New FFA Chairman Steven Lowy has outlined some major priorities as the game continues to work towards its stated ambition to be the biggest sport in Australia.
Speaking on his first day as chairman following the AGM on Tuesday, Lowy presented his road map to build on the strong work of the past decade.
Lowy has taken over the role from his father Frank, long-time chairman and Westfield co-founder, who has stepped down.
Together with new board members Daniel Moulis, Crispin Murray and Kelly Bayer Rosmarin, Lowy held the first board meeting with FFA management on Tuesday and the 52-year-old Lowy revealed his priorities for the game.
They include:
* Working with the board on implementing a new strategic plan
* Securing a lucrative future broadcasting deal for the future financial stability of the game
* The stability and growth of the Hyundai A-League
* Harnessing the relationship between all stakeholders in the game, from the top to grassroots
* Working with the national teams, the Socceroos, the Matildas and junior sides; and the contribution that Australia can play towards FIFA and the AFC.
The new Chairman reiterated the goal of making football the biggest sport in the country. “We view this as just the beginning. It is the objective of FFA to be the biggest and most successful game in Australia,” Lowy said.
“Clearly that will take some time. So much has been achieved in the last 12 years, but we still have so much to achieve in the new future, the medium and long-term.
"[The upcoming broadcast deal] is probably the most significant commercial transaction that's going to face us for some years.
"And the importance of focusing on that and achieving the best results for all the stakeholders in the game will be an absolute priority."
And Lowy acknowledges his has big boots to fill.
“Somebody asked me if it was like David Moyes taking over from Sir Alex Ferguson,” Lowy Jr said with a smile.
“I don’t look at it quite like that. We’ve got a beautiful product a passionate support base at the grassroots level, the A-League level and the Socceroos and Matildas level.
“We’ve got incredible opportunities ahead of us. I feel privileged to fit into those boots, but this is not an individual responsibility.
“It’s the responsibility of a new board, a new management team and an equal responsibility of the partnership formed with the member federations, the A-League clubs and the sponsors and the grassroots of the game because it’s that collective effort which will take what’s been achieved and provide enormous growth in the future.
“So much has been achieved in a short space of time, there’s been some bumps along the road, you don’t achieve that success without many bumps and I can assure you there will be a lot of bumps we’ll have to deal with in the future.
"But bumps are just part of a journey and this is an incredibly exciting one.”
FFA CEO David Gallop believes the appointment will usher a new era for the sport in Australia. "We're delighted to have someone of Steven's experience as chairman, and the other directors that we've put in place today," Gallop said.
"We're setting off to continue the growth trajectory that Frank and the previous board put in place."