New Zealand Football CEO GRANT MCKAVANAGH "has resigned after two years in the role," according to 3 NEWS.
McKavanagh, who will stand down on July 12, said that "he intends to take a short break from sports administration." He said,
"Having also finalized the venue and structure for the intercontinental playoff in November, the time is right for me now to step aside" (3 NEWS, 7/5). In Auckland, Michael Burgess reported McKavanagh's "departure could provide the impetus for a 'musical chairs' scenario at New Zealand Football," with High Performance Dir FRED DE JONG stepping into McKavanagh's role and All Whites coach RICKI HERBERT moving upstairs into De Jong's job. McKavanagh "has been quick to refute suggestions that he was pressured into resigning by the national board, saying that the decision was made for purely personal and business reasons." He said, "I'm not in a position to commit for the next two, two-and-a-half years and that is the crux of it. This is an all-consuming role and it is time for someone else to run the next phase" (NEW ZEALAND HERALD, 7/7).
