New Capital Football CEO Ivan Slavich has chance to deliver bold vision for Canberra

With Phil Brown stepping down as chief executive, the committee was on the hunt for a new leader.

It was a long and drawn out process. Eventually Chris Gardiner agreed to step in as interim chief executive while the search continued for a permanent solution.

The board could have jumped at the first person to emerge, but they knew this was a decision they needed to get right.

So they waited and waited, Gardiner's temporary role dragged on as he steered the association through the winter.

Finally, 12 months after Brown's departure, Capital Football chairman Angelo Konstantinou had his man. Ivan Slavich.

It's a name familiar with many in the ACT soccer community and a figure with high-powered business ties across Australia.

The resume is lengthy. Slavich led Canberra's unsuccessful bid for an A-League Men's franchise a decade ago and has previously served as a non-executive director on the Capital Football board.

As a successful corporate figure, the official has worked as a senior executive for the likes of iiNet, TransACT and ActewAGL.

Slavich, Konstantinou feels, has the skills and connections to take Capital Football to new heights.

"Ivan's had some really big CEO roles in his past jobs," Konstantinou said. "He's very well known in the football community and he'll do a fantastic job.

"The vision for Ivan is to grow the sport in the ACT and the surrounding regions. We need to bring some dollars into football to grow our cash (reserves) and give back to the clubs so they can also prosper and grow."

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Slavich will commence in his new role in December with a host of crucial objectives.

Increasing the funds coming into Capital Football is a primary goal. He has also been tasked with delivering the long-delayed Throsby Home of Football. And he has a vision of finally landing Canberra an A-League Men's side.

Slavich is confident he has the experience, business acumen and the strategies required to achieve these goals.

He plans to spend the first months of his tenure listening to those around him. That starts with Gardiner and will involve conversations with clubs, players, coaches and referees.

It's a wise move in a famously mutinous sport. Slavich will require the support of the clubs if he is to achieve his goals and implement initiatives to generate more funds.

They're funds the new chief hopes to distribute back to the community in the form of coaching, referees, facilities and equipment.

Slavich has made no secret of his lofty ambitions for soccer in the ACT. He's also not one to lie down easily and will be willing to throw his weight around if required.

"We all know football is huge in the Canberra region," Slavich said. "It's the No.1 sport, the No.1 sport deserves to be elevated higher in Canberra.

"We've got rugby union and rugby league, but the reality is, we've got 35,000 participants playing football either through indoor, outdoor, NPL, the A-League Women's side, inclusive football, there are so many different avenues. Football's such an exciting game and I'm excited to be here."

Slavich's appointment as Capital Football chief executive ticks all the boxes on paper.

He has talked a big game since the decision was announced and is confident he can deliver on his vision for the sport in Canberra.

Now the challenge for Slavich is to make sure he is able to deliver on his promises.

If he succeeds, soccer in the ACT could be set for a bold new era of success.

If he falls short, the A-League Men's wilderness will continue and the sport's battle with the Raiders and Brumbies for airtime will continue for the years to come.

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