EXCLUSIVE: FOOTBALL Federation Australia has taken the first steps towards choosing Frank Lowys successor, with a team of headhunters appointed to produce a shortlist of candidates.

The Daily Telegraph understands that the brief includes finding several directors to succeed the three retiring in 2015, with one to be earmarked as a potential chairman.

The headhunters have been given a clean slate, expected to interview as wide a range of figures as possible without any preferred candidates.

Lowy, deputy chairman Brian Schwartz and Phil Wolanski, all of whom are elected to the post, must stand down in 2015 under the terms of FFA’s constitution, and there had been calls recently for the process of succession to begin now.

It’s understood that Lowy met with the A-League club owners last night and discussed the future of FFA’s governance among other issues.

Lowy’s son Stephen had been mooted in some quarters as a candidate to succeed his father, but it’s understood Lowy told the club officials last night that “that is not on the agenda”.

The future beyond Lowy has been the elephant in the FFA’s boardroom for months, with debate varying over the best way to succeed a hugely powerful figure.

The Westfield billionaire took over the game a decade ago at its lowest ebb and has overseen the creation of the A-League and qualification for three successive World Cups.

Lowy’s tenure runs until November 2015, but one scenario being discussed would see the trio of departing directors arrange an orderly succession after the Asian Cup in January 2015 – the start of which is now just 500 days away.



Originally published as FFA moves to select Lowy heir