Independent Regulator for Football Needed

[davieG]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54558837
 

 

Former England defender Gary Neville, retired Olympian Denise Lewis and ex-Football Association chairman David Bernstein have combined to call for independent regulation of English football to solve its "crisis".

The trio are part of a group who have issued a manifesto for change called 'Saving Our Beautiful Game'.

It is the latest development in a week in which controversial plans to restructure English football - led by Liverpool and Manchester United - were then rejected at a meeting of the 20 Premier League clubs on Wednesday.

The proposals - dubbed 'Project Big Picture' - to reform the English game came to light on Saturday before Premier League clubs "unanimously agreed" at their meeting that they would not be "endorsed or pursued".

Instead, they agreed to "work together" on a new "strategic plan" for the "financing of English football".

 

However, the manifesto put forward by Neville and other key figures says "football has shown itself incapable of self-reform" and they want an independent regulator to take charge. 

It outlined that "core issues" that need to be dealt with include: 

Financial disparity and unsustainability

A power structure that is fundamentally out of balance

The shortage of BAME coaches and managers at the top level, a general lack of diversity and the "exploitation" of clubs and fans

"If the EPL [English Premier League] is to perform its role as the pinnacle of the domestic game, its responsibilities and financial contribution to the wider game need to be more carefully defined," said the manifesto.

"It also needs to be complemented by an effective and independent body to oversee the financial regulation of the game.

"The FA lacks credibility and has proved to be largely ineffective as a governing body. It has not modernised and is not sufficiently independent."

'Big Picture' to big row - a week in football governance 

'Project Big Picture' was put forward amid clubs trying to deal with the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Its suggestions included reducing the Premier League from 20 to 18 clubs and scrapping the EFL Cup and Community Shield.

In addition, the English Football League would have received 25% of all future TV deals, which would have been negotiated jointly, plus a £250m bailout and the end to controversial parachute payments.

However, it would also have seen more power transferred to the so-called 'big six' Premier League clubs - Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham.

And, while these proposals were rejected, the Premier League did agree on providing £50m for League One and Two clubs.

There was no decision over financial support for the Championship and, consequently on Thursday evening, the EFL turned down the rescue package, which it said "must meet the requirements of all 72 clubs before it can be considered in full".

'Football may come kicking and screaming'

Bernstein led the FA for three years from January 2011 and was also previously chairman of Manchester City.

"It's all very well suddenly talking about strategic plans a day after something else has fallen through," Bernstein said about the Premier League's response to Project Big Picture.

He told BBC Sport's Laura Scott: "It doesn't ring really true to me. I don't believe that football across the board is going to be able to come together sufficiently to do this.

"Football may come kicking and screaming into this, it may well have to be forced on football." 

Neville, who is a part-owner of League Two side Salford City, told Sky Sports: "The principle is that we don't trust that football can govern itself and create the fairest deal for all, whether that's the Premier League, EFL clubs, non-League clubs or the fans.

"It has been proven over this past six months that football has struggled to bring everyone together, and proven to be incapable over a 25-30 year period of transforming the money in the game into something that works for everybody.

"I want the best Premier League in the world, but I want sustainable football clubs." 

How would 'Saving Our Beautiful Game' manifesto help?

"Many professional clubs are close to liquidation," said the manifesto.

"We believe that if our recommendations were enforced then such help would have been easier to arrange within a clear framework for the relationship between the Premier League and the rest of the game. Sadly, no such framework exists.

"Our conclusion is clear and radical. External involvement in the form of a regulator supported by statutory powers is required to reform the way our national game is governed. 

"This is the only realistic way to bring real change, stability and long-term health to professional and grassroots football in this country."

Who is part of the group putting the manifesto forward?

David Bernstein - former FA and Manchester City chairman

Gary Neville - former England and Manchester United defender

Denise Lewis - British former Olympic heptathlon gold medal winner

Andy Burnham - Mayor of Greater Manchester

David Davies - Former FA executive director

Helen Grant - Conservative MP

Lord Mervyn King - former Bank of England governor and ex-Aston Villa director

Greg Scott - Lawyer

[davieG]

If they want to resolve Financial disparity the first place to look at is player wages and agents because it looks to me that’s where most of the money is going. Solve that and you have more than enough ££££s to help all the 92 teams.

[Trav Le Bleu]

3 minutes ago, davieG said:

If they want to resolve Financial disparity the first place to look at is player wages and agents because it looks to me that’s where most of the money is going. Solve that and you have more than enough ££££s to help all the 92 teams.

