The FA must put its own house in order if it is to ask for reform of FIFA

Most reasonable people would accept, that almost everything that could be done regarding England’s World Cup bid was done, and that FIFA needs fundamental reform.

However, the Football Association, undermines its case for change in FIFA, by failing to put its own house in order.   If FIFA is to become more transparent and open, then so must the FA too.

For a number of months now - I have argued that the current constitution of the FA is failing English football and fans in general.

In June, I tabled a Commons motion calling for the FA board to resign following the England World Cup debacle.  The Motion called for a democratic revolution, led by the fans, to transform football governance in our country.

The real obstacle to footballing success is the failed managers, failed contracts and the failed payouts — some say that it is up to £50 million or £60 million in recent years — of the Football Association itself.

The organisation enjoys a virtual monopoly over the sport. It is a semi-public body and its activities are of great public concern, so the public must have some means of redress.

The FA board is run like a Byzantine court, with decisions being made like puffs of white smoke appearing from the rooftops. Currently, its board is not democratic, and it is not even bureaucratically accountable to any outside body. There needs to be complete overhaul of the way the FA is run - so that the organisation can become truly accountable to England fans.

Why not have a form of voting rights that would give England supporters the opportunity to have their say on who should be in charge at the FA?   If the FA board can be booted out by the fans, it will start to sit up and listen.

My solution would be the introduction of a paid subscription system — perhaps £50 a year — whereby England fans could exercise voting rights in the FA. This would be similar to a  a co-operative shareholding, but limited to one vote for each person.

It would be in the national interest for England fans to be able to vote for the FA board and chairman and to fire them if they did a bad job. Fans could vote for the board and chairman for a three or four-year term. They would also have the right to decide the level of spending on grass-roots and community football, and to vote on the annual budget report.

It is true that the coalition agreement, refers to reforming football governance and institutions so that co-operative ownership models can be established by supporters. But the FA should be included in those reforms and freed from the iron grip of the premier league.   As a Conservative, my hope is that the FA would adopt those reforms voluntarily.

Just as the people of this country elect the Government, so the fans should have some say in the state of our national game. I want all England fans to be able to say genuinely that ‘we are all in this together’, and for that to be backed up by real community power.

Enough is enough: if England are to win a major tournament - or gain a major tournament - we cannot go on as we are.  To adapt what Abraham Lincoln famously said about democracy, I hope that our Government will lean on the FA and empower our football fans to give this country’s football a new birth of freedom, so that football of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth.

This posting was also published on Conservative Home earlier today.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Time for a democratic revolution at the FA

Some of you will have read my blogpost a few days ago in which I mentioned that I had tabled a Commons Motion calling for the FA to resign following the England World Cup Debacle.

After the FA has spent some £50 million on ten years of "failed managers, failed contracts and failed payout" it is time for a "democratic revolution", led by the fans to transform the organisation

Yesterday I tabled a further Parliamentary Motion calling for a complete overhaul of the way the Football Association is run - one which would make the organisation truly accountable to England fans. No longer can the FA act like a bunch of secret Cardinals at the Vatican with smoke appearing occasionally from the rooftops.

There needs to be a reform of voting rights which would give England supporters the opportunity to have their say over who should be in charge at the FA.

My solution would be the introduction of a subscription system for England fans to exercise voting rights in the FA. It would be in the national interest for England fans to vote for the FA Board and chairman, and to fire them if they do a bad job. Fans would vote for a Board and Chairman for a three or four year term.

Fans should also have a right to decide the spending on grassroots and community football.

Just as the people of this country elect the Government, so the Fans should have some say over the state of our national game. Enough is enough. If England is to succeed, we can't go on as we are.

Click HERE on this weblink to read my Commons Motion.

P.S. My criticism of the Football Association is not new. Last year I spoke out against the way the "flawed organisation" operates after Harlow Town, was docked points for fielding an ineligible player.

At the time I defended the club saying it had been "an innocent mistake" as it had been told by an official that the player was eligible.

The judgement was "stupid" and even then I was calling for a reform of the FA.

I remember saying: "Instead of hammering smaller clubs for minor errors, how about the FA reforming themselves for a change, stop wasting money and ensuring England reaches the finals of the major tournaments".

