Yesterday The Mercury online published its rankings of Tasmania’s top 15 men’s footballers, alongside a separate top 15 for the women’s game.

The women’s list deserves its own space rather than a few paragraphs tacked onto the end of this one, so I’ll come back to that in a separate post.

For now, the men.

Congratulations to every player named.

Simply making the list is recognition of years of hard work, dedication and sacrifice.

Like many football supporters, my first reaction was probably the same as yours.

“Really?”

Within minutes I was mentally moving players up, moving others down and wondering who had missed out altogether.

Then I stopped.

Because here’s the question nobody asked before they started ranking.

Can we really compare a Socceroo with a Joeys international?

Can we compare an established NPL legend with a teenager only just beginning a professional career?

Can we compare someone whose achievements span more than a decade with a player whose greatest football may still lie ahead?

They’re all outstanding footballers.

They’re all Tasmanians.

But are they even competing for the same title?

Keep that question in your back pocket. We’ll come back to it.

One thing I noticed was that the article appeared without a byline.

I looked for the author’s name but couldn’t find one.

Personally I think that’s a pity.

Lists like these are always subjective. There is no right or wrong answer and that’s exactly what makes them interesting. But if you’re prepared to rank players, put your name to it and be part of the argument that follows.

One small observation before we begin. The published rankings also appear to contain two players listed at number 14, so there seems to be a minor editing error in the numbering.

Rather than simply agreeing or disagreeing with The Mercury, I thought it might be interesting to work through the list, add a little context, and give credit where it’s due.

15. Kobe Kemp

The Mercury describes Kobe as an NPL stalwart whose spectacular bicycle kick in last year’s Australia Cup was the goal of the tournament.

That goal got him the headlines.

Those who watch Tasmanian football every week know there is much more to Kobe than one spectacular goal. His consistency, work rate and influence have made him one of the competition’s most respected midfielders over many seasons.

The bicycle kick made him famous. His football is what has kept him there.

14. Toby Simeoni

The Mercury highlights Toby’s football journey through the United States, South Melbourne, Launceston City and now Northcote City.

Here’s what the article doesn’t mention. Toby has spent much of this season sidelined through injury.

Most supporters ranking him this year haven’t actually seen him play this year.

Worth remembering, before we get too confident about anyone’s spot on this list.

14. William Humphrey

Recognised by The Mercury as one of Tasmania’s most composed defenders, William has quietly built one of the state’s most consistent NPL careers over more than 150 senior appearances.

Quietly is the right word.

He’s not the one making the highlight reels. He’s the one making sure the highlight reels are even worth watching.

13. Sam Lancaster

The Mercury highlights Sam’s progression from South Hobart to Sydney FC and his senior Australia Cup debut.

Since the rankings were published, Sam’s added another line to his CV. He came off the bench against Tottenham Hotspur in Sydney FC’s Festival of Football fixture.

Tottenham Hotspur.

A kid from South Hobart, on the same pitch as a Premier League club, inside the same year he’s being ranked against players who’ve barely left the state.

That’s the comparison problem in one sentence.

12. Taylor Last

Taylor’s move from Devonport to Victoria reflects something bigger than one player’s career. It’s the growing number of Tasmanian players prepared to leave home to test themselves in stronger competitions.

We should be proud of that.

We should also be honest about what it costs our own competitions when they go.

11. Eddie Bidwell

Now back with Magic United after helping the club to a championship, Eddie continues to build an impressive career interstate.

A premiership medal and a return to the club that gave it to him. Not a bad way to make a list.

10. Charles Bidwell

A Devonport stalwart before signing with Broadmeadow Magic for last year’s Australian Championship. Now at Birkenhead United, chasing a title in New Zealand’s National League.

Three competitions, three countries worth of football, in as many years.

Not many Tasmanian midfielders can say that.

9. Eli Luttmer

School assistant principal by day. Kingborough Lions captain by weekend.

Led the club to its first Statewide Cup trophy this year, off the back of a Lakoseljac Cup run that deserved a lot more attention than it got.

If you missed it, that’s on us, not on him.

8. Austin Yost

Twenty one years old. Already five seasons into the NPL, since he was 16.

Since the rankings were published, Yost has returned to South Hobart, adding more firepower to a squad that hardly needed it.

Half the players on this list are still working out what kind of career they’ll have. Yost has been answering that question since he was old enough to need a permission slip.

