Timing of NZF summit questioned
A summit of New Zealand football leaders will take place next weekend in Auckland, but the timing of it has been questioned.
It is understood representatives from the game’s seven regional federations, as well as other stakeholders, have been invited by NZ Football to meet in Auckland for six hours on September 8.
Stuff was first told of the summit by two sources who were concerned it was taking place before the review into the governing body’s conduct and culture by employment lawyer Phillipa Muir was completed.
Auckland Football chairman John Macleod later said the timing of the summit was ‘‘unusual,’’ because the Muir review could potentially lead to changes that would need to be taken into account in any decision-making process.
NZ Football currently has an interim chief executive, Andrew Pragnell, and is without a technical director and a national women’s team coach, following the resignations of Andy Martin and Andreas Heraf.
The governing body’s president, Deryck Shaw, did not want to be interviewed until there was an agenda for the summit in place.
In a statement, he said it would be ‘‘a workshop-style meeting where we will be looking to see what we need to do to progress football in New Zealand’’.
‘‘It has been organised around when people are in town for the football awards [on the evening of September 8] and Chatham Cup and Kate Sheppard Cup finals [which take place at QBE Stadium on September 9].
‘‘The review is a separate process and will be reported on separately.’’
Prompted by complaints from Football Ferns players about the conduct of Heraf, the scope of the Muir review was widened to consider the conduct of all NZ Football staff and officials, in particular whether any of it amounted to workplace bullying, other inappropriate workplace behaviour, or breaches of the organisation’s code of conduct.
Muir is understood to be talking to people beyond those involved in the Football Ferns environment under Heraf and those employed, currently or previously, by NZ Football. She is set to deliver her report and recommendations to the governing body’s executive committee next month.
Martin resigned as chief executive nine days after the review was launched, claiming he was retiring to spend more time with his family, amid growing concerns he should have acted earlier to address issues with Heraf and the Ferns.
Regardless of the findings of the Muir review, it is likely to usher in a period of reflection, both at NZ Football and in the wider community. The role of the executive committee, led by Shaw, in overseeing Martin during his four years in charge is expected to be the subject of heavy scrutiny.
Invites to next weekend’s summit were sent in the first week of August, with those invited given until last Monday to suggest agenda items. NZ Football was exploring bringing in an independent facilitator to ensure the sixhour meeting would be as productive as possible.