No matter what level of the game you operate at, the issues are the same - just ask the volunteers that run all our Junior and Senior Football Clubs here in the ACT. The one thing the game needs in generous quantities at all times among those that run the game (at any level) is good leadership.
The ABC Four Corners program "Own Goal" was terrific. The NPL program focuses on the FFA's bid to hold the FIFA World Cup - a galactic event and a huge ambition. Why not have a go for it, we have held two Olympic games in this country. Oh that it were that simple.
The FFA bid failed - failed miserably. Easy to say that now I guess, but it definitely merits of close examination. The FFA article in response to the Four Corners program (see below) advises that the Federal Government has accepted the FFA bid report. which is not the same as saying the Government liked the content of the report. You could say that the last line in that "after action report" might easily be - "all dead and accounted for". A large amount of public funds ($45 million) was spent on this venture. Regrettably, this game was "fixed" and not in Australia or the FFA's favour. The FFA bid for two World Cup options - 2018 and 2022. The FFA appears to have been advised that 2018 was going to Europe, but 2022 was a possibility. I have some sympathy for the FFA on 2022, after all, who in their right mind would award a World Cup to Qatar? Madness.
This bidding process is obviously as crooked as a dog's hind leg, but for some reason we decided to pay our money and take our chances. Well, if you want to hold a World Cup, I guess that's the only game in town. Some would say differently - if its that crook, bugger it and concentrate on developing our game and qualifying for World Cups. If you loose your bid you end up in the latter position anyway. And anyway, surely our priority over the next 10-15 years was to establish a strong, vibrant professional Football league within the Asian Confederation. After that, the rest follows.
On the money side of things, its instructive for us in the ACT region to reflect on that fact that the ACT Government agreed to provide AFL a cool $26 million over ten years. Not a sausage for Football (soccer) and those that lead Football in the ACT pretend it didn't matter. Same in its way as the FFA. Makes you realize what a galactic miss this was for Football in the ACT region. Imagine what our game could do with $2.5 million a year? And we don't ask one question or make a thumping big noise and we are, after all, a big constituency in the ACT. Yet we shake our heads knowingly at $45 million of federal public funds for the ill fated World Cup bid. Football (soccer) in the ACT got nothing from the ACT Government for the development of our game going forward. The lamest of lame duck excuses is that the money from our public purse didn't come from the sport's bucket, it came from tourism. What a load of old rope! Lessons to learn, questions to ask and people to be held accountable.
The fallout from the massive effort the FFA had to undertake to lodge a World Cup bid, is said to be in two parts - it stalled the development of the game at the grassroots level (including addressing the ever increasing costs to play the game) and the near critical health condition of the A League competition. If true, both put the game in jeopardy and handed other codes of football a saloon passage to young players in future years. Some have said the same about the FFA's decision to run a W League on the basis that the member federations pay the costs, the players get paid next to nothing outside expenses and so on. In a place like the ACT that's a big ask every season and has necessitated a big effort to get sponsors to cover costs, but of course, the costs of our team , Canberra United, do not include the costs of the Capital Football staff. Football can be very tricky business, no matter where you are and always people trying to do the right thing and help it go forward.
The interviews included in this program from Four Corners, are those of Benita Merciades (former FFA Head of Corporate Affairs) and Peter Hargitay (Consultant to FFA for the World Cup bid). These interviews are in full and fascinating. These interviews make it clear how the game is played at the top level!
Now, what can we learn from this business, that will assist us in critically examining the progress of Capital Football? The game is the same whatever the level. I think it can.
The title of the Four Corners program is cleverly titled "Own Goal", which to some, is correct. The are other views, but it is hard not to conclude that things could and should have gone better - or perhaps, not at all and not now.
Download Podcast here:
The FFA response to the ABC Four Corners program follows:
Four Corners misses good football news story
Monday, 12 September 2011
The Four Corners program carried a story on football tonight that has largely revisited some of the negative media reporting around the World Cup bid.