In one month many footballers earn what I'll earn in my lifetime, and I'm not the worst paid person by a long shot.

 

What's that? They have such short careers?

 

[Vlad the Fox]

The idea of an independent regulator that runs the game whether it’s a modernised fa or other is a good idea If it really is going to work in the interest of the game and clubs as an whole. We as fans see were the problem lies as Davy said above, will they have the balls. This sounds like they’re thinking along the lines of ffp were clubs will be limited to what they spend which will only benefit those who have used that to secure the place at the top. Spread tv money more equally, cap wages, transfer fees and scrap agents and have salaried representatives working for the fa (or whoever the responsibility falls) who will negotiate on behalf of the players would be a start.

Edited 15 October 2020 by Vlad the Fox

[RoboFox]

The game is broken. It's been allowed to totally spiral out of control over the last decade with absurd amounts of money changing hands at the top level.

 

I can't see a way back now if the Premier League wants to maintain its supposed status as "the best league in the world". Reform wage structures, transfer and agent fees and risk losing the best players. This all filters into the rest of Europe too with the increasingly amounts we're seeing Premier League clubs spending on players from overseas, just because they know the money is there.

 

The reforms need to come from FIFA, and we all know that's not going to happen because they're bent, greedy fvcks.

[davieG]

1 hour ago, RoboFox said:

The game is broken. It's been allowed to totally spiral out of control over the last decade with absurd amounts of money changing hands at the top level.

 

I can't see a way back now if the Premier League wants to maintain its supposed status as "the best league in the world". Reform wage structures, transfer and agent fees and risk losing the best players. This all filters into the rest of Europe too with the increasingly amounts we're seeing Premier League clubs spending on players from overseas, just because they know the money is there.

 

The reforms need to come from FIFA, and we all know that's not going to happen because they're bent, greedy fvcks.

I guess it's down to what you wish for.

 

English teams being the best in Europe or a proper competitive EPL and sustainable EFL structure. Not that the 2nd option automatically prevents the 1st option happening.

[Hoopla10]

50 + 1 Rule. This isn't as complicated as people make out. It strikes me it comes down to what we want football in this country to culturally represent. Does it belong to the fans or to corporate entities. And as fans (especially if you support one of the so called "big" clubs) we have to HONESTLY decide how far we're wiling to sell out clubs to corporate entities to hold onto that league dominance. And that is harder than it seems and one of the reasons there's no fan unity when pushing change. Because a LOT of fans are fine with this situation because it locks their league dominance. ManC, Chelsea etc have achieved what they have BECAUSE of a situation that a lot of us see as detrimental to football as a whole in this country. Introduce something like the 50 +1 Rule, drop gate prices, etc, give the game back to the fans and it'll be a cultural shift that we'll value like we do with things like the NHS (when the government isn't *expletive* it).  

[davieG]

35 minutes ago, Hoopla10 said:

50 + 1 Rule. This isn't as complicated as people make out. It strikes me it comes down to what we want football in this country to culturally represent. Does it belong to the fans or to corporate entities. And as fans (especially if you support one of the so called "big" clubs) we have to HONESTLY decide how far we're wiling to sell out clubs to corporate entities to hold onto that league dominance. And that is harder than it seems and one of the reasons there's no fan unity when pushing change. Because a LOT of fans are fine with this situation because it locks their league dominance. ManC, Chelsea etc have achieved what they have BECAUSE of a situation that a lot of us see as detrimental to football as a whole in this country. Introduce something like the 50 +1 Rule, drop gate prices, etc, give the game back to the fans and it'll be a cultural shift that we'll value like we do with things like the NHS (when the government isn't *expletive* it).  

Who in English football would hold the %0+1 Shares?

[davieG]

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11661/12484899/premier-league-clubs-to-speak-out-against-proposal-for-independent-regulator-at-friday-meeting

 

Premier League clubs to speak out against proposal for independent regulator at Friday meeting
Premier League clubs will debate the 47 recommendations from the fan-led review into football; introduction of an independent regulator is the central recommendation of the review which was commissioned in April in the wake of the European Super League storm

By Sky Sports News

Friday 3 December 2021 06:15, UK

The fan-led review made a total of 47 recommendations
 
Premier League clubs' owners and directors will speak out against government-backed proposals for a football regulator and a transfer tax on Friday morning.

The review has made 47 recommendations, including an independent regulator for football as well as a 10 per cent tax on Premier League transfers, but all 20 clubs are expected to be united in their opposition to both of these key areas.

