David Gallop ... 'The game's statistics around participation, crowds and TV ratings are hugely impressive.' Source: AFP
For years he was the face of rugby league's administration, but David Gallop used a couple of anecdotes to prove his new role running football is not a step on to entirely virgin territory.
One hundred and sixty days since leaving the NRL, Gallop used his first day as Football Federation Australia CEO to describe football as once a sleeping giant that is now awake and on the move.
Revealing himself to be a West Bromwich Albion fan - thanks to a flat share with the author of the club's history - Gallop made an early pitch to suspicious football diehards by asking them all to offer their opinions on the best way for the game to build on the success of recent months.
Gallop admitted to tempering his joy at seeing John Aloisi's penalty send Australia to the World Cup in 2005, for fear of the damage it could do to rugby league, and said it was "entirely appropriate" that he and the famously hands-on Frank Lowy would "debate issues sometimes".
"In 2005 I was out of my seat when John Aloisi booted Australia into the world cup," Gallop said.
"But I was actually one of the first people to sit back down because with my rugby league hat on, I remember thinking 'uh oh, this could be bad'.
"I saw it that the sleeping giant of Australian sport just got a giant prod.
"The giant continues not only to be awake, but on the move.
"The game's statistics around participation, crowds and TV ratings are hugely impressive.
"My job is to keep the passion for the sport in balance with sound business principals that will drive the game forward at every level."
| P | W | D | L | GD | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central Coast | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 13 |
| 2 | Adelaide | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 13 |
| 3 | Newcastle | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 12 |
| 4 | Perth | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 5 | Victory | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | -4 | 9 |
| 6 | Heart | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 7 |
| 7 | Western Sydney | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | -1 | 7 |
| 8 | Sydney | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | -7 | 6 |
| 9 | Wellington | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -2 | 5 |
| 10 | Brisbane | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | -1 | 4 |
In an assured debut, Gallop dealt comfortably with the challenge that rugby league would always be his first love, insisting he was excited by his new challenge.
"I'm a sports administrator - that's what I do. I've always liked football and believe I can make a great contribution to it," he said.
"I look forward to being a part of it. It's the world game and the game that gets us on the world stage."
When asked what he wanted to achieve as FFA boss, Gallop said: "We want to see sustained growth.
"If we get that, my time in this job we will be successful."
Gallop said he did not want to answer many questions on the state of rugby league, but stressed he wished the game well.
FFA chairman Frank Lowy said he was thrilled by the A-League's gains this season, but stressed the job was not done.
"There is still much hard work ahead," Lowy said.
"It will be David's great challenge to build on these foundations."
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