FA Board of Directors Welcomes Two New Appointments

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Rachel Wiseman and Angela Mentis will join the FA as Directors, reflecting a continued drive within the governing body to prompt a new era for football in Australia.

 

Leading with expertise

Both Wiseman and Mentis join the FA at a time of immense change and ambition.

In February, the appointment of Martin Kugeler as CEO was symbolic of new beginnings for the industry. And now that Wiseman and Mentis are on board, the FA looks set for a defining year.

“We are pleased to welcome Rachel (Wiseman) and Angela (Mentis) to the Football Australia Board,” expressed Football Australia Chair, Anter Isaac.

“These appointments reflect a deliberate effort to strengthen the Board’s capability across commercial strategy, digital transformation, financial services and major rights environments.”

If Australian football is to progress across digital, commercial and beyond, industry experts must sit at the centre of governance.

 

Aligning experience and vision

Most recently Chief Executive Officer Member Capital at NRMA, Wiseman brings experience and knowledge in executive roles, and legal practice.

Further to overseeing the growth and diversification of NRMA since 2016, as well as leading Tabcorp Holdings Limited as General Manager, Commercial Development – International, Wiseman has past experience in the sports landscape.

As Director of Business Affairs for Fox Sports Australia between 2007 and 2024, Wiseman negotiated agreements to broadcast key sports rights. With Football Australia looking to grow its financial power and commercial strategy in the coming years, Wiseman’s knowledge aligns perfectly with the governing body’s vision.

Mentis is an industry leader in financial services, with an extensive range of skills across customer and culture transformations.

Furthermore, following more than 30 years of work spanning Australia, New Zealand, Asia, United Kingdom and USA, Mentis will help the FA with essential, high-quality leadership.

While at the National Australia Bank, Mentis led a division over 900 people across Australia, Vietnam and India. And as the first female Chief Executive Officer at the Bank of New Zealand from 2018-2021, there is no question that Mentis’ credentials and expertise will bring about significant change and organisation at the FA.

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More than 220 coaches attend Football South Australia’s second NOVA Youth Club Championship workshop

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Football South Australia drew more than 220 coaches to its second NOVA Youth Club Championship Coaches Workshop in late May, underlining the scale of engagement clubs are generating through the state’s restructured youth competition framework.

The online session was facilitated by Football SA Technical Director Michael Cooper, who also serves as Junior Matildas Head Coach. Cooper shared observations from the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup and Australia’s qualification for the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, giving club-level coaches a window into the demands and standards of elite international football.

The presenter line-up extended that international lens further. Lachlan Tosh and Cristiano Dos Santos spoke to their experiences in national tournament environments, while legendary Australian coach Tom Sermanni addressed the fundamentals of youth coaching. Colin Sanctuary from the University of Newcastle examined coaching language and its direct influence on player learning.

Themes running across the session included the primacy of long-term player development over short-term results, with presenters consistently emphasising technique, ball mastery, individual improvement, and decision-making under pressure. Coaches were encouraged to expose players to varied styles of play, facilitate practice outside organised training, and help young players retain possession longer in match conditions.

Post-session feedback pointed to strong practical value, with coaches singling out clear communication, relationship-building, and age-appropriate feedback as key takeaways.

The workshop series sits within the broader transition from the Youth Premier League to the Club Championship model, which ties coaching participation to championship points for clubs and CPD credits toward individual coaching diplomas. Six workshops are scheduled across the season, with four still to come.

Premier League backs grassroots football in Singapore

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Image credit: Premier League

The NEXTGEN coach programme saw past legends and current coaches unite to deliver an activity intent on supporting grassroots football through high quality and inclusive coaching.

 

Creating new leaders

To reach the top in elite football requires tactical education, personal guidance and consistent support throughout the development journey.

Coaches therefore take on a great deal of responsibility for players seeking a top-flight dream.

Yet even for those who never make it to the top, there is always one coach who stands out. Not necessarily for the silverware achieved or results on the pitch, but for the way they helped build a person off the pitch to play better on it.

The Premier League’s NEXTGEN Coach programme in Singapore aims to equip coaches with the skills and knowledge to do exactly that: creating welcoming environments which nurture confidence and a love for the game.

“This will hugely benefit local coaches, providing them with expert training and skills that will cascade into the communities they coach in,” said Premier League Director of Community, Nick Perchard, via media release.

“After opening the League’s first international office in Singapore more than seven years ago, we are now building on our commitment to the country with a structured coach development programme.”

 

What does the programme include?

The programme initially saw Premier League coaches deliver training sessions to coaches from StarHub – the League’s broadcast partner in Singapore who engage with local community football.

Furthermore, the training was consolidated through stakeholder engagement events and talks from 150 students at the Institute of Technical Education about their careers in the game.

In total, the programme saw 30 coaches take part – all from diverse backgrounds selected by the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) to maximise community reach and positively impact as many young individuals as possible.

“Youth development is a key priority for FAS, and it starts at the grassroots level,” explained FAS General Secretary, Badri Ghent via media release.

“Coaches play a central role in shaping not just how young players learn the game, but how they experience it, building confidence, character and a lifelong connection to football.”

Through high quality programmes like NEXTGEN, grassroots football can grow to ensure future coaches and players are confident in themselves and their future roles in the game.

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