Bligh returns to kick goals
NEWLY appointed North Queensland Football general manager Andrew Bligh is wasting no time kicking goals.
Bligh started work on Monday and has arrived on the scene of an organisation determined to move local football into a bright new future, and he is eager to play his part.
The former long- time North Queensland Sports Foundation CEO said he had a fondness for the world game stretching back to his days as junior football player, which started on the same fields surrounding his new office.
“I came through the junior ranks here 30 years ago and played for NQ and Townsville sides, so I have a long history with football,” Bligh said.
“I’m coming back to something I’ve always wanted to be involved with.
“I spoke to the board at times over the last 12 months about where they were heading ... and the board did a bit of a reshuffle and said ‘ yes we need a GM’.
“I was available and I put my hand up straight away.”
NQ Football has made several recent changes to its competitions, most notably to its senior premier league which has been reduced from eight to six teams.
A promotion- relegation system has been introduced which will give top- placed teams in the second- tier ‘ city’ league promotion to premier football.
NQ Football and the Northern Fury also recently called a truce to tensions by joining forces and launching a single bid for next year’s National Premier League licence.
“It’s fantastic that we’ll be able to implement that pathway,” Bligh said.
“A player can come in as a five- year- old and go through the ranks to play at that ( NPL) level.
“It’s quite exciting to be helping set up that pathway.”
While football is the world’s most popular team sport, Bligh concedes the round- ball game has a tough market in North Queensland given the presence of two professional sports teams the North Queensland Cowboys and Townsville Fire, along with other popular sports.
“Townsville has had quite a resurgence of success in a lot of sports, but in saying that football is one of the highest participation sports in Australia,” he said.
NQ Football chairman Sirio Bertucci said Bligh was the right man for the job.
“He’s certainly going to help us stabilise what we’re hoping to achieve,” he said.
“Andrew will give us that tangible link to the clubs.
“He comes with football experience, managerial experience and non- for- profit experience.
“They’re all the traits we are looking for and we’re quite fortunate to have him.
“We had a diverse spread of applicants from all over Australia and some international, but I think having a local person who understands the locality is always something special.”