By Andrew Warshaw
September 15 – Ben Buckley, the head of Football Federation Australia (FFA), has dismissed claims that not enough is being done to promote the game domestically and that too much emphasis is being placed on the country’s bid to stage the 2022 World Cup.
Buckley says such claims are just scare-mongering and that football in the country is “fighting its corner”.
Earlier this week, Brendan Schwab, chief executive of the Australian Professional Footballers Association, the local players’ union, issued a damning indictment of the sport’s development, saying in a newspaper interview that “fundamental pillars of the game’s reform effort are eroding”.
He was supported, earlier, by Archie Fraser, former chief executive of the A-League who warned that the league has been left to become a “basket case”.
But in an interview with Special Broadcast Service, Australia’s national television station, Buckley said this could not be further from the truth.
“That sort of scare-mongering is just unhelpful,” said Buckley.
“It doesn’t show any passion or loyalty to the game.
“It’s ill-informed.
“The A-League will be here come December, and in December in 10 years’ time.”
Buckley said he did not accept there was no plan-B if Australia fails to host the World Cup.
“We still a huge participation base,” he said.
“We have a competition that is six years’ old.
“Yes we have some issues to work through but in global terms it’s a competition the fans should feel very proud of.
“I can assure everyone that the FFA is extremely committed and focussed in making the A-League successful.”
FIFA decides on December 2 where to stage the 2018 and 2022 World Cups and Buckley said Australia’s bid was progressing on schedule and that the next few weeks would be the busiest so far.
Just as FIFA inspectors were making their final visit among the candidates, to the oil and gas-rich Middle East state of Qatar, Buckley said: “It’s going to be a hectic race to finish.
“We got significant compliments for our technical ability and now we have to make sure we can get the required votes to get us over the line.
“There will be some very active lobbying over the course of the next three months.”
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