Golden Soft Sombrero Moment with Brendan Schwab

Some Golden Soft Sombrero Moments with Brendan Schwab

Schwab on the Knop administration…

Diegos: ‘A fortnight ago the stakeholders of the Aussie soccer voted overwhelmingly for change and dumped Tony Labbozzetta and installed new chairman of Soccer Australia, Ian Knop.

Some say that it was good for the game that Labbo's Party was steamrolled by the soccer loving faction of the old Liberal party others are not quite sure.

What are the views of the player's union?”

Schwab: “We were very pleased with the outcome in the sense that it’s a great opportunity for change.

As you are well aware we’ve never really played the politics in Australian soccer but we are certainly very interested in the policy of it so the new leadership is a great opportunity for change.

There’s a lot of work that needs to be done and I think Ian Knop clearly understands that he is a very lucky person in that he has found himself as chairman of a sport where people want to move forward.”

Soft Sombrero Moment August 2001 

Schwab on Jeff Kennent…

Diegos: ‘From all reports Jeff Kennent reveled in the 'backroom, doing the dirty on your mates' politics that went on behind the scenes to finally dispense with Labbozzetta but since the bloodletting of a fortnight ago he has decided to take a step back from proceedings and take no formal role in the game.

For many this is disappointing. What's your view?”

Schwab: “We don’t really have a view on Jeff’s personal involvement in the game.

There’s no question that he has been a great advocate for the game and that’s certainly welcome.

I think the challenge for us all is to ensure that the game is attractive to people of callibre.

The game is a people’s business and we’re in a highly competitive market.

We are up against AFL, the rugby codes and also all forms of sports and entertainment. We’ve only got a chance if the very best people are running our game.”

Soft Sombrero Moment August 2001 

Schwab on an independent commission to run Australian soccer…

Diegos: ‘Jeff wanted to do things his way and that meant the forming of an independent commission to run the game. Knop didn't agree but you have been an advocate of this in the past.

Can we do what needs to be done without a commission of this kind?”

Schwab: “We think it is fundamental.

I think it would be naïve to think that one election result will overturn 30 years of culture.

What we need to do is get away from opinion.

What you find in Australian soccer is that everyone has an opinion as to what is the best way forward. We have to move from this to a knowledge based decision-making process where we are making expert decisions and that’s why you need an independent commission.

I think that we would all agree that the NSL is a major problem at the moment. It’s never realized any potential since 1977 and last year was a terrible year.

We are very concerned about the viability of a number of clubs and the season is still some time away and when you commit yourself to a knowledge based process that involves market research.

It may well come back that the best decisions require an approach that is inconsistent with one or two stakeholders. When you have a board whose prime purpose is to look after the interests of the stakeholders then clearly the right decisions will not be made.”

Soft Sombrero Moment August 2001 

Schwab on the NSL members commission…

Diegos: ‘Knop has very quickly moved to form the NSL Members Commission, a board made up of representatives of all 14 clubs, set up so that clubs can finally take control of their own future.

The clubs have welcomed the move.

What immediate benefits do you see from such a commission and are you disappointed that there's not room for a Player's Union rep in this group?”

Schwab: “There are two aspect to that.

Firstly we are pleased that we are not involved. Our responsibility is to act as the collective bargaining agent of all the players.

We see that there are two major stakeholders in the game other than the fans who are number one; the players should also be part of all our decision-making.

The best way we can have input is through the collective bargaining agreement that we negotiate for the Socceroos and also at NSL level.

So if we got an invitation to be part of the commission we would’ve politely declined.”

Soft Sombrero Moment August 2001 

Schwab on criteria for future success…

Diegos: ‘Knoppy only has until November to turn things around and impress the stakeholders before the political maneuverings start again for a new vote.

What criteria will you use to decide whether he and his team are the right people to lead Aussie soccer into 2003 and beyond?”

Schwab: “A real commitment to a knowledge based approach.

Things won’t change overnight. The reality is that we have to structurally change the game so we have a chance of competing in a really intensive competition.

We only have to compare the pleasures of going to Bob Jane stadium with the pleasures of going to the MCG or Colonial to realize just how far we are behind the competition.

So from our view if we see a strong commitment to an independent and expert approach then we will be happy to move forward.”

Soft Sombrero Moment August 2001 

Schwab on soccer at Colonial stadium…

Diegos: ‘News is that Channel 7 may own the whole of Colonial stadium in the future.

Ian Collins has said that he is looking at sports like soccer to fill the void at the stadium.

Are there any formal talks on this strategy?

Schwab: “No we don’t know of any.

We will be sitting down pretty intensely with Ian and the Soccer Australia leadership team in the future.

I’m pleased with the amount of consultation with the ruling body. Thus far it’s been unprecedented. 

