LAST year was a successful one for football: the FIFA Congress in town to signal Australia's growing political clout in the region, the Socceroos sitting atop their qualification group in prime position for a berth to South Africa, the launching of the W-League and National Youth League, Adelaide United's fairytale run to the Asian Champions League final and the Federal Government's funding of the 2018 World Cup bid. But 2009 will be even more important.

This year is the business end of 2010 qualification, and the real decisions at the technical and state level that shape our future football will be made.

In my view, these are Australian football's new year resolutions.

Qualify for 2010

Sure, we are sitting pretty and gaining points whether playing well or poorly, so at present it seems little can go wrong.

This is when the football gods are at their most capricious, so it's time to stay focused and raise the performance levels for the business end of the campaign. Japan next month is going to be a gargantuan match. Even the usually respectful Japanese have vowed to shut Australia up - comments guaranteed to spur any Aussie athletes to greater effort. Thereafter, Uzbekistan in Australia could see the team through, or induce panic stations all round. Just a few injuries to key personnel can turn an entire campaign on its head, so expect twists and turns yet. Pim Verbeek so far has hardly put a foot wrong and now is the time to continue this fortuitous trend.

Promote the kids in the Asian Cup qualifiers

Qualification for the 2011 Asian Cup begins this month, and as usual many matches will be on non-FIFA dates. So Verbeek will use predominantly home-based and fringe European players, especially when the quality of opposition will be second- or third-tier Asian nations such as Indonesia and Kuwait.

This presents a marvellous opportunity to build for 2010 and 2014 that has never before existed. So it's time now to bring through the next two generations ahead of time to produce a national team of the maximum experience and quality a few years.

Rather than put together an squad of experienced A-League campaigners who represent the Australian second team at best, Verbeek should amalgamate the finest from the Beijing Olyroo generation and the current under-20 Young Socceroos, who last year qualified for the World Cup in Egypt in September, and throw the kids into the fray. Emerging talents such as Bruce Djite and Nikita Rukavytsya, Nathan Burns, James Holland, Luke Devere, Michael Zullo, Mitch Nichols, Tahj Minniecon, Scott Jamieson, Daniel Mullen, Stuart Musialik and Tando Velaphi.

These two generations will be required to step up when the Guus Hiddink generation of Scott Chipperfield, Brett Emerton, Craig Moore, Mark Schwarzer, Jason Culina and Mile Sterjovski make way.

Now is a rare opportunity to plan for the future and the FFA should direct Verbeek to use the Asian Cup qualifiers as development games. If required, bring the youngsters into regular camps to prepare tactically and build a new national team with our future Socceroos.

Yes, it's a risk, but the benefits in time will be immense.

¡ Formulate an independent national technical committee

Most of Rob Baan's work was structural, such as youth and women's leagues, small-sided games for kids and aligning the ages of the AIS and state institutes.

Now Han Berger's influence will necessarily be content driven. What to coach, how to educate youngsters, which coaching methods to use. Here is where the most critical decisions are going to be made about philosophy and direction, and at present there exists no independent, Australian oversight of a role that has the inherent ability to fundamentally change our football course for the better, or worse.

Berger reports to a sub committee of the FFA board, led by 1974 Socceroo Jack Reilly, but while this process can monitor implementation of objectives, it cannot judge the minute choices made by Berger, because no one on the committee played professionally in Europe, has a deep understanding of the Dutch or other football cultures, or a current working knowledge of the technical demands of modern football.

This is no criticism and should not be seen as such. It's simply a fact and one that signals a flaw in the system which can only be filled by an independent football committee with rich knowledge of the game across all platforms.

Berger should report to such an independent group on his direction and technical choices with both parties then informing the board, one a paid technical director from the Netherlands, the other an Australian committee of former players and coaches.

Thus the FFA board is more fully appraised, Australian interests are always protected, and imported technicians are kept honest.

¡ Revolutionise the states and territories

This year the football revolution descends deeper into the game to the states and territories, making 2009 the "Year of the Blazer" - its demise that is.

It is time for fresh ideas, initiative and expertise at state level including the board members, technical staff and coaching ranks.

Service has long been used to signify contribution, but in an administrative sense it too often translates as impediment to progress, so this year the much-heralded new FFA national constitution needs to deliver and allow highly competent people back into the game to drive growth and improvement, not occupy seats to protect narrow interests.

This year, the game starts to plan massive overhauls of the premier and state leagues. This means fiscal restraints and reporting procedures introduced, caps on the fees to be charged to parents, including at Premier League clubs, salary caps in the next two levels below the A-League to stop the game hemorrhaging and calling on parents for the continual bail-out, moves to better reward clubs which develop players for the A-League above the current paltry compensation, and the reintroduction of all the gifted coaches driven away through the greed culture of Football NSW and others, into the system.

The top is healthy and growing, this year it's time to apply the blowtorch of change to the lower levels of the game, and to torch the blazers.

So there it is, my wish list for 2009. Admittedly it's a lot to ask for, but in order to top the spectacular year in football just gone, 2009 will have to be very special indeed.