Two-time World Cup Socceroos player Scott Chipperfield will be among those in attendance at a meeting to establish the Illawarra Football Reform group on Wednesday night, pushing for change within Football South Coast.
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Chipperfield was part of Bellambi's rise to the Illawarra Premier League competition and has also coached the Illawarra Stingrays, but currently has no direct position at a club.
The Mercury has spoken to numerous stakeholders in the region this week, all agitating for change from the governing body, for what they perceive to be a lack of accountability and transparency in decision-making.
"I'm just going along to see what's said, because if there is to be change, it needs to be done properly," Chipperfield said. "There definitely needs to be something put in place, right now everyone is competing with each other at different levels and it's diluting the product."
Among those issues raised include the transparency of financial reporting, after $886,000 was listed in "other expenses" in FSC's 2018 accounts prepared by KPMG.
Backing of the Wolves' A-League bid - following the collapse of the Southern Expansion concept involving St George and Sutherland - as well as the co-ordination of development pathways between the fourth-tier South Coast Flame and the NSW National Premier League club, is also on the agenda.
Wolves coach Luke Wilkshire said he had no role in the plans, but was supportive of moves to overhaul the structure in the Illawarra.
FSC signed a memorandum in support of both the Wolves and Southern Expansion A-League bids, but tensions have lingered between them and the former National Soccer League champions.
Chipperfield lamented the lack of involvement the ex-Socceroos and A-League stars had with the running of the game in the Illawarra.
Organiser of the meeting to be held at the Fraternity Club, Mitchell Goroch - who is a former president at Fernhill - said clubs within the Football South Coast heirarchy are fearful of speaking out in case their clubs are reprimanded.
It's a claim denied by FSC officials.
In a statement, FSC chief executive Ann-Marie Balliana hit back at the criticism, saying "Football South Coast via its Football Councils has close links and relationships to our local clubs".
"It is these clubs that elect the Football Councils, each of which then elects its representative to the Football South Coast Board," the statement read. "This is a model approved and endorsed by Football NSW, the governing body for football in NSW, at the time of the inception of FSC, and agreed to by all clubs to achieve unification of the game."
Balliana advocated for FSC providing relevant financial information in annual reports, declaring they were fully audited and "Member Clubs are also always invited to obtain the full set of accounts and breakdowns at any stage".
Goroch maintains FSC have their priorities wrong and should put more emphasis on maintaining and development of grassroots football and facilities.
"Mums and dads need to have a say on where the money is going," he said.
"At the moment the game is too focused on the top down, than having more transparency and accountability and working for the grassroots."
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Tim Barrow
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