7. Fletcher Fulton

Part of Heidelberg’s Australia Cup upset over Wellington Phoenix last year. One of the biggest results by a Tasmanian linked player against A-League opposition in recent memory.

A consistent performer at Heidelberg, trusted by Jonny A to do a job.

6. Andy Brennan

Started at South Hobart. Won an NPL title there in 2014.

Then Newcastle Jets. Then years at South Melbourne, before departing late last year.

A long career, and one worth more than a single line in someone else’s list.

5. Nick O’Connell

Kingborough’s Lakoseljac Cup triumph elevated several players into the spotlight, and Nick’s performances between the posts were central to that success.

Two penalty shootouts. Semi and final.

That’s not luck, that’s nerve.

4. Nick Morton

Few players have dominated Tasmanian NPL football over such a sustained period.

Three Best and Fairest awards. Golden Boots. Club best player.

And now the opportunity to challenge himself at Northcote City, under his stepbrother Max.

His place near the top of this list isn’t up for debate.

3. Iluka Wootton

Still only at the beginning of his career, Iluka continues to establish himself at Adelaide United and remains one of Tasmania’s brightest young prospects.

This is exactly the comparison problem again. He’s third on a list that has players twice his age with a decade more football behind them.

Third now. Ask again in five years and the answer might be completely different.

2. Daniel Wojcik

Daniel’s move to Adelaide United and his selection for Australia’s Joeys underline why so many people believe his future is exceptionally bright.

A Joeys call up at his age is not a small thing.

It’s also, again, not the same thing as fifteen years of NPL football. Which is exactly why ranking the two of them on one list was always going to be an argument, not a fact.

1. Nathaniel Atkinson

There is little debate about Nathaniel’s place at the top.

From Riverside Olympic to Melbourne City and the Socceroos, including representing Australia at the FIFA World Cup, he has established himself as the benchmark for every young Tasmanian footballer with professional ambitions.

If there’s one name on this list that transcends the argument I’ve been making all along, it’s his.

Everyone else on here can be reasonably debated. Nathaniel can’t.

Final Thoughts

Whether you agree with every ranking or not, one thing is beyond dispute.

Tasmania continues to produce footballers capable of succeeding on the national and international stage. From players starring in our own NPL to those building careers interstate and representing Australia, our football community has much to be proud of.

Perhaps that is the greatest value of lists like these. They make us stop, reflect and appreciate just how many outstanding footballers Tasmania has produced.

There will never be universal agreement on rankings like this, and perhaps there shouldn’t be.

Every supporter brings their own experiences, memories and values to the discussion.

Perhaps the answer isn’t one list at all.

Perhaps it’s several. Our greatest professional footballers. Our greatest NPL footballers. Our brightest young talents. Our most influential careers.

Different achievements deserve to be celebrated in different ways.

So rather than arguing over who should have been fourth instead of sixth, or who missed out altogether, I’ll leave you with the question that started this.

If a Socceroo, a Joeys international and an NPL legend are all Tasmanians, are they even competing for the same title?

I don’t think there’s a right answer.

But it’s worth asking before the next list comes out.

X has been bursting at the seams over the past couple of days.

Former players.

Journalists.

Football administrators.

Economists.

Politicians.

Supporters.

Everyone seems to have an opinion about FIFA’s proposal to create something called FIFA Forward Enterprise.

To be honest, when I first saw the headlines, I wasn’t entirely sure what everyone was arguing about.

Some people were saying FIFA was selling the World Cup.

Others were talking about private equity.

Some called it visionary.

Others described it as dangerous.

So I did what I usually do.

I started reading.

One article led to another.

Then another.

I read FIFA’s proposal.

UEFA’s response.

The AFC statement.

Craig Foster’s thoughts.

Andy Burnham’s comments.

Financial analysis.

Media reports from around the world.

The more I read, the more I realised this wasn’t simply another football story.

It’s a governance story.

And I suspect many football people are just as confused as I was when they first saw the headlines.

So let’s start with Football 101.

Football 101

World football is governed by FIFA.

Under FIFA sit six continental confederations.

Australia belongs to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Under the AFC sits Football Australia.

Under Football Australia are the Member Federations, including Football Tasmania.

Below that are our clubs, coaches, players, referees and volunteers.

Why does that matter?

Because decisions made at FIFA eventually work their way through the entire football pyramid.

From the FIFA Council in Zurich...

