WRITERS & GUESTS

Craig Foster

Football Analyst, Lawyer, Human Rights Activist, Socceroo

'Fozz' is a former professional football player in Australia, Malaysia, Hong Kong and England, Socceroo, and Australia’s leading football advocate, personality and analyst with SBS-TV - as well as human rights campaigner. He is also a Pro-License coach, and lawyer. He is a member of the Australian Multicultural Council, and author of the books 'Fozz on Football' (2010) and 'Saving Hakeem' (2019).

Craig Moore

Football Analyst, Co-Founder of The Golden Generation

Craig Moore played 54 games for Australia in an international career from 1995 to 2010, taking part in the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. A graduate of the AIS football program, Moore won eight championships with Scottish giants, Rangers where he was also captain.

Michelle O'Shea

Senior Lecturer, Sport Management, WSU

Dr Michelle O’Shea is a Senior Lecturer at Western Sydney University with research interests in sport, culture and society, particularly related to issues of gender and diversity, sport organisation, community and societal impacts, sport marketing and social media communications, fandom and sport financial sustainability.

Ian Syson

Academic & Author

Ian holds a PhD in Literature and is the author of 'The Game that Never Happened' (2018).

John Maynard

Professor & Author

John is Professor of Indigenous Education & Research at the University of Newcastle. He is also Chairman of the Charles Perkins Soccer Academy. The second edition of his book 'The Aboriginal Soccer Tribe' was published in 2019.

Michael Lynch

Journalist

Michael is Chief Soccer Writer with The Age in Melbourne.

Ray Gatt

Journalist & Author

Ray was Chief Football Writer with 'The Australian' for more than 30 years, including a 40-year career in sports journalism. He now works as a media consultant for Western Sydney Wanderers FC. He is the writer of 'The Rale Rasic Story' (2007).

Val Migliaccio

Journalist

Val Migliaccio is the football and cycling writer at 'The Advertiser' in Adelaide. He has worked at three FIFA World Cups, two Olympic Games and three AFC Asian Cups. He reports on the A-League and W-League, Socceroos and Matildas and issues pressing the local game in SA.

Andrew Howe

Author and Statistician

Andrew is a statistician by day (with the ABS) and night (football's statto), and author of the 'Encyclopedia of Socceroos' (2018) and co-author of the 'Encyclopedia of Matildas' (2019).

David Picken

Academic & Author

David is author of 'The Time of My Football Life' (2019) about his adventures in Germany at the 2006 World Cup.

Emma Kemp

Journalist

Emma is a freelance football journalist who was previously with the Daily Telegraph and AAP in Sydney. She is currently completing a Masters of International Relations.

James Johnson

CEO, Football Federation Australia

James is CEO of FFA. He has is former Australian U-17 international, and has previously worked with the PFA, the AFC, FIFA and the City Football Group. (NB: Either James Johnson OR FFA Chairman Chris Nikou will attend).

Jonathan Howcorft

Freelance Journalist

Jonathan is a freelance sportswriter and broadcaster whose work can be found most often in 'The Guardian'.

Murray Shaw

Executive Producer & Journalist

Murray Shaw is a journalist, presenter and executive producer who, for 15 years, oversaw the production of football content at FOX Sports. More recently, he has been involved with projects for the Australian Institute of Sport.

Simon Hill

Journalist, Commentator & Author

Simon is Chief Football Commentator with FOX Sports, a journalist & author of the autobiography, 'Just A Gob on a Stick' (2017).

Bonita Mersiades

Writer, Author, Publisher, Activist, Whistleblower

Bonita is the founder of the Football Writers' Festival, a regular writer on football business issues, author of 'My World Is Round' (1998) and the only insider account of the 2018/2022 World Cup bidding contest (2018), and owner of Fair Play Publishing.

Debbie Spillane, AM

Journalist & Author

Debbie retired from a long professional career as a journalist with the ABC and other radio stations, as well as with rugby league and basketball clubs. She remains professionally active as a community-based radio host and journalist in northern NSW. Her autobiography 'Where Do You Think You're Goin', Lady?' was published in 2007.

Greg Werner

Author & Radio Producer

Greg is co-author of the 'Encyclopedia of Matildas' (2019) and is currently working on his second book, to be published in 2022.

Jason Goldsmith

Author & HR Systems Consultant

Jason is author of 'Surfing for England - Our Lost Socceroos' (2019) and is co-writing with Lucas Gillard his second book, to be published in 2021.

Michael Cain

Journalist

Michael Cain is a senior journalist for Network TEN in Sydney who brought us ‘Mark Viduka Uncovered’ on ESPN earlier this year. ‘Cainey’ is a passionate Liverpool, Newcastle Jets and Adamstown Rosebud supporter.

Peter Kunz

Author & Archivist

Peter is a retired archivist and author of 'Chronicles of Soccer in Australia - the Foundation Years 1859 to 1949' (2019).

Stephanie Brantz

Commentator & Journalist

Stephanie is the leading commentator on the W-League and women's football internationals in Australia and is a host and writer for ESPN Australia.