fbpx
Core Focus, Football News

AAFC releases plan to introduce national second division by 2022

Avatar

AAFC have released their progress report into a feasible national second division, believing the competition can get underway by 2022.

According to the document, the organisation says the league could initially start with 12 clubs, but hopes to eventually rise to 16 teams through promotion and relegation from state NPLs, as long as those clubs meet certain standards.

“This report is about what our member clubs can contribute to Football Australia in establishing and operating a true national second tier,” AAFC chairman Nick Galatas said.

“It is about the best possible. Not about a notional ‘best’ or the merely ‘possible.’ It identifies the most viable and financially responsible model for a true national second tier to be able to both start and, as importantly, to grow.”

AAFC estimate that the league will cost up to $3.3million to operate each year, with participating clubs to pay a $200,000 fee each season and require an annual budget of $1m-$1.8m.

Most of the costs are due to travel, however partner clubs involved in the interim report have made it clear the figures listed are achievable due to the expected additional revenue they can generate.

The report outlines the proposed second division would be played in alignment with the A-League season, whether that is winter or summer.

Promotion and relegation to the A-League is not an immediate goal for the second division plans, however AAFC envisions a scenario which could see it introduced by 2028.

The organisation has also targeted 2025 for the commencement of a national second tier for women, recognising the importance of the female side of the game.

“Currently, like the men’s second tier, the women’s second tier is comprised of the Women’s National Premier Leagues run separately by each Member Federation. AAFC considers women’s football vital to the overall health of our game. Hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023 presents us with a wonderful opportunity to grow women’s football, including through the introduction of a true national second tier,” Galatas said.

“We have pressed for a NSD for women from the outset, but this measure has not received the same measure of support from our governing bodies and other stakeholders, so our report addresses it in that context.”

AAFC will now consult with relevant stakeholders in the game including Football Australia, before finalising the final report by Easter to present to the governing body.

Avatar
Philip Panas is a sports journalist with Soccerscene. He reports widely on football policy and industry matters, drawing on his knowledge and passion of the game.

Football Coaching Life Podcast Recap: Episode One with Ange Postecoglou

Avatar

Football Coaches Australia released the first episode of their new podcast “The Football Coaching Life” last week, with Ange Postecoglou as their opening guest on the show.

In a wide-ranging chat with former Socceroo Gary Cole, Postecoglou detailed his extensive coaching journey in the hour-long podcast.

Postecoglou touched on his current time in Japan, the coaches he was exposed to when he was younger including Ferenc Puskas and Frank Arok, the role his father played in influencing his coaching, how his coaching has changed over his career, what exactly coaching is and why he does it, as well as much more.

Key Quotes in Episode One

On his relationship and influence of his father

“Football was a connection to my dad. It was the only thing that allowed me to get close to my father.”

“I would try and put out teams that he would enjoy watching.”

On his analytical nature after watching South Melbourne games as a youngster

“I’d be sitting around and listening to these old men dissecting every part of the game, I didn’t want to go outside and have a kick…I would just sit there and listen…I was always thinking about every aspect of the game even when I was younger.”

On his opportunity to coach the South Melbourne senior side after Frank Arok was sacked with two games left in the season

“I was the assistant and they said look we want you to take over for the last two games… I took the phone call at the bank and I literally put the phone down and quit the bank job and said (to myself) this is not going to be for two games. I was determined that this was my chance…25 years later I’m not back at the bank mate.”

Advice for up-and-coming coaches

“For every young coach, your number one task should not be to be successful, your number one task should be to have a career. How can you stay in the game, how can you stay in the job for 20-25 years?”

“No one is perfect.”

When quizzed on what has changed in his coaching throughout his journey

“My beliefs haven’t changed.”

“Those beliefs I have, have stood both the test of time and the different circumstances I have been in.” (Points to his success at an NSL, A-League, J-League and international level)

Final piece of wisdom for coaches

“Find the core of why you want to coach, you’ve got to find out why you want to coach. What is it at the core of why you want to do this? Because as we’ve already said, it’s not going to be a happy carefree existence.”

 

Football Australia recognise Female Football Week achievements

Avatar
Football Australia are celebrating the achievements and contributions of women and girls in football as part of Female Football Week 2021.

Football Australia are celebrating the achievements and contributions of women and girls in football as part of Female Football Week 2021.

From March 1 to March 8, Football Australia are publishing a variety of digital content highlighting the important role of females in all levels of the sport. In addition, a range of educational factsheets and panels will be shared to assist the growth and development of female coaches, referees, administrators, volunteers and clubs.

Football Australia’s Female Football Week 2021 concludes on International Women’s Day on Monday March 8, following the release of Football Australia’s FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Legacy ‘23 plan at Parliament House in Canberra last week. It aims to deliver immediate and long-term community benefits and economic impact from Australia’s co-hosting of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 – the biggest sporting event on Australian soil since the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

“Female Football Week 2021 is as important as ever given the stated and sharp focus that Football Australia has on women’s football and the development of women and girls in football,” Football Australia CEO James Johnson said.

“Many of our initiatives throughout the coming week are aligned with key measures in our XI Principles for the future of Australian football and support our efforts to demonstrate to stakeholders the importance of creating a more supportive and inclusive environment for women and girls in football in Australia.

“Football Australia is targeting continued growth and 50:50 gender balance in participation by 2027. We believe Female Football Week provides the game with the platform to accelerate growth and achieve that target by recognising the important role women, together with men, play in delivering women’s football, and by showcasing that football is an inclusive and welcoming sport for women and girls from all communities, ages and abilities.”

