Francis Awaritefe
Encyclopedia
Francis Edgar Awaritefe is an Australian former football (soccer) player, and is currently Director of Football at Melbourne Victory
. Awaritefe is also the Chief Executive Officer
of the Johnny Warren
Football Foundation.
Awaritefe was raised in England
and Nigeria
, living in his parents' homeland between the ages of 4 and 12 before returning to England
.
Awaritefe was capped three times for Australia. He was the leading scorer in the 1992/93 season of the National Soccer League
.
He was a football commentator with the SBS
network in Australia, until 2011, when he joined Melbourne Victory
as Director of Football.
On 21 June 2011, Awaritefe was signed by Melbourne Victory as their new Director of Football on a two year deal, replacing Gary Cole
, with Mehmet Durakovic
signed as the club's new manager on the same day.
However, after a brief five-month stint in his job as the Director of Football with Melbourne Victory, Awaritefe was axed by Melbourne Victory, after a run of poor results.
Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory Football Club is an Australian professional football club based in Melbourne, Victoria, that plays in the A-League....
. Awaritefe is also the Chief Executive Officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of the Johnny Warren
Johnny Warren
John Norman Warren, MBE, OAM was an Australian football player, coach, administrator, writer and broadcaster. He was known as Captain Socceroo for his passionate work to promote the game in Australia...
Football Foundation.
Awaritefe was raised in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, living in his parents' homeland between the ages of 4 and 12 before returning to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Awaritefe was capped three times for Australia. He was the leading scorer in the 1992/93 season of the National Soccer League
National Soccer League
The National Soccer League is the former national association football competition in Australasia, overseen by Soccer Australia and later the Australian Soccer Association. The NSL spanned 28 seasons from its inception in 1977, until its demise in 2004...
.
He was a football commentator with the SBS
Special Broadcasting Service
The Special Broadcasting Service is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television network. The stated purpose of SBS is "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect...
network in Australia, until 2011, when he joined Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory Football Club is an Australian professional football club based in Melbourne, Victoria, that plays in the A-League....
as Director of Football.
On 21 June 2011, Awaritefe was signed by Melbourne Victory as their new Director of Football on a two year deal, replacing Gary Cole
Gary Cole
Gary Michael Cole is an American actor. Cole is known for his supporting roles in numerous film and television productions since the 1990s.-Early life:...
, with Mehmet Durakovic
Mehmet Durakovic
Mehmet Duraković is a retired Australian-Albanian soccer player and currently serving football manager. As of June 2011, he is the currently serving head manager of Melbourne Victory...
signed as the club's new manager on the same day.
However, after a brief five-month stint in his job as the Director of Football with Melbourne Victory, Awaritefe was axed by Melbourne Victory, after a run of poor results.