...right down to community football here in Tasmania.

So what is FIFA actually proposing?

Let’s clear up one of the biggest misconceptions first.

FIFA is not proposing to sell the World Cup.

Nor is it proposing to hand control of football to private investors.

Instead, it wants to create a new commercial subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise.

That company would manage many of FIFA’s commercial activities, including broadcasting, sponsorship, licensing, ticketing and aspects of tournament operations.

FIFA would then invite investors to purchase up to a 20 per cent minority stake in that commercial business.

According to FIFA, control of football itself would remain exactly where it is today.

The Laws of the Game.

International competitions.

The World Cup.

The international calendar.

Sporting decisions.

Those would all remain under FIFA’s control.

Why now?

Football has never generated more commercial interest.

Broadcast rights continue to grow.

Sponsors continue to invest.

The World Cup remains one of the biggest sporting events on the planet.

So why bring in outside investors?

FIFA’s argument is that rather than waiting decades for that future commercial growth, it can unlock part of that value today.

The proposal could raise up to US$4.2 billion.

FIFA says much of that money would be reinvested back into football through increased development funding.

For many member associations, that could be transformational.

As I was reading, I couldn’t help thinking about another article I wrote not that long ago.

When James Johnson left Football Australia to take up a leadership role with Canadian Soccer Business, we explored how Canada had separated many of its commercial rights from its governing body.

If you didn’t read that articles, you can find them here.

Why Canada Matters Right Now - Part One

Why James Johnson Changed Jobs - Canada Soccer Part Two

Canada’s model has generated plenty of debate over the years, but it also shows football isn’t entering completely uncharted territory. Different commercial structures already exist around the world.

In fact, Canada has recently renegotiated aspects of its commercial arrangements in an effort to strengthen transparency, governance and long-term revenue.

FIFA’s proposal is obviously much bigger.

It operates on a completely different scale.

But it reminded me that football has been experimenting with different commercial models for some time.

That doesn’t necessarily make FIFA’s proposal right.

Nor does it automatically make it wrong.

It simply means this conversation didn’t begin this week.

What if FIFA is right?

This is the part that I think deserves equal attention.

It’s easy to focus on the risks.

But what if FIFA is right?

What if this creates more football facilities?

More investment in women’s football.

Better coach education.

Stronger grassroots programmes.

More support for developing football nations.

Those are outcomes every football person would welcome.

Which is why this debate isn’t as simple as some headlines would have us believe.

So why is there so much opposition?

Part of the answer lies in history.

FIFA and UEFA have not always seen eye to eye.

For years there has been an ongoing power struggle over the future direction of world football.

The international calendar.

The expanded Club World Cup.

Commercial rights.

Player workload.

Who should shape the future of the global game.

Understanding that history helps explain why UEFA’s response has been so strong.

But the debate has now spread well beyond Europe.

The AFC has expressed disappointment about the level of consultation before such a significant proposal was announced.

Concacaf has raised similar concerns.

Former Socceroo Craig Foster has questioned aspects of the proposal.

Before anyone asks, “What’s Andy Burnham got to do with football?” ... quite a lot, actually.

Burnham is a lifelong football supporter, the former Mayor of Greater Manchester and someone who has never been afraid to speak up for the game. When he publicly questioned the proposal, people took notice.

Even former FIFA President Sepp Blatter has voiced concerns.

Interestingly, not all of these people are making the same argument.

Some are questioning governance.

Some are questioning consultation.

Some are worried about increasing commercialisation.

Others are asking whether football should move more cautiously before making a decision of this magnitude.

Australia’s perspective

This is where my thoughts kept returning.

Earlier this year we learnt that Football Australia is forecasting a significant financial shortfall over the coming years.

At the same time, Australian football continues to advocate for better facilities, stronger pathways, coach education and greater investment across the game.

Against that backdrop, significantly increased FIFA funding would be incredibly attractive.

That isn’t a criticism.

It’s simply reality.

Every football administrator understands how difficult it is to find money.

Not just in Australia.

Across much of the football world.

For smaller nations especially, additional FIFA funding could change what’s possible for future generations.

Who decides?

Another important point.

This isn’t a decision Gianni Infantino makes on his own.

Ultimately, FIFA’s Member Associations will decide whether the proposal proceeds.

That’s an important distinction.

This isn’t simply about one person’s vision.

It’s about whether the football family believes that vision is the right one.

