The document provides a review of an Australian football club's current operations and structures. It notes that the club currently operates on a volunteer model with little accountability or consultation from football experts in decision making. There is no clear hierarchy, sporting director, or long-term plans. The junior and senior programs lack consistency in coaching philosophy, player development pathways, and data collection. Overall, the club lacks professionalization, marketing, clear vision, and support for its coaches and players. The review aims to highlight these issues and suggest transitioning to a more sustainable organizational model.

1. Australian Football club review
Restructuring Football – Where are we now where do we want to be in the future?
Disclaimer:
My name is _____________ I have been asked to put together a report by
_______________in order to assist the club to review its current operations. I want to state
categorically that these are only my ideas and observations as someone who is looking from
the outside in. I don’t mean to offend anyone and I hope that if anyone in the club who
reads this will keep an open mind in the hope that we can ask questions and consider new
ideas to improve the club long term. I believe a discussion needs to be had in order for the
club to succeed. The aim of this document is to highlight information and if possible, help
improve the club’s operational systems.
This report is broken into three parts the first highlights the club’s current structure. The
second is an example of where the club should be headed. The third is a detailed mission
and vision statement and an example of a club curriculum and technical plan.
Club History
VOID
Current structures and systems.
The model that the club currently operates on is fundamentally a volunteer organisation.
The model is based on an age-old systemof independence rather than interdependence. In
an independent model a small minority make decisions. This means those in charge quite
regularly will make decisions which may affect those down below without accountability or
put in another way the consequences of their actions will generally not affect those who
make the decisions. Cooperative structures as they stand therefore require regulations to
ensure that an organisation functions in a morally ethical and responsible manner. In an
interdependent model every member has a say in how the regulations are made. This
creates a high level of accountability as those in charge are assessed by the majority. This
would require the club to make sure that those who are in charge are accountable for the
health, prosperity, growth and the future of the club. The clubs value system needs to be
examined, for example one needs to ask oneself what an asset is and what is a liability in
terms of the clubs’ members employees etc. And what they add to the club in value. What
do we as a cooperative organisation value the most. Are we today offering our members a
fully serviced support system that allows personnel, players, administration and fans an
opportunity to develop themselves in an optimal way? Are we in a position to create
community connection through social parameters and allow an interconnected team work
environment where individuals are encouraged to operate on principles rather than a
system which is susceptible to individuals rewarding self-interest.

2. Currently the administrative work is predominantly shared and handled by enthusiastic
volunteers who contribute to the club. I am not suggesting these people do things in self-
interest. However, if the club is to transition into a more professional entity, there would
need to be a paradigm shift in terms of how a club can be organised into a more
professional organisation. Through co-operation and a detailed plan which asks difficult
questions we find solutions. Solutions that come from something more than personal
opinions. Solutions come from looking at things from another perspective that may
challenge our perceived notions of what can and can’t be done.
In Australia we can classify clubs into 4 categories.
1. Professional – A-league
2. Semi Professional – NPL level, with 3-5 full time staff several part time staff and
volunteers.
3. Select – NPL level. Limited part time casual staff and volunteers.
4. Recreational – Association level. Volunteer organisations.
These are the means of revenue generation with most NPL clubs:
 Sponsorship
 Gate takings
 Canteen
 Merchandise
 Junior Fees
 Political/Bribes from parents
 Local Government Grants
 Extra-curricular events. Season launch, seminars etc.
Most of what I will discuss here is based on my observations since Sep 2019 as one of the
club’s junior coaches. I would need more access to information on the inner workings of the
club to detail a more comprehensive report on current systems. I apologise if I there are any
discrepancies or points which may not be accurate. The aim here is not to blame or single
any one out. The aim is to highlight the current model in order to transition the club to a
better level.
Current Framework/Environment
 There is no delineation in terms of specialist positions, admin and technical aspects
are dealt with by the board. Most of the technical related decisions are made with
little consultation from football experts. In most cases the board is responsible for
the hiring of a first-grade coach usually this is done with little to no criteria or long-
term plan.
 The club coach is mainly responsible for looking for and hiring junior coaches along
with the day to day coaching issues.