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Time for the FA Board to Resign NOW

It is time for the FA Board to resign en masse. Sven Goran Eriksson, Steve McClaren and Fabio Capello have all produced nothing but failure. All have been given hugely expensive contracts with little result. Amazingly, Capello's contract was renewed just a few weeks ago, meaning that the FA will have to shell out even more cash if - as expected - he is sacked.
There is no reason for England to fail in this way.

We have great players, playing for some of the best clubs in the world. Yet for too long, the FA Board have made the wrong decisions and judgements at crucial times. There have also been too many shenanigans at FA HQ. For years, England has punched well below its weight, and this World Cup was an unmitigated disaster, with just one 1-0 victory, against Slovenia. There needs to be a footballing revolution at FA HQ, with the fans having much more input into decision making. The FA Board have failed the England national team. The buck stops with them. Its time for them to go.

P.S. I wrote this blog post about the FA last year.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Where do I start? Perhaps with meeting Michael Jackson

I had such a packed day this Friday, that I don't know where to start! I have just come back from meeting Michael Jackson, so I might as well fill you in on how that came about. Well, in truth, it wasn't Mr Jackson's ghost from 'Never Land'. It was actually at an eighties disco, organised by the esteemed and highly successful Langley Rangers Football Club, a Premier Division member of the BISHOP'S STORTFORD, STANSTED & DISTRICT LEAGUE. I was there to present some trophies for the best players over the past year. 'Michael Jackson', was one of the guests at the party, and one of the players!

I was very proud to be asked to present the awards, by Langley Rangers, Director, Gary O' Donnell. A year ago Gary approached me to see if I could help with fundraising, in order that the team could pay for kit and some other materials. With a bit of luck here and a few approaches there, I managed to find some of the funds and the team now have a great kit. Langley Rangers got to the Cup Finals this year which was a tremendous achievement given that they have only been in existence for a few years.

By co-incidence, earlier in the afternoon, I was at a football match at Downs School. It was the Schools Cup-Final between Downs and Tanys Dell primary schools. Both sides played brilliantly, and even though Downs, won 6-2, Tanys Dell, put in a tough performance.

I was asked by David Yeld, Downs Head Teacher, to hand out the Cup & Medals, as well as choose man of the match. It was a tough choice, but it had to go to young Billie, in goal for Downs, who made some remarkable saves. I understand Billy is a Rugby player, so if his Rugby is as good as his footie, he is destined to be a great sportsman.

I really enjoyed the match and it was a real pleasure to give out the medals. It was tough though to see some of the glum young faces of Tanys Dell, having come runners-up. Their feelings were no different to those who lose out at Wembley.

Its been an astonishing couple of days with so many sport related activities - today's duties were just the kind of activities which make being a Prospective MP, so enjoyable - and a privilege too.

P.S. I hope you like the pictures, the dark ones are at the Langley Rangers party at the Maypole Club. Sorry about the quality of the photograph. There is also a picture of me with Gary O'Donnell, presenting him with the cheque, in Broadwalk earlier in the year. There are also two pictures from the Schools Cup-Final, and the pictures are much better. My Nokia N86 - 8 million pixel camera phone, is working a treat!

By Rob Halfon ~ Working hard for Harlow, Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon & Sheering. http//roberthalfon.blogspot.com

An Outrageous Decision by the F.A.

I have always felt that Football Association (F.A.) is a flawed organisation. Look at the millions spent on Sven Goran Eriksson's contract and the failure of Steve McClaren - let alone the shenanigans that went on at F.A. HQ between various senior employees.

My view about the F.A. was confirmed when I read in The Herald that the F.A. is to dock points from Harlow Town F.C. for fielding an ineligible player in their match against Wealdstone earlier in the year.

This was an innocent mistake by the Club, as they had been told by an official that the player was in fact eligible to play. This stupid judgement will cost Harlow F.C. much needed points as the Club is battling hard not to be relegated.

Instead of hammering smaller clubs for minor errors, how about the F.A. reforming themselves for a change, stop wasting money and ensuring that England reaches the finals of the major tournaments?

The picture shows Simon Morgan (Chairman of Harlow F.C),and Eric Pickles (Brentwood and Ongar MP and Tory national Chairman) and myself, on a recent visit to the Club. See HERE & HERE.