The question I kept coming back to

As I finished reading, one question stayed with me.

If there were no promise of significantly increased funding...

...would member associations feel exactly the same about this proposal?

I don’t know the answer.

But I think it’s an important question.

My Take

I’ve spent enough years in football to know that governance decisions are rarely black and white.

The easy decisions are usually made quickly.

The important ones are the ones where thoughtful people can see merit on both sides.

I understand why FIFA believes this proposal could transform football.

I also understand why others are urging caution.

For me, this isn’t really a story about billions of dollars.

It’s a story about governance.

About transparency.

About consultation.

About stewardship.

Whatever happens from here, I hope football doesn’t rush.

Decisions of this magnitude deserve time.

They deserve scrutiny.

They deserve robust debate.

And perhaps most importantly, they deserve football people who are prepared to read beyond the headlines before deciding where they stand.

Those entrusted with leading our game are not simply making decisions for today.

They are helping shape football for the next generation.

That is a responsibility none of us should ever take lightly.

A Lifelong Learner?

The other day my daughter-in-law said something that made me stop and think.

“You’re a lifelong learner.”

I smiled, but it stayed with me.

I hadn’t really thought of myself that way before. Football has certainly taught me plenty over the years, but “lifelong learner” wasn’t a description I would ever have chosen for myself.

Then I started thinking back to boarding school.

Fiat Lux

Unlike many of my classmates, I chose to study Latin because I was convinced I was going to study law at university. Somehow, six years of Latin seemed like a sensible idea at the time.

Life, thankfully, had other plans.

I don’t remember much of it now.

I remember Canon Pierard sweeping into the classroom with a booming Fiat lux! before someone dutifully switched on the lights.

I remember saying grace in Latin before meals.

And I still remember puella nautam amat.

It means, “The girl loves the sailor.”

For years I wondered why I’d spent six years learning a language that, as far as I could tell, had absolutely no practical application to my life.

The sailor certainly never turned up.

Neither did law school.

Life Had Other Plans

Instead, football happened.

Football became my career, my volunteer work, my passion and, in many ways, my education.

Committee meetings replaced courtrooms.

Football grounds replaced lecture theatres.

The years rolled by and I never really gave Latin another thought.

Until now.

An Unexpected Discovery

Because over the past eight months something quite unexpected has happened.

I’ve discovered that I absolutely love writing.

That has surprised me more than anyone.

Not because I think I’m a journalist. I’m not.

I’m simply someone who enjoys asking questions, researching issues, listening to people, challenging my own thinking and trying to tell stories that matter.

I’ve interviewed people I admire.

I’ve written about grassroots football, governance, facilities, junior football, the Socceroos, the Matildas, the FIFA World Cup and, most importantly, the wonderful people who make our game what it is.

Some articles have been easy to write.

Others have taken days of research.

Every single one has taught me something.

Perhaps my daughter-in-law was right.

Perhaps I really am a lifelong learner.

And perhaps those years of Latin weren’t completely wasted after all.

Maybe they taught me something I didn’t appreciate at the time.

That words matter.

That language has rhythm.

That there is satisfaction in searching for exactly the right word instead of settling for almost the right one.

Everyone Wins

One thing I’ve also learnt over the past eight months is that if you discover something you genuinely love doing...

...you tend to do quite a lot of it.

Which probably explains why readers of Tassie Football Central have stumbled across rather a large number of my football articles over the past eight months.

Matthew has been incredibly generous in allowing me to share them and, if I’m honest, I suspect there have been times when people have thought, “Oh no... not another Victoria Morton article!”

That’s perfectly okay.

Football people are wonderfully patient, but even I have to admit that another 2,000-word article appearing in your feed every second day might be a bit much.

So I’ve decided to make a small change...I’m not going to stop writing.

If anything, I’ll probably write more.

I won’t stop interviewing people.

I won’t stop researching football issues.

I won’t stop writing about grassroots football, governance, the Socceroos, the Matildas or the people who make our game such a fascinating part of Australian life.

The difference is that it won’t be quite so “in your face.”

From now on, Victoria Morton Football will remain the home of my writing, with every article also published through my free Substack newsletter.

If you enjoy reading my articles, you can subscribe and every new article will arrive automatically in your inbox.

If you don’t enjoy reading them...

...well, your Facebook feed has just become a little quieter.

Everyone wins.

