A proposal put forward by Football Federation Victoria just 24 hours before last week's fateful FFA annual general meeting could provide FFA chairman Steven Lowy with a stay of execution from FIFA.
With Lowy's key programme of limited extension of the FFA Congress defeated, the expectation is FIFA will sweep away the chairman and his board and install a normalisation committee to control the game, at least in the short term.
But a letter dated November 29, signed by FFV chairman Kimon Taliadoros, a former Socceroo and the founder of the players' union, suggests the A-League clubs - the most staunch opponents of the Lowy-led board - failed to act in good faith to find a consensus to end the conflict over the composition of a future FFA Congress.
The letter urges the clubs and the players union (another Lowy opponent) to demonstrate a "willingness and commitment" to reach a solution.
The FFV said it would back the clubs' call for Lowy to withdraw his proposals for the AGM if they would:
- appoint an agreed mediator to facilitate the impasse, with a two-week time limit;
- jointly request FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation support the completion of this process, possibly even (acting) as the mediator.
In the end the Lowy proposal was voted down and the FFV voted alongside NSW and the A-League clubs to deny Lowy the numbers he needed..
The FFA board voted, despite their chairman's last-ditch letter calling for further talks, to support Lowy's opponents at the AGM.
Those opponents argued Lowy's motion would not extend the numbers on Congress enough and effectively lock control of the body up with the FFA in the future.
But could Lowy - who subsequently did not rule out challenging the vote or taking the fight on to FIFA should the latter intervene and throw him and his board out - perhaps use this letter to argue for more time to reach consensus?
He might be able to say to FIFA that one of the biggest groups who voted against him was not entirely comfortable doing so and still wanted more time to broker a solution.
It is only a possibility, and one that may not be entertained.
But should FIFA not want to take control immediately it may be one that they would look at.
The substantial problem, however, remains. Relations between the key parties are now at such a low level that it is difficult to imagine a solution where Lowy, the clubs and the players' union can bury their differences and work together.