The Premier League's position is that it is open in principle to an independent regulator as long as it operates within existing football structures.

Talk of a transfer tax is particularly controversial because some of the proceeds would go to Championship owners who are richer than their Premier League counterparts.

Crouch: Regulator would have tested Newcastle takeover more

"Would anybody suggest Tesco pay a 10 per cent surcharge on their staff wages or stock and the money goes to Lidl or all the corner shops so they can compete better with Tesco?" one Premier League owner said.

"The Premier League is an enormous worldwide success. Why change it and risk destroying it?"

Premier League owners and executives such as Christian Purslow, Steve Parrish, Karren Brady and Angus Kinnear have since come out in opposition.

 

The Premier League is currently paying £1.2bn to EFL clubs from 2019-22, £647m (52 per cent) of which is in parachute payments.

 

Fan-led review: Key recommendations
The UK government should create a new independent regulator
The independent regulator should oversee financial regulation in football
The independent regulator should establish a new 'fit and proper persons' test to replace the existing system which would also include an 'integrity' test on potential owners and 'real time' financial checks
Fans should be consulted on all key off-field decisions through a 'shadow board'
Equality, diversity and inclusion plans should be mandatory for all clubs
Key items of club heritage should be protected by a 'golden share' for fans
A new corporate governance code should be set up
Women's football should be treated equally and given its own review
Stakeholders should work to increase protection of welfare of players leaving the game
There should be more support from the Premier League to the pyramid through a solidarity transfer levy

 

Clubs feel that recommending a regulator was always the direction of travel once the review was set up.

 

A compromise deal has been discussed whereby a regulator would operate within FA structures instead of being "independent" and indirectly government-appointed.

 

'The game deserves nothing less'
The Our Beautiful Game campaign group, which has the backing of Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville and former FA chairman David Bernstein, released a statement in support of the initial recommendation for an independent regulator.

 

It read: "The football authorities have had multiple opportunities over decades to introduce significant reforms of their own. They failed.

"We note particularly that the football authorities, even while the enquiry was going on, were unable to speak with one unified voice. No wonder so many professional clubs, and indeed last week the EFL itself, have been won round to support the need for an independent regulator.

"We agree with the report when it concludes that neither the government nor parliament should run football.

"Indeed the Crouch Report makes clear that issues such as the running of competitions like the FA Cup, or of the England men's and women's teams at all levels, or VAR, or the delivery of grassroots strategy are not matters for an independent regulator.

Play Video - 'Football fans crying out for independent regulator'

An independent regulator is at the forefront of proposals following a fan-led review into English football, MP Tracey Crouch said

 

"But governance reforms and reviewing ways of distributing and increasing funding from the top of the game to the wider football community most certainly should be. So too should the introduction of a new and comprehensive licensing system for the professional game, and driving progress towards diversity and inclusion for all who want to be involved.

"Today is an important moment in the long history of our national sport.

"The burden of maintaining the momentum for an independent regulator for English football now falls clearly on parliament, and on the government itself. Legislation will be needed to turn the recommendations from today's report into reality.

"The game deserves nothing less."

 

Neville: Regulator must maintain PL standard
Speaking to Sky Sports News last week, Neville and Bernstein both agreed that an independent regulator's No 1 priority should be to "maintain the exceptional standard of the Premier League".

"Reading that report made me feel warm about the opportunity that exists for football to come together and let's not forget that at this moment in time the Premier League has lost control of its own members," Neville said.

Former Manchester United player and Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville has welcomed fan-led proposals to independently regulate the game.
Play Video - Nev: Regulator must maintain PL standard
Gary Neville and former FA chairman David Bernstein support the recommendation for an independent regulator following a fan-led review of English football

"The 14 have got a problem with the six, the six have got a problem with the 14. Project Big Picture and the European Super League divided the Premier League clubs as did the introduction of the Saudi[-backed] ownership [at Newcastle] and the divide over the fit and proper owners' test.

"An independent regulator shouldn't be something that's feared by the Premier League. In fact, the independent regulator's No 1 priority should be to maintain the exceptional standard of the Premier League.

"However, what we do want to see is a fairer game, some stronger financial regulation through the pyramid, a better distribution model whilst maintaining the excellent league that we have."

 

Bernstein added: "There's huge support for this from fans, the wider public, and parliamentarians across the various parties.

"Parliament's having a difficult time at the moment with credibility and whatever, and I think this is a wonderful opportunity for parliament to show it can work in a mature way, a unified way and do something together which is a win-win. It's a win for the government, it's a win for parliament and it's a win for all the parties. I think it will show democracy in a very good form and go down extremely well with the public."

