The discussion below about the behaviour of the Spanish FA around their women's team's triumph made me think about what a recurring theme it is that the administrators who wield power in the sport so often turn out to be complacent mediocrities at best and corrupt parasites at worst. Just off the top of my head:
- In England we've seen the FA and PL stand by as historic clubs are acquired by hedge funds as investments to flip or by seedy authoritarian oligarchs as trophy assets, while other great historic community-based clubs are pushed to the brink of oblivion as the wealth generated by our national sporting passion is increasingly hoarded by a few brands at the top of the pyramid.
- Many national football associations resemble an old boys' club that are insular, hostile to innovation, and instinctively dig in when facing criticism. Look at how the Spanish authorities - and UEFA, and Fifa - have reacted to incidents of racism within their competitions. Look at how these administrators fail to support the women's game or actively hold it back, but prance smugle in the limelight when some glory comes about in spite of them. Remember the platitudes about the women's game coming from the mouths of people at the top of the tree, who then didn't bother to attend the World Cup.
- So many useless officials exploit their administrative positions to preen in their blazers, while enjoying the expense accounts and gratuities, if not skimming funds into their private accounts (as exposed on a large scale through the Fifa racketeering cases).
- So many club owners who have no interest in custodianship of their club as an institution or a community. Of course the Glazers spring to mind as owners who are particularly incurious about their asset other than as a commercial vehicle, and particularly contemptuous toward its 'legacy fans'. But I'd say there are few owners who look great from this point of view, even those who run their clubs competently from a sporting point of view.
As I posted a few months ago, at the very opposite end of the football pyramid, I'm managing my sons' youth team. It has served me a reminder of what most of us loved about football in the first place. The sheer happiness of playing the game. But also the way it generates a social structure. A lad has joined our team over the summer: he has just arrived in the UK from Zimbabwe, painfully shy, no friends yet. I'm fairly sure that joining our team, and feeling the respect and welcome of the other players is going to be the single best thing that happens to him in his first year in a strange country.
It reminds me that football, even on the microcosmic level, can be a powerful and positive force. Back at the top tiers of the pyramid, I think it still relies on being rooted in community. And as the cynics and parasites hollow out that foundation, more and more of us feel disillusioned, still following our teams, but perhaps more and more through a kind of muscle memory than fuelled by what made us love the game, the club, in the first place. Perhaps eventually it will tell. Perhaps a lot of us will drift quietly away eventually.
In the meantime, we've been reminded again this week that the community of fans does have agency in the face of cynical owners. We'll never have a perfect world, but I think we can envisage a better one. I'd like us to hold clubs to account when they neglect their responsibilities as custodians of great institutions. And to push administrators and legislators for the structures and regulations that have worked in other countries (Germany?) to bring about a healthier balance between the commercial dimension of the sport and its community bonds and societal obligations.
The useless custodians of football
posted on 25/8/23
comment by Wahl Icht Roma (U22997)
posted 7 minutes ago
Is there a tldr for this?
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Football authorities are mainly dlcks but the spirit of the game lives on at a local level.
posted on 25/8/23
ChatGPT writes some great articles these days...
posted on 25/8/23
As we speak, Rubiales has announced he is not stepping down and is giving Vilda a 4-year contract worth 500K/year.
posted on 25/8/23
Wait until Zimbabwe boy finds out the coaches sons win poty every year or he gets held back in his development because the coach wants him to help his team win every week.
Not all boys clubs are the same.
posted on 25/8/23
comment by Silver (U6112)
posted 22 minutes ago
Wait until Zimbabwe boy finds out the coaches sons win poty every year or he gets held back in his development because the coach wants him to help his team win every week.
Not all boys clubs are the same.
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There are definitely some quite ruthless clubs around. We know some in our league that aggressively poach the best players from other teams. By contrast, we've sometimes turned away players who could improve our team because it would mean displacing a player who has been part of our group for years. I think there's more satisfaction in working with a bunch of kids and helping them to develop as footballers while being part of a group with strong bonds than trading up at every opportunity.
Actually, one of my twin sons would be the obvious choice to be team captain but I feel like I can't appoint him because it would look like the classic 'manager's son' thing.
posted on 25/8/23
comment by Wahl Icht Roma (U22997)
posted 53 minutes ago
Is there a tldr for this?
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It's fine, Wahl. Don't read. It's not for you. It's too long.
posted on 25/8/23
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by Silver (U6112)
posted 22 minutes ago
Wait until Zimbabwe boy finds out the coaches sons win poty every year or he gets held back in his development because the coach wants him to help his team win every week.
Not all boys clubs are the same.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
There are definitely some quite ruthless clubs around. We know some in our league that aggressively poach the best players from other teams. By contrast, we've sometimes turned away players who could improve our team because it would mean displacing a player who has been part of our group for years. I think there's more satisfaction in working with a bunch of kids and helping them to develop as footballers while being part of a group with strong bonds than trading up at every opportunity.
Actually, one of my twin sons would be the obvious choice to be team captain but I feel like I can't appoint him because it would look like the classic 'manager's son' thing.
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I bet your son never get's Coach's POTS!
posted on 25/8/23
comment by Barefoot (U19770)
posted 41 seconds ago
I bet your son never get's Coach's POTS!
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We've never done individual awards. Everyone gets a medal. Inclusive AF. We're aiming to win the world cup of wokeness.
posted on 25/8/23
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by Barefoot (U19770)
posted 41 seconds ago
I bet your son never get's Coach's POTS!
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We've never done individual awards. Everyone gets a medal. Inclusive AF. We're aiming to win the world cup of wokeness.
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I love doing the awards. My son or daughter have never won a thing from me. mainly because they're not good enough
posted on 25/8/23
comment by Jose Mauricio (U6489)
posted 59 minutes ago
comment by Wahl Icht Roma (U22997)
posted 7 minutes ago
Is there a tldr for this?
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Football authorities are mainly dlcks but the spirit of the game lives on at a local level.
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