So I think in the near future we will be fully briefed on what the strategic options are.

The big challenge we have is to find the right solutions. We will be vigorously researching the market and doing as much as we can to put those solutions before the board so they can start making some right decisions.”

Soft Sombrero Moment August 2001 

Schwab on the world football transfer system…

Diegos: “After much champagne guzzling and palm greasing the fat cats of the European Union, FIFA and UEFA have finally come up with what they believe is the best compromise to replace the illegal European transfer system currently in operation.

For the benefit of those of us who can only afford spumate, can you give us a brief run down of the major changes?”

Schwab: “At this stage it is almost impossible to anticipate what the changes will be in terms of transfer fees.

W e actually called a conference of all player agents and in trying to decipher the terms we came out of the conference more confused. What we did understand is that the system will impose a ban on the transfer of players overseas up to the age of eighteen.

From eighteen to twenty three there is a complicated formula, which will be called compensation fees rather than transfer fees. Above twenty-three players will be free to transfer once they are out of contract. There are a number of other complex rules under the system, which I won’t go in to at this stage.”

Diegos: “There was very little input into the new transfer compromise by the European Player’s Union – FIFPro.

Without the player’s support, the Diegos reckon that the new rules have as much chance of succeeding as American Samoa has playing the 4-4-2 with 7 players.

What has been the response from FIFPro on the EU compromise?”

Schwab: “ It is not exactly true to say we didn’t have a lot to say about the system. We proposed a different system that is based on the principles of the Bosman case that would see revenues shared throughout football, in a way that is separate from the transfer of players.

Our system would have seen players enjoy freedom of contract but the big clubs would have to share revenue down amongst the smaller clubs, simply because they rely on the smaller clubs to continue to trade. We can’t have a situation where there are only six powerful clubs in football.

We need thousands of powerful clubs, and these clubs have an obligation to share revenue down. What we have seen in Europe is a tragedy. The big clubs act like spoilt children and when things are not favouring them, they threaten to walk off and form a new super league.”

Diegos: “How do the new transfer rules affect Australia?

Schwab: “ At this stage it is impossible to tell what the financial effect will be because we simply do not have enough information.

I would suspect that we would see a lessening of the million dollar transfers we saw in the past. One impact that we suspect is that the new system will seriously undermine the wage transfer of our most gifted players.

One thing the international transfer system did allow is for example, a Sydney Olympic to retain a Brett Emerton because it could offer him a competitive package, which would allow him to stay in the country for a few more years.

What will probably happen now is that we will see pressure on players to move shortly after turning eighteen, as they will reap the rewards financially.”

Soft Sombrero Moment March 2001 

Schwab on player agents in Australia…

Diegos: “The PFA is holding a seminar discussing the new transfer rules, with every Player agent in Australia invited.

The amount of radiation emitting from the hundreds of mobile phones in the room could put your life in danger but the PFA must be applauded for taking the imitative in this regard.

What do you think will be the major issue of concern?”

Schwab: “ There were three major issues one is what we discussed in the previous question. The other concern is the new regulations on the accreditation of player agents as announced by FIFA.

In fact the agents are happy with the new changes, as the old system of accreditation did not seem to be working. At the moment we only have four fully accredited agents in Australia, but a number of other people who provide services to players. What the agents would like to see is the PFA to regulate fifty percent of the accreditation whilst Soccer Australia regulates the other fifty percent.

This would mean that more of the people providing services for players would be accredited. This can only improve the quality of services on offer for players. The third issue is basically the state of the game. The agents like the PFA are deeply concerned about the state of the game in Australia, where player earnings do not compare to AFL and ARL.

Of course we have had the terrible financial situation some of our clubs have found themselves in. The agents voiced these as their major concerns and endorsed our role in representing the players.”

Soft Sombrero Moment March 2001 

Schwab on the problems at Eastern Pride…

Diegos: “Our rural brothers at Eastern Pride are currently doing it hard. The players haven’t been paid for six weeks and Soccer Australia has stripped the team of all its points.

They must be the only team in the world that is reliant on the sale of a disco and social club to feed their family.

What’s the update?”

Schwab: “ The players at Eastern Pride have been incredible. Their commitment and dedication to the club has been taken for granted.

Players have been offered transfers to different clubs and have knocked them back opting to stick it out. The people at Soccer Australia have made it obvious that they don’t care through their conduct.

It is easy to say you care however actions always speak louder than words. The situation is entirely unsatisfactory. I think we all know what we think about the decision to deduct the points, and other codes must be sitting back and laughing. We know that if the chairman in other codes made the same decision than they would surely lose their job. Yet here we are saying that it is ok and calling the Chairman a hero.

What Soccer Australia is saying is that an affiliation fee is more important than player payments. That’s laughable.” 

Soft Sombrero Moment March 2001