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SOCCER's new chairman Frank Lowy is chasing Rugby World Cup supremo John O'Neill to head up his new Premier League.
"Frank has wanted John from the start," said an insider in the Lowy camp who knows O'Neill personally.
"Whether he wants him to front the league or to become the CEO of the whole (Australian Soccer) Association is something only Frank can tell you."
O'Neill quit his $750,000-a-year position as managing director of the Australian Rugby Union at the weekend. He will finish at the ARU in February.
In his eight years in charge, the ARU has gone from turning over $9million annually to $72million. And the recently completed Rugby World Cup netted a $45million profit.
O'Neill's credentials fit in Lowy's vision for the new Premier League. Lowy sees a strong domestic competition as the basis to soccer being taken seriously as a big player in Australian sport.
"The new league will have a much higher standard of play, a different standard of presentation and better grounds," Lowy promised last week when he delivered the taskforce's report on the new competition.
Apart from O'Neill, another name being linked with a possible move to the Australian Soccer Association is Brendan Schwab, the former boss of the players' union.
Schwab, who is also a director on the board of AFL club Richmond, has recently been appointed CEO of the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance.
"I'm no longer the public face of the PFA, I've taken on a new role, so I don't want to make any public comments on soccer," Schwab said yesterday.
Under the timelines set by the taskforce report, Lowy is expected to announce the independent commission to head the new Premier League later this month. Significantly, the CEO will have a seat on the board.
The other important dates are February 28 next year as the opening date for applications, a closing date of April 30 and the announcement of the successful franchises on June 30. The new league is set to kick off in November, but Lowy has hinted it could be pushed back to January 2005.
Robin Graham, Lowy's right-hand man now based at the Australian Soccer Association offices in Homebush, said last night Lowy was not expected back from overseas commitments until after Christmas.
The early indications are that the majority of the current National Soccer League clubs will mount applications along with several new franchises.
The first indication of a new Melbourne franchise has emerged with a website called "Name our club" which promises to deliver a club for all Victorians to play in the new Premier League and become the most powerful club in the Asia-Pacific region.
John O'Neill could not be contacted for comment yesterday.
This article was written by Peter Desira and published on FoxSports
* Any references to APL are deemed to include South Melbourne.
"Frank has wanted John from the start," said an insider in the Lowy camp who knows O'Neill personally.
"Whether he wants him to front the league or to become the CEO of the whole (Australian Soccer) Association is something only Frank can tell you."
O'Neill quit his $750,000-a-year position as managing director of the Australian Rugby Union at the weekend. He will finish at the ARU in February.
In his eight years in charge, the ARU has gone from turning over $9million annually to $72million. And the recently completed Rugby World Cup netted a $45million profit.
O'Neill's credentials fit in Lowy's vision for the new Premier League. Lowy sees a strong domestic competition as the basis to soccer being taken seriously as a big player in Australian sport.
"The new league will have a much higher standard of play, a different standard of presentation and better grounds," Lowy promised last week when he delivered the taskforce's report on the new competition.
Apart from O'Neill, another name being linked with a possible move to the Australian Soccer Association is Brendan Schwab, the former boss of the players' union.
Schwab, who is also a director on the board of AFL club Richmond, has recently been appointed CEO of the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance.
"I'm no longer the public face of the PFA, I've taken on a new role, so I don't want to make any public comments on soccer," Schwab said yesterday.
Under the timelines set by the taskforce report, Lowy is expected to announce the independent commission to head the new Premier League later this month. Significantly, the CEO will have a seat on the board.
The other important dates are February 28 next year as the opening date for applications, a closing date of April 30 and the announcement of the successful franchises on June 30. The new league is set to kick off in November, but Lowy has hinted it could be pushed back to January 2005.
Robin Graham, Lowy's right-hand man now based at the Australian Soccer Association offices in Homebush, said last night Lowy was not expected back from overseas commitments until after Christmas.
The early indications are that the majority of the current National Soccer League clubs will mount applications along with several new franchises.
The first indication of a new Melbourne franchise has emerged with a website called "Name our club" which promises to deliver a club for all Victorians to play in the new Premier League and become the most powerful club in the Asia-Pacific region.
John O'Neill could not be contacted for comment yesterday.
This article was written by Peter Desira and published on FoxSports
* Any references to APL are deemed to include South Melbourne.
