FFA Failure: The Sunset Of David Gallop

[Zelinsky]

https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2017/12/05/australias-feuding-factions-sweat-fifa-takeover-outcome

[Zelinsky]

That'll be the site to monitor in the next 24 hours

http://www.fifa.com/governance/news/index.html

[btron3000]

I really really want them gone, but part of me wonders what the reactions of fans will be if they stay. I can only see doom and gloom if they stay, it will be utterly horrible.

[mack]

If they stay hopefully everyone boycotts.

[Zelinsky]

7 hours ago, mack said:

If they stay hopefully everyone boycotts.

The clubs certainly will. 

[Wobblies]

Now that Timmy has gone will the FFA get their money back?

[Prydzopolis]

10 minutes ago, Ossified said:

Now that Timmy has gone will the FFA get their money back?

The contract was front ended, the majority of his money was paid in his first year including the FFA contribution. The second year of the contract he goes under the cap on a minor amount.

13 hours ago, btron3000 said:

I really really want them gone, but part of me wonders what the reactions of fans will be if they stay. I can only see doom and gloom if they stay, it will be utterly horrible.

The nations committee recommendation to the bureau has not been made public nor has any news been leaked to Australia. The earliest the bureau can meet will be at the club World Cup.

I must admit Btron, the way that sLowy was speaking last week, was of a defiant man who did not fear or expect a normalization committee to take his job

[Prydzopolis]

Add it the list of complaints 

[Hughesy]

6 hours ago, Prydzopolis said:

Add it the list of complaints 

This is exactly why I don’t believe the ‘we’re poor’ excuse. They spend carelessly on unnecessary tasks yet can’t find two cents to spend on the A-League, aka their primary source of income...

[luisenrique]

$3.3 million on consultants ffs. You couldn't make it up.

[btron3000]

5 hours ago, luisenrique said:

$3.3 million on consultants ffs. You couldn't make it up.

Theyr'e probably still paying the dodgy Germans from the World Cup bid!

So many questions. After the consultant fees of 3.3 million you've also got 4.1 million of "commisions", whatever that is, making a total of 7.5 million of questionable payments to people (and that's just what we can see here). Then you've got:

• 2.4 million on "regular" administration but 14.2 million on employee administration? Say what? Maybe it covers employee travel, including players, but if that is the case then why isn't employee travel a separate entity like it is in the main chart? I'd really like to know what is being hidden under employee benefits.
• Marketing and media - 12.4m. Where the hell is this going?
• 2.5m on "other team expenses". What is this? And why do we have this and also...
• Other - 4.8 million. Sounds like lots of "other". (Unless salaries are in there, I don't see salaries as a separate item)

Until these guys show more transparency, this is always gonna look bad. But gee, some areas are decidedly dodgy. I somehow get the feeling they've been wasting our money...

[Prydzopolis]

Incredible  

[btron3000]

The A-League owners should just start their own competition. 

[Flytox]

Now the clubs and PFA will have to talk to the FFA and the 7 State Feds that disagree with them instead of not wanting the FFA involved and refusing to discuss anything with the 7 State Feds unless it was on their terms.  FFA also will be forced to discuss the pros and cons of the issues openly without having predetermined what the outcome should be and trying to enforce it.

The laughable thing about the whole debacle is that neither of the two voting proposals go anywhere near what most MA's see as the size and breadth of Congress that satisfies FIFA's representative democracy model.  If the final agreement follows these then the FFA, clubs and the State Feds will have learnt that Congress is not about power but facilitating the growth of the game.

[Paul01]

Statement from FFA

https://www.myfootball.com.au/news/fifa-and-afc-work-ffa-congress-review

[Prydzopolis]

I see it a bit differently Flytox, I agree that FIFA didn’t give in to what either party wanted but they will take control of the process. I don’t know if that necessarily means that both sides will now start talking.

It seems like FIFA will be setting up this Congress Review Committee on their terms as opposed to being dictated by FFA (as they seem to think). FIFA will be determining its composition which could sideline Lowy completely or at the same time make him a central part.

Depending on FIFA’s influence it could either expedite the new congress or at the opposite end make the normalization committee happen.

[Paul01]

3 minutes ago, Prydzopolis said:

I see it a bit differently Flytox, I agree that FIFA didn’t give in to what either party wanted but they will take control of the process. I don’t know if that necessarily means that both sides will now start talking.

It seems like FIFA will be setting up this Congress Review Committee on their terms as opposed to being dictated by FFA (as they seem to think). FIFA will be determining its composition which could sideline Lowy completely or at the same time make him a central part.

