Post by c_d on Mar 6, 2012 0:29:34 GMT 8
Not really new but still worthy of a thread.
www.goal.com/en/news/808/australia/2012/03/01/2938627/gold-coast-united-owner-clive-palmer-to-start-rebel-football
www.couriermail.com.au/sport/soccer/former-gold-coast-united-defender-kristian-rees-joins-clive-palmers-football-australia-as-player-relations-officer/story-e6frepmf-1226289574306
www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/clive-palmer-hints-of-growing-support-for-football-australia/story-e6frg7mf-1226288790991
Gold Coast United owner Clive Palmer to start rebel Australian football association
The outspoken mining magnate will start a breakaway federation, with former A-League chief Archie Fraser on board
Billionaire businessman Clive Palmer has announced the establishment of Football Australia, in an attempt to replace Football Federation Australia, which he has labelled 'incompetent'.
Former A-League chief Archie Fraser, who has been a critic of the FFA since his departure in 2010, has been named the body's inaugural chief executive officer.
Both spoke at the press conference on Thursday, which came a day after Palmer's A-League licence for Gold Coast United had been revoked by the FFA.
Palmer said the FFA had "lurched from one disaster to another, and needs to be replaced".
"The fans, players and people with a passion for football in Australia deserve better and Football Australia will be based on full transparency and corporate governance," Palmer told reporters.
"We want to ensure there is fairness in the game for all stakeholders and end the dictatorship that the game has endured under the FFA."
The FFA decided to revoke Palmer's licence after the United owner issued several withering statements criticising running of the game in Australia, with the last straw coming in the wearing of the slogan "Freedom of Speech" on their playing strips in Friday's match against Melbourne Heart.
At the press conference revealing the decision to take away United's licence, FFA chairman Frank Lowy said United had committed "three clear breaches" of the club participation agreement.
"Such disrespectful behavior, a flagrant disregard for the rules and a stated intent to continue breaking the rules made for an intolerable situation," Lowy said on Wednesday.
Palmer reacted by calling Lowy a "dictator" on Twitter, have also said Lowy is "an institution who now belongs in an institution".
He also swore to take the matter to court.
Now he has set up Football Australia, which will be an independent body aimed at overseeing football at the grassroots and senior level.
FA's charter will revolve around 'transparency and fairness' and aim to take over from FFA, which he said has been incompetent at both the domestic and international level.
The outspoken mining magnate will start a breakaway federation, with former A-League chief Archie Fraser on board
Billionaire businessman Clive Palmer has announced the establishment of Football Australia, in an attempt to replace Football Federation Australia, which he has labelled 'incompetent'.
Former A-League chief Archie Fraser, who has been a critic of the FFA since his departure in 2010, has been named the body's inaugural chief executive officer.
Both spoke at the press conference on Thursday, which came a day after Palmer's A-League licence for Gold Coast United had been revoked by the FFA.
Palmer said the FFA had "lurched from one disaster to another, and needs to be replaced".
"The fans, players and people with a passion for football in Australia deserve better and Football Australia will be based on full transparency and corporate governance," Palmer told reporters.
"We want to ensure there is fairness in the game for all stakeholders and end the dictatorship that the game has endured under the FFA."
The FFA decided to revoke Palmer's licence after the United owner issued several withering statements criticising running of the game in Australia, with the last straw coming in the wearing of the slogan "Freedom of Speech" on their playing strips in Friday's match against Melbourne Heart.
At the press conference revealing the decision to take away United's licence, FFA chairman Frank Lowy said United had committed "three clear breaches" of the club participation agreement.
"Such disrespectful behavior, a flagrant disregard for the rules and a stated intent to continue breaking the rules made for an intolerable situation," Lowy said on Wednesday.
Palmer reacted by calling Lowy a "dictator" on Twitter, have also said Lowy is "an institution who now belongs in an institution".
He also swore to take the matter to court.
Now he has set up Football Australia, which will be an independent body aimed at overseeing football at the grassroots and senior level.
FA's charter will revolve around 'transparency and fairness' and aim to take over from FFA, which he said has been incompetent at both the domestic and international level.
www.goal.com/en/news/808/australia/2012/03/01/2938627/gold-coast-united-owner-clive-palmer-to-start-rebel-football
Former Gold Coast United defender Kristian Rees joins Clive Palmer's Football Australia as Player Relations Officer
KRISTIAN Rees has become the first player to publicly back Clive Palmer's Football Australia, signing on with the newly formed organisation after quitting Gold Coast United.
As revealed by The Courier-Mail today, Rees has stayed loyal to former Gold Coast United chairman Palmer by refusing to sign a contract with Football Federation Australia which now runs the embattled A-League club.
Instead Rees, 32, has secured his long-term future by accepting the role of Player Relations Officer with Football Australia, the body set up last Thursday by Palmer who a day earlier was stripped of his A-League licence by FFA for breaching the club participation agreement.
"An offer was made to me in regard to this new role and it's one that I've been very happy to accept," Rees said.
"I'm looking to the future and I think what Football Australia has planned so far is going to be a good thing for the game in this country.
"It's early days and I'm sure the role will evolve as issues are presented to us from players all around the country. The aim is to make the game better for everyone who is involved in it and to do that they must all have a voice.
