Daily Australian News 2012

And on todays game, Dura.......

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Testing time for Phoenix: Durante expects tough match against young Jets

BY CRAIG KERRY
18 Aug, 2012 04:00 AM

WELLINGTON Phoenix captain Andrew Durante expects the young Newcastle Jets squad to give his side their first real test of fitness and football skills tonight at Weston Park.

The former Jets central defender, who was man of the match in Newcastle’s 2008 A-League grand final triumph, arrived in Sydney yesterday with the Phoenix squad.

Wellington will treat the game at Weston as a hit-and-run assignment because they fly out of Sydney tomorrow for a tour of India where they will play four games in 10 days.

Durante said Gary van Egmond’s young, new-look Jets line-up would be a stern test for Phoenix, who have played only two trial matches so far against local opposition.

They have beaten state league opponents Lower Hutt 4-0 and Miramar Rangers 9-0.

The 30-year-old said the first two games had been about building match fitness, which would be tested tonight.

‘‘I think they’ve played five or six games already and done well so they’re far more advanced than us in that respect,’’ Durante said.

‘‘Dutchy has put together a squad of really young boys and we expect them to be really tough.

‘‘They will be fit and lively and trying to play a really nice passing game, which is obviously what Dutchy is trying to instil there. It’s going to be a good test for us.’’

Durante expected Wellington to start their strongest available line-up tonight and make the most of playing A-League opponents.

‘‘Playing a team like Newcastle we will starting working on the football side of things more, but there is still a long time before we kick a ball in the A-League so fitness is still a priority,’’ Durante said.

Although only Jobe Wheelhouse and Ben Kennedy remain at the Jets from his days with the club, Durante said the trip to Newcastle was always one he enjoyed.

‘‘It’s always good coming back to Newcastle. My wife’s family are from there so it will be great to catch up with them even though we won’t have long,’’ he said.

The match today will be the Jets’ first against A-League opposition, after victories over Broadmeadow Magic (3-1), Canberra Rockets (9-1), Northern NSW Select (6-0 and 2-1) and Rockdale City (2-1).

The match, which will kick off at 5pm, will be Newcastle’s last effort before a week’s rest, and van Egmond is expected to field his strongest available side.

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Originally Posted by Jetmaster

And on todays game, Dura.......

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See post match comments in Pre-season thread.

David Gallop is the new Buckley...

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/football...821-24jxg.html

old news really.

G

Shrewd move if its (finally) announced. Bloke seems like a decent human being, loves a beer and a surf. Can't get more 'Aussie' (read: not ethnic/old soccah/recycled) than that.

Also, interesting press coverage today of the 'brawl' in last nights NRL match.
Way less tut-tutting and 'nails in the coffin' type stuff.
Let's hope Gallop gets his mates in the press onside (and yes he is good friends with Rebecca Wilson) and get a bit fairer shake of the sauce bottle.

Ding dong the witch is dead........ etc

Nuh - during the Jets "mania" of early 2008, Gallop was aksed about whether it was good to have some friendly competition for the NRL in Newcastle.

Gallop said - "the Jets are no competition"....

Meet the new boss......same as the old boss.....

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Ben Buckley to step down as FFA CEO

http://static.ffa.sportalhosting.com...-leadimage.jpg

The Chief Executive Officer of Football Federation Australia, Ben Buckley, has announced he will step down from his role at the conclusion of negotiations for the FFA’s new broadcast deal in about two months.

Mr David Gallop has been appointed the new Chief Executive Officer.

Mr Gallop is well-known as the former CEO of the National Rugby League and Australian Rugby League Commission and is widely respected as a leader and sports administrator.

The Chairman of FFA, Mr Frank Lowy AC, said Buckley first raised the prospect of moving on from FFA several months ago and the two had agreed the conclusion of the broadcast deal was a logical time to make a career move.

“The broadcast deal is at the heart of the future of football in this country and it has been the most critical aspect of my work for the past 18 months,” Buckley said.