Depending on FIFA’s influence it could either expedite the new congress or at the opposite end make the normalization committee happen.

Lowy family friendship with FIFA stopped the normalization committee. 

Lowys will see it as a win, but I think it is going to be a much wider representation than the current board would want. 

It may end up that Futsal is reinstated as a possible representative on the board. Maybe even the referees could get a look in.

[Flytox]

1 hour ago, Prydzopolis said:

I see it a bit differently Flytox, I agree that FIFA didn’t give in to what either party wanted but they will take control of the process. I don’t know if that necessarily means that both sides will now start talking.

It seems like FIFA will be setting up this Congress Review Committee on their terms as opposed to being dictated by FFA (as they seem to think). FIFA will be determining its composition which could sideline Lowy completely or at the same time make him a central part.

Depending on FIFA’s influence it could either expedite the new congress or at the opposite end make the normalization committee happen.

I think that the FIFA and AFC representatives will tell all parties that a non resolution of the issue won't be tolerated and as they will be involved in the process they will know which parties aren't playing ball and tell them to get out of the way.

[btron3000]

47 minutes ago, Flytox said:

I think that the FIFA and AFC representatives will tell all parties that a non resolution of the issue won't be tolerated and as they will be involved in the process they will know which parties aren't playing ball and tell them to get out of the way.

The problem with this is that it takes a proper understanding of the issues to know who “isn’t playing ball” except if your only desire is to expand the congress.

If other parties are included their allegiances will be dependent on who represents them on the Congress and who they represent exactly.

And there has to be allegiances because unfortunately the current board and management have divided the game so much that you are with of against them. In my opinion they’ve stunk up the joint so badly that they need to go, regardless of who is appointed to congress.

[Wanderboy]

5 hours ago, Paul01 said:

Statement from FFA

https://www.myfootball.com.au/news/fifa-and-afc-work-ffa-congress-review

What a puff piece.

They could have done all this previously if they weren't so power hungry in the first place.

I have no doubt that Lowy Snr has played a major part in this compromise between the FFA and FIFA.

[braad]

Aw come on guys! Don't be so cynical, this is the FFA. They're the only competent ones out there trying to grow this beautiful game of theirs

[Zelinsky]

FIFA didn't pull the trigger out of respect for Lowy the father. If Lowy the son tries to pull another stunt like in August (when he torpedoed not one but two compromises) then he'll be buried.

[Flytox]

3 hours ago, btron3000 said:

The problem with this is that it takes a proper understanding of the issues to know who “isn’t playing ball” except if your only desire is to expand the congress.

If other parties are included their allegiances will be dependent on who represents them on the Congress and who they represent exactly.

And there has to be allegiances because unfortunately the current board and management have divided the game so much that you are with of against them. In my opinion they’ve stunk up the joint so badly that they need to go, regardless of who is appointed to congress.

As I understand it the FIFA/AFC representatives will be listening to all the stakeholders and then they will write the brief for the Congress Review Working Group.  They will have to thoroughly understand the situation to end up with the right riding instructions.  If the FFA is seen to be attempting to commandeer the process then they will know and similarly if the clubs/PFA do another "we won't talk to you unless its on our terms" like they did with the 7 State Feds then they will be seen as not playing ball.  At this stage we don't know whether FIFA is only interested in the membership structure or will get involved in the development of an ongoing model for football here.  I doubt they will want to get involved in the latter but if the they get into more detailed changes to the constitution they can set a basic direction for subsequent boards to work with.

[SBW]

15 hours ago, Flytox said:

As I understand it the FIFA/AFC representatives will be listening to all the stakeholders and then they will write the brief for the Congress Review Working Group.  They will have to thoroughly understand the situation to end up with the right riding instructions.  If the FFA is seen to be attempting to commandeer the process then they will know and similarly if the clubs/PFA do another "we won't talk to you unless its on our terms" like they did with the 7 State Feds then they will be seen as not playing ball.  At this stage we don't know whether FIFA is only interested in the membership structure or will get involved in the development of an ongoing model for football here.  I doubt they will want to get involved in the latter but if the they get into more detailed changes to the constitution they can set a basic direction for subsequent boards to work with.

I think what I see is that FIFA want a fair representation and more democratic voting process rather than seeing the Lowys hand the reigns to their family members much like how Lowy Snr handed the role of chairman to Lowy jnr with no votes.

Also FFV, Football NSW and A-League clubs want to have more say which the FFA aren't allowing.

[Prydzopolis]

Interesting that the FIFA public release didn't contain the same words as contained in the private release to the stakeholders

[Flytox]

Statement concerning the Football Federation of Australia

(FIFA.com) 07 Dec 2017

© AFP 

•  
•  

The situation of the Football Federation of Australia (FFA) was submitted to the FIFA Member Associations Committee during its meeting on 4 December 2017. 

