The Football Federation of Australia is entering a new age as Chris Nikou has been chosen to replace Stephen Lowy, who had already announced his resignation.
Greek Australian Nikou is Melbourne-based and has been involved in football for quite some time, as he played the sport in his younger days and was eventually made a member of the board of the Football Federation of Victoria (or VSL, as it was then known) and later on a board member for the Melbourne Victory.
Nikou had a place on Stephen Lowy’s board for the past four years, but has now chosen to take up a more active role in Australian football, using his experience from being within the top organisational levels of the sport for many years.
In his first statements as chairman, Nikou pointed out the expansion of the A-League as the number one priority for the new board:
“I look forward to working with the members of the new board with a renewed sense of purpose for the whole of the game,” he said.
“Today’s Annual General Meeting is a defining moment for our sport. The expanded congress has spoken, and we now come together as a football community to commence a new era for our game.”
Also chosen for the Board of Directors were former Capital Football CEO Heather Reid, who was placed in the position of deputy chairperson, deputy chairman of AFL club Western Sydney Giants Joseph Carrozzi and former Soccer Australia chairman Remo Nogarotto.
They will be joined on the board by Kelly Bayer Rosmarin and Crispin Murray, remnants from the Lowy-era.
It is worth noting that Chris Nikou has close relations to former Socceroos and South Melbourne coach, Ange Postecoglou, being the groomsman at his wedding.
The elections were made by the expanded congress, which is composed by the nine teams of the A-League (excluding the Wellington Phoenix), the nine member-federations, the Professional Footballers Association and the Women’s Council.
In his final address towards the media as chairman of the FFA, Stephen Lowy stated his honour to have served football at the highest level and wished the new board “all the best in realising the enormous potential of football in Australia”.
Also during the meeting it was decided that the Association of Australian Football Clubs and the Football Coaches Australia are to be granted qualifying member status.