By J Hutcherson - WASHINGTON, DC (Feb 9, 2011) US Soccer Players -- Shocked looks all around, but the Premier League leadership didn't hang its collective head in shame when accused of self-interest by the former head of the Football Association. That interaction came during Tuesday's meeting of the British Government's Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport, hearing testimony from David Triesman.
Triesman described a culture where the Premier League has no time for what they deem as 'interference' from the Football Association, even if the FA is the sanctioning body for the Premier League. As Triesman tells the story, the Premier League asserts pressure on other members of the Football Association's board to stop the FA from reforming English soccer.
Of course, the Premier League sees it differently. In their version, they're blocking an intrusive FA overreaching by trying to impose regulations on the professional game. For the Premier League, that's not the FA governing, it's the FA interfering. What we currently have with English soccer is the Premier League winning the day.
What that means for English soccer is an interesting set of questions. As always, there's more at play than just the latest episode in a battle between the FA and the Premier League over authority.
Today is an international matchday, coming just days after FIFA used their international calendar to deflect the debate over a Winter World Cup in 2022. Few clubs are happy with the international calendar in theory, and fewer still support it in practice.
Europe's club lobbying group has raised the issue of the Summer of 2012 over a year early, wondering aloud why players will be expected to participate in Euro 2012 as well as the Summer Olympics. For them, it's simple. One Summer tournament per player.
UEFA's financial regulations are on the minds of a lot of people running European leagues and clubs. Yesterday, the Premier League indicated that the full financial regulations wouldn't work for their league and would be adjusted accordingly. Namely, the Premier League has no problem with rich owners pouring money into a club. How much 'adjustment' UEFA will allow remains a very good question.
Into this steps the Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport's debate on questions concerning the governance and future of English soccer. What should be clear is all of these debates are about the same thing. Who has control over what: FIFA from global to Confederation to domestic level or the professional clubs? Both sides would prefer to be able to do what they want without interference from the other, and both seem more than willing to press their point in pursuit of that future.
Comments, questions, solutions to problems that have yet to present themselves. Please, tell me all about it.
