Football Australia dumps ‘national playing style’ amid executive clean-out

Plans for a “distinctly Australian” style of play for the Socceroos and Matildas that would direct player and coach development appear to have been abandoned by Football Australia amid a dramatic restructure of its executive team.

Two-time A-League championship coach Ernie Merrick was the author of a 57-page document seen by this masthead, titled Forward Press 2032: A blueprint for sustainable success on the world stage, which outlines a high-intensity, proactive brand of football designed to be embedded at every level of the game, from grassroots to the national teams, aimed at achieving success at the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane.

Former Football Australia CEO James Johnson and chief football officer Ernie Merrick, who was appointed in mid-2022, but recently departed the organisation. Credit: Gregg Porteous

But the document was blocked from release during Merrick’s time as FA’s chief football officer – and won’t be made public, at least in its current form, after his position was made redundant last month.

It comes amid a dramatic turnover of executive staff at FA – headed by the departure of former chief executive James Johnson – which has been described as akin to regime change by several sources within the sport’s administrative ranks.

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