Football's fate is in Steven Lowy’s hands

FIFA had the option of going full Normalisaiton, but didn't take it, and went down the path of the CWRG. By all reports, full Normalisation is off the agenda. The CWRG has done its job, had an independent chair, produced a good report with good recommendations, was even signed off by an FFA board member. So I'm not sure FIFA is going to want to jump in headlong and throw the baby out with the bath water. The key point is that whatever power FIFA has, it can't change the FFA's constitution unilaterally which requires 8 of 10 votes of the existing congress. We believe that the four smallest feds are going to vote against it. What we don't know is the extent to which they disagree with the recommendations, and whether any of them are open to some horse trading to change their minds (my guess is that one or two would be). For argument's sake, let's say there is a 33% chance of each of the following happening: 1. four feds vote against 2. three feds vote against (one changes mind) 3. two feds vote against (two change mind), and the motion is passed. If by chance the CWRG falls short by one vote (option 2 above), would FIFA be inclined to take such drastic action when it's now looking so close? I would not discount the possibility of more time being made available to get the 8 votes.

" until someone is able to impress on those feds without professional teams how the new structure will benefit them (or at least not send them backwards), one can understand why they might be wishing to hold onto what they have for as long as is feasible." the key point there being "benefit them". Those state federations along with Lowy are acting in their own interests and not the interests of the game itself, that is why people are rightly crticising them. The game in Australia has been consistently held back because of administrators acting in their own interests, and not those of the game. These state federations were consulted by the working group, they voted for representatives on the working group so no excuses. "It’s not out of the question that FIFA might give the congress another year to work out a new voting structure, that in itself might be considered a win by the four smallest federations." No they won't. They chose 'normalisation lite' to try and get an agreement and so if that doesn't work they will have no choice but to go the full nuclear option of "normalisation heavy" including likely suspension from FIFA.

Yes, but as Mark points out, until someone is able to impress on those feds without professional teams how the new structure will benefit them (or at least not send them backwards), one can understand why they might be wishing to hold onto what they have for as long as is feasible. It's not out of the question that FIFA might give the congress another year to work out a new voting structure, that in itself might be considered a win by the four smallest federations.

I'm pretty confident that it if came to that, it would be a temporary state of affairs. But even before we get there, who would want to be remembered as the one who was Chair, or head of a Federation which voted against a proposal, which ultimately got us kicked out FIFA. Geez, you'd need to be pretty shameless and have a thick hide. Expect a bit more horse trading and the odd vote buying (and by that, I don't mean anything illegal, but certain assurances around funding or similar).

I also think it would affect our women’s World Cup bid, too.

Hellenic and Devonport city have demonstrated that tassie and Northern Territory should be represented in the proposed second division.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I could not support a game in Australia that is not part of FIFA. And having our tentative plans to attend France 2019 in June/July made purposeless would just make it worse.

We didn't make the world cup for 32 years, so I think we can survive not appearing in one Asian Cup.

Your last point is along my line of thinking. I have no idea what the writer means when he says the smaller state feds should ‘grow some balls’. I think the more courageous course of action is to refuse to be railroaded into an outcome that is not in their interest. The proposed structure would see a shift of power and money from the state feds, who represent the amateur and grassroots parts of the game, to the professional game. NNSW has the Jets, but ACT, NT and Tas have no presence in the professional game, and the latter two have no realistic prospect of being part of it. Those three regions get no benefit whatsoever from the professional game in Australia, so why should they vote for the change?

"I am glad you are now accepting that FFA’s Official Registered Participant numbers are far superior than any survey." What are you on about? You really make no sense most of the time. I'm not sure if it's due to natural ineptitude, or it's a function of chemical ingestion. Nothing in my post would lead anyone to the conclusion you made. Regardless, I hope you seek help for whatever problems you have.

@ Nemesis 8.8 and your comment "Each registered player gets a vote". I am glad you are now accepting that FFA's Official Registered Participant numbers are far superior than any survey (eg AusPlay -which only surveyed 0.1% of the population; &, even more absurdly, counts as a "participant" in a particular sport any one who answers in the survey they played that sport ONLY ONCE in the preceding 12 months!!). Reason is prevailing now, at last. In the old Tuckerman article, in The Comments Section, you were arguing, hilariously, that AusPlay numbers were more accurate than the FFA's own 2017 Official Registered participant numbers.

If FIFA suspend us, and we miss the Asia Cup and France 2019, goodbye football.

The key point of the Crawford report was to stop the top level clubs having a large vote in Soccer Australia. Now we have the A-league club owners using FIFA which is now more corrupt and easily influenced without Blatter to come and reverse it, and all the network of agents,journos, players all see it as an opportunity to get on the gravy train. Its not democracy when the A_league owners have a 1/3 of the vote. Do major company executives get a 1/3 of the vote at Australian elections.

Waz Well put when you posted """' This ladies and gentlemen is what absolute power does – it corrupts and deludes people like Lowy into believing because they and they and they alone have power/wealth/status only they know what’s right."""

– The proposed model does not sufficiently broaden the membership of FFA at the outset – to this end, the FFA Board was supportive of the immediate admission of special interest groups including AAFC in light of the importance of NPL Clubs in the Australian football ecosystem Then why the hell didn't you include them in your original proposed model? I agree with nearly all of FFA's criticism of the CRWG model but FFA had their chance and blew it. They sound like whining children now

There is no basis for the four states to oppose change. If they do, bring on suspension, we will survive that despite the loss of income, playing competitions like the WC, and face. This ladies and gentlemen is what absolute power does - it corrupts and deludes people like Lowy into believing because they and they and they alone have power/wealth/status only they know what’s right.

Each registered player does get a vote. Each registered player can vote for their Club's President. Each Club's President gets to vote for the Regional Representative on the State Congress. Each State Congress votes for the State President. Each State President is represented on the FFA Council and gets a vote for the FFA Board & FFA Constitutional changes. This is how most democracies operate. T The only issue is there is a gerrymander. Since each State gets 1 vote on FFA Congress, each player in NSW (most registered players) has a vote that is worth less, than each player in Northern Territory (fewest registered players).

"If they decide to not turn up then football is finished as a professional sport!" FSA could lead a fan boycott if they want to. https://footballsupporters.org.au/

That Statement is written by the FFA Board & signed by the FFA Chairman. Neither the FFA Board, nor the Chairman, nor any FFA employee, has the authority to block anything to do with this Reform Process. Only 3 people in Australia, from a group of 10 people, can block the CRWG Reforms.

The fate of Football depends on the FANS! and only the fans! If they decide to not turn up then football is finished as a professional sport! If they decide they don't care about the FFA and still turn up then life goes on as it has! God help the FFA if the fans ever realise just how much power they hold and can find a way to act as a cohesive unit! That is the true future of football.