Australia's second richest man Frank Lowy has been earmarked as the saviour of soccer in this country after a federal government review called for the Soccer Australia board to stand down.

In a damning indictment of the running of the game, the Crawford Report has recommended a massive overhaul of soccer's governance, including a clean-out of its directors, a shake-up of the convoluted voting structure at SA and an independent commission to run the ailing NSL.

But the review, which received 230 submissions after it was announced last August, went one step further, singling out Westfield chairman Lowy as part of a three-man team to take the game forward.

Lowy has indicated he is keen to take on the role of SA chairman with media magnate John Singleton and Melbourne business identity Ron Walker as two likely directors in a six-person board.

"I am prepared to be involved in an interim Soccer Australia board with the express purpose of driving through important changes within the sport," Lowy said in a statement.

"It is now up to the stakeholders of soccer in Australia to make a decision on whether they would wholeheartedly support the proposed changes and my involvement."

Crawford came out with both barrels aimed at SA, describing the structure of soccer governance in Australia as "disjointed and discredited".

"Without significant change the sport will continue to suffer from the factionalism, infighting and poor management that has bedevilled it in the past," Crawford said.

"I question the potential (for reform) under the leadership of the current board. It (SA's governance) does not make sense in today's corporate world.

"Change is essential if the sport is to reach the potential that it has promised for so long but failed to achieve."

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