Perth Glory CEO Tony Pignata steps down

Matthew Badrov19/07/2022 6:05 am18/07/2022

Image provided by Perth Glory

Perth Glory has announced that Tony Pignata has resigned as the club’s CEO following a successful four-and-a-half-year stint in the role.

During his time at the club, Glory won its first ever A-League Premiership and made its debut in the Asian Champions League.

He will officially leave on September 30 and following a transition period, Glory will confirm his replacement shortly. Pignata cited his desire to move back to Victoria in order to be closer to his family.

Club Owner and Chairman Tony Sage was quick to acknowledge the contribution that the outgoing CEO made to the club following his arrival in 2018.

“On behalf of everyone associated with Glory, I would like to sincerely thank Tony for his hard work and dedication over the past four years,” he said in a statement released by the club.

“The club enjoyed some truly historic moments during his tenure which will never be forgotten.

“Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tony made some huge sacrifices in terms of being away from his family for extended periods and enduring numerous spells in home isolation and hotel quarantine.

“During this unprecedented time, Tony steered the club and ensured not only the continuation of the season, but also the well-being of the players and their families.

“As he returns to Melbourne and his family, we bid him a fond farewell and wish him all the very best for the future.”

Pignata reflected fondly upon his time at the club.

“It has been an amazing four-and-a-half years and I have loved every minute of it,” he said via Perth Glory.

“I want to thank Tony and Lucy Sage for giving me the opportunity to work at Perth Glory and also thank all of our Members, fans and sponsors.

“Your support has been unbelievable, especially over the last couple of years.

“I wish our Head Coaches Ruben [Zadkovich] and Alex [Epakis] and the players all the best for the upcoming season. The squads are developing nicely and signs are very good.

“I leave with treasured memories and Perth Glory will always have a special place in my heart.”

Previous ArticleSydney FC introduce first Community Powerchair Football ProgramNext ArticleHeartbeat of Football provides free heart health screenings for Victorian clubs

Victory unites with Roasting Warehouse in culture-led partnership

Patrick Irving16/04/2026 8:55 am16/04/2026

Image credit: Melbourne Victory

The Melbourne-based anf family-owned business will join the Victory family, uniting two institutions which represent the city’s culture and identity.

A partnership with local roots

As the newest partner of Melbourne Victory, Roasting Warehouse joins forces with a vital part of the city’s sporting landscape.

The club’s Managing Director, Caroline Carnegie, outlined why the partnership bears so much value to both parties.

“We are excited to collaborate with Roasting Warehouse, a community-oriented destination for high-quality coffee, proud of its foundations in Melbourne,” said Carnegie via official media release.

“Football and coffee sit at the epicentre of Melbourne’s culture. The two go hand-in-hand, consistently at the centre of the conversation that stirs Melburnians, which is no different to the conversation sport and Melbourne Victory stir in the State.”

Indeed, this is a partnership which combines the identity, passions and culture of an entire city, therefore giving it the foundations required for long-term, mutual success.

Representing the best of Melbourne

Both Victory and Roasting Warehouse are hugely successful in their respective industries. They are institutions with community-oriented philosphies, who pride themselves on craft and quality.

“We’re incredibly proud to partner with Melbourne Victory, a club that represents the heart, passion, and ambition of Melbourne,” revealed Roasting Warehouse Head of Brand, Alexander Paraskevopoulos.

“As a Melbourne-founded, family-run business, supporting a team that means so much to the local community feels very natural for us.”

Furthermore, through their high-quality blends, Roasting Warehouse will look to prepare Victory’s players and staff for high performances on the pitch as the seasons nears completion.

But this is about far more than just fueling athletes.

This is a partnership which embodies and unites two of Melbourne’s greatest strengths and cultural markers – a connection forged from the city’s very own DNA.

For more information about Roasting Warehouse, click here.

Marie-Louise Eta makes history as new Union Berlin head coach

Patrick Irving15/04/2026 6:05 am14/04/2026

Image credit: FC Union Berlin

In an historic appointment, Eta will take over as head coach of Union Berlin until the end of the season.

History in the making

Previously the first female assistant coach in Bundesliga history with Union Berlin, Eta will now take the reigns of the men’s first team on an interim basis.

Currently, the club sit in 11th place in the Bundesliga table, but with only two wins so far in 2026, relegation appears an all-too-real prospect, and one which the club is desperate to avoid.

“Given the points gap in the lower half of the table, our place in the Bundesliga is not yet secure,” said Eta via official media release.

‘I am delighted that the club has entrusted me with this challenging task. One of Union’s strengths has always been, and remains, the ability to pull together in such situations.”

Eta will begin as Union’s new head coach with immediate effect, and will be in the dugout for the club’s matchup against Wolfsburg this weekend.

A step into an equal future

Eta’s appointment signals a major step towards a more level playing field in the football landscape.

Furthermore, Eta joins other coaches including Sabrinna Wittmann, Hannah Dingley and Corinne Diacre who, in recent years, have blazed a trail for female coaches to step into the men’s game.

Wittmann currently manages FC Ingolstadt in Germany’s third division, and was the first female head coach in Germany’s top three divisions.

In 2023, Dingley became caretaker manager of Forest Green Rovers, and thus the first woman to lead a men’s professional team in England.

Diacre, now head coach of France’s women’s national team, managed Ligue 2’s Clerment Foot between 2014 and 2017.

Final thoughts

The impact therefore, is that Eta’s appointment will show future generations of aspiring female coaches that men’s football is an equally viable and possible pathway as the women’s game.

The time is now to level the playing field.

And while it may be a short-term role, its effect on attitudes towards equality and fair opportunities in the game will hopefully resonate long after the season ends.