Having
spent the last 4 months digging numerous holes for themselves, the football
community just needs to stop and listen for a moment, reflect carefully and
then develop a constructive way forward.
Just when you thought that a little
light might have been switched on - as Ched Evans, encouraged by the
Professional Footballers’ Association, offered the first hint of an apology -
they both managed to switch it off again as Evans stupidly described Oldham’s
rejection decision as being the result of ‘mob rule’ and Gordon Taylor
then made unfortunate comparisons with Hillsborough, for which he has sensibly
now apologised.
David Conn’s article in the Guardian
on Friday 9th was a welcome breath of fresh air in a debate which
has been characterised by an awful lot of hot air.
It has also been characterised by
large sections of the football establishment displaying sheer bewilderment with
having to contemplate that there might be a different view from their
own. They seem outraged that a small group who had a different
perspective turned out to have broad support. Why are they so out of touch with
the feelings of most fans, let alone most people?
One might argue that it is all the
money and the desire for success at all costs that has turned heads,
although it is clear that the football insiders, who have been the most attuned
to public opinion, have been the sponsors who have threatened to withdraw their
support.
Of course, there have been individual
players, managers and directors who have been trying to bring a little realism,
often behind the scenes. Others – like former professional footballer Rick
Holden who played 189 games for Oldham – have been prepared to go public
with their reservations and concerns. His measured words on the World at One
about the need for contrition and remorse , and about how it was difficult to
properly deal with these issues while an appeal was pending, made admirable
commonsense.
It’s time to take stock.
For Ched Evans, he must now realise that
the prospect of him being re-signed by a professional club in the UK in the
near future is unlikely. The conditions of his sentence mean that professional
football overseas is also off the agenda. His limited apology was a start, but
4 months late.
For league club boards, you would
think they have all now learned the lessons from Sheffield Utd and Oldham. It
will be a long time before both sets of directors and their advisers will be
able to regain their reputations.
But, perhaps, it is the failure of the
key stakeholders to grab hold of the issues that is the most concerning.
The Football Association has done, and
is doing, some excellent work with its anti-homophobia and race equality agenda
and programmes, but has shown little willingness to pick up this baton in a
committed fashion. Greg Dyke now says
“……….there is no
basis for us to intervene directly in this particular case. That said, it is
important that we continue to look at the issue of behaviour and attitudes
within football, and recognise the unique privileges and responsibilities that
come with being a participating member of the national game.
"I would
encourage the game to consider and discuss this matter and the prospect for
future guidelines or codes of conduct. The FA will certainly be considering it
in line with our own ongoing review of what constitutes public or private
communications and behaviour."
The Football League has been generally
conspicuous by its absence. When it has spoken, it has lacked urgency and
scope. In November, it said that
“The Board of
The Football League considered the implications for football's reputation of
club's employing players following their release from prison. The Board
has asked its Independent Directors to consider the matter further before
reporting back to the Board at a future meeting and then our clubs at an
appropriate point.”
The Premier League has kept its head
down, presumably on the grounds that no-one felt that Evans would become a
Premier League player, unless Harry Rednapp’s or Steve Bruce’s unhelpful
interventions this week suggest otherwise?
The PFA, which is usually in the
driving seat for progressive change, has represented itself as a simple trade
union, rather than a professional body with the wider interests of its
membership at stake. Encouraging this particular union member to understand the
need to relate to the widespread public concern appears to have come rather
late in the day.
As for the Minister for
Sport, Patrick Collins in his Daily Mail column got it spot on when he
wrote “She might have been expected to lead this particular debate.
And yet she had nothing to say.” One can imagine some previous sports
ministers would have taken the initiative when they saw the vacuum.
This simply is not good enough. Heads
need to be taken out of the sand, and quickly.
So, having castigated everyone, am I
just being too optimistic by proposing a way forward and thinking that others
might listen? There are after all many in the FA , PFA and other key bodies who
have got track records of taking on and resolving such issues.
The FA should take the lead and pull
together a Commission involving all the stakeholders, which is charged with
delivering clear recommendations and programmes for:
·
the advice and support for young players about the changes that will happen in
their lives, what lots of money & adulation will do, if they become
professional footballers
·
the standards of behaviour and conduct that are expected of professional
players
·
the necessary preparation for players who don’t make the grade or get injured
·
understanding relationships with colleagues, fans, management, the media, and a
real understanding of the equalities agenda
·
guidance to be followed by all clubs in the management of offenders and the
particular responses and sanctions that are expected for particular types of
offence.
Meanwhile, Ched Evans should reconcile
himself to not playing professional football this season. He must learn from
others about demonstrating regret and remorse and, almost certainly, get
himself some new advisers who will not hold back in telling him how far he has
to travel if he hopes to resurrect his career. If he learns and acts quickly,
there may still be a chance.
