Two Greek-Australian heads of football/soccer resigned in one week. Kimon Taliadoros announced his resignation as CEO at Football Victoria on September 4, and two days later, Chris Nikou announced that he would step down as Chair of Football Australia (FA) in November.
Nikou became Chair of FA in 2018 after joining the board in 2014 and will not seek re-election at the Annual General Meeting on November 22. He said he will continue the role until the end of the AGM.
Nikou’s resignation comes after a monumental period for the sport in Australia, with the Matildas’ World Cup performance taking them to the semi-finals last month and the Socceroos’ best performance on the world stage last year.
The AF Chair said the momentum now is pivotal for Australian football and that fresh ideas will enhance at the top. In a press statement released by FA, he said he was honoured to have sat as Chair and is excited about where soccer is heading in Australia.
“I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together, and I am also excited about the current state of the sport and Football Australia’s position both at home and internationally.
“Being in this role has been fulfilling… we’ve transformed the sport significantly.
“It is important for an organisation to get fresh perspectives, especially as we look ahead to the 2024 Paris Olympics and the next FIFA World Cup cycles,” said the outgoing Chair of FA.
Nikou went on to list his advocacy for equal pay, the unbundling of professional leagues from FA and the alignment with global standards as milestones of his stewardship. He added the growth of soccer as the nation’s number one team-based participation sport.
“Football has always held a special place in the heart of Australians. The foundations established ensure a prosperous trajectory for Football Australia and the sport.”
Kimon Taliadoros, who stepped down as CEO of Football Victoria (FV), has been a driving force behind football in Victoria, pursuing a bold agenda.
He played a pivotal role in FV’s response to the challenges posed by COVID-19, where he navigated nearly two years of lockdowns and reduced competition across the state.
Under his leadership, FV achieved 50/50 gender equity, becoming the first sporting entity to do so.
Taliadoros played a crucial role in securing state and federal government funding and guiding the development of the world-class Home of the Matildas at La Trobe University.
The state-of-the-art facility serves as Victoria’s pride and houses Football Victoria’s Headquarters and the state football centre.
Before his tenure as CEO, Taliadoros served as chairman of Football Victoria for five years.
Speaking about his decision to step down, Taliadoros said, “After much reflection, I have decided to step down from my role as CEO of Football Victoria. It has been a privilege to serve the game. I am grateful to the selfless volunteers and dedicated staff who provide the resilience and energy that drives football in Victoria daily.”
In a statement from the Football Victoria board, a recruitment process has begun to find a permanent CEO who can “continue to build upon the solid foundations laid by Kimon”.
In the interim, Karen Pearce, OAM, Head of Equity, Growth, and Inclusion, will serve as Acting CEO.
This strategic move aims to ensure that Football Victoria prioritises its critical objectives outlined in the FootbALLways strategic plan.
Pearce will continue in her current role while taking on the responsibilities of the CEO’s office in an acting capacity.
The board stated it has complete confidence in the talent and expertise of the management team and the dedicated employees of Football Victoria, who will work collaboratively to maintain the organisation’s focus on “delivering exceptional football experiences”.
All must now wait to see who fills two sets of enormous shoes.