Thank You

I’d also like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Matthew at TFC for allowing me to share my articles with the TFC community over the past eight months.

The amount of time he gives to Tasmanian football is extraordinary. Anyone who has run a football page knows it isn’t just the posts people see. It’s the messages, the moderation, the constant updates, the conversations behind the scenes and the commitment to keeping people informed.

I’ll continue to proudly support TFC and write my weekly coverage of the NPL Under 21 competition because I genuinely appreciate what Matthew has built for football in Tasmania.

To everyone who has taken the time to read, comment, disagree, encourage, share an article or simply send me a private message...

Thank you.

Writing has become one of the great surprises of my life.

At sixty-eight, I never expected to discover something that makes me look forward to sitting down with a cup of tea and a blank screen quite as much as this does.

If you’d like to continue the journey with me, I’d be delighted to have you along.

Subscribing is completely free.

Simply click Subscribe free below, enter your email address, and every new article will arrive automatically in your inbox.

Subscribe free

Perhaps It Was Useful After All

And as for puella nautam amat...

After all these years, perhaps it wasn’t teaching me about a girl and a sailor after all.

Perhaps it was simply teaching me to love words.

A Coffee, A Conversation… and a Different Perspective

Part One of this interview was about getting to know Tony Pignata the person.

Part Two is about Tony Pignata the football administrator.

Before we go any further, I need to deal with the reaction to Part One.

More than a few people asked whether the interview had changed my relationship with Tony Pignata.

Some even joked we’d become best mates.

No.

Nothing about spending an hour and twenty-two minutes over coffee changes my willingness to challenge decisions that deserve scrutiny.

If Football Tasmania makes a call tomorrow that I disagree with, I’ll still write about it.

What that interview changed was my understanding of how Tony thinks through the biggest issues facing football in this state.

Twenty years in this game, as a volunteer, a club president, a tournament director, a business owner and now a writer, has taught me one thing.

Football administration is rarely black and white.

It’s easy to criticise a decision when you don’t understand how it was reached.

It’s just as easy to defend every decision simply because you know the people making it.

Neither approach serves our game.

So here’s what I actually did.

I asked difficult questions.

I listened carefully to the answers.

Then I tested those answers against my own experience.

Before we sat down, I gave Tony every question in advance. He accepted them all.

Afterwards, I sent him ten follow-up questions where I wanted greater detail.

He answered every one of those too.

In a climate where it’s increasingly normal for people to dodge hard questions, that’s worth noting.

It doesn’t mean I agree with every answer.

Some of what follows I remain unconvinced by.

Some of it genuinely shifted my thinking, even where it didn’t change my mind.

Respecting someone’s willingness to explain a decision is not the same as endorsing it.

If we’re prepared to publicly criticise the people running our game, we owe them the same willingness to genuinely hear why they made the call.

That’s what this is.

Not a verdict.

The beginning of a better conversation.

FIFO Leadership: Can Tasmanian Football Be Led From Melbourne?

One of the first issues I wanted to raise with Tony was also one of the most frequently discussed across Tasmanian football.

Can the Chief Executive of Football Tasmania effectively lead the game while living interstate?

It’s a question that has been debated in clubrooms, committee meetings and around football grounds across Tasmania since Tony returned to live in Melbourne around eighteen months ago.

Rather than speculate, I asked him directly.

His answer wasn’t about football.

It was about family.

“I lived in Tasmania full-time for the first eighteen months of my tenure,” he told me.

“Around eighteen months ago, I made the decision to move back to Melbourne to be closer to my children and my ageing mother. I have lived away from Melbourne for nineteen years through my previous roles and it came at a great personal cost to me and my family. That needed to change.”

He was also keen to address what he believes is a common misconception.

“I pay my own travel costs to and from Melbourne,” he said.

He explained that he travels to Tasmania regularly, generally every second week, while also travelling around Australia for meetings with Football Australia and other national stakeholders.

“I understand there may be a perception among some people that the arrangement affects my leadership,” he said. “But I don’t believe it has diminished my contribution or commitment to Football Tasmania. I remain closely connected to our staff, clubs and stakeholders, and I believe I should be judged by the work I do and the outcomes we achieve.”

I found it difficult not to sympathise with Tony’s personal circumstances.

After spending almost two decades living away from Melbourne, wanting to be closer to his family is something most people would understand.

But understanding why someone made a decision isn’t quite the same as deciding whether it is the right arrangement for Tasmanian football.

