One-on-one with Elissia Carnavas: “The Matildas have got the hopes of the nation on their shoulders”

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Image credit: IOIO IMAGES / Shutterstock.com

There are less than 30 days left until the highly anticipated Women’s World Cup takes centre stage in Australia and New Zealand, which has sold over one million tickets – surpassing the previous tournament in France in 2019.

In a wide-ranging chat with Soccerscene, ex-Matilda and commentator for the upcoming Women’s World Cup, Elissia Carnavas, touches on the meaning behind co-hosting a World Cup, the women’s game in the country, preparations before commentating, pronouncing a difficult name, how the Matildas will fare and which players we will keep an eye out for.

What does hosting the World Cup mean for the nation?

Elissia Carnavas: It’s such a huge opportunity for Australia and Australian football, but l also think it’s such a huge honour for women’s sport.

From my angle as a football fan and former player, for the code it’s a fantastic honour with the trajectory of where things are going in the country for women’s sport and around the globe.

For us to host, this is enormous – l really hope it is everything that we imagined it to be and more.

Do you think people will become more involved in the women’s game, especially in Australia, after such a major tournament?

Elissia Carnavas: I think for any major sporting event that comes to Australia, both domestic and international, we are a sporting nation and we really do get on board and get behind these massive events.

What it is going to do to our sport is shine a massive spotlight here and internationally, but l do hope that as far as a take-up of football in our country and the sustainability of the code that we are able to build on it.

We need to get everyone behind it who is involved in the game to start to capitalise on that exposure to really take this game to the next level.

What are the few things that excite you in the commentary role for the tournament?

Elissia Carnavas: I love commentary and everything about it, personally it is just talking about the game day in, day out.

To be able to impart my knowledge of the game with the football public, given l have been around the game a long time over the years from an era that wasn’t as popular as what we are seeing now, l am excited to share the history with the viewers and the listeners.

What is involved in the preparation before a tournament or a game?

Elissia Carnavas: There is a lot of preparation involved in comms and the production of that, by actively keeping on top of players and squads, who is travelling, injuries to certain players.

There is a big research and development section in commentary that we need to be across and making sure that we are giving viewers and listeners accurate real time information to when we go live, a lot of it is in the build-up and keeping track of 32 teams and all their preparation.

How would you go about pronouncing a difficult name?

Elissia Carnavas: l come from an ethnic background, so l am used to difficult names. It is a bit of fun for me it’s not so much a challenge for me when you’re used to different pronunciations and different areas of the globe.

I personally believe in being completely respectful of correct pronunciations. l don’t have the easiest name myself, so l do make an effort just to get across pronunciations – sometimes l have reached out to players directly and said let me get this right for you because l think it is a respect for players and the different areas in which they come from.

How do you think the Matildas will perform?

Elissia Carnavas: The Matildas have got the hopes of the nation on their shoulders. While it’s a huge honour to have a home World Cup, it’s also an enormous amount of pressure when they do start to play.

The most difficult thing that Tony Gustavsson and the team have is the injury clouds at the moment, and l think that it will be the catalyst to how they will perform.

They will go well but l believe that it is the balance of expectation and making sure that they deliver on the day, however we should see a Round of 16 and quarter-final result.

Which players in the Matildas team do you think will be the one to watch?

Elissia Carnavas: I’m a huge fan of Sam Kerr and what she has done not only for the game, but also for herself in women’s football – it is a huge achievement where she has managed to get herself in terms of recognition and performance over the last few years.

For me, the player to watch is Caitlin Foord, as good as she is I sometimes feel she can be a little underrated just because of Sam’s presence in the squad and they play in very similar areas in the park.

Caitlin Foord is the linchpin between midfield and attack, she is a strong forward and a naturally gifted athlete.

The other player for me who is young but is the future, is Kyra Cooney-Cross. If she can step up and perform as she always does, with the injection of Katrina Gorry around her as well, they have been outstanding when they have played together. Kyra is another one to watch for this World Cup.

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Exclusive Interview With Football Path X’s Azur Omerovic: “Football Path X Will Digitally Revolutionise The Footballing World”

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The Football Path X team (Image provided by Azur Omerovic)
The Football Path X team: Image provided by Azur Omerovic

Football Path X recently hit the app store internationally, building on the connectivity of potential players from amateur to professional with clubs around the world.

Azur Omerovic has been one of key members of the Football Path X (FPX) team through its recent growth.

As head of partnerships, Azur sat down with Soccerscene to talk about the exciting journey of the company and the plans they hold for Football Path X’s future.

How did Football Path X come about?

