A "breakthrough in the long-running dispute" that has torn Australian football apart "appears possible following a series of meetings" on Wednesday, according to Ray Gatt of THE AUSTRALIAN. A deal reportedly could be brokered between the A-League clubs and the state and territory federations that would force Football Federation Australia into an "embarrassing backdown" and to make changes to its congress that would "allow more stakeholders to have a voice in the running of the sport." It is understood a memorandum of understanding has been drafted "and was being discussed at a specially arranged meeting" of the clubs and the state and territory federations Wednesday night. The matter "could be resolved" on Thursday when "all the game’s stakeholders get together in the same room" for talks with FFA Chair Steven Lowy, CEO David Gallop and a delegation from FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation. Just "where this would leave Lowy," who has been in the job for two years, "remains to be seen." Having "steadfastly refused to budge, this would be seen as a crippling defeat for him" and there are "suggestions his position would be untenable and that he could walk away from the game" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 8/10).
WORST FEARS: In Sydney, Dominic Bossi reported FFA's "worst fears" may have just been realized. A-League club owners, state member federations, Professional Footballers Australia and even National Premier Leagues clubs "inched closer to breaking the bitter deadlock." However, in doing so, "they are attempting to completely sideline" FFA from the peace talks. The talks between the parties "will go deep into the night on Thursday" and followed individual meetings with the delegation, which includes FIFA acting Head of Governance Services Nodar Akhalkatsi, AFC official Ravi Kumar and a FIFA lawyer. FIFA reinforced its threat to appoint a "normalising committee" that will disband the FFA board and "put in place temporary administrators to oversee a transition" that will meet its governance requirements (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 8/9).
