Soccer: From blocking goals to achieving them

Grant McKavanagh says his priorities in his new NZ Soccer job include fostering development of the sport and making a success of the 2015 Fifa Under-20 World Cup. Photo / Natalie Slade

There is a theme here. A footballing life between the goalposts appears to be the ticket to a job with New Zealand Football.

New chief executive Grant McKavanagh is the latest to join the gloved ones at soccer headquarters.

McKavanagh, 41, follows former and current board chairmen John Morris and Frank van Hattum, national under-20 coach Chris Milicich and media and communications manager Jamie Scott as goalkeepers in the organisation.

But van Hattum says McKavanagh's footballing background played no part in him landing the job left vacant when Michael Glading called time.

"Our first requirement in looking for a new chief executive was finding someone with the commercial and communication skills to run what is quite a complicated business," said van Hattum.

"Grant's business and leadership background were what we werelooking for. He has a very good track record."

McKavanagh started his new job this week after five years at Radiola, determined to make the most of what he sees as a great opportunity.

It is a far cry from his days when he left school to take on a short-lived fitter-welder apprenticeship.

He went on to work in a bank, started a metal framing systems importing company, ran service stations, joined management at Caltex - where he worked at times with 1982 All Whites defender Bobby Almond - before joining the Noel Leeming group then Radiola.

When he joined Radiola it was barely breaking even, turning over $49 million a year. When he left it had grown to a profitable $179 million.

"I always seemed to be fixing broken companies," said McKavanagh whose first task in his new job was to front at this week's NZ Football annual congress where he was greeted with a $7.7 million profit.

Asked why he turned his back on the commercial world for the sometimes politically strife-torn world of football, McKavanagh said there were similarities between big business and sport.

"It's the business of sport today. I've had a few commercial roles. Growing up, my number one goal was to play professional sport but that never happened. This is the next best thing."

McKavanagh played his school soccer at Lynfield College, alongside former All Whites captain Chris Zoricich, and now turns out for East Coast Bays over-35s in masters division one.

McKavanagh is well aware of the challenges facing him and his association, especially ensuring that encouraging results on the field continue.

He is also fully aware of the responsibilities demanded in being awarded hosting rights for the 2015 Fifa Under-20 World Cup.

"That tournament is generally regarded as the fifth-largest sporting event in the world and we are determined to put on the best show we can. The success we have had in hosting other Fifa tournament, I am sure, played a major part in New Zealand Football being given this opportunity."

One of his more immediate tasks will be looking at the structure of the sport as a whole.

"High on my list of priorities is to put someone into a key role to oversee the development across the board.

"I see this person as being more of a facilitator. Someone with man-management skills rather than say a high-performance role."