Female Football Week 2021 content will be accessible on Football Australia’s digital and social channels.

“Over the next week the Female Football Week campaign aims to provide the community with the platform to celebrate the achievements of players, coaches, administrators and officials,” Sarah Walsh said, Football Australia’s Head of Women’s Football, Women’s World Cup Legacy & Inclusion.

“Excitingly, Female Football Week 2021 will conclude with three online panels to celebrate International Women’s Day and Female Football Week 2021.”

The panels are hosted by Stephanie Brantz, focusing on leadership and development in the modern era. They feature international and domestic executives, coaches and match officials.

The executive panel will feature Sarai Bareman, Chief of Women’s Football at FIFA, Karina LeBlanc, Head of Women’s Football at CONCACAF, Amanda Vandervort, Chief Women’s Football Officer at FIFPRO, and James Johnson and Sarah Walsh from Football Australia.

The coaching panel will feature Emma Hayes, Head Coach of Chelsea FC Women, Tony Gustavsson, Head Coach of the Westfield Matildas, and Mel Andreatta, Assistant Coach of the Westfield Matildas.

And the match officials panel currently features Kari Seitz, FIFA Head of Refereeing – Women, Kate Jacewicz, FIFA & Football Australia Referee, and Esfandiar Baharmast, former FIFA Referee and FIFA Referee Instructor.

“As an organisation that aspires to think local but act global, we’re thrilled that we can produce content with, and access insights from, change agents at the highest levels of football to share with Australia’s passionate football community. This is an important part of our mission for Australia to become the centre of women’s football in the Asia-Pacific region,” Walsh said.

The need for more women coaches – Interview with FCA’s Aish Ravi

Avatar

New Football Coaches Australia (FCA) Executive Committee member Aish Ravi has made it her mission to inspire more women to take up coaching roles, from the community level to the highest level of sport in Australia.

Ravi, who is undertaking a Doctor of Philosophy focusing on women’s coaching education in football, believes Football Coaches Australia is an organisation that can challenge the current status quo amongst the coaching ranks.

“I think FCA has definitely got the potential to make a lot of change in the coaching and leadership space. I’m really excited to help them enact that change,” she said.

“I’m currently doing a PHD looking at women in sport. It’s really about understanding what women’s experiences are in football and why there is a lack of them, and seeing what strategies we can put in place to change that.

“I met Glenn Warry (CEO of FCA) through my involvement of working within the Victorian NPL system and he wanted me to use my knowledge and expertise I guess, in wanting to contribute to give women a voice in FCA.

“We wanted to see how we can amplify their voices, provide more exposure for them and also see how we can increase the number of women coaches.”

A VCE Business Management and Economics teacher by day, Ravi was personally introduced to coaching when she was asked to coach the school’s football side.

After completing an appropriate coaching licence course, she would go on to manage Junior NPL teams at Heidelberg United and Bayside United, before eventually being offered a position to coach the women’s senior team at Bentleigh Cobras.

“We ended up winning the championship in my first season (at Bentleigh) in 2019 which was really exciting,” Ravi said.

“Now we are just trying to regroup and see if we can do the same thing this year.”

Ravi’s passion for coaching is helped by her enthusiasm for working with younger people.

“I really enjoy working with them in a holistic way, so getting to know them and understanding what their interests, motivations and desires are to help them achieve their best,” she said.

“That combined with the love of football, is really why I enjoy coaching football in particular. It’s the world game and once you understand and know that, you can talk to so many people from so many different places. It’s something I get a lot of excitement and enjoyment from.”

FCA Executive Committee member Aish Ravi.

Despite these positive experiences in football, Ravi would still see the coaching game in general dominated heavily by males, something that she believed needed to be addressed.

In response to this, she would go on to co-found the Women’s Coaching Association (WCA) last year with fellow PHD candidate Julia Hay.

“I coach football, but I also play Australian rules and cricket, so I’m quite heavily involved in the community with sport in general,” Ravi said.

“Julia has an Australian Rules background and from talking and sharing our experiences we realised that a lot of the barriers women face coaching football (from my perspective), were actually also similar to that of other sports.

“Sports such as Australian Rules, Cricket, Hockey, Netball all shared common challenges. So, we founded WCA, really to get all the sports together, not just for football.

“We wanted to really bring it together for the coaches, in particular women coaches, but also men who are coaching women.

“We would like to see how we can first of all attract more women and girls to coach sport, how we can develop the women and girls who are currently coaching a team in these sports and also sustain a career.

“They are the three real objectives we have.”

According to Ravi, events like The Women’s World Cup in 2023, the biggest sporting event to be held on our shores since the 2000 Olympics, will hopefully act as a catalyst for necessary social changes in women’s sport. Not only at a coaching or playing capacity, but also at a leadership level.

“It’s a really important event,” she said.

“Sport is the most powerful social institution. It’s great that the Football World Cup is the world’s largest women’s sporting event and it’s awesome that it’s at our home.

“If the Matildas have success that’s great, that can show the young girls and women that they have a pathway, a career, that’s celebrated and respected and perhaps they can succeed in.

“But It’s also vital that we have women leaders that are visible and succeeding, that sends an equally powerful message that there are also career opportunities off the field.”

© 2020 Soccerscene Industry News. All Rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

Most Popular Topics

Editor Picks