"In the discussions to inform next week’s white paper on football, many stakeholders were attempting to get the government to understand this is much more than a “once a generation” moment. They described it as possibly the only opportunity to properly assess the English game and where it’s going, since nothing like this has ever been done before. It is quite a thought, that illustrates the “enormity” of what this government are taking on. In 160 years of codified English football, there has never been anything like an attempt at a holistic assessment of the sport and what it should look like." [Extract from accompanying article]
I agree with @PragueAddick that selling this to FAPL fans will be difficult, but perhaps the greater danger will come from the lobbying of FAPL Owners & Directors, who unlike the majority of clubs lower in the pyramid will be able to afford professional lobbyists to act on their behalf, both in Parliament and to rally their own fans to their perceived vested interests.
Taken as a whole, the number of fans in the 72 EFL and countless lower league clubs must surely match the number of FAPL fans, but will enough of them take the few minutes necessary to lobby their MP in support of the FLR recommendations? Even with all our recent woes, will all Charlton, Bury, Rochdale, Birmingham & Derby fans take the opportunity to make their voices heard? It will take a massive effort on social media at all levels of the game to overcome the inertia of the many ostriches out there.
@N01R4M, it’s only one person but when I heard Tim’s comments I assumed the Sun had run a piece to order from the lobbyists. Having read it this morning thanks to the link above, I have to concede its not so. It looks like the Sun might be on our side, for now. Yet even so, Tim seems to have been triggered by nothing more than a bit of racy language in there. It’ll be interesting to see how the dialogue with him goes. I’m treating it as qualitative research.
The publication of the UK government's long-awaited white paper proposing reforms to shake up football has been delayed to later this month. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64539586
Comments
(Includes a video of part of the recent HoC debate.)
"In the discussions to inform next week’s white paper on football, many stakeholders were attempting to get the government to understand this is much more than a “once a generation” moment. They described it as possibly the only opportunity to properly assess the English game and where it’s going, since nothing like this has ever been done before. It is quite a thought, that illustrates the “enormity” of what this government are taking on. In 160 years of codified English football, there has never been anything like an attempt at a holistic assessment of the sport and what it should look like." [Extract from accompanying article]
I agree with @PragueAddick that selling this to FAPL fans will be difficult, but perhaps the greater danger will come from the lobbying of FAPL Owners & Directors, who unlike the majority of clubs lower in the pyramid will be able to afford professional lobbyists to act on their behalf, both in Parliament and to rally their own fans to their perceived vested interests.
Taken as a whole, the number of fans in the 72 EFL and countless lower league clubs must surely match the number of FAPL fans, but will enough of them take the few minutes necessary to lobby their MP in support of the FLR recommendations? Even with all our recent woes, will all Charlton, Bury, Rochdale, Birmingham & Derby fans take the opportunity to make their voices heard? It will take a massive effort on social media at all levels of the game to overcome the inertia of the many ostriches out there.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64539586
https://www.petervarney.com/post/independent-regulation-is-a-must