"Whatever the issues are we aim to tackle them head on."
KRISTIAN Rees has become the first player to publicly back Clive Palmer's Football Australia, signing on with the newly formed organisation after quitting Gold Coast United.
As revealed by The Courier-Mail today, Rees has stayed loyal to former Gold Coast United chairman Palmer by refusing to sign a contract with Football Federation Australia which now runs the embattled A-League club.
Instead Rees, 32, has secured his long-term future by accepting the role of Player Relations Officer with Football Australia, the body set up last Thursday by Palmer who a day earlier was stripped of his A-League licence by FFA for breaching the club participation agreement.
"An offer was made to me in regard to this new role and it's one that I've been very happy to accept," Rees said.
"I'm looking to the future and I think what Football Australia has planned so far is going to be a good thing for the game in this country.
"It's early days and I'm sure the role will evolve as issues are presented to us from players all around the country. The aim is to make the game better for everyone who is involved in it and to do that they must all have a voice.
"Whatever the issues are we aim to tackle them head on."
www.couriermail.com.au/sport/soccer/former-gold-coast-united-defender-kristian-rees-joins-clive-palmers-football-australia-as-player-relations-officer/story-e6frepmf-1226289574306
Clive Palmer hints of growing support for Football Australia
Ray Gatt From: The Australian March 05, 2012 12:00AM
"WATCH this space". That's the message from renegade Gold Coast United owner Clive Palmer, who hinted yesterday at growing support for his rival organisation, Football Australia.
Speaking after being named as one of seven new National Living Treasures at a function in Sydney, Palmer suggested people from all areas of football were preparing to get behind his breakaway group, set up due to his frustration with Football Federation Australia.
The billionaire mining magnate has been involved in a war of words with FFA chairman Frank Lowy that culminated in the head body stripping him of the licence to run the Gold Coast A-League club. Palmer failed to get an injunction in the Queensland Supreme Court on Friday to prevent the process.
While he was not prepared to talk about the court case, an upbeat Palmer was buoyant about the future of Football Australia. "I'm anticipating by Friday you will have an announcement that many thousands of Australians agree with what we're saying."
...Palmer used yesterday's Sydney ceremony to renew his attack on FFA and its chairman, Frank Lowy.
"Can taxpayers' money be justified to prop up people (in FFA) earning over one million a year? I don't think it can be," he said.
"The game needs more, the fans need more. They are the people that own it _ not me, not the club owners. It's the public.
"And that's why we set up a body, Football Australia, to be an ethics watchdog on the FFA, to let them know how things should happen. So watch this space _ things are coming."
FA's newly appointed chief executive, Archie Fraser, the former boss of the A-League, would not be specific about the group's plans when quizzed by The Australian late yesterday.
"We have meetings this week with a number of groups that have expressed interest in being involved with FA," Fraser said.
"But I am not willing to say any more at this stage.
"There is certainly support for our cause. The response has been overwhelming. We have had numerous calls and texts of support."
FFA finally acted against Palmer last Wednesday following a string of controversies in which he made disparaging remarks, on some of which he back-tracked, about the game in general, and defied an FFA directive not to use a slogan on the Gold Coast jerseys and on signage around the ground during a game against Melbourne Victory last Saturday.
Ray Gatt From: The Australian March 05, 2012 12:00AM
"WATCH this space". That's the message from renegade Gold Coast United owner Clive Palmer, who hinted yesterday at growing support for his rival organisation, Football Australia.
Speaking after being named as one of seven new National Living Treasures at a function in Sydney, Palmer suggested people from all areas of football were preparing to get behind his breakaway group, set up due to his frustration with Football Federation Australia.
The billionaire mining magnate has been involved in a war of words with FFA chairman Frank Lowy that culminated in the head body stripping him of the licence to run the Gold Coast A-League club. Palmer failed to get an injunction in the Queensland Supreme Court on Friday to prevent the process.
While he was not prepared to talk about the court case, an upbeat Palmer was buoyant about the future of Football Australia. "I'm anticipating by Friday you will have an announcement that many thousands of Australians agree with what we're saying."
...Palmer used yesterday's Sydney ceremony to renew his attack on FFA and its chairman, Frank Lowy.
"Can taxpayers' money be justified to prop up people (in FFA) earning over one million a year? I don't think it can be," he said.
"The game needs more, the fans need more. They are the people that own it _ not me, not the club owners. It's the public.
"And that's why we set up a body, Football Australia, to be an ethics watchdog on the FFA, to let them know how things should happen. So watch this space _ things are coming."
FA's newly appointed chief executive, Archie Fraser, the former boss of the A-League, would not be specific about the group's plans when quizzed by The Australian late yesterday.
"We have meetings this week with a number of groups that have expressed interest in being involved with FA," Fraser said.
"But I am not willing to say any more at this stage.
"There is certainly support for our cause. The response has been overwhelming. We have had numerous calls and texts of support."
FFA finally acted against Palmer last Wednesday following a string of controversies in which he made disparaging remarks, on some of which he back-tracked, about the game in general, and defied an FFA directive not to use a slogan on the Gold Coast jerseys and on signage around the ground during a game against Melbourne Victory last Saturday.
www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/clive-palmer-hints-of-growing-support-for-football-australia/story-e6frg7mf-1226288790991