A-League games "are expected to get back to normal this week with Football Federation Australia and the active supporter groups from all 10 clubs appearing to have brokered a deal to end the two-week dispute," according to Ray Gatt of THE AUSTRALIAN. The "breakthrough came following a marathon, complicated and, at times, heated meeting in Sydney" Tuesday night. While there "was no definitive answer as to whether the boycotts that marred the A-League last week are over," the supporter groups are reportedly satisfied with the outcome of the talks with FFA CEO David Gallop and A-League CEO Damien de Bohun. They "will now report back to their members" on Thursday before issuing a statement. Speaking after the meeting, Gallop said FFA "have agreed to changes to the banning process in principle, and I am pleased to say all clubs were present and endorsed those changes." FFA "will conduct a review of the appeals process." FFA: "We will change the banning notices to say they are an intention to ban. People will then have an opportunity to view the evidence relied on. Where the opportunity exists, we will give the banned 198 a chance to view the evidence." On Thursday, FFA "had a minor victory following a meeting with the chairmen and owners of A-League clubs." In what "was an at-times fiery meeting," new FFA Chair Steven Lowy "was grilled by the people at the coalface of the sport, many of them disenchanted with the direction the head body has been taking and, in particular, the state of the national competition." While Lowy did not go into specifics about the meeting, he said that "it was productive." Lowy: "It was a very, very productive discussion and, no, there was no anger" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 12/10).
