Post by QPR Report on Feb 16, 2010 7:26:17 GMT
Guardian/Owen Gibson
Government calls for 'tougher regulation' in football•
Gerry Sutcliffe says debt questions must be answered
• 'We will continue to push on these issues,' says sports minister
The sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe feels football's authorities have questions to answer over how the game is run. Photograph: Tom Jenkins
The government is to exert fresh pressure on football authorities to overhaul the way the game is governed, pushing for a clear plan of action on issues such as debt, financial management and supporter representation at board level.
In his first intervention on the subject since the levels of debt carried by some clubs, such as Manchester United, and the reckless spending that has pushed others, such as Portsmouth, to the brink sparked a national debate on the issue, the sports minister, Gerry Sutcliffe, has called for "tougher regulation" from the Premier League, Football Association and Football League.
"We have challenged the FA, Premier League and the Football League on financial regulation over the last year and they have made some welcome rule changes," Sutcliffe told the Guardian. "But there remain tough questions for the football authorities on what more they need to do to tackle the issues around leveraged debt, takeovers and strengthening the financial governance of football clubs."
Despite new rules brought in by the Premier League and the Football League in a bid to deal with difficult questions surrounding tests for fit and proper persons, financial controls and attempts to rein in reckless spending, there is a feeling in Westminster that a more coherent response is needed.
"It is not the government's job to run football, this is down to the football authorities to regulate and for the clubs to deliver, but there is a widespread view that there must be tougher regulation from within the game and we will continue to push on these issues," said Sutcliffe.
"Owners, managers and players come and go but it's the loyal fans that remain and those in charge of football and its clubs should look at ways of ensuring the voice of the supporter is listened to and has a greater say in the running of their club."
In the wake of the crisis that has enveloped a string of clubs and has come to be epitomised by the difficulties at Portsmouth, it is understood that the view that the FA must reassert its position as the game's governing body is growing within certain quarters of government.
Next month, the Premier League will bring in rules requiring clubs to provide future financial information, enabling it to apply sanctions including a transfer embargo if it judges them unlikely to be able to meet payments to other clubs or Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.
But despite its more proactive stance, some feel it has not fully grasped the issue and remains compromised by the fact it has to keep its 20 member clubs onside.
There are no plans at present for the government to step in and regulate the game, as demanded by some MPs in a Commons debate last week, but Whitehall sources said "a clear plan of action" would be required.
The government is keen not to be seen to prescribe any specific solutions, partly because Fifa takes a dim view of political interference and England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup is at a crucial point, but will point out that football could well need its support to head off regulatory threats from Europe.
One option gaining support is the idea of an independent Football Regulatory Authority. Such a self-regulatory body could include representatives from the professional game and the FA, together with independent non-executives and supporters, in an attempt to move away from the parochial turf wars that have long tended to characterise the debate.
In 2008, the FA chairman, Lord Triesman, caused a deep rift with the Premier League when he warned of the "debt mountains" in English football and the former culture secretary Andy Burnham set football authorities seven questions about the game's future that led to Sutcliffe admonishing the FA for failing to introduce the modest regulatory reforms originally proposed by Lord Burns in 2005.
The Premier League, the Football Association and the Football League all met with Sutcliffe last week and it is understood that all three are working together more smoothly than any time in recent years.
But while the productive working relationship between FA chief executive Ian Watmore and his Premier League counterpart Richard Scudamore has been welcomed by some, others fear it will stop the former taking tough decisions in the wider interests of the game.
Both Sutcliffe and Burnham have advocated giving supporters a greater voice in the running of the game, across all sports. Supporters groups welcomed the latest intervention but cautioned that similar sentiments had in the past resulted in little change to the way the game is run.
"It's great that Gerry is saying that but we now need to will the means as well as the ends. What does that look like? As long as fans have to buy their way onto a board, the odds will always be stacked against them. Clubs are more than just businesses and for that reason alone, we think it should be part of the rules to have a supporter on every board," said Supporters Direct chief executive Dave Boyle.