3.  The admin of the club is volunteer based which means problems can occur due to a
lack of time, resources and effort required to run a select level club. I believe the
club has a part time administrator.
 There is no public forum that I am aware of, that provides the public any details of
the club its policies and staff. The club does not have a professional online presence
where people can access information about the club, its history and who we are?
The best place to get info is Wikipedia.
 There is none or very little marketing of the club. No data is gathered or kept to use
for improvement or for the purpose of acquiring sponsorship or branding.
 The online presence is amateur at best, unkept and doesn’t drive content to attract
fans and sponsors. A few whole-hearted attempts have been made but generally
there is no platform to highlight information on first grade players, there are no
games recorded with highlight packages. There are no match day activities.
 There is no clear framework of positional hierarchy in terms of the technical aspect.
 There is no Sporting director to steer the club in terms of its sports program’s
management.
 Senior structure - We have a first-grade coach who oversees the 18, 20’s. Each year
he is assessed on results. There is unlikely any long-term plan.
 The club has no distinct playing style or systemof development. The style is
determined by who coaches the team. This means the club lacks a football identity.
It is generally accepted that having a high wage bill will attract better players and
hence a better chance of competing at NPL 1 level. There is no plan to improve this
we just throw money at players and hope for the best.
 Junior structure - The youth teams including SAP is overseen by a Club head coach.
There are no official positions like a technical director that I can determine. I’m also
not certain that the board understands the role of a TD. It is seen as a caretaker role
at best.
 The club coach’s role is to assist junior coaches but by and large each coach will do
or train their teams without any type of club system philosophy or methodology. The
only requirement is a minimum C license.
 Youth coaches do not work with each other there is no long-term plan that connects
each team through the development timeline.
 SAP u9-10 is run by a private academy owner most if not all of the kids attend his
academy and are not necessarily the best players available.

4.  There is no support systemor educational framework to enable coaches to work
progressively together. Coaches meetings are on a as needed basis rather than
weekly or bi weekly occurrences to discuss the progress of teams etc.
 There is no cataloguing of players (collection of data) and their potential in terms
how or who are the players with the most potential to invest into their futures.
 There is no mechanism which informs parents of their children’s progress.
 There is no documentation highlighting strategic plans (A development continuum)
that connects the youngest to the first team.
 At times coaches will develop personal relationships with players and their parents.
This causes the club to lose players when the coach leaves.
 There is no club football curriculum. No football manuals.
 There is no access to any documentation for coaches and their ongoing education.
 There is no detailed induction for coaches and managers.
 There is no educational documentation afforded to parents and players.
 There is no access to the club’s child protection policy.
 Coaches are mostly responsible for who they pick in their teams. Selection is based
on one’s personal opinion and not on a specific criterion.
 There is no learning model which connects the club’s players from SAP to first grade.
 The pathways are fragmented and there is little to no consistency in the learning
model.
 What the club offers is select level participation for youth in a select level
competition. That’s the only selling point.
 The club accepts bribes from parents in the form of sponsorship $ to have their kids
placed in teams. This to me is immoral and born from a lack of systems that creates
values and generally does more harm than offer solutions. Very little of the money
collected is used to advance youth coaching.
 The club has a poor reputation and will quite often struggle to attract players and
coaches of a high calibre. In terms of scouting there is very little, we attract players
predominantly from the _______ community, our position in NPL attracts a few kids
and the rest is reliant on specific coaches attracting kids they may know from
academies or other clubs they’ve worked at.

5.  The club in my opinion is a community club where members of the community
congregate and dictate what happens at times. Board members are reluctant to
crack down on inappropriate behaviour from community friends and members.
 There is nothing in terms of scouting, the idea of picking a player of the match for
the opposing team and giving him a free sausage so we can get his details is about as
good as it gets. It’s a good idea but I believe there should be more specific systems
to identify talent.
 The club has no known network for sports rehabilitation where all players can be
monitored for injuries. There is no access to resources or any information on sports
performance, nutrition etc. There are no injury recovery management systems or
plans for its players. Most players just do their own thing when injured and recovery.
 There is no Club welfare officer to ensure the protection of children and to deal with
problems that may arise.
 There are no clear communication lines in terms of procedures to air grievances.
They exist but they are not clear or documented. (online web site etc)
 All communications are done by WhatsApp.
 In some cases, volunteer parent managers are used to collect players fees.
 There is no dedicated uniform/equipment officer responsible for ordering and
keeping track of utilities, equipment, storage etc. Uniforms arrive late.
 There are no storage areas for coaches to be able to access the club’s equipment.
Most coaches buy or use their own equipment (club does offer but it is usually the
minimum required). There is no guide available to determine what a coach requires
to optimise the training session.
 There is no permanent training facility which the club could utilise all year round.
 The youth teams are not required to train together at the same time. Times are
scheduled by the coaches not the club.
 Current hierarchy