Football Tasmania is the governing body responsible for leading the game across an entire state.

That naturally raises another question.

Should Tasmanian football expect its Chief Executive to live in Tasmania full-time?

Tony’s position is clear.

He believes he should be judged by his work and the outcomes Football Tasmania achieves.

I can understand that argument.

Equally, I can understand why clubs, volunteers and participants might believe leadership is about more than outcomes alone.

Visibility matters.

Relationships matter.

Being present matters.

Some leadership happens in boardrooms.

Some happens by turning up to local grounds on wet Saturday mornings, attending club functions, having conversations that never appear on an agenda and simply being part of the football community.

Those things are difficult to measure.

But they matter.

This is also bigger than Tony’s personal decision.

The Football Tasmania Board has evidently determined that this arrangement is compatible with the responsibilities of the role.

The football community is entitled to decide whether it agrees.

Tony gave me a thoughtful and honest explanation for why he made the decision.

I understand it.

Whether it is the arrangement Tasmanian football needs or deserves is a different question altogether.

Rugby Park: Why Stay?

Our discussion about where Tony lived naturally led me to another question about place.

This time it wasn’t the Chief Executive’s home.

It was Football Tasmania’s.

Tony had been remarkably candid about Rugby Park.

Rather than defending the organisation’s headquarters, he criticised them.

That immediately raised another question in my mind.

If the offices were as poor as he was describing, why was Football Tasmania still there?

So I asked whether the organisation had considered renting commercial office space while continuing to pursue its long-term vision for a Home of Football.

He didn’t hesitate.

“I rang Bob Gordon on my first day,” he recalled. “I said these are the worst offices I’ve ever been in.”

He then explained why.

There was mould in the boardroom.

Around twenty staff shared a single toilet.

One staff member had even received an electric shock while turning on a heater.

It was one of the most candid moments of our interview.

Having painted such a bleak picture, my original question became even more relevant.

If Rugby Park was really that bad, why not move?

He explained that Football Tasmania had investigated other premises.

The problem wasn’t finding office space.

It was paying for it.

Suitable commercial accommodation, he estimated, would cost somewhere between $120,000 and $150,000 a year in rent.

For him, that was a difficult expense to justify.

His view was that football’s money should be invested in developing the game rather than paying substantial rent for what would only ever be a temporary solution.

He also explained that Football Tasmania works differently today than it once did.

Staff work flexibly.

They spend significant time with clubs and stakeholders across the state.

They’re often out in the football community rather than sitting behind office desks every day.

I found the financial argument easy to follow.

For a sporting organisation, an additional annual expense of more than $100,000 is a significant decision.

Then one thought struck me.

Tony wasn’t asking Tasmanian football to settle for Rugby Park.

He was asking it to endure Rugby Park a little longer.

Whether that is the right decision is a different question.

Every organisation has a responsibility to provide its staff with a workplace that is safe, functional and fit for purpose.

If Rugby Park really is as inadequate as Tony described, is continuing to work there the right choice, even if it saves football money?

People will answer that question differently.

But one thing became clear during our conversation.

Rugby Park and the Home of Football are not separate discussions.

They are the same discussion.

Tony sees the shortcomings of Rugby Park not as a reason to spend heavily on temporary offices, but as further evidence that Tasmanian football needs a permanent home of its own.

That naturally led me to my next question.

If Rugby Park is no longer the answer, what exactly is the Home of Football?

And why does Tony believe it could transform the game in Tasmania?

More Than Bricks and Mortar

If Rugby Park explained why Tony believed Football Tasmania needed a new home, our conversation naturally moved to what that home might actually look like.

One thing became clear very quickly.

Tony wasn’t talking about replacing an ageing office building.

He was talking about something much bigger.

When I later asked him to expand on the idea in writing, he described a Home of Football as a central base for Football Tasmania’s administration, coach and referee education, player development programs, representative teams and community football.

He wrote that it could also provide better facilities for women and girls, support major events and give football a stronger public identity.

“The long-term value is not just a building or pitches,” he wrote.

“It is the infrastructure, connection and sense of belonging that would support generations of Tasmanian players, coaches, referees and volunteers.”

During our interview he also spoke about a precinct with multiple pitches capable of supporting development programs and representative football.

Whether people agree with the vision or not, it’s certainly ambitious.

The obvious question, though, is how it becomes reality.

Football Tasmania doesn’t own the land.

