Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger tells Government to stay out of football over FA reform
Five former FA bigwigs have urged reform – even though it could mean England being kicked out of the World Cup as FIFA forbids political interference
ARSENE WENGER has told the British Government to stay out of football – and insists there is no problem in this country.
Five former FA bigwigs have written to Westminster urging reform – even though it could mean England being kicked out of the World Cup.
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FIFA forbids political interference in the running of federations.
Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee chairman Damian Collins wants a House of Commons vote of no confidence in the structure of English football’s governing body.
Three former FA chairmen. Lord Triesman, David Bernstein and Greg Dyke, plus ex-chief executives David Davies and Alex Horne, have penned a letter to the Government.
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Yet Arsenal boss Wenger said: “My reaction is that football and politics should not deal together.
Football is a very special activity that should be ruled by football people. Our target is to be adult enough to rule our own activity.
“When you look at the history, when sport was linked with politics, it was not always for the benefit of sport.”
Wenger reckons English football is in good shape.
He added: “I don’t really know what their frustration is. Football is a sport that has values. I’ve worked in sport for many years and what we all want is that the values of our sport are respected.
“I’m not involved in how to manage a federation on a daily basis. I don’t know how difficult it is.
Apart from the fact that England has not won the World Cup or the European Championship, I don’t see that there is a crisis in this country.”