Joker Barwick will have last laugh

Reading manager Steve Coppell has known 50-year-old Barwick for most of his life, having gone to both school and university with the man now charged with the toughest job in football. He also knows exactly what awaits him at Soho Square.

Barwick took over today with little idea of what solutions Lord Burns may recommend to the FA hierarchy after conducting the structural review ordered in the wake of Mark Palios's departure. The only certainty, according to Coppell, is that his old mate will not tolerate fools. And, as we all know, there are a few of those in football.

"He doesn't suffer fools," said the Reading manager. "If there are any buffoons in hiding at the FA, my advice to them is to watch out. He won't put up with them."

Coppell, the former England and Manchester United winger, has spent the last 20 years managing Crystal Palace, Manchester City, Brighton and Reading.

Before that he followed the same educational path in Liverpool as Barwick. "We both went to Quarry Bank, same school as John Lennon, and then Liverpool University," said Coppell. "Brian was a year ahead of me but we did the same economics course at university. He was very helpful to me. I still have some of his course notes. We played in the same departmental football team at university. He was a buccaneering right-back.

"Brian has a genuine love of football and when he first moved into TV in London he used to watch Crystal Palace quite a bit. I don't see so much of him now that he's in the big time but, whenever I've moved clubs, he's always sent me a card to wish me all the best.

"I've still got warm memories of our time at university. He was a very funny bloke. I remember him turning up for a fancy dress competition. Everyone had gone to great expense to get extravagant costumes. He turned up in a duffle coat with a cuddly toy on a leash. No one knew what he was supposed to be but, after giving a bit of banter on the microphone, he finished runner-up.

"He's no fool when it comes to business. He's a hard worker with a blunt northern mentality. He calls a spade a spade. They'll be no excess with him. I'm sure he'll run a tight ship at the FA. He's got strong opinions and he won't be afraid to express them at the right time."

Although a newcomer, Barwick is bound to have a significant input into the review process because as chief executive he will have to make any structural changes work.

The independent review, suggested by the Government after the FA's image was hit by a series of high-profile scandals, could propose sweeping changes to the 12-man FA board.

The present structure almost guarantees

constant conflict between the representatives of the professional and amateur ranks of the sport. The professionals want greater control and half the revenue generated by the England team and the FA Cup.

But the FA have a broader duty to the sport as a whole and argue that without grassroots football the flow of players into the professional game would cease.

In theory, at least, the Burns review provides the FA with the chance to govern once again as a national body without vested interests interfering with the decision-making processes.

Barwick will soon discover that representatives from the professional and amateur ranks are already busy preparing their propaganda to put before Lord Burns.

FOUR THEORIES THAT MIGHT ADD UP FOR THE NEW FA CHIEF . . .

1 A working knowledge of Adam Smith's theory of free market economics will undoubtedly provide a good starting point for Brian Barwick. Smith believed the invisible hand of self interest was preferable to market regulation - an argument he is likely to hear time and again from the greedy Premiership chairmen.

2 When it comes to fears over too much football on television Barwick might invoke the spirit of David Ricardo, whose Principles of Political Economy and Taxation argued that supply creates its own demand. But it is more likely that Thomas Malthus' arguments on diminishing returns will apply in the long run.

3 Most supporters will be hoping Barwick takes a more Keynesian approach to life at the FA. John Maynard Keynes argued that governments should use taxpayers' money to fund better public services but the idea of football becoming more socialist seems a forlorn hope for fans.

4 The clubs would much prefer Milton Friedman, who believed the money supply should be manipulated to manage the economy. Chairmen of the big clubs would argue they do this through big money transfers but cynics would counter the bulk of the cash goes out of the game into players' and agents' pockets.