You can feel change in the air – not just in politics or everyday life, but across the footballing landscape.
We’re not just talking Trump here, but Marcus Rashford, playing away at Westminster, turning Boris Johnson inside out before smashing home two tremendous strikes against the Conservatives to win free school meals for needy families and children.
The resignation of the FA’s Greg Clarke after deciding to spout some thoroughly unpleasant and outdated thoughts in Parliament has opened up the possibility of football’s governing body actually believing in what it’s trying to implement in terms of racial and gender equality.
Now is the time for things to be shaken up. For those at the top to realise that telling untruths or purporting to believe in something, yet doing something completely different, is unacceptable.
We want something better, honest, and fair, where everyone has equal opportunity.
Away from the White House or the House of Commons (because I don’t do politics as well as MFW editor Gary does), the jolt to the very top of football is a welcome blow.
The sport has existed in its own bubble floating outside the reality the vast majority of us live within for a considerable amount of time – and it has moved further away every year since Murdoch got his hands on it.
The pandemic has been both surreal and horrific. Our normal, everyday lives have been turned upside down in less than 10 months. Where once we rubbed shoulders with friends and strangers alike, we wear masks and feel awkward in crowded places – and can’t even visit our family members in their own living rooms.
COVID-19 has killed 50,000+ people in this country, mainly those 65+, but all of whom would have preferred to have lived that little bit longer and added to their impressive years on this planet. Mental health has suffered, cancer treatments have been put on hold, and people’s wellbeing has declined in the shadow of the disease.
In the midst of all this, what have we seen from football? Reckless behaviour, money grabbing, big clubs looking to seize on the financial weakness of others, and then Clarke’s casual racism and sexism.
While Premier League footballers continue with their work, the majority of the population struggles to hold on to their livelihoods.
Players’ behaviour off the pitch doesn’t seem to have been impacted by the epidemic either, with multiple stories of drunken behaviour, partying, curfew breaking, and blatant disregard for the suffering of others.
The implementation of the £14.95 pay-per-view deal for Premier League matches was recently thumped back from whence it came like Grant Hanley returning an errant goal kick.
Supporters didn’t behave in the way the TV companies expected. They didn’t gobble the offer up like a starving dog but instead spat it back – donating match fees to charities and raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for good causes. It also resulted in the offer being euthanised too.
Project Big Picture was supposed to be the solution for the EFL clubs to be bailed out from the financial pain COVID-19 has inflicted upon them. In reality, it is the opportunity for the biggest clubs in the top division and a few specially chosen mates to call the shots and turn the Premier League into a closed shop.
Popular opinion has chased the idea into the long grass for now, but it’s still there, hiding, ready and waiting to pounce when the disease renders League One and Two clubs paralysed.
And that brings us back to Clarke. The top man at the governing body of England’s game. Referring to black players using outdated language, rehashing racial stereotypes, and ridiculing girls playing football in front of a committee of MPs. The boorish oaf behaved as if he was in the back room of a pub, loudly and incoherently peddling his views to a group of mates around the pool table, making other patrons feel uncomfortable.
One man doesn’t make an organisation. However, many men of similar ilk running it is an issue.
There is now an opportunity to run a new broom through English football, from top to bottom. To have the FA providing equal opportunities to all, caring about everyone who loves the game and standing up for them, keeping the Premier League and the big clubs honest, and to demand high standards from players at all levels.
In order to do that, players like Rashford will be crucial. Young, talented, thoughtful, and determined. A man keen to use his influence, born of his prodigious talent, to instigate positive change in society. He captured the mood of the nation perfectly in order to bend politicians with his will. Embarrassing the office of prime minister is something Boris Johnson can achieve on his own, but the Manchester United man did it twice.
Rashford is the blueprint for the modern, international footballer – a young man who can inspire players of any gender or colour to play the game. Empowering them and engendering a feeling they can achieve anything.
The striker shows the positive power of football and the face of the English game is changing. We all need to hope he turns his attention to VAR next.
COVID-19 has changed all our lives forever and things will not return to normal when the vaccine returns. It may reportedly be 90 per cent effective against the disease, but it will have no impact on the way we now view those who govern us, who make the rules, or second guess what we want or will accept.
The opportunity is there; the fans are willing. To paraphrase the soon-to-be-departed Trump, together we can make football great again.
