By Andrew Warshaw at Westminster
April 26 – UEFA President Michel Platini’s top adviser says the English Football Association is arguably the worst run in Europe – mainly because of the power of the Premier League.
And, warned William Gaillard, the national team will never be as successful as some other nations until and unless it creates a brand new blueprint and employs a technical director to run the educational side of the game.
Addressing a Parliamentary hearing into the governance of English football today, Gaillard said the constant squabbling between the two main bodies was a seriously flawed model.
“There is no doubt that turf wars have damaged English football and the FA is probably in a weaker spot than any other FA in Europe,” said Gaillard.
“Probably the result of the overwhelming power of professional football.
“In other countries the status of the governing body is better protected, there is a more balanced situation.
“In most other countries the professional game has a minority position and is not so overwhelming.
“The FAs tend to rule over all aspects of football.”
Gaillard referred to the disparity between on-the-field success at club level and the lack of a thorough training programme off it.
“English professional football has been enormously successful in producing revenues and building up the game and we have to be grateful to the Premier League and Football League for that,” he said.
“At the same time this has not resulted in a better situation for English football in general and performances of the national team have not been outstanding.
“There are serious deficiencies in football education and development.”
England, he suggested, should employ a technical director to oversee the game from grass-roots level upwards.
“In most other Continental countries, the priority is given to the social and educational role of sport,” he said.
“Within the FA there should be a national technical director fully in charge of football education and grass-roots for the whole country who would delegate out but would remain in command of the overall picture.
“That’s what exists in most other good educational models in Europe.”
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