Column

In Light of Recent Events

If you allow, create and foster inequity and discrepancy in the application of and access to resources and opportunities in the systems, processes, structures and people in your organisation. You can hardly be surprised if inequity and discrepancy then manifests itself in those same systems, processes, structures and people. Indeed it would be akin to a miracle if they did not.

The F.A. and the English Premier League is currently almost a mirror of the above statement. From decision-making bodies to the distribution of monies, some are more equal than others. It isn?t hidden, it?s no secret. We have what is sold as a form of meritocracy, were the successful get rewarded with the resources to be more successful.

This might be all well and good, however as the original statement implies, it would be extremely naive to think that this increased wealth was only that.. an increase in wealth. Systems, processes, structures and people are all influenced by money... are they not ?... isn?t that the point of having it?

Sadly, conspiracy or not what we have witnessed with an alarmingly greater frequency is a manifestation of these inequities . This is what you might expect as the size of the inequities increase. It?s going to get worse if current thinking and behaviour continue.

In the specific case of the EPL/Uefa club football, until very recently, the major structural default was that four clubs had an opportunity to avail themselves to the resources offered, in the main by tv revenues, via the ?champions? league. This was a ?lifestyle? changing amount of wealth and exposure for those successful club brands. A resource to be cherished, fought for and protected.

Despite the ameliorating effects of the new EPL tv deal. the increasingly global marketplace means such exposure remains a glittering prize.

The major question then appears to be is this inequity a good or bad thing and for whom ? From Football in general as a sport in England, Britain and Europe. The large club to the pub team. The fan to the administrator. Who benefits and how ?

The current regime appears to be (in my case) terrifyingly similar to tory political doctrine. with trickle down theories mixed in with the merit ones mentioned earlier.

Ironically the sport administration which offers us possible solutions resides in the USA. American football appears to have identified the benefits of an equal playing field in all aspects of the running of the sport from team recruitment to on field adjudication the aim is for a fairness accuracy equity all ensuring a truly competitive sport one which the fans have faith in and are excited by. I refer specifically to the chances of one team beating another over a number of seasons here, I know some will feel that american football of itself is not particularly exciting. Its probably also worth pointing out that I don?t believe American football is perfect by any means.. this should not be a distraction to the main point.

Just a tiny few of but specific examples of benefits would be..

1) Greater use of technology (would Clattenburg have denied the penalty for Lescott having had the chance to watch it again?) Along with the rest of the interested world.

2) More adjudicators/greater powers. It?s about time the assistant referees lived up to their names.

3) Ability to recruit. By far the most difficult to solve. Salary caps, Youth investment and quotas etc have all been used successfully in Rugby League and other sports.

The fundamental issue once we agree that inequity exists is how much inequity do we believe is acceptable or even good for our sport and whether we should be trying to optimise our resources and systems to create a truly competitive sport where each team has an equal opportunity for success which will be based on its abilities as athletes and athletic stratagems as opposed to its ability to raise and maintain revenues and influence.

We currently have by design, conspiracy or otherwise a bent system, a sick puppy. Perhaps the chosen few have a plan which only includes themselves. Perhaps they are happy with winning every year to the exclusion of the excluded .

I have hope however this is clearly unsustainable in its present state. Platini and Blatter and Uefa are all making noises to this end . The battle has already started between the haves and the administrators.

Perhaps its time for the clubs like Everton to lead the way and be more vocal and public in its hopes and aspirations for football (please god lets hope its not a ?me too? philosophy) . Perhaps the time is coming for fans to say enough is enough . Before you ruin our sport and we watch administrators and referees win games ( we?re already there!).

We want to watch truly competitive fairly refereed games so we can go back to pub, schoolyard knockabout aggressive banter and loathing with at least the semblance of the thought that things will ?even themselves out over the season? because currently we know they will not.

Reader Comments

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer