Northern NSW Football appoint Ryan Doidge in new Talented Player and Coach Development role

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Image via Northern NSW Football

Northern NSW Football has announced Ryan Doidge as the appointment to the new position of Talented Player and Coach Development Manager.

Doidge is accredited by Asian Football Confederation and Football Australia to deliver B and C advance coach accreditation courses and has earned an AFC A coaching licence.

The role reports to NNSWF Head of Football Development Peter Haynes, with Doidge to oversee the talented player pathway and all coach education across northern NSW. The extensive recruitment process also included a practical assessment.

Doidge has held previous roles with New York Red Bulls, Western Sydney Wanderers, North Shore Mariners, Northbridge Bulls and Dee Why FC – and will now transition to a leading role with a member federation. Doidge has also completed a Bachelor of Science in Sport, Health, Exercise Science and Coaching.

Talented Player and Coach Development Administrator Rebecca Nee will support Doidge in the role from an administrative perspective.

Doidge began on July 7, with regional visits and a review of the Junior Development League his first priorities.

Doidge identified that his key responsibility would be to improve opportunities for players and coaches within the region.

“A key focus for me will be to provide clear pathways into the A-League Men’s, A-League Women’s and national teams set ups while also developing our own coaches within our region and increase the number of qualified coaches,” Doidge said in a statement to Northern NSW Football.

“I firmly believe that in being able to deliver quality advanced licences and coach support we can improve our coaches and in turn create a better environment for our players.

“I hope to be able to create a reputation among coaches and players in our area that the support we can provide to these stakeholders is world class. Making coach support accessible for all coaches and providing opportunities to learn, grow and develop will be at the forefront of our plan.

“I am looking forward to working hard to provide opportunities for both coaches and players for the betterment of the game that we love. I am truly passionate about development and I hope that comes across to those that I work with over the coming years.”

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Football Has the Audience. Does It Have the Commercial Strategy?

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Image Credit: One Nil Media

Soccerscene has launched Survey 4: Commercial Confidence in Football, calling on clubs, sponsors, governing bodies, commercial leaders and football industry professionals to assess whether the game is making the most of its enormous commercial potential.

Football has the audience, participation base and community reach to be one of Australia’s most powerful commercial platforms. But does the industry have the commercial strategy, professionalism and infrastructure required to turn that potential into sustainable growth?

That is the question at the centre of Soccerscene’s latest industry research.

The survey examines how attractive grassroots football is to potential commercial partners, what industry professionals believe is limiting football’s commercial potential, and whether clubs are presenting themselves professionally enough to sponsors.

It also explores what sponsors value most when engaging with football – from community reach and participation scale to brand alignment, values and purpose – as well as whether improved facilities could directly contribute to stronger sponsorship outcomes.

Is football fully capitalising on its commercial opportunity?

Football continues to provide brands with access to highly engaged communities across grassroots, community and elite environments. Yet the commercial landscape remains fragmented, with clubs operating with vastly different levels of resources, capability, governance, media infrastructure and commercial expertise.

Soccerscene’s survey is designed to capture the industry’s perspective on where the opportunities exist – and where football may be leaving commercial value on the table.

The research will look specifically at four key areas:

  • Commercial attractiveness – How attractive is grassroots football as a commercial partnership?
  • Commercial barriers – What is holding football back from reaching its full commercial potential?
  • Club professionalism – Are clubs presenting themselves effectively and professionally to sponsors?
  • Sponsor value – What are sponsors really looking for when they invest in football?

The survey also asks whether better facilities would have a direct impact on sponsorship outcomes, highlighting the potential relationship between infrastructure, commercial presentation and investment.

Have your say

Soccerscene is encouraging football clubs, sponsors, commercial professionals, governing bodies, administrators, media professionals and industry stakeholders to participate.

The findings will contribute to Soccerscene’s ongoing program of industry research, designed to provide a clearer picture of the challenges and opportunities facing football and the organisations operating within it.

Take the Survey: Commercial Confidence in Football

Complete the Commercial Confidence in Football Survey here

The survey will close on 30 August 2026 at midnight, with responses received before the deadline included in the final analysis.

Football has the audience. The question is whether it has the commercial strategy to match.

Football Australia backs AFC calls for FIFA governance reform

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Image Credit: Football Australia

Football Australia has backed calls from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for stronger governance, transparency and accountability at FIFA.

Pressure continues to grow on world football’s governing body following the collapse of its controversial commercial proposal.

Football Australia said it supports the AFC’s position that the events of recent weeks should be met with “clear and credible action” to strengthen FIFA’s governance systems.

The Australian governing body said its priority was a “transparent and appropriately independent process” to establish what happened, why it happened and where governance, communication and decision-making processes fell short.

The statement follows a joint call from the AFC, UEFA and CONCACAF for greater accountability within FIFA after President Gianni Infantino’s proposal to create a commercial entity involving the sale of stakes in World Cup-related assets was abandoned.

The episode has since triggered a wider governance dispute in football, amid mounting calls for structural changes within FIFA.

FIFPRO Europe president David Terrier argued that the organisation needs sweeping governance reform rather than simply a change of leadership.

Football Australia stopped short of explicitly calling for Infantino’s resignation, instead aligning itself with the AFC’s broader call for institutional reform.

“Football Australia will continue to engage actively and constructively with and through our Confederation, the AFC, and alongside our fellow Member Associations as this process progresses,” the governing body said.

The position gives the AFC further backing from one of its major member associations.

FIFA faces an increasingly public and volatile debate over how power, commercial decision-making and accountability should operate within the global game.

Infantino remains in office and is seeking re-election, with the next FIFA presidential election scheduled for March 2027.

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