Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) Chairman Craig Foster has today said a genuine partnership between the players and the game is fundamental if the targets contained in the four-year strategic plan released by Football Federation Australia (FFA) yesterday are to be met.
Speaking following the the release of the plan, which focuses on audience growth and fan engagement to drive commercial revenues, Foster welcomed the plan and said, like the broader ‘whole of football plan’, players are fundamental in achieving the desired outcomes.
“The PFA is pleased to see a renewed focus on growing Australian football through maximising it’s enormous potential, particularly regarding further investment and focus on the A-League”, said Foster.
“The PFA’s vision and strategy for the game has long maintained that there is an ever present opportunity for football in Australia.
“The players’ desire over a decade ago when they led the reform of the game was to not only to develop a world class career path for Australia’s professional footballers,
but to create a platform to help shape the future of the game at home and the nation’s international competitiveness.
“Football has made significant progress but there are a number of important structural and strategic questions that require attention. These include:
>> the governance of the game and the players’ role in this;
>> the alignment of the game from the grassroots to the elite level;
>> the new broadcast rights deal; and
>> the universal appeal of the game to elite athletes of both genders.
“These can only be adequately tackled through genuine collaboration between all stakeholders and the PFA welcomes the comments of FFA Chairman Steven Lowy that this is a priority.
“Optimal progress will only be achieved through unity and a commitment to working in partnership to achieve outcomes that are in the best interests of the game. The players remain, as always, committed to playing a leading role.”