He told me Wentworth Park remained Football Tasmania’s preferred location because of its size and because it is already used for sporting purposes.

That immediately led me to another question.

Wentworth Park is already home to Touch Football.

I asked what would happen if football pursued the site.

He said Football Tasmania had already begun discussions with Touch Football and acknowledged that any proposal would require further work with both Touch Football and Clarence City Council.

As we continued talking, I found the discussion becoming less about one building and more about football infrastructure across Tasmania.

I raised South Hobart’s long-running efforts to improve the lighting at D’Arcy Street and the challenges clubs often face when dealing with local councils.

He said Football Tasmania would continue supporting clubs through meetings, advocacy and letters of support while also pursuing the longer-term vision of a Home of Football.

I then asked what he hoped football infrastructure across Tasmania might look like over the next twenty years.

His answer wasn’t really about one facility.

He said he wanted every NPL club to have quality pitches, lighting, drainage and facilities capable of supporting players, coaches and volunteers.

That struck me as important.

Throughout our conversation he kept returning to the same theme.

Not one project.

Not one building.

Football infrastructure.

We also found ourselves talking about government investment.

Football is one of Tasmania’s largest participation sports, yet much of our discussion centred on how difficult it has been to secure funding for football facilities compared with other sports.

I came away understanding Tony’s vision more clearly.

He believes Tasmania needs a permanent home for football.

But he also believes clubs need better facilities.

The challenge isn’t identifying what football needs.

It’s finding governments prepared to invest in it.

Whether a Home of Football eventually becomes reality is a question for governments, councils and the football community.

Tony’s role is to make the case.

Whether others are persuaded is another question altogether.

Player Pathways: Whose Job Is It to Develop a Player?

Home of Football led naturally into a question I’d been wanting to ask for a while.

Where do clubs actually fit into all of this?

I’ve written before that clubs are the heart of community football.

I’ve also questioned whether Football Tasmania’s pathway programs risk pulling talented players away from their clubs instead of supporting them.

So I asked Tony directly.

He pushed back straight away on the idea that pathways exist to replace clubs.

“The intention is not to replace or duplicate the work of clubs,” he told me. “Many clubs already provide very good coaching, and that work should be recognised and supported.”

His argument was that touchpoints - extra sessions run outside a player’s club - serve a different purpose.

Exposure to different coaching perspectives.

Specialist support.

Higher intensity environments.

Connections to national pathways that a single club often can’t offer on its own.

“The club should remain central to a player’s development,” he said, “with Football Tasmania adding value around it.”

On paper, it’s a convincing answer.

I’ve spent twenty years in clubrooms, not boardrooms, and I know how this can feel from the other side.

When a talented fifteen-year-old is selected for a representative session, the club coach who has worked with that player for three years doesn’t always feel like something is being added.

They can feel like they’re being overlooked.

His answer suggested he recognised that tension.

“We need to communicate with club coaches, be clear about what each session is designed to achieve and carefully manage player workloads,” he said.

Communication.

It came up more than once during our conversation.

It will come up again later in this piece.

A good intention on paper is not the same as a club coach feeling they were genuinely consulted before losing a player for a Saturday.

That’s the gap Tony needs to close.

Not the policy.

The practice.

Coach Development: More Than a Certificate

Pathways raised questions about players.

Naturally, our conversation turned to the people coaching them.

Tasmania has never had a shortage of people willing to coach.

What it has struggled with, by Tony’s own admission, is the number of qualified coaches and the ongoing support they receive.

“Our biggest priority is increasing both the number and quality of coaches across Tasmania,” he told me.

That means making coach education more accessible, more affordable and more relevant, particularly outside Hobart.

I asked what that actually looks like over the next five years.

He spoke about stronger coaching pathways from community football through to the advanced levels.

More mentoring after courses finish, not just during them.

A greater focus on developing female coaches.

Then he said something that stayed with me.

“Qualifications are important, but coach development cannot simply be about completing a course. It must involve practical support, observation, feedback and continuous learning.”

It’s difficult to argue with that principle.

It’s also one of the hardest things for any football organisation to deliver.

Running a coaching course is relatively straightforward.

Book a venue.

Bring in a presenter.

Hand out a certificate.

Ongoing mentoring is something else entirely.

It requires experienced people on the ground, week after week, observing sessions, offering feedback and building relationships with coaches who are all at different stages of their development.

