PFA AGM Considers Key Player Issues

New PFA Executive Member, Liam Reddy (Queensland Roar)

Player injuries, education, retirement planning, contracts, transfers, agents, collective bargaining and disciplinary regulations were among the many items considered by A-League players at the PFA Annual General Meeting held yesterday afternoon by national videoconference in the offices of PFA partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers.

“The PFA AGM is an essential part of the PFA’s calendar, and enables us to reflect on the past and prepare for the future,” PFA Executive Chairman Brendan Schwab said today. “The meeting considered the considerable progress of the PFA in 2006/2007, in which we achieved the 7 major goals the association set for itself at the beginning of the year. [Click here to read in detail] At the same time, the challenges and demands facing players in the modern professional era are huge, and the PFA’s role is to ensure the game is able to develop today’s footballers both as players and people, and equip and support them to excel at home and on the world stage,” Schwab added.

A-League CBA

The meeting reiterated the PFA’s commitment to finalising A-League collective bargaining negotiations with Football Federation Australia as a matter of urgency, noting the substantial progress that has been made in recent months on top of the PFA’s Memorandum of Understanding signed with FFA in July 2007. The CBA will see the A-League provide Australian professional footballers with a world class employment framework in terms of security, career support and freedom of movement, as well as financial returns which are increasingly competitive by Australian standards.

Review of FFA Disciplinary Regulations

The meeting also reiterated the players’ desire to see improvements to FFA’s Disciplinary Regulations. Key areas identified for review include commensurate penalties that acknowledge the relatively short A-League season, appeals procedures, the use of suspended penalties and the compatibility of FFA’s video review processes with FIFA regulations.

Liam Reddy Joins PFA Executive

Among the 20 delegates in attendance representing all A-League Clubs were PFA President Simon Colosimo (Perth Glory) and Executive members Ante Covic (Newcastle Jets), Kevin Muscat (Melbourne Victory), Noel Spencer (Newcastle Jets), Michael Valkanis (Adelaide United), Alex Wilkinson (Central Coast Mariners) and David Zdrilic (Sydney FC). The players were joined by key members of the PFA staff SanjeevanBalasingam, Clinton Ooi, Zeljko Susa and Brendan Schwab, who chaired the meeting.

Queensland Roar goalkeeper Liam Reddy was elected to the PFA Executive, together with existing members Colosimo, Aloisi, Muscat and Zdrilic, who were all re-elected for further 2 year terms. The 11 member PFA Executive includes players from all 8 A-League Clubs and now comprises:

Tribute to Noel Spencer

Colosimo today expressed the PFA’s sincere gratitude for the work of outgoing PFA Executive member, Noel Spencer, who did not seek re-election.

“Noel has done a mountain of work for the PFA and the players since the inception of the A-League, both with Central Coast and Newcastle” Colosimo said today. “He has been a key member of the PFA’s leadership group over that time, which has seen the PFA grow from strength to strength where today it enjoys an influential role in the game, provides outstanding and essential services for players and has a number of important agreements with FFA.”