No winners in Aussie soccer’s toxic fight: Davutovic

AFTER 14 months, Australian soccer’s governance impasse finished in a scoreless draw — and that’s not good news for anyone, writes DAVID DAVUTOVIC.

Football Federation Australia CEO David Gallop and chairman Steven Lowy speak at today’s press conference. Picture: AFP

AFTER 14 months, Australian soccer’s governance impasse finished in a scoreless draw.

Both sides fired broadsides yesterday, laying bare the toxic nature of the relationship between Football Federation Australia and the A-League clubs.

The players’ union (Professional Footballers Australia) issued a measured statement, indicating they would speak to their executive committee — including Socceroos captain Mile Jedinak, Sydney FC defender Alex Wilkinson and Matildas star Lydia Williams — before commenting further.

Confusion reigns in this political power struggle, with defiant FFA chairman Steven Lowy declaring it would be a return to “the bad old days (of the NSL)” if the clubs got too much power.

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Football Federation Australia CEO David Gallop and chairman Steven Lowy speak at today’s press conference. Picture: AFP

The A-League clubs indicated they had lost confidence in Lowy and with A-League umbrella group chairman Greg Griffin declared the FFA chairman had “lost the locker room” after the unsuccessful vote at the annual general meeting.

Even if Thursday’s motion was passed in favour of the new 9-4-1-1-1 structure (9 states, 4 A-League clubs, 1 PFA, 1 PFA/women and 1 community/women), there was likely to be fallout.

The Victorian federation’s no vote was the difference, but the A-League clubs and PFA have staunchly opposed this new structure as they claim it still gives FFA the 60 per cent required to vote in board members.

FIFA correspondence seen by the Herald Sun has outlined that FFA must reach consensus with A-League clubs and PFA, who currently do not have a seat on the FFA Congress, which votes in the FFA board.

The A-League clubs lobbed a grenade on the morning of the crucial meeting, detailing a list of 13 potential conflicts of interest involving FFA board members.

Lowy strongly denied this during a lengthy press conference where he accused the A-League clubs of self-interest.

Mile Jedinak, pictured with PM Malcolm Turnbull, is part of Professional Footballers Australia’s executive, which is yet to comment on the turmoil. Picture: AP

“You have to ask the motivation of the people making those allegations. I have no doubt that every board member is entirely independent and acts independently,’’ Lowy said.

“With the clubs’ position and the decision made by a number of the states today, their interest is having a greater influence over the overall distribution of the game by influencing board members, et cetera.

“The decisions taken by the three members voting against it are basically voting against clear and unequivocal independence of the game and that’s what our bard is fighting for and as chairman, that’s why I’m so passionate about it.

“If anything, we’ll fight for it stronger than we did before. We don’t feel weaker because of it, we actually feel emboldened in our passion to maintain an independent game because all of the gains of the last 12 years will be lost very, very quickly if we don’t fight for this and that debate has been missed completely by many people who are trying to understand this issue.

“The board is full of independent, unpaid, unpaid directors. They’ve got no other interest in this other than a national interest and a love of the game. And I respect the wisdom and the effort of the board in maintaining and being resolute for the independence of the game. That’s the issue at heart here.”

A-League umbrella group chairman Greg Griffin says FFA chairman Steven Lowy has “lost the locker room”. Picture: Simon Cross

Lowy denied as “pub talk” that the stakeholders were close to reaching consensus last August when FIFA and Asian Football Confederation chiefs were in Sydney.

And where once such issues may have been resolved over a few beers, the toxic relations suggest a resolution between local stakeholders is improbable, if not impossible.

It is difficult to see a solution that does not involve FIFA intervention of some sort.