To see all the glamour of the awards...

Here we run his speech in full as he addressed the major issues facing the sport, including the World Cup bid and the A-League's future - and Lowy's rallying cry to the troops.

Welcome to the most special night of our year - when we recognise the very best players in our game, and honour those who contribute so much at every level - from the grassroots to the elite.

This is only the second year of these awards and last year's inaugural event was a memorable night. it is unique in the football calendar.  It brings together in celebration all of us who in our own way help to grow the game we all love.

In particular the night is important for recognising the unsung heroes that are the backbone of the game - all the tireless volunteers who give up countless hours of their own time. not for personal reward but because they love the game and know its power to unite families and communities, bring joy and inspire young people to achieve goals.

Tonight is a good opportunity to take stock of where football is at in Australia right now.

When i stand back and look at where we are today i take pride and joy at what collectively we have achieved since the reform process of football began just six or seven years ago.

It is worth mentioning some of the highlights. since 2004 together with your federations, associations and clubs, we have:-

  • Established FFA in place of the former Soccer Australia, with a new constitution and an independent board
  • Brought all the state federations together as members of FFA and tomorrow in a landmark moment we will be signing a national charter with all the state federations
  • Established the Hyundai A-League
  • Joined the Asian Football Confederation
  • Participated in two consecutive FIFA World Cups - in 2006 and 2010
  • Participated in the 2007 Asian Cup and qualified for the 2011 Asian Cup
  • Performed above expectations in the 2007 FIFA women's World Cup
  • Won the 2010 Women's Asian Cup and qualified for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup
  • Released the National Football Development Plan - the first of its kind in our history. 
  • Hosted an Asian Football Confederations Congress and awards and hosted the FIFA Congress attended by over 2000 international delegates
  • Established a National Youth League
  • Established a national Women's League
  • Introduced a national indigenous program featuring the Indigenous Football Festival
  • Lodged our bid to host the 2015 Asian Cup; and
  • Lodged our bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

This is an impressive list and one that everyone in this room plays a part in, directly or indirectly. for example, our bid to host the FIFA World Cup features one of Australia's recognised strengths - passionate, committed volunteers who will welcome international visitors with the trademark aussie smile.

As the national governing body for football, FFA is deeply committed to ensuring a unity of purpose and vision between all the strands that make up the sport in Australia - grassroots and community, national teams, women's football, major international events and a strong national league.

At home, a strong national league is the showcase for the game and is the critical link between our junior footballers and our Socceroos.

The A-League is still a very young league and like other establishment leagues around the world including the American, Japanese and Korean leagues, some growing pains are to be expected.

But it has proved itself already to be very resilient and this season the competition is being critically acclaimed as the best ever.

We recognise the challenges and are working closely with the a-league clubs to meet those challenges.

Ladies and gentelmen, I want to make it unequivocally clear that the A-League is here to stay, will succeed and will achieve its objectives.

I encourage you all to get along to a game, bring your friends and family and show your support for your local team.

On the world stage, our Socceroos and Matildas continue to do us proud.  The Socceroos have participated in two consecutive World Cups and are powerful and effective ambassadors for Australia.

The Matildas can lay claim to being the first Australian team to bring home a trophy from asia - a milestone achievement in our footballing history.

and finally, we stand on the brink of an historic opportunity for australian football - the decision on the 2022 world cup is less than 8 weeks away.

The competition is about as intense as it gets.  I am no stranger to competition, in business and in life, and I must say that the complexity and challenge of this quest beats everything else hands down.

It is a global campaign, against fierce competitors, each going all out to win the biggest prize in world sport.

If we win and I remain cautiously optimistic, it will have a long term major impact on football in this country.

But the success of our strategic plan and vision for football in Australia including the A-League are not dependent on winning. The A-League is here to stay in its own right.

So overall, given we are a mere five or six years into the reform process, the game in Australia is in fundamentally good shape.

We have great backing for football from both sides of politics at state and federal levels.

And we have evidence, as we saw recently with the newcastle jets, that new people with much-needed resources are prepared to invest in our future.

So Ii have a message for the football community of Australia: This is our game, and we all love it.

There is a lot of power in this room, and around the country in people like us.

Don't risk the negative comments becoming self-fulfilling. be a positive ambassador for our game and its many successes.

As we celebrate some of the most successful participants in our sport tonight, let's always harness that goodwill and spirit on behalf of the game.

Congratulations to the winners tonight and each and every one of you for your own contributions.

Thank you

To see all the glamour of the awards...