Football Confidential: New board’s ties to A-League expansion bids

Who will choose the new clubs once A-League expansion gets the green light? The new board, we hear you cry, but it might not be that simple.

FFA deputy chair Heather Reid has been a strong suppporter of Canberra’s A-League bid.

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Who will choose the new clubs once A-League expansion gets the green light? The new board, we hear you cry, but it might not be that simple.

Of the four new directors elected on Monday, three have significant ties with some of the bids, presenting incoming chairman Chris Nikou with a major headache at his first board meeting.

As the former boss of Capital football, FFA deputy chair Heather Reid was spruiking a Canberra team as recently as 2015, and has made no secret of her belief that the capital needs an A-League team.

Earlier this year, PwC partner Joseph Carrozzi put his name to a report commissioned by the then South-West Sydney consortium, underlining the economic benefits of siting an A-League team around the Campbelltown corridor.

FFA deputy chair Heather Reid has been a strong suppporter of Canberra’s A-League bid.

And Remo Nogarotto has, we understand, been an unofficial adviser to the now combined Macarthur South West Sydney bid, and his firm helped to draft its submission.

None of this is to suggest anything untoward – in fact you could argue that it proves all three directors have been well across the need for expansion long before standing for the board.

But it does suggest all three might have to recuse themselves from the vote – and two of the three remaining directors, Kelly Bayer Rosmarin and Crispin Murray, were part of the old board which parked the whole concept before this week’s elections.

That leaves Nikou, whose in tray is suddenly looking very full indeed.

“The individual directors are very experienced in their respective fields and are well aware of their obligations to properly manage any real or perceived conflicts of interest,” an FFA spokesperson told us.

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There were various claims of skulduggery and collusion around the FFA board elections, but to us one of the most shameful parts was the fact former ref Mark Shield received no votes – which looks very odd given the state federations in Tasmania and the ACT had been prepared to nominate him, but not vote for him.

Confidential sought answers from both bodies as to why, but answer came there none – accountability apparently not mattering much.

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There was a very interesting and extended conversation between board candidates Remo Nogarotto and Stephen Conroy while votes were being counted on Monday.

Stephen Conroy (let) and Remo Nogarotto at Monday’s FFA AGM.

Just as the pair prepared to face off in a third round of voting with one final board position up for grabs, Conroy suddenly raised his hand and withdrew. Intriguingly the two were sitting just one seat apart with new chairman Chris Nikou in between. We wouldn’t be surprised if Conroy emerges as one of the appointed directors.

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When FFA’s roof literally caved in at Monday’s AGM it amused this column that the seat directly beneath the accident zone belonged to none other than the governing body’s nemesis, Greg Griffin.

Griffin had left the building minutes before a ceiling panel collapsed and water trickled down on to the chair where he had been sitting. An amused Griffin rang FFA CEO David Gallop shortly after, and we hear a straight-faced Gallop insisted they had only meant “to sprinkle you with holy water”.

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Our Socceroos coach has wasted no time getting acquainted with the new FFA chairman. A couple of hours after Australia beat Lebanon 3-0 at ANZ Stadium, Graham Arnold and Chris Nikou were spotted deep in conversation at the team hotel. And as they enjoyed a beer, right-back Josh Risdon snuck off in a cab to get home and back to Western Sydney training ahead of Friday night’s clash with Newcastle.

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Celebrating Female Football round

WE know that some 400,000 women and girls play football, but plenty more hold positions of importance at all levels of the game.

In recognition, this weekend’s A-League and W-League rounds have been dubbed Female Football, just days after the Matildas attracted strong crowds in Penrith and Newcastle.

“Football itself is very important for us, Sydney FC attract huge crowds and they’re doing wonderful things in women’s sport which we’re keen to support, said Kerrie Mather, the new CEO of the SCG Trust.

Celebrating this weekend’s Female Football round - players including Perth Glory’s Sam Kerr (purple shirt, front row), referees, coaches, junior players, FFA CEO David Gallop (back row centre) and other people of influence in women’s football. Picture: Brett Costello

“When the new Allianz Stadium is built we’ll have the capacity to develop those opportunities really strongly.”

That potency is something long recognised by the organiers of the Football United program, which uses it to build social cohesion and help refugees settle here.

‘You don’t need to speak English to play football, you can communicate with a ball,” said coach Natascha Hill. “We’ve managed to get lots of female coaches on board, and it gives the girls an environment they feel really comfortable in.”

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Big night for Central Coast youngster

He’s turning heads in the Premier League, but Socceroos goalkeeper Mat Ryan still has time to hang out with the next generation.

Central Coast 12-year-old James has been battling an illness, so when the youngster wanted to meet his hero the Starlight Foundation and Football Federation Australia got together and arranged a limo to take him and his family to the Lebanon friendly.

Socceroos goalkeeper Mat Ryan with James on Tuesday night.

In the second half he sat with Ryan reminiscing about his Mariners days and getting tips from the Brighton and Hove Albion man.

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