Hi Martin
A very well constructed article I wouldn’t have had the patience to write and for what it’s worth I agree with just about everything you say.
To focus on the footballing side of things, does anybody in the UK even consider the ethnic background of any footballer, even if they play for 1p5wich? I very much doubt it.
I’ve genuinely not heard a racist remark at Carrow Road in over 20 years, although the lower Barclay had a few sexuality lapses when we played Watford and Brighton in the early Noughties, albeit most of their fans tended to laugh along with them. That doesn’t happen any more and hasn’t for many years now.
The likes of Clyde Best, Laurie Cunningham, Cyrille Regis and our own Justin Fashanu would, I think, be delighted to see how far football has come.
But equally Clarke [who is exactly the same age as me] needed to be called out for his stupid, insensitive remarks and I am glad he is gone.
I totally agree with you about Marcus Rashford. What an inspiring young man he is and a role model to people of ALL ages. The only slight niggle I have with the free school holiday meals thing is that it supports the most feckless of parents but the decent side of me says the kids must come first and Marcus has done so much to establish that by kicking Johnson & Co in the goolies.
The FA have a lot of work to do.
You are right about so much, Martin, but I was particularly struck by two sentences: “One man doesn’t make an organisation. However, many men of similar ilk running it is an issue.”
Off the top of my head, I can only think of two FA chairs since and including Graham Kelly who have not left after a scandal. There must be a problem with those making the choices.
That is what I tweeted after reading about Clarke’s departure. Not for the first time, I was a bit hasty and glib.
It is true that the FA Council has a surfeit of crusty old blokes, just as it did decades ago when I used to have to sit outside their meetings and wait to be ushered in at the end for a condescending briefing. Oxford and Cambridge Universities still each have a rep, as does each of the armed forces.
But there has been some reform, and there are representatives too of BAME communities, supporters and disability football, plus two people seconded specifically lead on inclusion.
And although Council has the final say on most things, the day-to-day business, the strategy and governance is left to the FA Board – and that is where there is more evidence of modernisation. It has two women directors and two more as independent non-exec directors. Paul Elliott attends meetings as an observer.
Some really good work that has already been done. The prime example is the huge growth in the women’s game. It has been led by the FA.
There is much unseen work too. The FA is one of three funders (with the Government and the Premier League) of the Football Foundation, the biggest sports charity in the world. If you want a new 3G pitch for your school, or your sports club, the Foundation is the place to go for a big grant — and they will insist that you will be able to demonstrate policies which are inclusive and which focus on providing football for females and those with disabilities.
But the FA has been devastated by Covid. It projects a £300m hit and has already made swathes of staff in county FAs redundant. In the county where I live (Herts) and many others, they’ve had to get rid of Referees Development Officers – a role unheard of outside grassroots refereeing but which had been really improving the stock of refs.
So we shouldn’t be gulled by the cliché of the FA being complete duffers led by other old stale, pale males.
But yes, the appointment of yet another chairman is an opportunity. Perhaps we could start with the title.
Mick, are you going to throw your hat into the ring? Go for it.
A terrific article Martin and I heartily agree with Martin P’s comments above.
I particularly liked the remark Clark made about ‘girls playing football’. My younger granddaughter is 11 and has been playing for her local team for 2 years now and plays in a league consisting of at least 10 other girls’ teams..
It ‘s fascinating to see how all the girls level of skill and understanding of the game has progressed in that time thanks to the efforts of the coaches and several girls have progressed to the Elite standard and a few have made it to become part of the NCFC Academy.
Girls’/women’s football is here to stay and I say good riddance to ‘dinosaurs’ such as Clark.
Around 1995 we had an intensive all-day inter-company 5-a-side tournament at the Pitz Centre in Liverpool and my team drew Slinfold [Sussex where one of our ink factories was] Ladies in the quarters. There was a three-goal handicap – I didn’t set the rules.
I was our keeper but played out in this one to give one of our lads a break – we thought it would be easy. We got three but they scored at the death so we lost out on appearing in the semis as what was seen as a 1-0 put the girls through.
We beat male teams from Holland, Ireland & Germany – but not the Slinfold lasses. I subsequently found out that two of their players were first-teamers with Arsenal Ladies.
Which roughly translates to: I’ve had the highest regard for women’s football for something like 25 years and counting. Good luck to your grand-daughter.