Azur Omerovic: It all started with our CEO Rajan Zejnuni, he travelled with his wife Naava Garreth, to her home country of Uganda. For most of Africans, football is way out of poverty. Same can be seen in South America such as Brazil, though the scale and communication logistics for players with footballing ambitions is a big obstacle. Especially in the largest and most competitive footballing continent, Europe.

Rajan had talked with players and coaches who shared how difficult is to find a club locally and how much they struggle when it comes to international showcasing. Their players were left behind unless they were rich and very well connected. The players used Instagram, TikTok and YouTube to try and showcase their skills but there was little evidence of success by using these general forms of social media. FPX centralises all activities and game opportunity to individuals so it can tell complete stories about themselves and achieve, not just local, but international reach.

How did you personally get involved?

Azur Omerovic: I have played and coached at a good level before and know a lot about football. I have also had a lot of experience in business development and partnerships. I got in contact with Rajan after he published his first promo video on Facebook and announced MPV to go live. Since we both share similar values and passion, we decided to continue building FPX together.

Also in our team is my sister Amila Omerovic who is head of Player Development at FPX and has played professionally in the US and represented Croatia. Eldan Alomerovic, a brilliant designer whose creativity makes our ideas come to life, ensuring a seamless and visually stunning user experience. Assem Ragab, our Product Manager, is an IT professional and has worked in some of the biggest IT Companies such as Oracle, IBM, SAP, Meta and Tesla, at these companies he developed several products and in FPX Assem oversees product commercialisation and gamification.

So what is Football Path X and what gives it the advantage in this competitive market?

Azur Omerovic: The market is flooded with apps for individuals who can afford spending around $17 AUD a month (€10), and even then, there is little value since the major problems are not solved on a large scale. FPX is not just a mobile app – The mobile app is our first product and next year we will be publishing other digital products. This will create a set of services and products that make us a platform where all football life circles for each individual and entity (club, league) is covered.

A central part is the social part, or how people interact. FPX is huge step towards providing digital football solutions for all players and staff of clubs, equipping them with cutting-edge technology to enhance their skills, increase their visibility, and connect with the global football community and our rapidly growing platform.

Football Path X logo. (Image supplied by Azur Omerovic)

What is the premium package of club management?

Azur Omerovic: For this upgrade it will be built around a club dynamic. We digitalise all football activities: Staff management, event tracking e.g. Match scheduling and tracking, training scheduling and coach-player feedback including statistical aspect of players, coaches, team and club performance. Clubs will gain complete overview of all activities and eliminate unstructured communication which consumes so much time, and this communication can be held directly, via WhatsApp and even recorded with pen and paper.

We can help digitalise clubs, which will include expert insights into training techniques and club issues from field professionals both at FPX and through over users in the App. The platform will be a football marketplace where experts and rising football stars meet, exchange knowledge and professionals can offer their services. Coaches, Scouts, Agents and other professionals like Psychologists will have their place and role on our platform.

Part of the Club Management option is a marketing package which enables clubs to interact with fans via sharing material generated in the app. Fans will get real time results and stay up to date with the club’s news like live scores or announcements. Club Management is an important brick in building this bridge, the bridge that connects demand and needs.

Features of Football Path X. (Image supplied by Azur Omerovic)

What is going to be the process to get clubs onto the premium package of club management?

Azur Omerovic: We have strong football network that includes around 1500 coaches around the world who have personal and professional relationships with our team and our partners. Product will be presented to them, and we believe that their leagues will get involved with our concept as well, since no one wants to stay behind. Of course, we will reach out to clubs if we notice high number of players who use the platform for personal purposes.

We are also invited to The World Football Summit which will take place in Madrid this Autumn. From this we will get direct connection with the biggest football organisations like FIFA and UEFA. This event will be the showcase for our official Club Management announcement.

Who can join Football Path X and Is there a targeted consumer?

Azur Omerovic: Though professionals are welcome to the app, 99% of footballers are amateur, semi-professional and veteran players. We believe that these players are the key. A lot of lower level clubs have the funds or ability of professional structures. So, we can offer them a system with low price and good quality. Academies are also the perfect centre for FPX to connect upcoming players in these programs to explore opportunities.

As FPX is solely football focused, parents can help manage their kids careers and represent them until they are mature enough to take over their accounts. FPX also allows their kids to get the app to communicate in a footballing environment and not get overwhelmed by the other aspects of the mainstream social media apps out there.

Only 6% of all players right now are women, we match this in our own statistics as well, with Amila Omerovic as head of Football Development it’s a central focus of FPX to increase this number.

Has Football Path X been interested in the Australian market? 

