Sport

NZ Football president resigns

20:29 pm on 29 March 2019

The acting president of New Zealand Football (NZF) Phil Barry is resigning after a brief tenure in the role.

New Zealand Football are rebuilding after a damning review in 2018. Photo: Photosport

Barry will stand down from the NZF executive committee after their annual Congress next week, the organisation confirmed in a statement on Friday.

Barry became president in October last year when predecessor Deryck Shaw resigned in the wake of a damning review into the environment within the national women's team and the culture at NZF.

Conducted by employment lawyer Phillipa Muir, the independent investigation substantiated official complaints from 12 Football Ferns players about the conduct and behaviour of former coach Andreas Heraf.

Muir's report also found the NZF executive committee was "too hands off" in its governance.

Barry said he was standing down because the executive committee members wanted new leadership to take the organisation forward.

He felt the organisation had made good progress since the Muir report was made public.

"The board has come together and has been fully aligned with the management team, a great number of the recommendations from the Muir report have been implemented and the others are well underway.

"And the culture of New Zealand Football has improved as the organisation has become more member-focused and as more attention, quite rightly, is being given to player welfare.

Elected as vice-president at the NZF Congress last year, Barry came on to the executive committee in 2014.

Next week's annual Congress will be held on Tuesday in Auckland.