Following a couple of years of agitation, working groups and negotiations, which finally led to a change in the FFA constitution, the expanded congress were able to vote in the new board at Monday’s AGM.
If the NSL and former Soccer Australia represented “old soccer”, and the Lowy revolution, the A-League and the FFA represented “new football”, how do we describe the changing of the guard and the new board? Oldish Newish Soccer Football seems apt.
The lead up to the AGM certainly took us back to the political machinations of old soccer. Craig Foster wooed the electorate like a seasoned politician, except the electorate he was appealing to were not the ones voting. Days out from the AGM, he saw the writing on the wall and withdrew his nomination, despite being the clear favourite amongst the football loving public.
Mark Rendell, who was linked to Geoff Lord’s Belgravia bid which did not make the short list, withdrew his nomination soon after.
Judith Griggs, who chaired the CWRG and helped author the report which ushered in the necessary constitutional change, pulled out of the race a while back.
On the Friday before the vote, football commentators such as Ray Gatt of The Australian and Bonita Mersiades, founder and editor of Football Today, were reporting on the four candidates most likely to get voted onto the new board. On the morning of the vote, Joseph Carrozzi publicly confirmed his resignation from the GWS board of directors, so confident was he of his spot on the new FFA board.
When the voting finally took place, three candidates reached the 60 per cent threshold after the first round of votes. Heather Reid, former Head of Canberra Football, was almost unanimous, with 90.78 votes.
In other words, one federation and one A-League club did not vote for her.
Carrozzi came in second with 75.56 votes and Chris Nikou came in third with 68.44 votes. Of the rest, Stephen Conroy and Remo Nogarotto were the best positioned to land the fourth seat, finishing in the low 40s. Interestingly, at this point of the voting, Conroy was actually in front of Nogarotto.
At the other end of the voting, then current board member, Daniel Moulis was sitting on 12.22 votes (the equivalent of two federations’ votes) and surprisingly, former referee Mark Shield received zero votes, even failing to land a vote from those who nominated him.
In the second round of voting, only Nogarotto and Conroy received votes, with the former jumping to the lead with 53.11 votes, but still short of the 60 per cent threshold.
Before the third round of voting took place, Conroy retired from the race.
With two directors to be co-opted by the board, Conroy remains in the race for one of those seats, as does the only other female in the running, Linda Norquay.
Later that evening, the board elected Chris Nikou to the Chair, and Heather Reid as the Deputy Chair.
Now, while I would agree it’s far too early to judge the composition of the board or to predict what’s likely to happen, there are some interesting pointers.
Both Remo Nogarotto and Joseph Carrozzi were involved with NSL clubs, and the former held senior roles in Soccer Australia before it was disbanded and replaced by the FFA.
Given how the Lowy regime distanced itself from “old soccer”, with these two appointments, we see a slight move back in that direction.
Heather Reid is much respected in the football community, reflected in her near unanimous election. She has been a strong voice for women’s football, and grassroots football more generally, and I don’t expect that to change.
With a Canberra bid being one of the shortlisted bids for A-League expansion, you would think those behind that bid won’t be disappointed at Reid claiming the Deputy Chair.
As a former head of a small federation, one would expect Reid was a Lowy supporter.
With Nikou, we have a Chair who is very much a “new football” person and an outspoken critic of “old soccer”.
He has previously been on the Victory board, but the most curious aspect of his recent roles is that he has been on the FFA Board since October 2014.
He worked with Griggs on the CWRG report recommending constitutional change, but then was part of the FFA board which rejected the very same report.
All in all, of the four directors voted in, we have two from “old soccer” and two from “new football”. That might represent a healing of sorts, but one wonders, is this the “change” everyone had in mind in bringing the game forward?
stu
Guest
The character of a Frank Lowey is best suited to a privately run boutique competition. I would suggest a Frank Lowey type would not have the patience for comitties run buy the people, for the people. AFL/NRL better fit that description, and as a result they flourish as the 'people' feel it is their game. I believe Frank was the right person, at the right time. Not now.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
I was just reading a Vince Rugari article in the Brisbane Times: Nogarotto, Carrozzi could sit out A-League expansion vote It refers to both Nogarotto and Carrozzi being linked to the SW Sydney bid, to play out of Campbelltown. They will both sit out the vote. Interestingly, despite Heather Reid's history with Canberra soccer, she will NOT sit out the vote. Nevertheless, the two favourites, according to this article, appear to be SW Sydney and the SE Melbourne bid (Team 11). Apparently, the FFA already talking with the newly elected Vic government to build a 15,000 seat stadium next to Dandenong train station. Seems a long shot, but if it does eventuate, would be a boon for the local area and soccer more generally, even though a team based out there is likely to fail.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
The trouble is, the one bloke who you'd think has the most in common with South Melbourne's origins, who has the top job no less, is the one most likely to NOT support South Melbourne. Of the two other effniks on the board, who both were involved in the old NSL, at least one of them has a direct link with one of the Sydney bids, and the other is from Sydney at any rate. Heather Reid likely to support the Canberra bid. The one blessing for South Melbourne, it's unlikely the board will be unanimous as to who should get the two spots.
