Thread by @PaveJusup

🧵As many of you may know, I stepped down from the presidency of @MelbKnights a month ago. That was a decision more related to the game itself than it had to do with the club. I have stepped away from the game because its infested with people that lack vision and conviction.

I spent 13 years on the board, 6 six years consecutively as president & 10 years as a Federation zone rep. Now, considering that I am totally free to comment on matters as I see fit - you'll get some background on where the second division is actually at.

For over a decade, I worked with people like @NickGalatas to get @AAFClubs formed, to convince the footballing public about the need for a second division, to get AAFC recognised by FFA and ultimately to get a second division off the ground

@NickGalatas @AAFClubs I wrote the club's response to the Whole of Football plan, the commentary on the Second division whitepaper and an assortment of other commentary both public and private on this topic.

@NickGalatas @AAFClubs In August 2022 - I was present at the first serious meeting with @FootballAUS regarding the National second division which was part of a national roadshow in getting the competition off the ground.

@NickGalatas @AAFClubs @FootballAUS This was a meeting at which FA presented its vision for the national second division. I would have signed up for it that day. It had clubs at the centre of shaping the competition - with the only point of discussion being to hold the competition in summer.

@NickGalatas @AAFClubs @FootballAUS As you can probably gather - reading the August 2022 document and looking at today's Football Australia announcement - the governing body has not hit the notes that they wrote themselves. Many of you may ask why?

@NickGalatas @AAFClubs @FootballAUS Fast forward to early 2023 and FA opens up Expressions of Interest for the NSD. 32 clubs / entities apply. We're still basing our excitement on the roadshow presentation which is philosophically exactly what the majority of the clubs want.

@NickGalatas @AAFClubs @FootballAUS The clubs then put in a 20 page submission document which then selected the next set of applicants for the Request for Proposal Stage. It was at this point that the clubs were forced to sign non disclosure agreements.

@NickGalatas @AAFClubs @FootballAUS This was the August 2022 timeline. Clubs working together with FA through the process to get the best model possible. Instead they were muzzled and told to stump up a $500,000 bank guarantee within three months.

@NickGalatas @AAFClubs @FootballAUS It became clear to me that FA felt that they knew best, that it was time for a competitive process even though the actual criteria around many things were never discussed, developed or agreed upon

@NickGalatas @AAFClubs @FootballAUS It also became clear that FA were beginning to totally disregard the cornerstones of what they initially presented - criteria around facilities, decades long commitment to the top level of the game, financially viable for the clubs

@NickGalatas @AAFClubs @FootballAUS I presented all of this information to our club members at the AGM to NOT expect the @MelbKnights to be announced as part of the foundation of the NST. The only reason I am sharing this publicly now is because our supporters and the general football public have a right to know

@NickGalatas @AAFClubs @FootballAUS @MelbKnights Football Australia consistently missed meeting deadlines, had tardy documentation drawn up and continually edited, set arbitrary financial impositions without consultation and I generally found them to be unprofessional and unserious.

@NickGalatas @AAFClubs @FootballAUS @MelbKnights If anyone has any questions - feel free to ask them. As I said in the beginning, I hold no role or function in the game any more and a lot of it has to do with this.

@NickGalatas @AAFClubs @FootballAUS @MelbKnights I hope the NSD gets off the ground and does well - I just can't see it being successful in winter with the financial implications. I thought NSD was aimed at complementing the A-league, reaching for a higher level of existence, not to be stuck in winter competing against the NPLs