Football Supporters Federation kick back at FA

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Football Supporters Federation kick back at FA When planned changes to the FA Cup by the FA leaked out, the Football Supporters Federation hit out with protest. Included in the changes are the possible kickoff of the final at 17:30 after the FA assured the FSF they would be involved in any changes in the competition.

The FA broke their word says FSF chairman Malcolm Clarke. If our support is wanted this is not the way to go about it we feel we are on the outside looking in, it was a big error on the FA’s part.

Other changes may include the abolishing of replays and Clarke is sure that opposition will be large against that as well as the proposed change in the kickoff time.

Even though there are differences he does agree with some of the changes. He likes the idea of Premier League teams facing lower league clubs more often so a change to the seeding he would favor.

To help convince teams to field their best 11 a Champions League place to the winners would be a great addition.

Ticket price reduction and regional match ups through the fifth round were other suggestions he would like to see in the future.

There is need for change but the need to see the entire package exists as well, so we can show out members.

The FA response was they are committed to consulting the fans and that no changes have been finalized.

The Premier league and Cup committee are keen to make changes quickly and presentations have been made to both. These changes, if any, will take effect for the 2012-12 season at the very earliest.

Steve McLaren may be returning to England

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Steve McLaren may be returning to England Former England football team manager Steve McLaren could be on his way back to England, if he has his way, fresh from getting the sack from Wolfsburg, after seven months in charge. This followed a poor spell of results that saw the team just outside the relegation places in the German Bundesliga.

McLaren is still held in very high regard, despite the England and Wolfsburg experiences, as a result of his time at Manchester United as Assistant Manager and as Middleborough Manager. He also won the Dutch championship last year, as manager of FC Twente.

McLaren would even be prepared to work for a Championship club, saying that there are just as many challenges in that league, highlighting the experiences of Blackpool, now in the Premiership.

There is no doubt that he would receive a mixed welcome if he returned, given the performances of the England team with him in charge.

Football leadership comes under government microscope

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Football leadership comes under government microscope Football leadership is under fire over the Parliamentary Inquiry into Football Governance. A war of words has broken out between the two main governing bodies of the sport in this country, the Football Association (FA) and the Football League.

The former Chairman of the FA Lord Triesman hit out at Sir Dave Richards, the Chairman of the Premier League, accusing him of previously bullying FA board members into stifling reform, using the financial clout of the league. However, current FA Chairman David Bernstein paints a different picture, one of co-operation.

Richards immediately hit back, asserting that he was no bully and reminded Lord Triesman that he was one of the people involved in changing the FA constitution in 1996 to create a new, more progressive board.

It’s clear that a power struggle may ensue as Richards was in no mood to back down and added that if the FA wanted total control they would have a fight on their hands.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport sponsored inquiry has recently been taking evidence from all manner of interested parties, largely as a result of high profile press coverage of the governance of elite Premiership clubs.

FIFA faces backlash over Qatar world Cup location

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FIFA faces backlash over Qatar world Cup location Football’s governing body FIFA is in danger of coming into dispute with top clubs in Europe over its handling of the decision to give World Cup 2022 to Qatar and the expansion of the international footballing calendar, with many of the European leagues, in particular the Premiership, stretched as things currently stand.

FIFA apparently did not consult clubs over its suggestions that the World Cup might be played in the winter months in Qatar – which would have huge ramifications for Europe’s premier league fixtures – instead of playing in the hot summer, as proposed by the Qatar bid. The Qatar soccer organisation has continued to insist that the World Cup will be played in their summer, as originally planned.

The heads of both Barcelona and Manchester, President Sandro Rosell and Chief Executive David Gill, respectively, have both expressed their surprise over FIFA’s handling of the affair.

With UEFA Champions League coming up in the next week, many competing clubs have also expressed concerns at the wisdom of having 4 games plus travelling in the space of only 10 days.

Umberto Gandini of AC Milan also expressed his displeasure at FIFA’s treatment of the international calendar. An alternative has been proposed by the European Club Association, including a limit of one international tournament annually and, instead of having individual games, to have entire periods for the national teams. Commenting, Michele Centaro of the association said that there must be greater transparency in FIFA decision-making, particularly where those decisions impact on club football.

All of this couldn’t have come at a worse time for controversial FIFA President Sepp Blatter, with elections imminent.

Bobby Charlton aims for British football team

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Bobby Charlton aims for British football team The London Olympics in 2012 could see an all British football team for the first time ever if Sir Bobby Charlton and Lord Coe have their way. All of the home countries compete together at the Olympic Games as Great Britain in every other sport except football.

Sir Bobby, 1966 England World Cup hero and one of Manchester United’s famous ‘Busby Babes’, speaking at the Laureus World Sport Awards, dropped very strong hints that this is a possibility, saying that Lord Coe, the chairman of the London Olympics, had asked him to help turn the dream into a reality. He added that, although, competing as a unified team might mean the home countries lose their individual passion and pride, he thought that they might be able to pull it off.

Previous efforts to create a unified team have met with resistance from all of the other home nations except England, because their national football federations have been worried that a joint team would weaken their position as individual nations, at least in the eyes of the governing body, FIFA. However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has said in the past that it would welcome a Great Britain football team.

The home nations used to compete in a series called the Home International Championship until 1983-4. This has been revived as a one-off for 2011, the Carling Nations Cup, with all home countries except England represented.