Post by Direstraits Referee on Apr 27, 2011 16:40:11 GMT 10
AFC Asian Cup Focus of Football Review
Former Federal Sports Minister and current Chairman of the Australian Sports Commission, the Hon. Warwick Smith, AM, has been appointed to head a review of football in Australia in partnership with Football Federation Australia (FFA).
The Federal Sports Minister, Senator the Hon. Mark Arbib, announced the joint review as a first step towards ensuring Australian football is in a position to deliver the best possible AFC Asian Cup in Australia in 2015.
The AFC Asian Cup is Asia’s premier sporting event and will draw an expected television audience of more than one billion. Over the course of the 23 day tournament in January 2015, up to 500,000 fans are expected to attend the 32 matches, which will be played in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory.
FFA CEO Ben Buckley confirmed that while the Smith Review would primarily focus on the AFC Asian Cup 2015, it would also examine the structures and resources required to continue football’s development in Australia.
”Football in Australia has many needs, from the kids playing at the community level through to the Qantas Socceroos on the international stage and now the responsibility of hosting Asia’s biggest football event,” said Ben Buckley.
“FFA welcomes the collaborative approach from the Federal Government and their continuing support to ensure the game is positioned to reach its enormous potential across the nation.
“The review provides the opportunity to look at the efficiencies in our current structure and how the various levels of the game can better work together. We all want to make football the best it can be.”
FFA is well advanced in setting strategic priorities for the next World Cup cycle. There are three pillars around which our strategy is built:
• Continuing national team excellence, in particular with qualification of the Qantas Socceroos for the 2014 FIFA World Cup
• Growth and sustainability of the Hyundai A-League model
• Connecting with the 1.7 million Australians who make up the football community to create greater engagement and productive partnerships
“In this context, the Smith Review is a timely and positive step towards ensuring FFA can implement its strategic plans and make the most of the exciting opportunities ahead,” concluded Buckley.
The review is due to be concluded within the next four to five months.
- FFA Media Release
Click on the link below the complete FFA Release:
[a href="http://www.footballnsw.com.au/index.php?id=17&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=4990&tx_ttnews[backPid]=389&cHash=70f0a7e33b"]http://www.footballnsw.com.au/index.php?id=17&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=4990&tx_ttnews[backPid]=389&cHash=70f0a7e33b[/a]
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