“I told the Chairman some time ago I was determined to negotiate the best possible deal to underpin the future growth of the game but that once done I would like to work with he and the board to identify a successor.”

Mr Lowy said Buckley had discussed Gallop with him about two months ago. Buckley had contacted Gallop soon after he had left the NRL and had discussed possible opportunities at FFA.

“These discussions created the opportunity for us to consider Gallop as a successor to Ben,” he said.

Mr Lowy described Buckley as one of Australia’s finest sports administrators.

“Ben has worked tirelessly for football both at home and abroad and has steered the game through a difficult period of consolidation,” he said.

“He has the respect and thanks of the board for his contribution and he will remain a valued friend of the game.

“I wish him well for the future.”

Mr Lowy said he was looking forward to working with Gallop to build on past achievements and grow the game into the future.

“Mr Gallop comes to the job well-equipped to meet the challenges ahead.

“He is an experienced sports administrator of high standing and is widely respected across all sports.”

Gallop is on leave overseas and will be available to media on his return in about two weeks. He will assume his new role with FFA before the end of the year with the commencement date to be confirmed soon.

http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/...-FFA-CEO/48647

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I've got a bad feeling about this.

Maybe give the bloke a chance first?
Novel concept in football I know but hey I'm keen.

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Originally Posted by Jetmaster

Nuh - during the Jets "mania" of early 2008, Gallop was aksed about whether it was good to have some friendly competition for the NRL in Newcastle.

Gallop said - "the Jets are no competition"....

Meet the new boss......same as the old boss.....

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What else would you expect the CEO of the NRL to say?

David Gallop is a yes man. He did everything News Limited asked him to do and now he will do everything that Uncle Frank asks of him.

As Jetmaster said "Meet the new boss......same as the old boss....."

Buckley out.
Merry Griffmas.


A yes man!
What else is frank going to employ?

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Originally Posted by plague

Maybe give the bloke a chance first?
Novel concept in football I know but hey I'm keen.

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don't be stupid. how else do we maintain a persecution complex?

i for one welcome our new overlord. am keen to see what he can do for us.

Funny how at a lot of Junior clubs nowadays they prefer if you have a Football background with a Junior coaching Licence if you want to coach kids. It seems to be the CEO of the FFA no prior knowledge of Football is required!!!Just couldn't imagine this happening in European or South American countries.

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Originally Posted by The Dunster

David Gallop is a yes man. He did everything News Limited asked him to do and now he will do everything that Uncle Frank asks of him.

As Jetmaster said "Meet the new boss......same as the old boss....."

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Gallop may be a yes man (will hold my judgement until he has been in the job at least 1 day) but he also got league through some pretty tough times and considering they just got a billion dollars for tv rights without changing anything you would have to say hes left them in decent shape. Considering the way he dealt with the storm cheating the cap (a News Ltd team) I think it is a bit harsh to simply call him a yes man.
Surely he will do a better job than Buckley so at the worst its a step in the right direction.

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Originally Posted by stopper2

Funny how at a lot of Junior clubs nowadays they prefer if you have a Football background with a Junior coaching Licence if you want to coach kids. It seems to be the CEO of the FFA no prior knowledge of Football is required!!!Just couldn't imagine this happening in European or South American countries.

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Okay, what does running the FFA have to do with a history of football? First and foremost I would have thought, is the ability to control and run a successful (in business terms) company. Gallop has done that for the past 10 years for the NRL/ARL/whatever. He has also shown that he can guide a professional sports league successfully (again, debatable, but he hasnt seen 3 clubs fold on him in 3 years). And finally, he was the leader of the NRL, whenever shit hit the fan, he was there to make a statement. He was seen, unlike Buckley who you would rarely see.

And surprisingly enough, knowing he can run a professional football league without running it into the ground, makes me feel alot better. So what if he doesnt know football? As long as he is seen to be in command of the FFA in the media and doesn't see anymore clubs fold in his reign, I will be happy.

