Ernie Merrick to showcase Football NSW Coaching Conference

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Football NSW is set to welcome Ernie Merrick as one of the guest speakers for the 2024 Football NSW Coaching Conference. Merrick, with his extensive experience and notable achievements in football coaching, will bring valuable insights and expertise to the event.

His participation is expected to inspire and educate coaches, fostering the development of football in the region.

Ernie Merrick is a highly respected figure in the football community, renowned for his extensive experience and knowledge of the sport. Since 2022, he has been serving as the Chief Football Officer of Football Australia.

Merrick’s illustrious career includes numerous coaching accolades and leadership positions, making him a key influencer in the football world. His expertise continues to drive the growth and success of football in Australia, benefiting players, coaches, and fans alike.

Merrick, born on January 15, 1953, in Edinburgh, Scotland, started his football career playing for the semi-professional team Shettleston Juniors (now Glasgow United) in Glasgow.

He relocated to Australia in 1975 to join Frankston City as a player. In 1979, he moved to Doveton City, initially continuing as a player before transitioning to coaching, where he rapidly gained recognition as a successful manager.

In 1987, Merrick was appointed Head Coach of Preston in the National Soccer League, leading the team to finish second on the league ladder by the end of the season.

After a brief tenure as Head Coach of George Cross in the NSL, Merrick went on to become the inaugural coach of the Victorian Institute of Sport Football Program.

In 2005, Merrick was appointed head coach of Melbourne Victory in the Australian A-League. During his tenure, he guided the team to two A-League championships and two Premiership titles, solidifying his status as one of the league’s top coaches. Beyond his success with Melbourne Victory, Merrick has also managed several other teams in Australia and New Zealand, including Wellington Phoenix and Newcastle Jets.

Merrick’s accomplishments and contributions to football have been widely recognised. He has received numerous awards and accolades, notably being honoured with the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 2014 for his services to football.

As the Chief Football Officer of Football Australia, Merrick oversees the development and growth of football nationwide. His extensive experience and expertise make him an invaluable asset to the organisation, and he is dedicated to elevating Australian football to new levels of success.

Following the successful return of the conference in 2023, this year’s event seeks to build on that achievement by featuring an impressive lineup of both local and international presenters.

Head Coach of the Socceroos, Graham Arnold will also be speaking at the event in November.

For a full list of the current confirmed speakers and a brief history about them can be found here.

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Football Victoria recognised in Pride in Sport Index 2026

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The Silver Status shows Football Victoria‘s commitment to providing Victorians with a safe, inclusive landscape for all to enjoy the beautiful game.

Everyone’s game

Earlier this month, the Australian Pride in Sport Awards recognised several organisations and individuals across the nation who continue to champion inclusive spaces in the world of sport.

Among the nominees was Football Victoria, who received the Silver Status. FV Executive Manager Equity, Programs and Government Relations, Karen Pearce, expressed her pride at the achievement.

“Achieving Silver Status in the Pride in Sport Index is an important reflection of the work being done across Football Victoria to ensure LGBTQ+ people feel safe, welcomed and included in our game,” Pearce said via official press release.

“We remain committed to embedding inclusive practices across all levels of football, and continuing to create environments where everyone can belong, participate and thrive.”

 

Inclusion matters

While recognition is always a positive reflection of successful work behind the scenes, it is important to remember what the work intends to achieve.

Football – and sport in general – is a unique opportunity to bring diverse communities together, and to compete, spectate and enjoy the game on an equal playing field.

Furthermore, as custodians of ‘the world’s game’, governing bodies, fans and players around the world all share the responsibility to empower marginalised groups to feel included.

Two months ago, The Premier League introduced their own initiative – Premier League With Pride – reflecting their own commitment to ensuring football grounds, schools and academies remain welcoming.

 

Final thoughts

There is no place for hate or abuse in football, whether on a grassroots field or professional stadium.

Football Victoria will continue its journey and commitment to supporting the LGBTQ+ community – at all levels of the game – for many seasons to come.

Football Queensland to celebrate Female Football Week with statewide events, awards and coaching programs

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Brighton women's football motion
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Football Queensland will mark the 2026 Female Football Week with a program of statewide events, competitions and professional development opportunities running from May 8-17, as the governing body continues to push for broader access and representation across all levels of the women’s game in Queensland.

The nationwide initiative, now a fixture on the Australian football calendar, provides a concentrated period of visibility for female participation across playing, coaching, officiating and administration: areas where structural underrepresentation has historically limited both the growth of the game and the opportunities available to women and girls within it.

“Female Football Week provides us with a valuable opportunity to celebrate the contributions of women and girls across our game while continuing to increase the accessibility of football in Queensland,” said Football Queensland CEO Robert Cavallucci. “We encourage our clubs to host their own Female Football Week events and activations for female participants.”

 

Elite Competition Meets Community Access

The centrepiece of Football Queensland’s program is the return of the NPL Women’s Magic Round to Nudgee Recreation Reserve on May 8 and 9, featuring five NPL Women’s Round 13 clashes alongside a Girls United Junior Carnival and family-friendly activations. Each Magic Round game will feature an all-female refereeing panel, a deliberate and visible commitment to developing the next generation of female match officials at a moment when referee shortages are among the most pressing structural challenges facing the game nationally.

A Women in Football networking event will be held on the opening night of Magic Round, bringing together coaches, match officials and administrators. The inclusion of that event alongside elite competition is significant because it positions professional development and community building not as supplementary activities but as core components of what Female Football Week is for.

The Central Coast region will host its own Magic Round on May 16, featuring a Youth Girls game and three FQPL Central Coast Women’s matches, while a Darling Downs Junior Girls Day will take place at Captain Cook Park on the same day, extending the reach of the week’s programming beyond the southeast corner of the state into regional Queensland.

 

Coaching access as a structural priority

Football Queensland will deliver a series of female-only coaching courses around Female Football Week, with clubs also able to express interest in hosting their own. The initiative addresses one of the most persistent barriers to female representation in football administration- its coaching pipeline.

Female coaches remain significantly underrepresented at all levels of the game in Australia, and the barriers to accreditation, including cost, availability and the cultural environment of mixed coaching courses, compound one another in ways that individual ambition alone cannot overcome. Female-only courses create environments where women can develop without those barriers, and their delivery during Female Football Week signals that the commitment extends beyond celebration into structural change.

The Girls United Carnivals, running in both Metro and Far North and Gulf regions alongside the Q-League Schools program at Meakin Park, extend that access to players at the earliest stages of their football journey.

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