Chaos reigns as FA fail to tackle leading issue

14 April 2012

Trevor Phillips, the head of the Commission For Racial Equality, walked purposefully into the Screening Room at The Soho Hotel. Watched anxiously by leading figures from football and British sport, the former broadcaster was about to deliver one of the most damaging reports to confront the game.

Sports Minister Richard Caborn broke off from talks over the future of Silverstone to make sure he was there. As did Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore.

But, as Phillips outlined the CRE's damning findings on racism in English football, it was noticeable that no senior figure from the Football Association was there to fight the game's corner.

That's no criticism against the FA's new director of governance Jonathan Hall, who was present. But it was the sort of issue that needed a leading public figure to put the FA's case and an absence that caused considerable irritation at the CRE.

Over the next 48 hours, the lack of leadership caused by the resignation of former chief executive Mark Palios 75 days ago would be exposed again and again.

The fall-out from the case of Wayne Rooney's representative Paul Stretford highlighted the FA's inability to get to grips with the problem of agents. A day later, David Beckham's misguided confession that he deliberately earned a booking in the World Cup clash with Wales sent the FA into a new spin.

The high-profile case surrounding Stretford collapsed after evidence that the agent lied to Warrington crown court. The trial called into question the role of agents and exposed a world of gangsters, crooked solicitors, secret dealings and conflicting interests.

It finished with John Hyland, one of three men cleared of trying to intimidate Stretford in the battle for Rooney's signature, calling for an FA inquiry into the way agents operate. Yesterday Stretford resigned as a director of sports agency Formation Group plc for "personal reasons".

Surely this case provided the perfect opportunity for the governing body to step forward and defend the game? Instead there was silence at Soho Square.

Graham Bean, the FA's former compliance officer, said: "There seem to be so many problems surrounding agents' alleged behaviour now that maybe it is time for an independent agency to step in and police them."

Fast forward 24 hours and the governing body was on the back foot again over Beckham's confession.

Instead of being headed off by a chief executive, Sven-Goran Eriksson was left to face the media. Following the captain's apology, Eriksson says the case is closed. But there is disagreement in the FA over whether Beckham should be charged with bringing the game into disrepute.

Senior football figures today accused the FA of making a complete mess of this week's controversies.

One official told Standard Sport: "They need to show leadership. There is a huge vacuum. No decisive action is being taken and the result is more collateral damage to the game.

"What they seem to be doing is putting their tin hats on, running to the bunker and waiting for the dust to clear. The problem they have is their relevance. They need to work out what is their purpose."

Another FA insider added: "It was a time for leadership and I think at the end of the week Beckham and Sven got away with it, without making tough decisions, while the FA were left to look weak and leaderless."

A new leader to fill the vacuum is unlikely to be found quickly. The FA are going through the shortlist of candidates for a chief executive to replace Palios. At the same time, an independent review of the way the organisation is run will be launched in the next few months.

FA chairman Geoff Thompson will put forward three people to lead the review to an FA board meeting on 3 November when interviews for the chief executive's job are also due to start with the 10 candidates expected to be cut to three by a second board meeting on 25 November.

It is becoming increasingly likely that the idea of an all-powerful chief executive will be ditched and a "team of leaders" will run the organisation.

The problem is the review is unlikely to be concluded until well into the new year. Any chief executive is unlikely to be in place before Christmas. All the candidates will have to accept that their job description cannot be defined before they start the job.

The Government is watching developments closely. In the meantime, the FA will be praying they don't have to face another week like this one.

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David Beckham

Richard Scudamore

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Wayne Rooney

Chaos reigns as FA fail to tackle leading issue

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