Steve Lambert

Editor (Sport)

Ex-England Captain Rio Ferdinand and current England manager Roy Hodgson have joined the Football Association Commission in an attempt to improve the current squad that is looking forward to the World Cup finals next year in Brazil. Hodgson, who has a wealth of managerial experience, will provide a valuable asset in the attempt to improve the national squad to a level where they could become a genuine challenger for the European and International trophies. Ferdinand, who was a vital member of the both the Manchester United and England squad for the past decade, will be the first member on the panel who is not white on the 10-men panel.

The catalyst for such integration came from Heather Rabbatts, the only female member on the board, who argued that ethnic and gender differences within the country were not being represented by the board that was dominated by white males. The commission, which is headed by FA chairman Greg Dyke, will also include input from other influential members from the sport such as FA vice-chairman Roger Burden, Football League chairman Greg Clarke, Former England manager Glenn Hoddle, League Managers’ Association chairman Howard Wilkinson, Ex-England defender Danny Mills, PFA chairman Ritchie Humphreys and Crewe director of football Dario Gradi.

Dyke took on Rabbatts criticism, claiming that Ferdinand’s current position in the Manchester United squad meant that he was unsure as to whether he would be available for the position, and in the case of Hodgson he wanted to wait for Hodgson to complete the qualifying campaign with England before he asked him the important question. The Commission will be looking to improve the squad in long-term with no certainty that the team will win anything for a few years. The ultimate goal is to win the 2022 tournament in Qatar, which has met its own criticism recently due to plans to move the tournament to winter and leaks that have noted slave labour being used on the project to build the stadiums, hotels and for other constructions.

For Dyke and the rest of the Commission, they wish to better integrate England youth players into the Premier League in an attempt to improve the national team. The high amount of foreign stars in the league has, in his view, adversely affected the national squad, as shown by the fact that England’s best World Cup performance in more than 20 years is the semi-final finish in 1990. If they can make the England squad primarily full of Premier League first timers they could quite easily rival more successful teams such as Germany and Spain, whose national leagues comprise much more of national talent.

Image Courtesy: Mick Baker (http://www.flickr.com/photos/36593372@N04/8565768333/sizes/c/in/photostream/)

Steve Lambert