Football CQ's new boss reveals Premier League plan
FOOTBALL: Jim Douglas still owns - and cherishes - the football boots his grandfather gave him before he emigrated from Scotland in 1965.
They serve as a poignant reminder of his love for the game that was forged when he was a young child.
That passion only grew as Douglas and his family settled into their new life in Central Queensland, and he went on to fill numerous roles within the sport from player to coach to administrator.
Eighteen months ago, he started as Football Central Queensland's Rockhampton competition manager and media liaison officer.
Now he has taken on what will arguably be his most challenging role - general manager of Football Central Queensland.
Football Queensland CEO Geoff Foster announced Douglas's appointment at a recent meeting of clubs in Rockhampton.
His appointment will serve to restore stability to the CQ zone which has been in caretaker mode since the resignation of the governing executive committee in late January this year.
Douglas said he was excited about his appointment but is under no illusion there won't be some testing times ahead.
He indicated the current structure of the CQ Premier League could be reviewed in a bid to make the competition more accessible to teams.
"I'm very humbled to be given this opportunity,” he said. "I'm passionate about the game's history and wanting to create an environment that facilitates the growth and development of the game across the region, especially in the area of women's football.
"These are all discussions to be had. Whatever we do, we want it to be for the good of the game.
"I'm not kidding myself; we face many challenges but I'm confident the various Central Queensland football communities have the desire to work together for the good of the game and I certainly look forward to being part of that.”
It is expected a new board of directors will be in place by season's end.
In the interim, Douglas says his main focus will be consultation to help understand the concerns and needs of members in centres across the zone to help determine how to best and most effectively move the game and its governance forward.
Those meetings will start as early as next week.
"Initially it will be about gathering data on where our members want to see the game go and how we get there,” Douglas said.
"It will be a mapping process and once that information is gathered, we can look at the state of play and work with people to go forward from there.
"There are a number of challenges to be met and I'm sure priorities that will shift but I'm excited about the potential for growing football within the zone.”