Azur Omerovic: Football is developing in Australia and 10 football clubs from Australia use the current free version already. It’s a sport that is expanding professionally but has an extensive semi-pro and amateur presence. Australia is also a digitalised country, so people don’t have an issue with using apps for communication and it integrates well into the Australian way of life.

For us it’s a huge market to get into and can be a huge advantage for most of the Australian footballing community. Since the publicity of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup the Women’s football market has exploded in Australia and is an exciting development for us.

How have you been engaged in the Australian Market?

Azur Omerovic: Football Path X is proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Australasian Soccer Academy from Sydney. At the heart of this collaboration is Tony Basha, the Chairman of Australasian Soccer Academy. His passion for football, his club and the community has deeply resonated with us. Regardless of gender or age, it is a great opportunity for all.

Tony and his academy are a respected and known academy in Europe and internationally. A true visionary, Tony recognises the power of technology in elevating football talent and has been instrumental in fostering this partnership. We are delighted to work alongside him and look forward to a long-lasting relationship that will transform football in Australia.

We encourage all players and clubs in Australia to get the app and contribute to the growing community.

Tony Basha CEO of The Australasian Football Academy (Image provided by Azur Omerovic)
Tony Basha CEO of The Australasian Football Academy. (Image provided by Azur Omerovic).

How is Football Path X currently tracking?

Azur Omerovic: More than 2500 players and coaches from 120 clubs use our app even though we are just around 5 months on the market. Based on the last few weeks of the growth rate, we expect to hit the 100 000 user mark by the end of the year.

Late last year FPX team had the annual Web summit in Lisbon, where we connected to similar organisations in the digital and footballing industry. We were even approached by some famous football clubs including Atletico Madrid and Benfica.

The FPX team are keen to develop these relationships and adapt them into the app experience.

What does the future hold for Football Path X?

Azur Omerovic: The Management premium package first phase of the app is out now. We will go live early in July with a Beta version and finalise it until 1st of September. We are based primarily in Europe, with our central office in Vienna, Austria. So, Europe will continue to be a base of operations and our app’s primary focus for opportunities.

For the app to grow however, we are keen to keep pushing the app in the Australian market and expand to get more partners in South America, The US and to all countries. We already have users from 146 countries in the world.

We are driven to have FPX be the app that can connect the footballing world from the most amateur to the highest professional players, academies and clubs.

Building from the Ground Up: Banyule City SC’s Ambition to Grow

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Image Credit: Banyule City SC Facebook

Six years ago, Banyule City Soccer Club had big ambitions and a whole lot of challenges. Taking the reins during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, the committee worked behind the scenes to keep the club connected, focusing on long-term goals that are now beginning to take shape.

Under his leadership, the club has seen the return of a senior women’s program — one that’s rapidly climbed the ranks to the Victorian Premier League and the growth of a strong junior base with nearly 200 players. As Banyule prepares for major upgrades at two of its key grounds and sends its U16 girls’ squad to the Borneo Cup in 2025, the club is entering a new chapter.

Speaking with Soccerscene, President of Banyule City SC Nasr Said reflects on his leadership journey, the club’s community-first values, and how Banyule is building pathways that support players from grassroots to elite levels all while staying true to its inclusive, family-oriented roots.

Can you share some insight into your role as President and how Banyule City SC has evolved since the beginning of your presidency?

Nasr Said: I took over running the club six years ago, after playing at Banyule for about four years. I’ll be honest it hasn’t been easy. The first couple of years were tough, especially with COVID hitting just as I stepped into the role. We couldn’t even get a proper season going, but we did what we could off the field — sharing content on social media, keeping the kids engaged with soccer drills from the coaches we had. It was a difficult time for every club.

Once we got through that, I had goals and ambitions for the club one of the biggest was to rebuild the senior women’s program as there hadn’t been a women’s team here for over a decade. Since then, we’ve had incredible success. The women’s team went from State League 4 up through the ranks — State 3, State 2, and then straight into the Victorian Premier League (VPL). They won the league four years in a row, went undefeated during that time, and now they’re playing in the second-highest division in Victoria, just under the NPL.

Image Credit: Banyule City SC Facebook

On the men’s side, we’ve had our ups and downs, one year we nearly got relegated, and other years we were close to promotion but we continue to push forward.

As President, I work closely with our committee, the Treasurer, Secretary, Vice President and support them however I can. My role is about bringing in resources, building a strong structure, and making sure the club runs smoothly. I’ve put in a lot over the past six years. We’re in a good place now, but there’s always room to grow.

The Council’s planned upgrades at Banyule Flats Reserve and Yallambie Park are exciting milestones. What kind of impact will these developments have for your players, members, and the broader community?

