Football: More changes looming after NZF president resigns

The time to act is now - that's the message from the New Zealand footballing community after the resignation of Deryck Shaw.

The now-former president is the latest high-profile casualty in the ongoing saga at New Zealand Football.

A damning review has found the organisation's executive committee had glaring deficiencies and were too "hands off", leaving Shaw little choice, but to fall on his sword.

"It's the right decision, but unfortunately, it's a decision that should have happened as soon as the review came out," reflects former All White Sam Malcolmson.

But when pressed, Shaw disagreed. He needed time to make his decision.

"Reflecting on where football is at, maybe it's the right thing to do," he said today.

The question now is do more need to follow?

After reading the review, Jon Ormond, who resigned from the board earlier this week, told NZF he felt the position of chair - and possibly the board itself - was untenable.

"I think the board has to go," agrees Malcolmson.

That can happen if most of the voting members call for an extra-ordinary congress - effectively an emergency congress.

But the executive committee can also call one whenever it deems necessary, something acting president Phil Barry is leaving members to instigate.

"Extra-ordinary congress is a matter for the members to decide," he says. "It's something the memebers can do at any time."

The football community is calling for an end to the ugly mess

"I mean, it's a beautiful game," says Malcolmson. "It will be good if we could put all this in the rear mirror, get together and go forward."

It's up to current board members to decide whether they'll be the ones leading that forward.

Newshub.