board.
The association representing the National Premier League was also there, though special interest groups including coaches, referees, women and fans were not.
Greg Griffin, chairman of the A-League clubs’ umbrella body the Australian Professional Football Clubs Association, described the exchanges as “refreshingly cordial”, a stark contrast to past acrimony.
While it’s understood FIFA gave little away, parties left the meeting with the impression the world governing body would act swiftly to set up the congress review working group – its softer alternative to sacking Lowy and his board.
That said, there’s no indication whether it will heed the clubs’ collective warning that Australia’s “declining” professional game faces collapse unless a June 1 deadline is met.
Some fear the protracted saga could yet stretch out as far as November’s annual general meeting.
Should that be the case, FFA has pledged to push ahead with expansion plans and take preliminary steps towards a “new corporate framework” for the A-League and W-League – yet another contentious issue.
What did become clear on Thursday is that FFA is not in control of the reform process, not least because it seems willing to have an independent chairperson run the working group.
Furthermore, it’s understood Lowy wasn’t actually present at Thursday’s gathering.
One of FIFA’s two representatives, Nodar Akhalkatsi, apologised on behalf of the under-pressure FFA chairman, who had a ‘diary clash’.
While FFA confirmed Lowy had already met with the delegation this week, his voluntary absence is unusual given his insistence on heavy involvement in every aspect of the process amid the struggle to maintain power.
It follows his non-attendance at last season’s Dolan Warren Awards night and A-League grand final while abroad on business.
Kris
Guest
Not to mention negotiating the $30 billion sale of Westfield's shopping centres. Not attending major announcements at a time they are making their most significant business decision would be improbable.
Newie
Guest
Major deal going on with the sale of Westfield. He sent his FFA board members to represent FFA. Standard procedure.
Nemesis
Guest
You reckon if Frank Lowy was Chairman of the FFA & CEO of Westfield, he'd have not attended Westfield's global press conference to report the final Financial Result for the company he started 60 years ago? He'd rather attend a pretty meaningless final summary meeting where nothing would be decided? A meeting that many on this forum didn't even want FFA to attend?
JAJI
Guest
Yeah - you cant help but feel Frank Lowy if directly involved would have been at that meeting I am hearing all sorts of stories at the moment. Mind you the Clubs have still not presented their plans to any of the fans despite 800 press releases from Greg Griffin which are gobbled up by the crew at SBS who have permenant chips on their shoulders Gallop and Patrick Delaney hate each other which is an interesting scenario given Delaney is now boss of Foxtel who is about to takeover Fox Sports Who is the figurehead the Clubs and us the fans have in mind that leads the new unified vision going forward? This figurehead needs to have lobbying power with Government Corporate etc etc and also appeal to both sides of the war Remember the Socceroos have been running very very well since 2005 - something Craig Foster and SBS fail to bring up Anyone think Paul Lederer is a go?
Nemesis
Guest
@Mr AFL... "spot the difference"? Seriously that's the funniest post I've seen for a while on this forum. You actually provided us with evidence that proves how ridiculous your original post was. Keep up the good work. Stay away from more knocks to the head. Your issues can only get worse with further trauma.
mattq
Roar Rookie
i'm sure all of this was pre-planned at FIFA were well aware. Probably wouldn't have hurt Lowy to announce publicly up front he wouldn't be attending the final day due to prior commitments in anticipation of how it would be viewed/reported. Another mistake by him.
Waz
Guest
No Grob, that’s your Mr Football like agenda in play here, that’s how you want to see it but you have no facts to base that on. FIFA warned this wouldn’t be an instantaneous process, they even said that about normalisation. They said this visit would be about fact-finding which they have done, and seem to have done pretty well having met with almost every body. That’s what they said they’d do and they did it. Your own layman’s “I wasn’t there but I’m prepared to post as if I know what’s going on” opinion is just that, an uninformed opinion. If you are right, nothing but talk will happen next. If FIFA do what they say they will do, they will announce the terms of reference for the working group and it’s make up. That’s what they said they’d do. So step one has been achieved even though you say it hasn’t. You often criticise people who challenge your posts on this site, this type of activity is why your posts often get reported, as Mr. F’s did. You’re just here for the sport mate, and I don’t mean football, there’s no need to be a tr*l
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
Crisis? What crisis?
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
Waz It depends on how you view it. At the end of the day, it's just more talk about working parties, further discussions, reviews, stakeholder engagement, focus groups, etc, etc FIFA is actually doing nothing, and the attitude of the incumbents appears to be: go do your worst (safe in the knowledge that absolute nothing can happen to the structure of the current congress without it happening under the current constitution, otherwise it's off to court - and the FFA will win).
Waz
Guest
And he missed the A League Grand Final because? and a host of other football events previously because ...? It’s not about “hating” it’s simply this, if Steven Lowy can’t find time for a game that is in crisis - and it is a crisis - then he should move on.
Waz
Guest
You just undid your original post there right? Or did you mean something else?
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
Tom Smithies Verified account @SmithiesTele 58m58 minutes ago More Spot the difference... FFA, Dec 7: “FFA will establish a Congress Review Working Group incl all relevant Australia stakeholders with direct support from FIFA.”FFA, Feb 22: “FIFA will decide on terms of reference for the Working Group incl its composition, mandate and timelines."
Nemesis
Guest
You do realise the Board positions are non-paying? They all have other commitments. He's co-CEO of one of the world's biggest shopping centre conglomerates & this is the final Annual Results he'll deliver for a company his father started. I know everyone hates Steven Lowy, but it's churlish to suggest he's not fully committed to FFA just because he had to do his full time job.
Rolly
Guest
And there lies the problem he doesn't have the passion his dad had for the game he is business man first .its time to go .
Rolly
Guest
Because he knows he has lost the confidence of all parties.
Waz
Guest
Yeah well, if he can’t manage both he should quit one of them. I don’t mind his work at Westfield so he can stay there for me.
Nemesis
Guest
I'd say Steven Lowy had business that's a tad more significant. Westfield Corporation (ASX:WFD) today announced its full year results https://wcsecure.weblink.com.au/pdf/WFD/01953495.pdf
AR
Guest
There must have been a thousand people wince when they read “congress review working group“. Ouch.
Waz
Guest
agree ?
Waz
Guest
Yeah but nah, they’ve done exactly what they said they would do. Lowy’s threat is just bluster, FIFA can just suspend Australia from FIFA and have done with it, and Lowy knows it,