Nasr Said: Yallambie Park has been meant to get rebuilt for the last 25 to 30 years. We haven’t had a proper home ground for the past two years and it’s had a big impact on the club. Banyule Flats Reserve isn’t suitable for matches it has two cricket pitches which make the ground too small for football. And Yallambie Park has been deemed unsafe for play both this year and last year. 

The good news is Banyule Flats Reserve is scheduled to be rebuilt in September, and that’s a massive step forward. The council built a new pavilion there five or six years ago, it’s state-of-the-art, on par with NPL-level facilities. Once we have a proper ground there, it’ll be huge for the club.We’ve got an industrial-grade canteen and proper change rooms that will help us attract spectators, generate revenue, and give us a real home base.

As for Yallambie Park, the council has said for years they’ll fix the facilities and just recently, a council rep told us work will begin within weeks. All we can do now is hope. If both grounds are upgraded, it’ll be a game-changer financially and in terms of creating a safer, stronger environment for our members and players.

With nearly 200 junior members and growing senior squads, how do you ensure that every player has access to a clear development pathway from grassroots to competitive football?

Nasr Said: We have around 200 junior players, which is a great number for us it allows us to manage things properly and ensure quality across all levels. As a community club, we’re open to everyone. We don’t hold trials; anyone who wants to play is welcome, regardless of their experience. We’re not at NPL level, so we focus more on inclusion and development than elite selection at the junior stage.

That said, we still place a strong emphasis on growth. Our junior coordinator and technical director work closely with coaches to identify areas for improvement both for players and coaches. We have kids at all levels: some very talented, some still learning the basics.

This year, I’m starting to run the Banyule City Academy that is run through the club to support players who are more advanced and want to pursue football more seriously. It’s not about excluding others, but offering additional development to those aiming to go further. We teach our coaches, aid them in gaining proper accreditation through coaching courses. Through that, we guide them in working with these players in smaller groups, helping them refine their skills and understand our playing style. 

One of our key goals is consistency from juniors through to seniors. We guide our coachesby saying ‘This is what we want your players to do’ and teach a playing style that mirrors what our senior teams use, so when juniors progress, the transition is smoother. Ultimately, we want to give kids who are serious about football every chance to succeed – and maybe even play professionally one day.

Image Provided by Nasr Said

The U16 girls heading to the Borneo Cup in 2025 is a big moment. How did this opportunity come about, and what does it signal about the club’s ambitions in developing female footballers?

Nasr Said: The Borneo Cup opportunity actually came about through a good friend of mine, who was coaching at Watsonia Soccer Club. He’s really well connected in Australian football and knows a lot of players who’ve played internationally. He mentioned his under-16 girls’ team was looking for a better environment and that they weren’t happy at their current club. So we had the conversation, and those girls ended up coming across to Banyule.

Now we’ve got a strong under-16s girls squad around 17 or 18 players and while there’s still plenty of development ahead, they’ve got a great opportunity in front of them. The Borneo Cup is a serious international tournament, with high-level academies and teams from all over. We’ll be one of the only Melbourne clubs — possibly one of the only Australian ones taking part.

It’s a big deal. For many of these girls, it’ll be their first international tournament. There’ll be an opening ceremony – we’ll be walking under the Australian flag it’s going to be unforgettable. And more than that, it’s a huge step forward for the club. Not many local teams get the chance to represent on an international stage, so this says a lot about where we’re heading and what we want to build for female footballers at Banyule.

Looking ahead, what are your key priorities as President for continuing to build a club that’s competitive, inclusive, and deeply connected to its community?

Nasr Said: My number one priority is making sure the club’s doors are open to everyone—no matter who they are. Inclusivity is massive for us. I really want to build a strong foundation for our junior players, because at the end of the day, they’re the future of the club. My goal is to see our men’s team reach NPL or VPL level, and our women’s side competing in the NPL too. But more than that, it’s about creating a club where families and members genuinely feel welcome.

I make it a point to connect with parents whether that’s at training on a Tuesday or Thursday, or just having regular conversations to check in. I’ve seen clubs where that connection is missing, and I never want that to be us. The role of President isn’t about being above anyone—it’s about building a culture and a reputation that people talk about in a positive way.

Of course, growing our sponsor base is another key part of the vision, because to compete at higher levels, you need the right support structures in place. But whether it’s juniors or seniors, men’s or women’s football we treat every team the same here. It’s all part of the bigger picture. We’re not there yet, but I really believe we’re on the right track. These things take time. You can’t build something lasting overnight but we’re getting there.

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