A very forthright article Martin.
I really hope you are right and that football will change for the better.
I have to admit I wish I had your optimism. Take Covid’s effect on the lower leagues and look at the response from the powers that be, be it the FA, The Premier League or the PFA.
Here we are in November and they are still haggling. Can you imagine the wages Cavani is on at Man Utd and he is just one example of money spent this summer and Macclesfield went out of business for the sake of £500,000.
Mezit Ozil refused to take a pay cut of £ 350,000 per week, The big six tried to take over The Premier League and practically make it a closed shop, the PL wanted to charge supporters £15 odd for matches and the threat of a European Super League reared its head again.
I am not talking about bailing out clubs like Ipswich or Sunderland, but the perennial league 1 & 2 clubs.
I do not see a changing of the ways in anyway shape or form. The greed of some clubs in this period has been staggering, even Gary Neville has said he is greatly disappointed with the PL.
Clarke had to go and his replacement must be a much younger man or women, preferably from a BAME background.
Sadly unlike Martin I did hear a totally unacceptable racist remark from a city supporter aimed at a Chelsea player 7 years ago in the disabled section and I called it out straight away but couldn’t identify the culprit and no one owned up. This proves we still have along way to go.
My opinion of the FA has always been that it has had its day and need to be replaced. One story a former England international told me was that he was making his England debut and a couple of FA old boys congratulated him when he told them it was his first game, they then turned round to the player standing next to him and asked this young man if it was his first game it was Bobby Moore !
It amazes me that, well into the 21st century, men who think in the same way as Clarke are in positions to which they’re completely unsuited. On top of that, it takes an admirable young man to persuade the government that children should be fed.
I come from 2 big families of Celtic supporters and they are definitely my second team. However, I understand why the supporters of other Scottish clubs call them and Rangers the ugly sisters. They have the structure and finance of Scottish football carved up between them. Project Big Profits, I mean Picture, seeks to do this in England and should be resisted. The abolition of the need for 14 teams to agree on any changes in the EPL must be strongly rejected..
I find it hard to believe that the FA did not know about Clarke’s views, so why was he not sacked before now. His views and bias must have affected the way the FA carried out their business.
There is too much greed in the game. Gordon Taylor epitomises for me. How can he and the PFA justify his salary and how he has cling on to his job.
Rashford is a shining example of a decent person. Many players get corrupted by the money they earn at such a young age. There have been a number of high profile breaches of Covid rules. However, there are some players with integrity and a pride in what they do. I think Max Aarons falls into that category.
What I don’t know is how you can stop the big 6 and mates getting their own way. It seems that they have such an influence on what rules are brought in and if they don’t get their own way they use bullying tactics, like I am going to play in a European Super League. In many ways I would love them to go and see what effect it would have.
Hi Martin B
Yesterday I read an article on line in the Mail from not my favourite reporter Nartin Samuels and his opinion is the so called FA Suite are in some way the life and soul of the organisation at county level making sure that all lower levels of football continues.
Not being a specialist in how the FA works and if this is correct and these hard working officials work their way up to the top of the FA board then they deserve respect for the work they have done.
Everyone has the chance to improve their status and I like many want to see a diversified FA running football and yes a Minority group could improve and help speed that up.
Changes are needed but all changes are not for the better just look at FIFA dumped Blatter and got Infantino both cut from the same cloth.
Is there a person that can take the FA forward either from Ladies football or BAME(This term is now being ridiculed) or other sources that does come with pre judged prejudice of some sort.
Who every gets this thankless task will have to sail troubled waters and upset many people or could it come down to a government suggested panel backed by some ex footballers.
We are told we live in enlighted times but a world wide pandemic has shown us that diverse groups only want whats good for themselves is that enlightenment or greed.
Women’s football has been around for nearly as long as the men’s game (1895: The first women’s football match. North beat South 7-1. 1920: The first women’s international game. Preston-based Dick Kerr’s Ladies beat a French XI 2-0.)
so in reality it isn’t that new just been ignored and not recognized just like cricket.
Having separate bodies controlling football doesn’t work, if the so called big6 want a super league just leave the rest will survive and prosper, what supporters can afford every weekend to fly half way round Europe to see a meaningless game, how many want their successful team in their home country loss on a continuously and not win a title or cup.
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
Stay safe and stay healthy