I know.! Tbf, I was going to write a little bit about it earlier. Then I became distracted by a long phone call and trying to write it. In the end I forgot what I was going to write, scrubbed it all and put 'Oh Dear', which was just as much as my failure to write an opinion as anything else.
It is strange that football needs to be debated in Parliament, especially when you consider that this was in the same day that the scheme to accept unaccompanied child migrants was axed. I find it bizarre that the FA is constantly criticised and seen as being out of touch. The report on Radio Four this evening mocked the ethnic diversity in the FA and the lack of representation of women. I don't see that there is any logic as to why there is not a more representative ethnic spread and I really wonder whether football fans or indeed the profession really notice that there is any difference between black and white footballers. I think we have got well beyond the idea of race being an issue in football. The lack of involvement in women is probably only a recent phenomena given how the woman's game has come on in leaps and bounds in the last ten years. Looking from the outside, I feel that these issues are probably dealt with quite well these days and certainly far, far better than when I started to follow football. I would like to think that the FA was a bastion within the game and it is disappointing that the suggestion is that it is not fit for purpose. I wonder if any people within the amateur side of the sport would feel the same as the sense is that the FA does it's best to support the sport at grass roots level. Things can always be improved but I am not convinced that it is rotten to the core and needs systematic , root and branch restructuring. My worry would be that this would benefit the larger clubs at the expense of the sport at a lower level. If there are measures that need to be put in place it is to regulate things such as the ownership of clubs.
Strewth have they got nowt else to do other than hav a go at football now?. There'll be a referendum next on whether we want to enter the World Cup or not!
The reason it was debated is because the Government for some strange reason gives the FA funds to the tune of £30-40m which I would suggest could be better spent elsewhere. They also financially back bids for holding cups (World/European), hosting finals (Champions League/UEFA) and funding the 'national' stadium. If the FA don't reform they are looking to give funding to county football associations instead so that it goes into the grass roots of the game. I think they had given the FA until April (I may be wrong) to sort things out but a backbencher brought a bill on it early. I personally hope they do end up diverting the funds elsewhere. There are 123 members of the FA (seems too many to me). As of May 2016 there were six women, four members were from the BME community and there was one players’ representative and one fans’ representative. Only three former professional players sit on the council – and two of those are over 70. The Child Migrant axing was also debated yesterday in the House of Commons.
Whilst the make up of the FA is unbalanced (to say the least), I am always wary of artificial attempts to address this in any organisation. However, he who pays the piper etc. If the Government don't feel that the FA are doing what they want, it seems a good idea to direct the money to lower down, although they will need advice to do this wisely.
Why should the FA do what the government want? What mandate do the government have to compel the FA to change?
They don't have to, as long as they're happy to lose their £30m+ a year. I'd like to see more fan representation tbh.