When those issues were raised at the time they were examined and investigated and our bid was ultimately given the all clear by FIFA and independent auditors.We were extremely proud of our bid and cannot underestimate the extent to which our nation and our football were promoted to the world during those two years.
When undertaking such a large and challenging endeavour there are bound to be elements that could be improved with hindsight.
Late last week the Government formally accepted our final Bid report and we have closed that chapter and are directing our time, energy and focus on the four strategic areas that underpin the game – from international representative football, through to the Hyundai A-League and the community level, where 1.7 million Australians actively play the game.
In addition, there is the exciting prospect represented by hosting Asia’s largest sporting tournament, the Asian Cup, in 2015.
We have a full and exciting agenda, headed up by the Qantas Socceroos 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign where the team is currently on top of their group and the start of the Hyundai A-League in a month, building on the fantastic quality of competition we saw last season and featuring the return of Socceroos legends Brett Emerton and Harry Kewell.
We have shared the detail of our four year Strategic Plan with the government as part of the review being conducted by Warwick Smith and look forward to doing the same with you the football community once the review is completed.
In concentrating on the result on the World Cup bid, Four Corners has overlooked the major strides the game has seen in recent years.
Below is a snapshot of highlights of the last seven years since the establishment of the FFA and an independent board to govern the game.
Thank you
Ben Buckley
CEO
Football Federation Australia
Since 2004, FFA has:
- established an independent board and unified all the state and territory bodies under a new constitutional and governance framework;
- overseen the rebirth of Australian football as a growing, vibrant mainstream sport;
- increased investment in all tiers of the game, from national teams to grassroots participation;
- joined the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the largest of FIFA’s confederations;
- been awarded the hosting rights for the AFC Asian Cup 2015, expected to attract 1 billion television viewers;
- secured a foundation broadcast agreement on Foxsports through the Premier Media Group which provides high-quality live coverage of Socceroos matches and every A-League game;
- partnered with some of Australia’s most respected and iconic corporations including the Australian Sports Commission, Ferrero, Foxsports, Hyundai, nab, Nike, Optus, Qantas, Sanitarium, Schweppes, Sony, Tabsportsbet and Westfield;
- achieved Socceroos’ qualification for two consecutive World Cups for the first time in 32 years;
- from a Socceroos ranking of 86 in early 2004, risen in the world rankings to as high as 14 (currently 22 out of 208) with the Socceroos recently coming runners-up in the Asian Cup 2011;
- established and expanded a national professional men’s league, the Hyundai A-League (the A-League), providing professional careers for over 300 players, coaches and administrators;
- set new benchmarks for Australian football by staging A-League club matches in world-class stadia;
- attracted more players to the game, particularly amongst women, where football is the fastest growing team sport in the country;
- instituted the first ever national football development plan in 2007;
- developed a World class Football Curriculum;
- built a consistent and structured talented player pathway;
- qualified, since joining AFC, for two consecutive men’s U/20 World Cups and an U/17 World Cup;
- established a national youth league in 2008 which forms a critical part of the elite player pathway;
- launched “MyFootballClub”, a digital hub for engagement with the football community;
- established a televised national women’s league in 2008;
- achieved Matildas’ victory in the 2010 Asian Cup, qualified for the 2011 Women’s World Cup, and reached the quarter-finals of the 2007 Women’s World Cup and 2011 Women’s World Cup;
- seen Adelaide United reach the finals of the Asian Champions League in 2009;
- captured the hearts of Australians with the Socceroos second only to the Australian cricket team as Australia’s favourite sporting team;
- introduced a national indigenous development plan in 2009;
- increased Australia’s profile within international football through bidding for the 2022 World Cup, hosting the AFC Gala Awards and Congress in 2007 and the FIFA Congress in 2008 with over 2,000 international delegates; and
- underpinning and enabling all of these achievements, taken the business to annual revenues of over $80 million from an effectively insolvent position.
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