According to the FFA, the new system aims to "deliver continued success of national teams, sustainable growth of the Hyundai A-League and better engagement with football’s grassroots."

The new structure was announced today by FFA CEO Ben Buckley and will streamline FFA’s core functions following the conclusion of the World Cup and Asian Cup bid projects. At the same time, FFA has begun the process of building the team that will deliver the 2015 Asian Cup.

“Our strategic focus for the next four years will be all about elite performance of our national teams on the international stage and the key domestic targets of consolidating the Hyundai A-League and enhancing the vital connections with the game’s grassroots participation base,” said Ben Buckley.

“The changes we have implemented will give FFA the right size and right skills and resources for the strategic priorities in the lead up to the 2014 FIFA World Cup.”

Under the new structure, the National Technical Director, Han Berger, has a broad mandate to cover all aspects of elite performance and technical input to the national teams programs, in particular with the Socceroos qualification path for Brazil 2014.

Berger will oversee and implement a comprehensive player pathway from grassroots to elite levels and will build a uniform national programme that aims to set the foundations for sustained Australian success on the world stage. 

He will also oversee the national coaching system and work closely with Holger Osieck and Tom Sermanni on the development of the next generations of Qantas Socceroos and Westfield Matildas.

Head of the Hyundai A-League Lyall Gorman will continue to have responsibility for the men's domestic competition, but will now also manage the associated national leagues, the Westfield W-League and National Youth League. Gorman will also take charge of event management for all national team games in Australia.

John Boultbee has a new role as head of National Football Development with responsibility for ensuring the delivery of national programmes to football’s large community participation base. 

This will involve ensuring integration of community football with the national technical programme working with FFA’s State and Territory Member Federations, football associations and clubs at the grassroots level.

Boultbee will also continue to manage international relations and support the Technical Department with national teams administration.

A new senior role of Head of Corporate Affairs and Communications has been created under the restructure. The key focus of the role is connecting football’s vast and diverse community to the game’s national teams and competitions.

Former SBS brodcaster Kyle Patterson has been appointed and willl have responsibility for  communications strategy engaging everyone within the “football family”.

He will also cover media management, marketing, public relations, government relations, online communications and broadcaster operations. 

“These changes recognise where we’ve come from as well as set us up for the next four years,” said Buckley. 

“A key to this is integrating the three core areas of our game and engaging at all levels of football.Football over the last six years has undergone major transformation in this country.

“While we celebrate the many achievements in this period we also want to reconnect with the game’s foundations and history.

"We recognise the need to engage with the people who are the lifeblood of the game and are a vital part of both its heritage and its future.” 

An FFA spokesman said the restructure had not prompted any redundancies, but admitted there had been two key resignations within the FFA prior to the overhaul, prompting some of the changes.

Leeanne Grantham - head of women's football - quit to return home to Adelaide for family reasons, said the FFA, while 2015 Asian Cup bid chief Rob Abernethy resigned recently to take up a new job in London.