Mohammed Al Fayed takes the FA and Premier League to task

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Both the Premier league and the Football Association are pondering their next moves after Mohamed Al Fayed, the chairman of Fulham, launched a scathing attack on both bodies. The Egyptian businessman is demanding a review of the refereeing practice as well as the decision making process. He has written to the Premier League and the FA on behalf of all the football clubs and is seeking quick and decisive action.

Mr Al Fayed spoke out after Fulham suffered their recent 0-1 defeat at the hands of Manchester United, the game where Danny Murphy was knocked over a minute before the end but Michael Oliver, the 27 year old referee, waved away the claims for a penalty.

Al Fayed has become increasingly frustrated by the recent errors and inconsistencies that have occurred, as well as the whole way in which matches are officiated, as he believes that the decisions made on the pitch are all too readily accepted by the governing bodies of football.

In his statement, Al Fayed says the FA’s main problem in addressing the situation that currently exists is that it has too much power and there is no where else where decision makers, such as referees, escape all responsibility from having to admit blatant errors but the protesters are fined and charged with serious misconduct.

He added that the losses that clubs are suffering from such careless decisions are having a huge impact on them, and the consequences can be calamitous. He also feels that referees are far too easily influenced by the more powerful clubs and the individual, high powered owners, which calls into question both the integrity of the officials as well as the governing body that they report to.

Al Fayed is also urging the bodies to embrace video technology as he believes that in this aspect, English football is lagging behind the rest of the world

Plan for the future from Scottish football Fans

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Plan for the future from Scottish football Fans

Plan for the future from Scottish football Fans

Football supporters have a unique vision for league football in Scotland, and it includes larger attendance at games, better methods of funding, and increased competition.

The Scotland trust Supporters Direct Scotland aims to implement some of these changes by publishing their directive, The Fans’ Plan,’ that is filled with recommendations to help make league football more entertaining for fans in the country. The information contained inside is the result of two years of surveys conducted among fans and supporters.

The Fans’ Plan calls for:

greater competition within Scottish league football structures

equal funding for each team in a league

support for clubs by central league management to increase the average attendance by 20% by 2016, and achieve an average stadium capacity utilisation of 65% within 10 years

two leagues of 16 teams, and a qualifying league of 10 or a feeder league of 16

re-introducing the League Cup, with a mini-league qualifying format structured on a geographical basis with four teams in each group

improved training and professional development for all players including greater use of Modern Apprenticeships and post-career planning

the establishment and implementation of a strong club licensing scheme

SDS spokesperson, Alan Harris commented: “The future of Scottish league football lies in the hands of its supporters and Supporters Direct Scotland has gathered the views of fans for the past two years: the most comprehensive surveys of football supporters in recent times. Fans are clearly telling us, we want more competition, more even distribution of the available funds, investment in the game, especially developing its talent from grassroots, and a greater say for supporters in clubs and national football.”

Alan Harris added: “Our approach is fairly simple. It’s about creating a virtuous circle for the long-term benefit of Scottish football. Too much of the present has been driven by short-term fixes and quick wins. However, that approach is unravelling at every level of the game. The time is right to re-build the foundations of the game in Scotland. We are proposing that a combination of league re-structuring, a re-formatted League Cup and more even distribution of funds, can continue to attract the all-important television sponsorship, create more competition between clubs and widen the game’s attraction to bring supporters back. This is our path to more sustainable development of Scottish league football.”

 

Sir Alex questions FA argument

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Sir Alex questions FA argument Sir Alex Ferguson believes that the disagreement between England manager Fabio Capello and the FA  will end up having a negative effect on the international team, unless the two parties can bury their differences and learn to work together again.

The difference of opinion stems from the FA’s decision to take the captain’s armband from Chelsea defender John Terry until the verdict in his upcoming trial is delivered. Terry faces a charge of racially abusing another defender, QPR’s Anton Ferdinand, and is set to appear in court in July.

Capello has already launched a stinging attack on the FA for taking the step, arguing that Terry is innocent until proven guilty and that the English football authorities are delivering their own justice. But the comments in the media could end up putting the England manager himself in hot water and he has been summoned to appear before the FA to explain why he so publicly disagreed with the organisation’s decision.

Other managers, including Fergie, have been weighing in on the issue, with Terry’s club manager, Andrew Villas-Boas backing Capello for taking a stand and defending one of his player’s against unfair treatment. Villas-Boas added that the England manager had the right to hold an opinion on the matter and shouldn’t be prevented from expressing that opinion by his bosses at the FA.

A meeting between Capello and the FA is set to take place this week to discuss his future as England manager and whether or not he breached his contract by criticising his employers so publicly. The FA’s main problem seems to be that Capello had not told them that he intended to give an interview on the subject to an Italian television company so they were unprepared for the subsequent media storm.

John terry, meanwhile, has been attempting to keep a low profile; his only recent statement has been to the effect that he will continue to play for England even though he is no longer allowed to wear the captain’s armband.

Gordon Taylor comments on Manchester City Tevez situation

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Gordon Taylor comments on Manchester City Tevez situation Gordon Taylor is the Chief Executive of the Professional Footballers Association that has recently commented that the situation between Manchester City and Carlos Tevez becomes more impossible with each day. The striker for the team had been on a visit to his home country in Argentina and he is now remaining there despite his club requesting that he comes home. It has been reported that there are still negotiations going on between representatives of the player and the club’s officials.

In an interview Taylor commented, “The longer he remains out of the country the worse the situation is going to become. The trip back home is unauthorised in the first place and this saga of him refusing to play has been dragging on since September.”

He initially failed to return after the clubs first request and he simply did not show up the training. This has caused a greater the speculation over the player’s intentions and his actual whereabouts. Reports in South America suggest that he is remaining there because he is medically incapable of leaving.

Millwall to go private

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Millwall to go private Millwall is a football club that has been publicly owned for over 20 years  but John Berylson, an American businessmen, has just announced that he will be making it private. Since 2007 when he made his first investment in the club, Berylson has slowly been taking control of the club and has been involved in a great many restructurings of the finances of the club.

The delisting will leave the club in near total control by the chairman and when it was announced that the club would be going private shares fell nearly 40%. Only five years ago most of the club was owned by fans and small shareholders, but now the vast majority of it is owned by Mr Berylson and other directors of the club. This meant it was very easy for them to decide to make the club a private entity.

Once the club has been taken private it is expected that the board will vote to redevelop the grounds and stadium where the club play. It is expected that this investment will ultimately bring a good return to any shareholders who are left. Despite its recent promotion to the championship, Millwall continue to make a loss and the club has only survived thanks to loans from Mr Berylson. These loans were later traded for equity in the club.

The reason for the delisting has been given by the club as a cost saving exercise. Its shares are traded relatively infrequently and the club estimates that it is having to pay £100,000 a year to be a public company. A third party body will be set up to help those with a small interest in the club sell their shares.