"Let's take a step back and design something that connects as many people positively to the game as possible, something that can help us produce the best possible players but also do that sustainably."

He added: "That not necessarily about doing it on the cheap - it's about doing it in a way where the economic engine you're creating can build and compound year on year."

But he admits the decision to stand down key staff members at FFA HQ and at clubs means the opportunity may be missed to make these changes during this once in a lifetime break from normality.

"What we're in now is preservation mode," he told the podcast. "We need to try to preserve what we have, particularly at the professional level but also at the grassroots level.

"It's challenging times, even to local community football. Everybody will suffer if we can't reactivate football.

"I don't think you want to put additional pressure on people to redesign the entire landscape while you are trying to preserve some measure of the status quo."

He addedL "I heard someone once say, 'Perfect is the enemy of good'.

"Rather than striving for perfection, we need to get something that works and then continually improve that year on year...and have an open mind to change it.

"You could add a second division or have a 16-team A-League or a lot of other things - you can tinker around the edges and that might be great and give you a little stimulus.

HEAR MORE ON THIS AND MUCH MORE IN THE FULL PODCAST

LISTEN TO THE FTBL PODCAST HERE NOW:

[CLICK HERE TO PLAY IF YOU ARE ON CHROME]

  SUBSCRIBE ON ITUNES HERE  

"But they are not going to solve the threshold issues which are in governance, around culture, around our national and international pathways, broader commercial design - how we commercialise two million participants collectively...

"There's these big picture issues which I think we can sink our teeth into and that could unlock a lot of positive outcomes.

"The global pandemic has hamstrung the FFA's ability to reboot the sport with a new CEO and new board. They'll need a little bit more time to start addressing these threshold issues.

"But I have no doubt there is a good energy within the football community to support them and contribute to that process."

PLUS...

'Seismic shock' hitting players

Professional Footballers Australia have ramped up their mental health support to players at home and abroad after the “seismic shock” of the coronavirus crisis left them fearing for their livelihoods.