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By David Owen
December 15 – The timetable for appointing a new Chairman of the English Football Association appears likely to slip, insideworldfootball has learnt.
As reported by this website last month, a nominations committee was expected to put a name to the FA board on December 22.
The board was then to decide whether to take this name to Council for ratification in January.
At the time, however, it was widely expected that acting chairman Roger Burden would take on the role on a permanent basis.
Matters have since been complicated by Burden’s decision to withdraw his candidacy in the wake of England’s failure to land the 2018 World Cup.
Any delay to the original timetable would suggest either that efforts are being made to identify a strong alternative candidate to David Dein, England 2018’s international bid President, who is widely viewed as the new front-runner, or that Dein has decided against throwing his hat into the ring.
Another potentially strong candidate – London 2012 deputy chairman Sir Keith Mills – this week ruled out any chance of becoming the new FA chairman, citing other pressing commitments.
The process comes with English football facing a period of intense external scrutiny from MPs and others in the wake of its recent failures.
The Culture Media and Sport Select Committee last week launched an inquiry into the governance of professional football clubs.
This is certain to be watched very closely by the Coalition Government, which is committed to tabling its own proposals for improving governance in sport next May.
Some observers believe that the structure of the FA’s board, which is dominated by representatives of the professional and grass-roots games and includes few independent voices, may deter some potential candidates for chairman from putting their names forward.
It is unclear whether, if no name is put to the board next week, there could still be enough time for a successful candidate to emerge before the January Council meeting.
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