con tripodis
Guest
well if the FFA with all the ethnics working and holding top spots in there and if they still have bias against their own heritage they should be ashamed as i know if they do have bias their parents and ancestors would truly be ashamed of them
Mister Football
Roar Guru
I agree that South Melbourne is the best positioned out of everyone, to hit the ground running immediately, but has the FFA lost its bias against the effniks?
con tripodis
Guest
reading today about the expansion and how its getting tight for who ever is going to be let in and the fact that they want too go to 14 teams, why dont they use common sense and call it as too how it stands, the only 2 teams that are ready to go are the two that have their own stadiums that is it full stop, south melbourne and canberra ,and if they want to fit in another two than take a couple of more months to decide the other two for the following year or two years , which will be a four way battle of the remainder ,although i would give them the licence on condition that they have one year to get approval for their stadiums and the following year to come in, so in essence its a two year wait for them and they will need that if they want success, they need to get their chemistry right not like melb city they are a massive joke ,their just lucky man city is their boss
Kangas
Roar Rookie
The cricket always had the worst behaved crowds in the bad old days
Kangas
Roar Rookie
Fair enough That’s a amateur league or at best semi professional, who pays the flights and accommodation arcross the country? To have any baby steps , it’s nerds to be funded by clubs and through a media deal . This might happen, but currently the ratings are very poor, so future media deals will not be good . This is going to be quite a few years down the road before a fully funded second division .
con tripodis
Guest
Democracy has never ever existed in old soccer or new football call it what ever u like, from the Crawford report ,to that red nedneck o'niel the lowe's hired to carry out the axing of some of the best clubs in Australia ,to the demonising of soccer by the tv channels and mainstream media, with our terrible ethnic violence what a joke i was in the middle of all that no ethnic violence just tribal scuffles i have seen and been part of far bigger crowd violence in AFL games many more times , has anyone ever heard of a massive moorabbin carpark fight involving hundreds of spectators between st kilda fans and the visiting team many years ago ,how about people bashed outside collingwood ground spilling into victoria street with severe injuries, NO because the redneck tv stations would never publicise that always making excuses for the crims that play the game ,like oh gee he only sold drugs because he was going thru a depression or he raped the girl but she may have encouraged him ,where as with soccer it was oh my god those ethnics they are lighting flares oh my god they are fighting we better take away their teams and leave them with nothing, millions of people treated like children ,you have been bad now we are confiscating your toys and who did that our own soccer administration so much for multiculturalism where is the democracy tell me where
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Some of the new board members have links to the shortlisted bids, pretty well documented, not really sure what you are talking about.
Jordan Klingsporn
Roar Guru
What i mean by Baby Steps is, why don't we start the 2nd division with little or no broadcast. Low quality stadium and then work from there,
Kangas
Roar Rookie
Spot on
Nemesis
Guest
"the feeling is that .." No. That's your feeling. You only look for negatives every single day in relation to anything to do with football, so your feeling are "nothing more than feelings". 1 week ago your "feeling" was absolute - there would simply be no expansion because your "feeling" was the new Board is controlled by the existing ALeague Clubs and your "feeling" was the existing Aleague clubs want a boring 10 team competition. Now, in just 1 week, your "feeling" has changed completely. You now have a "feeling" there will be expansion, but your "feeling" is that the Board will be biased & make bad business decisions. Others might be impressed by your occasional willingness to engage on football issues. But, those of us who have seen your daily sneers at football are savvy enough to know exactly what your are.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
I thought one thing Shield would have brought was independence. No direct link with any fed, no direct link with any club, no direct link with any bid, etc.
jbinnie
Guest
Waz - Now that we have that cleared up may I pass comment on your faith in another administrative body,Fifa. With their performance record over the last 5 or so years I doubt if anyone in the game can have much faith in their decision making processes, even Frank Lowy learned from an experience in their "democratic "processes, which from outside the circle appeared to be not that much different from how our game is being run today. By the way I have not written one word concerning the new committee members elected last week, but having been through the NSL experience there will be a couple of decision makers I will follow with interest. Cheers jb..
Kangas
Roar Rookie
It’s democracy at its conniving worst Let’s be realistic and keep our eyes open
Kangas
Roar Rookie
Massive generalisation with out evidence. Careless. Really ?? They are not reasons not to appoint him either , if they were true . Facts please
con tripodis
Guest
this democracy we saw was like ancient rome lots of knifes out there as well u only vote in democracy not will and deal and know you got no chance so you drop out how the hell is that democracy
con tripodis
Guest
a referee in charge of our game now that would be bad news they are cold careless and stiff no thanks
Kangas
Roar Rookie
Jordan Baby steps is not a solution The second division has been spoken about for ages without a funding example. Is the second division semi pro like the npl or full time ? A second division needs to be funded . It’s thst simple