[evil jack]

On 16/10/2020 at 10:11, RoboFox said:

 

The reforms need to come from FIFA, and we all know that's not going to happen because they're bent, greedy fvcks.

They held a full internal investigation and came to the conclusion that they’re totally kosher 

[Zear0]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61211255

 

Sounds like it's happening. Long overdue

[TiffToff88]

6 minutes ago, Zear0 said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61211255

 

Sounds like it's happening. Long overdue

 

Ah yes, who better to regulate a bunch of self serving rich blokes than the current Tory government...

[David Hankey]

I've said it before; if all football clubs had owners similar to those we have here at Leicester City the game would not be in the state it finds itself in.

[davieG]

12 minutes ago, TiffToff88 said:

 

Ah yes, who better to regulate a bunch of self serving rich blokes than the current Tory government...

Well as it's Independent it wont be members of the present government but it probably will be some self serving rich men and women who are buddies of politicians. When they eventually resign from this they'll then become a Sir/Dame or a Lord/Lady

[SemperEadem]

They've bottled the finance redistribution.

[Guest Chocolate Teapot]

1 hour ago, Zear0 said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61211255

 

Sounds like it's happening. Long overdue

Bit late. How are they going to stop Newcastle?

[FoxesAreBlue]

Isn’t this just…. Th FA? Shouldn’t they be reformed and better regulate the finance from the premier league down into the football league and beyond? 

[FLINTHAMFC]

There is no such thing as an independent regulator. Be it a person or a body of people, "they" will be beholden to someone. In this instance that would be the government.

 

A government might I add that vilifies one country invading another after knowingly backing a lie to invade Iraq and murder over a million innocent people. Not to mention the atrocities in Syria and the horrors in The Yemen.

 

You cannot expect football clubs to run a tight ship, live within their means, whilst presiding over eye watering levels of national debt. 

 

Governments are the moral superiors to nobody. You want people to conduct themselves better, set better examples for people to follow. 

 

 

[Guest Sharpe's Fox]

The biggest problem in my view is oligarchs and oil states creating inflation in players wages across the board and parasitic agents feasting on the unsustainable wage spiral as a result, taking them out of control even further. The solution is a player wage cap. If players want wage rises they need the clubs and the leagues to grow sustainably and not as a result of rich scumbags pumping their blood money into football.

 

Edited 25 April 2022 by Sharpe's Fox

[SMX11]

31 minutes ago, FLINTHAMFC said:

There is no such thing as an independent regulator. Be it a person or a body of people, "they" will be beholden to someone. In this instance that would be the government.

 

A government might I add that vilifies one country invading another after knowingly backing a lie to invade Iraq and murder over a million innocent people. Not to mention the atrocities in Syria and the horrors in The Yemen.

 

You cannot expect football clubs to run a tight ship, live within their means, whilst presiding over eye watering levels of national debt. 

 

Governments are the moral superiors to nobody. You want people to conduct themselves better, set better examples for people to follow. 

 

 

Don't forget the mission creep, regulators ruin everything eventually. 

[davieG]

2 hours ago, FoxesAreBlue said:

Isn’t this just…. Th FA? Shouldn’t they be reformed and better regulate the finance from the premier league down into the football league and beyond? 

 The FA have little or no influence on professional football The PL's finances practically destroy any chance of the paupers at the FA changing them. Then you have UEFA and FIFA controlling everything else and they are as bad if not worse than the PL.

 

The PL is a separate entity with it's own rules and controls.

[Webbo]

The most terrifying sentence in the English language, "I'm from the govt, I'm here to help.'

[Daggers]

[Fox in the North]

Id encourage you all to read the review, the point of the independent regulator would mean that it’s just that, independent.

 

Not the government, as believe it or not, they know they’d cock it up too.

 

The current system has to change, just look at how football is doing by regulating itself. The owners are their own regulators and of course it means that everything is done for greed. 
 

An independent regulator won’t solve everything, sometimes it will get it wrong but it will help a damn site more than what we’ve got now. 

 

[Fox in the North]

1 hour ago, davieG said:

 The FA have little or no influence on professional football The PL's finances practically destroy any chance of the paupers at the FA changing them. Then you have UEFA and FIFA controlling everything else and they are as bad if not worse than the PL.

 

The PL is a separate entity with it's own rules and controls.

And its board is formed from the clubs, just a self serving mess that leads to crap that fans don’t like.