6. Board – (Positions presumed) I don’t have access to this it’s a guess.
 President
 Vice president
 Directors – who have odd roles which include some admin duties/involved in match
day duties etc.
 Secretary - responsible for fiscal duties
 Communications – responsible for WhatsApp updates.
Technical
 Cub Coach - responsible for football operations on a type of caretaker basis doubles
as clubs goal keeper coach.
 Head coach - First Grade
 Youth coaches 18 - 20
 Youth coaches 13 - 16
 SAP coaches 9 - 12
 Volunteers – Team Managers
Admin oversees nearly every aspect of the club. Most of the systems are basic systems that
are more suited to a recreational club. There is no real direction or long-term plans or goals
to improve the standards, management systems and performance of the club. As is with
most clubs we are in constant SURVIVAL mode. We are at times unable to retain coaches or
staff long term. There is an air of little concern for youth programs from the board as their
main focus is on keeping first grade in NPL 1 or promoting first grade to the highest
competition levels. The club will bend over backwards to find players that can gain the club
promotion. This creates an inflated wage demand in a competition that has no financial
benefit or reward (ROI). Spectator base is very limited, the quality of football is substandard.
The feeling of community has disappeared and the games on the weekends are no longer
highly anticipated forms of entertainment. The cost of participation has blown out of
proportion. It’s easier to slog the parents than to create income streams that can reduce the
cost of playing for families. Kids without the means will have no chance of playing for the
club which means we lose out on the opportunity to sign talented kids from underprivileged
backgrounds.
Board
coaches
Youth
coaches
SAP
Club
Coach
First grade
coach

7. Conclusion
So that in a nutshell is the state of the club, most clubs are similar in the way they are run.
Give or take in my opinion it’s pretty accurate. So, what is the solution? What can we do to
make changes that can impact the club long term? We can continue with business as usual
or we can decide to implement changes, some short term, some medium and some long-
term goals. Creating programs outside of the current model that asks parents to fund the
club are in my experience are all short term and destined for the scrap heap. The club needs
a comprehensive goal that will have a detailed plan that uses the club as a brand to
generate revenue.
The following is an example of what I believe is a progressive socially conscious minded club
and what it should look like. Some of the info is based on the models in Europe and
elsewhere. There are years of reading, research and travelling that goes into this
information.
Framework
So first we need to look at the structure of the club and delineate the two parts of a club
that are connected. The first is the admin and running of the club, this includes things like
ownership. The second is the technical side of the club. The technical experts need to focus
on the football, the admin needs to focus on the business. A proper structure could look
something like this:
Members appoint Board. Members are those that join the club via membership. Standard
model of ownership with democratic processes which make those in charge accountable to
the members.
Board
Technical. Administration
Sporting director. Club Manager/CEO
Technical Director Operations Manager
First Grade coach Physiotherapist Chief Financial Officer
Youth Head coach Strength & conditioning Marketing Corporate affairs
SAP head coach Nutritionist Social media manager
20 18 coaches Psychologist Game day staff
13-16 coaches Equipment Manager
9-12 SAP coaches Child protection officer
Junior development coaches Fan engagement officer
The above would be classed as a professional to semi pro organisation with some fulltime
and part time positions.

8. The aim of the club would be to create these positions in a limited capacity to begin with,
some will be on a volunteer basis until new revenue streams are gradually created.
Branding
The ability to implement ways in which to derive revenue from corporate, government,
online and match day gate takings including merchandise sales is perhaps the key to the
club’s ascension to the highest level of the game and to improve the club’s overall
reputation.
Social media is an excellent way to brand the club and can raise the profile of the club
significantly if it is done professionally. The creation of TV style online show which can
include live streaming and commentary of all home games. The means in which to
transform players into recognisable profiles to reach our youth and fans through personal
engagement. This can include high quality content on all social media platforms. The aim is
to attract as many people to our content as possible. This will enable the club to attract new
fans, build the brand of the club and monetize our platforms through advertising revenue.
The Community
Whilst enticing people from the migrant community we must also make it a place where all
Australians, people from all cultures and communities feel comfortable and welcome. The
club should strive to be proud of its heritage whilst integrating into common society. First
and foremost, we are a football club that provides an abundance of opportunities for
personal development, employment and social interaction that brings people together in
common unity through the world game.
Increasing revenue streams to include a state-of-the-art online experience using the people
and brand of the club to enhance our profile. These will include first team programs, youth
programs, coaching programs, parent programs and avenues for the fans to take proactive
hands on participation. The other avenue is in connecting to clubs from oversees and
creating networks that can open doors for our players and to import players for the benefit
of our first team. Specifically, clubs that may want to form an alliance. This could help
generate interest in the local community.
The potential revenue streams are as follows:
 Corporate and local business Sponsorship.
 Gate takings
 Canteen
 Merchandise
 Junior Fees
 Internet social media branding/advertising revenue via YouTube, Instagram and
other platforms
 International network/affiliation
 International tournaments and tours

9.  School holiday camps
 School programs
 Summer Football tournaments
 Summer Football programs
 External programs for other clubs
 Creating revenue streams through surplus investments.
 Local Government Grants
 Transfer/compensation fees when the new rules are implemented
 Tournament prize money
It is important to have a mission and vision statement which every member of the club can
be proud of and a constitution that determines the direction, the values and the behaviour
that we expect to be an entity that is respected and admired in the community.
Part 3 which is on separate documents comprises an example of a club’s vision and mission
statement along with a proposed club curriculum. I also highlight an example of a technical
framework or technical plan for the club.
Regards
Gus Cerro