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We look at the top 5 challenges facing the former Australian Sports Administrator of the Year as he takes over the reins at Football Federation Australia today.


Keep the Momentum
It’s all about maintaining the momentum for incoming CEO David Gallop. The last thing we need it the head chef opening the oven every five minutes to check if the cake is still rising. A new broadcast deal is close to completion, A-League attendances are well up and viewing audiences continue to climb. Even some of the entrenched media hold-outs have started to call the game football. There is not a moment to waste getting up to speed - it's vital to keep this kettle boiling. Gallop will need to work out quick smart, if he hasn’t already, who he can trust and rely on to keep this massive operation chugging along.

Raise the Profile
Thanks to his long association with rugby league, Gallop enjoys plenty of cred with the wider sports media. While most of the hard yakka goes on behind the scenes, football desperately needs a talking head that will command news time. Former CEO Ben Buckley always came across as amiable but a little lost in front of the cameras. Gallop has the tenacity, approachability and gravitas (perhaps it’s the glasses) to be the face of football. And it’s unlikely he’ll blush at anything our game throws up after 10 years dealing with the sex and salary cap scandals of the NRL. The challenge will be coming to grips with the subject matter. On that front, Gallop seems like a fast learner having earlier made the move from cricket to league.

Improve Communication
Sometimes the world game can provide a world of hurt. After the all-out public brawls, relations between the FFA and club owners have finally reached a truce – albeit an uneasy one. How long they will last is anybody’s guess. The new broadcast deal should help relieve much of the financial burden on the owners but given the millionaire-model of most A-League clubs Gallop will need to massage some big egos. Listening to those whose deep pockets are keeping the clubs afloat is a priority. The current A-League season shows some bridges have been mended between old and new football, but there is still plenty of work to do on that front.

Broaden Horizons
It’s a big world and football is in every corner of it. When we talk the global game it’s not just a slick marketing pitch. Gallop can forget whatever he learned from the Rugby World Cup, in every sense this is another league. It takes some time to get your head around. Last we checked there were Aussies playing professional football in more than 40 countries across the globe – from Argentina to Wales. It’s nice to hear that Gallop has used his hiatus from work to attend football games in Europe. Just remember, everyone knows the Lucas Neills of this world. If he really wants to get hold of the big picture then he could do worse than check in with a Bailey Wright of Preston North End or a Chris Ross in Iceland. Better still, find the time to ask how the Grenfell Stingers or the Tichborne Tigers are faring. Football participation rates are on the rise so it’s the same old line – think globally and act locally.

Give 'Em Sizzle
Consolidation is good but it’s hardly sexy. The impact of Alessandro Del Piero, Shinji Ono and Emile Heskey shows football fans like to be dazzled. We don’t just want to part of the world game, we want to be significant players. It might still be some way off but the 2015 Asian Cup is our chance to shine at home – don’t mess it up! Socceroos have got their World Cup campaign back on track after beating Iraq and are a real chance of making it to the global showpiece event for the third straight time. That’s the good news. On the other hand our youth teams have struggled to find their way through Asia and we run the risk of fielding a Dad’s Army at Brazil 2014. Transition, development and investment will be key words for Gallop to take us forward.

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