FFA chairman Frank Lowy has hit out against what he called the ‘illogical, confusing and damaging’ comments emanating from the controlling interests at rebel club Gold Coast United and refused to guarantee their future beyond this season.
FFA chairman Frank Lowy has hit out against what he called the ‘illogical, confusing and damaging’ comments emanating from the controlling interests at rebel club Gold Coast United and refused to guarantee their future beyond this season.
A war of words as erupted between GCU owner Clive Palmer and FFA after Palmer launched an extraordinary criticism of not only the administration of the game in Australia by FFA but also the game as a whole.
While FFA has tried to maintain civil tones in dealing with Palmer’s attack, Lowy looks to have finally got on the front foot, slamming the club’s attempt to engage with the local community as being a spectacular failure in a keynote speech at a Melbourne Heart business luncheon.
“With each passing day it seems the statements emanating from the Gold Coast are more illogical, more confusing and ever more damaging to our game,” Lowy said.
“But I am surprised when these ramblings are taken seriously and given credence and picked up by others.”
Lowy vigorously defended the transparency and the governance of the FFA and ruled out any move to a separate commission running the Hyundai A-League. He also rubbished any suggestion that the clubs should have greater power in running the competition.
“The fact is that we all have a role to play in our sport. FFA has its role. The clubs have their role,” he said.
“The clubs’ role is defined by the terms and conditions each club signed upon joining the competition. Fundamentally the role of clubs is to field their team.”
He said Gold Coast had failed in that aspect of their responsibilities, especially with their ability to enmesh themselves with the local community.
“The disrespect shown to the game, to the fans and to players has been breathtaking, and I am at a loss to understand the motive behind it all. Either a club owner believes in the game, and wants to make his investment pay off in the long run, or he doesn’t,” Lowy said.
“The very least you could say about the Gold Coast is that there has been a spectacular failure to connect with the local community to get fans to turn out for the game, despite the fact that the club serves possibly the most vibrant region in the country.”
“Getting crowds through the gates is what will solve problems, not arguing about who controls what.”
He also revealed that FFA already subsidises the A-League by $8-10 million a year and that it would not act as a bank to clubs in financial difficulty.
Lowy was asked at a later press conference whether FFA wanted a team on the Gold Coast or wanted to be involved with Palmer.
“There are a lot of unanswered questions at the moment for us to make up our minds,” he said.
“Everybody wants this thing to be over and get on with the job of playing football and that is what I am trying to do.”
Lowy said he wanted to avoid going into litigation with Palmer, who boasted last Monday that had a 68-0 record when involved in legal disputes in the courts, but would be prepared to do what was required to protect the interests of FFA if needed.
“It doesn’t depend on me, I didn’t start it. I don’t want to go for litigation, but will I have a choice? I don’t know,” he said.
“It wouldn’t be my choice, not first second or tenth. If I have to, I have to do a job.”
However, he said he would continue to seek a solution.
“I’ve been a long time in business and I’ve done lots of things and I’ve met with lots of different people. In the end, somehow or other, I have been able to meet an outcome that is okay,” he said.
These are the views of the author and not the views of the FFA or Hyundai A-League