Tony didn’t present that as something Football Tasmania has already solved.

He presented it as the priority.

That’s an important distinction.

Whether Football Tasmania has the people, the resources and the budget to deliver that vision, particularly outside Hobart where accessibility remains the greatest challenge, is the question that will ultimately determine its success.

Coming in Part Three

We’ve talked about leadership.

We’ve talked about infrastructure.

We’ve talked about player pathways and coach development.

In Part Three, the conversation turns to governance, communication and the future direction of football in Tasmania.

Some of the toughest questions are still to come.

Thank you for reading.

If you enjoy thoughtful writing about football, governance, development and the people who shape the game, I’d love you to subscribe. New articles are published here and are delivered free by email.

You can also browse my complete collection of articles at Victoria Morton Football.

Victoria Morton

3.30am, A Cup of Tea and the Same Old Feeling

I woke up grumpy.

That usually means something is bothering me.

I have a habit.
Cup of tea.
Check if there are any games on somewhere in the world.
I am up between 3 and 4 most mornings. Habits are hard to break.

Football never really sleeps. Somewhere, someone is playing.

Then I read the Mercury.

And I get grumpier.

Department of State Growth scrapped.
New entity.
Major infrastructure.
Economic priorities.

And sitting underneath it all, obvious without being shouted, is the AFL stadium.

Again.

It isn’t the headline itself.

It is the feeling underneath it.

Sometimes it is hard to shake off being ignored.

The Season Starts. We Promote Ourselves. Again.

The NPL season starts this weekend.

Football Tasmania is promoting it.
Clubs are posting graphics.
Volunteers are preparing home grounds.
Team managers are getting kits ready.

Because if we do not promote ourselves, it is like we do not exist.

Licence fees.
Registrations.
Nomination fees.
Referee fees.

Football largely funds its own visibility.

If Football Tasmania did not push the NPL this week, would it be mentioned anywhere else?

In the South at least, probably not.

We are big in participation.

But small in narrative.

Unless we build the microphone ourselves.

“Here She Goes Again”

Here she goes again.

Whining.
Complaining.
Banging the drum for football.

I can almost hear it.

This is not about attacking AFL.

It never has been.

It is about priority.
It is about narrative.
It is about who is central when governments reshape themselves and who sits at the edge of the conversation.

AFL has one code.
One pathway story.
One centralised brand.
One clear political lever.

Football has hundreds of clubs.
Multiple competitions.
Thousands of volunteers.
Regional differences.
Layers of governance.

We have scale.

But we do not have a single, unified microphone.

So we keep promoting ourselves.
Funding ourselves.
Advocating for ourselves.

And when we stop, the silence is noticeable.

Twenty Years of Quiet Work

Over the past two decades I have been involved football in Tasmania has grown.

Women’s participation has surged.
Junior competitions have expanded.
Coaching standards have lifted.
Club licensing has tightened governance.
National competitions have been hosted from suburban grounds.
Local matches are live streamed across the country.

Most of it volunteer driven.
Much of it under-resourced.
All of it hard earned.

For those of us who have been inside it for twenty years or more, you feel the weight of that effort.

The meetings.
The compliance.
The grant applications.
The facility battles.
The endless advocacy.

You know the scale of what is being run every weekend.

And yet when government departments are reshaped and major priorities are announced, football rarely feels central to the story.

Not attacked.

Just peripheral.

There is a difference.

But invisibility is still invisibility.

The Pattern

The pattern is what sits heavy at 3.30am.

Every reshuffle.
Every infrastructure announcement.
Every grand economic vision.

Football feels slightly outside the tent.

Not because it lacks participation.
Not because it lacks global reach.
Not because it lacks community impact.

But because it lacks political centrality.

That is structural.

And structural things do not change by accident.

The Question We Don’t Ask

Invisibility might be football’s realm.

But fuck me, should we put up with it?

At what point does quiet competence stop being enough?

At what point does the largest participation sport in the state stop acting grateful for scraps of attention?

We are good at surviving.
We are good at running competitions.
We are good at complying.

We are less coordinated at demanding narrative space.

Maybe that is the real work ahead.

Not louder anger.

Clearer unity.

Because if we do not shape our own story, we should not be surprised when someone else writes it without us.

And that is probably what was bothering me before the sun came up.

I write regularly about football culture, governance and grassroots football.

You can read more of my writing at

https://www.victoriamortonfootball.com.au