Top West Australian Football Commission executive Scott Baker leaves after change of role from talent review

One of the West Australian Football Commission’s top executives has departed in a shock move amid a review into the sport’s talent pathways. Scott Baker, who has been the executive manager of talent and football operations since April 2018, took a redundancy on Monday. It comes after his role was changed to remove the ‘talent’ portion and adding in the junior competitions portfolio. The WAFC is set to hire a new executive manager for talent development and coach education as one of the recommendations from a review into the talent pathways led by deputy chair Dixie Marshall. It will be a hiring that the WAFC hope to do but only if it remains cost neutral, with the commission set to be close to $1m down this year because of the loss in royalties from Fremantle and West Coast. Marshall has headed a review into the WA football talent pathway, working alongside the likes former Eagles chief executive Trevor Nisbett and footballer Brad Wira. They commissioned three academics in Professor Sophia Nimphius, Dr Job Fransen and Dr Andrew Lyttle to review the pathway and they came back with a list of 39 recommendations. In an email to stakeholders on Monday, Baker explained his decision to depart after more than six years in the role. “I am writing to advise as an update in relation to my employment situation,” Baker wrote. “The board last week endorsed a new executive position at head office who will be responsible primarily for talent. This role has been created to include a professional background which wouldn’t enable me to continue on this portfolio. “On the back of this I have been offered a revised role of executive manager – football operations and competitions. Essentially it would be my current role, less talent and now include junior competitions. “Upon reflection over the past four to five days I have decided to decline this offer and take a redundancy effective today (Monday). “I am at ease with it all but will definitely miss the people who have made this a fulfilling role over the past seven football seasons.” Baker joined the WAFC in early 2018, having spent 11 years at Fremantle where he was the football operations manager at Fremantle. He declined to comment when contacted by The West Australian. The WAFC have been declined to comment.