There are so many lessons to learn from the crisis in rugby, it's hard to know where to start. If David Gallop thinks he's under siege, he could ring Bill Pulver. But it's not the similarities which matter. It's the differences. Which is why the mindset of Football Federation Australia remains the key.

It's hard to avoid the perception that Muddied Oafs' deepest wounds have been self-inflicted. By worshipping on the altar of commercialism since the game turned professional, they've sacrificed their identity, their constituency, and ultimately their participation. More on that later.

Rugby is shrinking – by all measures – because it's disconnected from its base. That's the moral of the story for the FFA as it approaches an equally critical juncture. Buffeted by a perfect storm of constitutional demands for greater democracy and transparency, a mutiny by A-League owners, a thirst for expansion and a push for a national second division, the FFA has been circling the wagons rather than opening the door. Wrong.

Ignoring the clamour from the rank-and-file won't solve anything. Instead, embracing them will revitalise, and monetise, the game's greatest asset. It's size. That's how to make sure football doesn't repeat rugby's mistakes. Socialism versus capitalism? I'm backing people power to win in the end.