A "marquee" fund A$7M ($5.3M) less than planned is "one of many boxes Football Federation Australia has so far failed to tick on its four-year strategic plan," according to Windley & Davutovic of the HERALD SUN. Tuesday marks one year since FFA released its "four-year strategic vision" for '16-19, which followed the '15 release of its "Whole of Football Plan." The game is "in a state of flux" with A-League clubs "pushing for independence and supporters left frustrated by the game’s lack of vision on expansion and a national second division." But FFA insisted it is making "massive progress," highlighting its new A$331M ($250M) TV deal with Fox Sports and the beginning of the process to "overhaul the A-League’s operating model as positive steps taken recently." Some of the initiatives outlined in the four-year plan were:
- Refresh the A-League brand.
- New digital investment.
- Centralized approach to "marquee player" recruitment.
- Creating a "unity of purpose" in the football community.
- Becoming the "leading sport for females."
But the plan "missed the mark in regards to governance reform and A-League expansion, topics which continue to dominate" the football landscape. FFA "promised a renewed focus" on the A-League and in January it unveiled a "snazzy new logo," while its "You’ve Gotta Have A Team" campaign was "catchy." But "more needs to be done to polish a repetitive 10-team competition that is stagnating." FFA committed A$1M ($760,000) to a "marquee fund" this season, "about half of which was allocated" to Melbourne City forward Tim Cahill, but briefed reporters about its "desire to see that pool swell" to A$10M ($7.6M) after the TV rights deal was completed. In December, it announced the '17-18 "marquee fund" would be A$3M ($2.3M) (
HERALD SUN, 3/6).
