FFA boss David Gallop coy on future, won’t rule out interest in Cricket Australia job
FOOTBALL Federation Australia boss David Gallop insists his immediate future lies in his existing role, but would not go so far as to rule himself out a switch to another code.
Football
Don't miss out on the headlines from Football. Followed categories will be added to My News.
FOOTBALL Federation Australia boss David Gallop insists his immediate future lies in his existing role, but would not go so far as to rule himself out a switch to Cricket Australia.
Linked with a move to CA since incumbent CEO James Sutherland announced his resignation, Gallop — a former grade cricketer — deflected questions about his long-term future after flying in to observe the Socceroos’ World Cup preparations.
Though FFA chairman CEO Steven Lowy insisted he remains “100 per cent” confident that Gallop would not leave, the ongoing row with A-League clubs over the future control of the game has cast shadows over the existing FFA leadership.
UNLIKELY TRIO: SPEED DEMONS SPEARHEAD SOCCEROOS’ ATTACK
REDEMPTION: RUSSIAN HOOLIGANS LOCKED UP FOR CUP
FLASHBACK: ONE OF FOOTBALL’S MOST SICKENING MOMENTS
Sutherland is to serve a 12-month notice period, and though Gallop said he had not yet been approached over the role, he was coy on how an approach would be received.
“At this stage I’ve got plenty of challenges and exciting opportunities in this job, and that’s what I’m concentrating on,” he said.
Asked if he would rule out any interest in the role, Gallop added: “I gave you the answer.”
Lowy was more forthright, declaring he was “100 per cent confident that David will remain the CEO of FFA, 100 per cent”.
The future construct of the game’s leadership will be defined in coming weeks as a working group of A-League clubs, the players union, the state federations and an FFA board member maps out a new structure, under the leadership of Adelaide lawyer and sports administrator Judith Griggs.
Lowy put his support behind Griggs, though he warned that negotiations could be fraught.
“Am I confident? I’m hopeful it will be resolved with a fresh approach, with a result the game can go forward with,” he said.
“There were some vastly different views and still may be. It’s a high hurdle, with the current structure of our Congress.
“Maybe there’ll be new issues that come up and there are some fairly fixed positions among the members. “So I guess having an independent chair going through and trying to break through these issues is a fair way through it.”