Scottish Parliament Asks For Supporters Help
A week after the first details of the Burns Review into the structure of the Football Association were revealed, the Enterprise and Culture Committee of the Scottish Parliament has launched a consultation into the future shape of Scottish football.A week after the first details of the Burns Review into the structure of the Football Association were revealed, the Enterprise and Culture Committee of the Scottish Parliament has launched a consultation into the future shape of Scottish football.
As is the case south of the border, MSPs are calling on supporters to offer their advice and assistance.
The consultation has been explained by Rob Robertson in today’s edition of The Herald:
Having so many different organisations running Scottish football is having a detrimental effect, a major Scottish Parliament report revealed last night.
The cross-party enterprise and culture committee is to investigate whether the nine groups which currently run the sport should be replaced with one. However, they suggested changes in the “internal structures and the nature of leadership positions” within the SFA are needed if it is to act as the single governing body.
Ordinary fans will be asked how they believe the game can be improved in a consultation exercise over the next month, utilising club programmes, websites and fanzines. It will be the first time supporters have played a part in a decision-making project which could lead to changes in the game.
The committee have drawn up 25 points to be addressed, including whether the distribution of broadcasting funds should be reviewed and if the SFA should be made more accountable in the light of the public money now being pumped into the sport.
At present nine groups, including the SFA, SPL and the SFL, run the game but there is a growing feeling that the system has to be streamlined.
Richard Baker MSP, who compiled the interim report, said that those who had already contributed to the debate, which included representatives of youth football, a leading SPL club and officials from the first and third divisions, believed the present structure was too unwieldy.
“From the committee’s consultation so far it is clear that the status quo is not the best possible option for the structure of Scottish football,” wrote Baker in his report to the committee. “There is a need for a stronger national governing body fulfilling a wider leadership and directional role.
“Most of the bodies or individuals who expressed this view did so from the rationale that currently there are too many bodies competing for control of different aspects of Scottish football and that this is counter-productive.”
National team coach, Walter Smith, and David Taylor, SFA chief executive, have given private evidence to senior politicians but their views have not been made public.
Alex Neil, convener of the enterprise and culture committee, said: “We want to hear supporters’ views up until May 23 when we will start compiling the report which we hope to present to the Executive in June. They have to respond within eight weeks so will have to take its findings seriously.
“Public money is going into football and our report is fully merited. We hope we can provide a national consensus about what needs to be done to improve the game.”
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