As for coaching, there is a lot of differences between coaching a junior football team and running a business with a background of football. Coaching with a background in football is great, as is running a business with a background in successful businesses is great,

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Originally Posted by stopper2

Funny how at a lot of Junior clubs nowadays they prefer if you have a Football background with a Junior coaching Licence if you want to coach kids. It seems to be the CEO of the FFA no prior knowledge of Football is required!!!Just couldn't imagine this happening in European or South American countries.

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Yep, coz having soccer people running Soccer Australia worked so well didn't it :yeahright:

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Originally Posted by westjet

Surely he will do a better job than Buckley so at the worst its a step in the right direction.

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Agree

Not being a "football person" did John oneill no harm.
I think it helps them in this role, as they come to the table with little politics or personal agenda against other football people already in the system.

Imagine if someone from the VFF got the gig. NSWFF would pack up and leave.
Clean slates are needed in some cases and you only get that from outsiders.
Gallop can shuffle papers with the best of them, and the way he seemed to be 'boned' by RL might mean he's actually keen to show them what they let go.

My only concern is how big the gig is, all the federations, multiple national teams, players and coaces spread across the world etc etc but that concern would exist over anyone taking the reigns of football in Australia.

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Originally Posted by plague

Maybe give the bloke a chance first?
Novel concept in football I know but hey I'm keen.

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I've hardly persecuted the bloke, my concerns are that he'll be just as hamstrung as Buckley was, due to Lowy's control.

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Former NRL boss David Gallop has been appointed as the CEO of Football Federation Australia

Marco Monteverde
The Courier-Mail

http://resources0.news.com.au/images...vid-gallop.jpg

Source: The Daily Telegraph

THE appointment of former NRL boss David Gallop as Football Federation Australia chief executive looms as the "circuit breaker" the round ball game needs to prosper.

In an oddly-timed announcement, Gallop was yesterday named as the replacement for Ben Buckley, who has two months left in a role he assumed in November 2006.

Why FFA would choose yesterday to make the announcement is anyone's guess.

Just hours earlier, the NRL announced their new billion-dollar TV deal, which was quickly followed by news that Laurie Daley had been appointed NSW Origin coach.

Throw in the sacking of New Zealand Warriors coach Brian McClennan and the retirement of St George Illawarra stalwart Ben Hornby and it was a day overflowing with news.

It also might have helped if FFA had waited until Gallop who left the NRL in June was back from his overseas holiday, considering Buckley has a couple of months left in his tenure.

Those 60-odd days are Buckley's most important period in the job, and perhaps a shot at redemption after overseeing Australia's failed bid for the 2022 World Cup and FFA's botched attempt to successfully expand the A-League.

Buckley's final task in a six-year tenure will be to deliver Australian football a new broadcast deal that will secure the sport's future.

"His legacy will be the television deal and we will know about this soon," said Bonita Mersiades, previously an ally of Buckley's at FFA before he had her removed as the organisation's head of corporate and public affairs in January 2010.

Buckley said the broadcast deal was "at the heart of the future of football in this country".

"It has been the most critical aspect of my work for the past 18 months," he said.

Mersiades added that Buckley was a "good man who had a big job to do".

"He did some things well and he did some things not so well," she said.

"I think the game is at a point where it needed a circuit breaker, and that usually means starting at the top with the CEO.

"I am sure all the football community appreciates Ben's diligence in the role, and looks forward to working with David Gallop to advance football in Australia further.

"The fundamentals of football in terms of participation and interest are strong, and have been for a very long time.

"The challenge has always been to convert that into a financially sustainable, professional national league underpinned by player and game development that supports a quality competition and international competitiveness."

FFA chairman Frank Lowy said Gallop was "well equipped" to meet the challenges football faced.

"He is an experienced sports administrator of high standing and is widely respected across all sports," Lowy said.

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Great timing, nothing like a billion dollar NRL deal to shift the sacking of your CEO off the back page.