Please Sir, Can We Have No More

Seldom has English football demonstrated such ignorance. Sir Dave Richards’s comments at a sports conference in Qatar this week resembled that of a dinosaur in a suit. Outdated, out of touch and out of order. The Premier League chairman and FA board member spoke on how FIFA and UEFA “stole” the game from England. He told the Qatar press how England gave the world “the best legacy anyone could give”. And just when it seemed like the waves of embarrassment had finally subsided, good old Sir Dave preached to the Gulf state the need to address the differences in drinking culture between Qatar and England.

The world is in no doubt where the roots of the beautiful game lie. For decades the Football Association had claimed property of the sport that has evolved since appearing in the northern industrial towns and ancient English universities. So tasteless and arrogant comments like those of Dave Richards will do nothing to serve the interests of the English game. Far from helping – more than hindering.  

After a humiliating bid for the 2018 world cup, the FA isolated themselves as Europe’s draconian colonialists with a typically imperial mentality. In reality, there is no god given right for this green and pleasant land to rule the waves, the game or those who govern it. Sepp Blatter is football’s self perpetuating puppet master, but Dave Richards took a step closer to eclipsing the work of FIFA’s current President. Both of whom have tried to “claim” the game as property whilst dragging the integrity and image of the sport through the gutter.

“England gave the world football, then 50 years later some guy came along and said, you’re liars, and they actually stole it. It was called FIFA. 50 years later another gang came along called UEFA and stole a bit more” - Sir Dave Richards

A number of Sir Dave’s comments gave off an ambience of dictatorship and tyranny, almost insisting to Qatar the dos and don’ts of hosting a major football tournament. He was persistent on the issue of temperature controlled stadiums and accused the hosts of “burying their head in the sand” when it came to the issue of alcohol. Since his appointment just over a year ago, FA Chairman David Bernstein has undertaken a rebuilding of relations with footballs governing bodies and its respective nations. There is a real desire in the corridors of Wembley to bring a fresh mentality to the FA. Bridges were being built off the back of England’s disgraced 2018 bid which is why perhaps they were quick to distance themselves from Dave Richard’s remarks.  

And all this on a week which has seen English representation in Europe diminish. Only Chelsea boasts a place in any of football’s European competitions and will take on Portugal’s Benfica in the Quarter-Finals of the Champions League. Their dramatic last 16 victory against Napoli midweek couldn’t be emulated by Manchester City and Manchester United, both of whom failed to overhaul their Europa League first leg deficits against Sporting Lisbon and Athletic Bilbao. City manager Roberto Mancini accepted his side “thought Sporting would be easy” whilst United’s failure to beat 7^th placed La Liga side Bilbao means that the first time in a decade, Sir Alex’s will not take a side to a cup final. The two Manchester Clubs will join Arsenal, Tottenham, Fulham, Stoke and Birmingham City as the English teams to crash out of European competitions.

Video - Athletic Bilbao 2 - 1 Manchester United (5-3 Agg)

England has long played the “bad guy” of world football. The FA’s “old gentleman’s club” was seen as an egotistical playground which showed no regard for the wider football community. European representatives have previously commented on the English arrogance much to the denial of the founders of the game.Like the present England squad, the FA’s image is one of a bright future and working progress but ill-mannered comments from a respected member of English football’s two biggest institutions is the last thing the game needed.