"We need to see a recognition from the authorities that there are hundreds of thousands of people who are desperately worried about the state of the game. There is a very good business case as well as a moral argument here. In the teeth of a recession, it's a good idea to engage with your customers."
www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/feb/16/football-regulation-government
Government calls for 'tougher regulation' in football•
Gerry Sutcliffe says debt questions must be answered
• 'We will continue to push on these issues,' says sports minister
The sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe feels football's authorities have questions to answer over how the game is run. Photograph: Tom Jenkins
The government is to exert fresh pressure on football authorities to overhaul the way the game is governed, pushing for a clear plan of action on issues such as debt, financial management and supporter representation at board level.
In his first intervention on the subject since the levels of debt carried by some clubs, such as Manchester United, and the reckless spending that has pushed others, such as Portsmouth, to the brink sparked a national debate on the issue, the sports minister, Gerry Sutcliffe, has called for "tougher regulation" from the Premier League, Football Association and Football League.
"We have challenged the FA, Premier League and the Football League on financial regulation over the last year and they have made some welcome rule changes," Sutcliffe told the Guardian. "But there remain tough questions for the football authorities on what more they need to do to tackle the issues around leveraged debt, takeovers and strengthening the financial governance of football clubs."
Despite new rules brought in by the Premier League and the Football League in a bid to deal with difficult questions surrounding tests for fit and proper persons, financial controls and attempts to rein in reckless spending, there is a feeling in Westminster that a more coherent response is needed.
"It is not the government's job to run football, this is down to the football authorities to regulate and for the clubs to deliver, but there is a widespread view that there must be tougher regulation from within the game and we will continue to push on these issues," said Sutcliffe.
"Owners, managers and players come and go but it's the loyal fans that remain and those in charge of football and its clubs should look at ways of ensuring the voice of the supporter is listened to and has a greater say in the running of their club."
In the wake of the crisis that has enveloped a string of clubs and has come to be epitomised by the difficulties at Portsmouth, it is understood that the view that the FA must reassert its position as the game's governing body is growing within certain quarters of government.
Next month, the Premier League will bring in rules requiring clubs to provide future financial information, enabling it to apply sanctions including a transfer embargo if it judges them unlikely to be able to meet payments to other clubs or Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.
But despite its more proactive stance, some feel it has not fully grasped the issue and remains compromised by the fact it has to keep its 20 member clubs onside.
There are no plans at present for the government to step in and regulate the game, as demanded by some MPs in a Commons debate last week, but Whitehall sources said "a clear plan of action" would be required.
The government is keen not to be seen to prescribe any specific solutions, partly because Fifa takes a dim view of political interference and England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup is at a crucial point, but will point out that football could well need its support to head off regulatory threats from Europe.
One option gaining support is the idea of an independent Football Regulatory Authority. Such a self-regulatory body could include representatives from the professional game and the FA, together with independent non-executives and supporters, in an attempt to move away from the parochial turf wars that have long tended to characterise the debate.
In 2008, the FA chairman, Lord Triesman, caused a deep rift with the Premier League when he warned of the "debt mountains" in English football and the former culture secretary Andy Burnham set football authorities seven questions about the game's future that led to Sutcliffe admonishing the FA for failing to introduce the modest regulatory reforms originally proposed by Lord Burns in 2005.
The Premier League, the Football Association and the Football League all met with Sutcliffe last week and it is understood that all three are working together more smoothly than any time in recent years.
But while the productive working relationship between FA chief executive Ian Watmore and his Premier League counterpart Richard Scudamore has been welcomed by some, others fear it will stop the former taking tough decisions in the wider interests of the game.
Both Sutcliffe and Burnham have advocated giving supporters a greater voice in the running of the game, across all sports. Supporters groups welcomed the latest intervention but cautioned that similar sentiments had in the past resulted in little change to the way the game is run.
"It's great that Gerry is saying that but we now need to will the means as well as the ends. What does that look like? As long as fans have to buy their way onto a board, the odds will always be stacked against them. Clubs are more than just businesses and for that reason alone, we think it should be part of the rules to have a supporter on every board," said Supporters Direct chief executive Dave Boyle.
"We need to see a recognition from the authorities that there are hundreds of thousands of people who are desperately worried about the state of the game. There is a very good business case as well as a moral argument here. In the teeth of a recession, it's a good idea to engage with your customers."
www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/feb/16/football-regulation-government