Football Australia targeting new leadership appointments

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Football Australia are strategically commencing a global search to fill four newly established leadership roles within its National Teams’ set-up.

Reporting into Head of National Teams, Gary Moretti, the positions include:

General Manager – Women’s National Teams

General Manager – Men’s National Teams

General Manager – Football Data & Analysis

General Manager – High Performance.

The FA are underscoring its commitment on delivering national team excellence and believe these roles will be pivotal in the ongoing improvement of the game in Australia at the professional level.

Each role is essential for the development, management and the long-term success of all high performance and national team programs and initiatives in both the men’s and women’s teams.

Under Moretti’s leadership, Football Australia’s National Teams will operate concurrently with the oversight of the governing body’s Technical Department, headed by Chief Football Officer Ernie Merrick. Later this month, they will reveal a new 10-year Technical Strategy for Australian Football.

Upon announcing these additions to the National Teams structure, Football Australia CEO, James Johnson explained the additions to the National Team structure and what it means for the future.

“The realignment and increased number of specialised resources for our senior and youth national teams stem from a comprehensive internal review of our current high performance structure when benchmarked against leading football and sporting organisations globally,” he said in a statement.

“We are a football first organisation, and this heightened focus and investment in our national teams is a reflection of our ambition. These new roles are designed to ensure everything possible is being done to deliver our strategic goal of being a leading football nation within the Asian Football Confederation and that all ages groups, men’s and women’s, are qualifying for every FIFA senior and youth World Cup.”

The recruitment process will be thorough and will be conducted by specialist recruitment firms to secure the most qualified candidates for these crucial roles.

It’s a great proactive approach by the FA to ensure the future of the national teams is consistently improving and matching Asia’s best such as Japan and South Korea who have fantastic national team structures in place.

Details of all positions will be available on the Football Australia website from Tuesday, 14 May 2024.

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APL and PFA remain without agreement as bargaining tensions continue

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Image Credit: A-Leagues

The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) and Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) remain without a new collective bargaining agreement, with negotiations continuing less than three months before the start of the 2026–27 A-Leagues season.

The APL presented the players’ union with a new one-year interim proposal on August 5, which included an increase to the A-League Women salary cap and a commitment to establish a pathway towards full-time professionalism for the women’s competition within 12 months.

The proposed agreement would provide an interim framework while the two parties continue discussions over a longer-term collective bargaining agreement.

APL chief executive Steve Rosich said the proposal reflected the league’s commitment to reaching a sustainable agreement with players following eight months of negotiations.

However, the PFA criticised the APL for publicly announcing the proposal shortly after presenting it to the union, arguing that the approach had further damaged trust between the two parties.

PFA Chief Executive Beau Busch also said players had overwhelmingly rejected the APL’s previous final offer, citing a lack of trust in the league’s ability to ensure its future.

Full-time professionalism for the A-League Women remains a key priority for the PFA, with players seeking improved conditions and greater investment in the competition.

The A-League Men and A-League Women seasons are both scheduled to begin on 16 October 2026.

With the new season approaching, both parties face pressure to resolve the dispute and establish the framework governing player conditions across the A-Leagues.

 

 

Jeff Bezos consortium set for $2.7 billion Liverpool investment

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Image Credits: Fortune

Liverpool could soon welcome one of the world’s richest men into its ownership structure.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is part of a consortium in advanced talks to buy a 30% stake in the club.

The proposed deal values Liverpool at around $8.6 billion (4.5 billion pounds). Bezos has a personal fortune estimated at $363 billion.

The investment would give Fenway Sports Group (FSG) a major financial return. It would also allow FSG to keep control of the club, which they bought in 2010.

The proposal has attracted attention across football. It has also created concern among sections of the Liverpool fanbase.

FSG set for major return

FSG bought Liverpool for $573 million (300 million pounds) in 2010. The ownership group later provided further funding through loans. In the last 16 years, the club has undergone major growth.

Liverpool ended a 30-year wait for a league title in 2020. The club also won the Champions League in 2019. Another Premier League title followed in 2025.

Stadium redevelopment and a new training centre have also increased the club’s value. FSG could cash in on $2.7 billion (1.4 billion pounds) if the 30% share is sold.

The deal would therefore represent a huge return on its original investment. However, whilst the investment would provide a massive cash out for the owners of Liverpool, due to Financial Fair Play there won’t be increased investment in the transfer market.

Why Bezos wants Liverpool

Bezos has explored sports investments before. He has been linked with major American franchises such as the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks.

Liverpool would give him a stake in one of football’s biggest global brands. The club also has a large following in the United States. The New York Times has also reported Liverpool has 26 million fans in America.

That makes the investment attractive for investors looking to expand their reach in global sport. American businessmen Eduardo Saverin and Amit Bhatia are also reportedly involved in the consortium.

The deal would add to the growing American influence across English football.

Fans remain cautious

Liverpool supporters have not automatically welcomed the proposal.

The club’s previous experience under Tom Hicks and George Gillett still influences the fanbase.

Supporters also want greater clarity over the consortium’s intentions. Questions remain over board representation, control and the long-term purpose of the investment.

For many fans, ownership must involve more than financial ambition. The Bezos proposal could strengthen Liverpool’s commercial position. It could also deliver a huge payday for FSG.

But until the consortium reveals more about its plans, supporters are likely to treat the deal with scepticism.

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