The Committee took note that proposals put forward by the FFA regarding the expansion of the FFA Congress failed to reach consensual agreement amongst the stakeholders at the extraordinary meeting convened on 30 November 2017. In addition, the Committee was informed of FFA's intention to immediately establish a Congress review working group involving all relevant stakeholders to agree on the future Congress model. 

The Committee eventually decided to support the establishment of the Congress review working group by the FFA, provided that FIFA and AFC are fully involved in the process and that a clear roadmap ensuring a timely conclusion with the adoption of a more inclusive and representative membership model is established. 

To this end, a FIFA/AFC mission will visit Sydney early next year to meet with FFA and the stakeholders (Member federations, A-League clubs, PFA) as well as any other relevant interlocutors, such as the Association of Australian Football Clubs (AAFC), that have been established in the meantime. 

Based on the feedback received, FFA together with FIFA and AFC will define the terms of reference of the Congress review working group, including its objective, composition, mandate and timeline.

[Flytox]

2 hours ago, SBW said:

I think what I see is that FIFA want a fair representation and more democratic voting process rather than seeing the Lowys hand the reigns to their family members much like how Lowy Snr handed the role of chairman to Lowy jnr with no votes.

Also FFV, Football NSW and A-League clubs want to have more say which the FFA aren't allowing.

FIFA sees representative democracy a little different to some.  In the preamble in the section on Membership of the congress it states that if categories of membership are established then all members of that category should have the same rights and obligations.  This would mean all State Feds should have the same vote with no regard to the difference is size.  Similarly if the A-League gets x number of votes then the "Championship" should get the same unless professional competitions are put in a different category to semi- professional competitions.  I'm not sure that it allows particular members to have more say.

Edited December 8, 2017 by Flytox

[Hughesy]

1 hour ago, Flytox said:

Statement concerning the Football Federation of Australia

(FIFA.com) 07 Dec 2017

© AFP 

•  
•  

The situation of the Football Federation of Australia (FFA) was submitted to the FIFA Member Associations Committee during its meeting on 4 December 2017. 

The Committee took note that proposals put forward by the FFA regarding the expansion of the FFA Congress failed to reach consensual agreement amongst the stakeholders at the extraordinary meeting convened on 30 November 2017. In addition, the Committee was informed of FFA's intention to immediately establish a Congress review working group involving all relevant stakeholders to agree on the future Congress model. 

The Committee eventually decided to support the establishment of the Congress review working group by the FFA, provided that FIFA and AFC are fully involved in the process and that a clear roadmap ensuring a timely conclusion with the adoption of a more inclusive and representative membership model is established. 

To this end, a FIFA/AFC mission will visit Sydney early next year to meet with FFA and the stakeholders (Member federations, A-League clubs, PFA) as well as any other relevant interlocutors, such as the Association of Australian Football Clubs (AAFC), that have been established in the meantime. 

Based on the feedback received, FFA together with FIFA and AFC will define the terms of reference of the Congress review working group, including its objective, composition, mandate and timeline.

How many preliminary meetings need to occur before something actually happens? This is beyond a joke and FIFA are spineless for letting them off the hook so easily. Every aspect of football in this country is suffering because it's being paid zero attention as a result of this bullshit dragging on. Sit everyone down in a room ASAP and don't let them leave until it's sorted. Now we've gotta wait another month at least, meanwhile the aleague continues dying in the ass. I am so disillusioned with football in this country right now, it's very hard to maintain any positivity about any of it. 

[btron3000]

Regardless of anyhthing else, the leadership has to go.  It's their fault we are where we are, with regards to congress but also with regards the state of the game.  You can argue that the clubs have self-interest at heart, but the FFA have clearly failed to manage them and their other stakeholders. 

[Zelinsky]

FFA wording: " Football Federation Australia (FFA) will establish a Congress Review Working Group including all relevant Australia stakeholders with direct support from FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC)."

= We are in charge, and FIFA is helping us.

FIFA wording: "The Committee eventually decided to support the establishment of the Congress review working group by the FFA, provided that FIFA and AFC are fully involved in the process and that a clear roadmap ensuring a timely conclusion with the adoption of a more inclusive and representative membership model is established."

= We've had enough of this. You ain't going to do anything any longer on your own, and we will not stand back this time should you try to pull a stunt again like you did in August. No more torpedoed compromises, no more meetings behind closed doors, no more exclusion of stakeholders, no more BS. Final warning, last chance.