Is Football Federation Victoria dysfunctional? They've certainly got a few hot issues to handle
Football Federation Victoria must be breathing a sigh of relief at their headquarters today. One of their NPL teams, Bentleigh Greens, who came 4th in the NPL (Victoria) this season defeated Adelaide City last night in the FFA Cup quarter-finals – to become the unofficial flag bearers of FFA Cup ‘romance’.
But beyond the brief respite offered by Bentleigh Greens, FFV has a few hot issues to handle.
First, earlier this year two highly respected Board members resigned over their dissatisfaction with the level of disclosure on financial reporting – a matter which is believed to be before the regulatory authorities.
Second, FFV informed another NPL club that it is not a conflict of interest for one of their Board members to also be a Board member of another community football club that is not associated with the NPL club.
Although, to be fair, that ruling isn’t so unusual as ‘conflict of interest’ is a common confusion in football. For example, one of the two latest additions to the FFA Board, Chris Nikou, is also a Board member of the 2015 Asian Cup Organising Committee and Company Secretary of Melbourne Victory. This contravenes Section 10.16 of the FFA Constitution – other than the little known Section 10.17(d) to prove there’s always an exception to every rule.
Perhaps someone needs to dust-off the Crawford Report 2002 from the bookshelves?
Third, FFV’s continuing inclusion in the NPL Finals and the FFA Cup is under threat unless they can convince the majority of NPL clubs in the state to accept an FFA directive to include Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City NYL teams in next year’s NPL (Victoria) competition.
A similar situation will apply (and has been the case in 2014 in some instances) in Queensland, Northern NSW, ACT, SA and WA. NSW has ‘special dispensation’ until 2016.
Those opposing the move believe it will dilute the talent pool for the NPL; that there will be a lack of consistency in the teams fielded by the A-League clubs; and that NPL clubs will receive no reward or recognition for development of talented players.
Some go further and believe the NYL is a “waste of time and money because if young players are good enough, they’re already playing in the A-League.”
The NPL clubs supporting the move believe it will increase the brand and profile of the competition; bring additional commercial benefits; competition standards will rise; and that it supports FFA’s “holistic player pathway strategy”.
Perth Glory’s NYL team played in the NPL WA competition in 2014 and finished 7th from 12 teams, while Brisbane Roar’s finished 10th from 13.
But what’s really got some NPL clubs hot under the collar is a letter from the FFA CEO to the FFV President dated October 15th.
It suggests that NPL clubs’ responsibility is, first and foremost, to developing players for the national ‘pathway’. Further, if FFV does not sign-up to this, FFA will undertake “a re-assessment of Victoria’s commitment to the national framework and as such would have potential implications for the participation of Victorian clubs in the NPL Finals and FFA Cup.”
The clubs and FFV are set to debate the latest issue at a meeting on Thursday evening.