THE more things change, the more they stay the same.

Today, thousands of kilometres away in Zurich, the latest episode in the long history of fractious Australian football politics will be played out. What transpires from the meeting between FIFA and FFA could chart the future course for the game in this country - it really is that important.

Why? Because the A-League clubs (in particular), are agitating for change in the way the sport is governed. They want to move on from a board that has - essentially - been hand-picked, corporate style, to one more representative of the many stakeholders of the game.

FIFA in theory, agrees, and laid down the law to the FFA last year, insisting a new, larger “congress” be implemented by March 2017. It’s understood they began requesting this change up to seven years ago.

STUDS UP: Why A-League clubs are angry over FFA’s FIFA trip

But football politics is rarely that simple, and FIFA of course, isn’t exactly a bastion of fair play either. New President, Gianni Infantino, has shown that he isn’t averse to cutting deals in order to bolster his own power base - witness the ludicrous expansion of the World Cup to an unwieldy 48 nations.

It is believed FFA will today make representations to Infantino (for whom they voted in the second round of the Presidential elections last year), to delay the implementation of the new congress. Some are even suggesting they want to scrap the reforms entirely. The official FFA line is that they want to discuss the processes of how to make the new congress operational, and viable.

Steven Lowy and David Gallop. Source: News Corp Australia

A lengthy delay, or cancellation though, could lead to revolution - especially as two (of the current nine) FFA board posts are due to become vacant in November this year. They currently belong to Cheryl Bart and Moya Dodd. Dodd has served the maximum amount of terms and can’t stand again, but Bart is believed to be putting her name forward once more.

The clubs (who hold one vote between them collectively under the current constitution), and the nine State Federations (who hold one each) are entitled to put forward a candidate themselves, but they must be seconded by two other parties involved in the election.

This system was manoeuvred in late 2015 when Frank Lowy and other board members reached the end of their terms. FFA set up a “nominations committee” which was effectively controlled by the sitting members of the board.

The A-League clubs tried to get a candidate - Mal Hemmerling - into the election process, but he was a late entry, and wasn’t considered by the committee, much to the chagrin of the clubs.

In the end, only four candidates were put forward - Steven Lowy, Kelly Bayer Rosmarin, Crispin Murray and Danny Moulis. All were elected unopposed, after Brian Schwartz, the nominations committee Chairman, issued a strongly-worded letter to the electorate, warning that any attempt at a contest risked a “return to the old days of football politics.”

FIFA's President Gianni Infantino. Source: AFP

The A-League owners fear history will repeat itself in November, and they will again be left on the outside of a sport they and their clubs help finance to the tune of millions every year. They claim FFA has reneged on its promise to engage with them on the issue of reform.

The difference between 2015 and the present day, is that the clubs, once split into factions, are now totally united in their desire for change. Crucially, they may also have the backing of at least some of the all-powerful State Federations, who previously bowed to the iron will of Frank Lowy.

The appetite is there because of a general belief that the A-League in particular, needs to progress, both commercially and in terms of its composition. Expansion, more innovative thinking to promote and market the game, the ability for clubs to generate more of their own money.

An independent A-League? It’s a distinct possibility the clubs will push for that, if they are left out in the cold a second time.

David Gallop. Source: News Corp Australia

Are the clubs ready to run their own show? That’s the big unknown, as is the question as to what might happen to the funding of the national teams, should the A-League take control of the lions share of the TV money. The clubs say they recognise their responsibilities in that regard, but the proof would only come when those conflicting interests were put to the acid test.

But what is abundantly clear, is that the status quo cannot continue. What worked - indeed what was absolutely necessary - in 2004, when almost total power was invested in one man (Frank Lowy), absolutely cannot work in 2017.

If FFA are smart, they will bring the clubs (and other stakeholders) inside the tent via the expanded congress - as per the initial FIFA brief - and work together. If they try to delay, or cancel its implementation, the clubs are ready to go nuclear, and the game risks the sort of implosion we thought we’d left behind.

Not for the first time, the game of football in Australia finds itself at the crossroads. We must hope the right choices are made - the games future depends upon it.