SunSport calls on Premier League to save grass-roots game and for our readers to join campaign
Council cuts mean local parks are mudbaths, facilities are shambolic and the few all-weather pitches we have are booked up all year round
THE dream is to follow in the footsteps of Harry Kane or Steph Houghton.
But English schoolkids are up against it when it comes to developing their skills.
Council cuts mean local parks are mudbaths, facilities are shambolic and the few all-weather pitches we have are booked up all year round.
Meanwhile, the Premier League has just signed yet another mega-money TV deal as the bucketloads of cash keep rolling in.
But today SunSport is saying enough is enough.
We are calling on the Premier League to save our grass-roots game and we want our army of readers to join the fight.
An online petition is demanding Government intervention.
It wants the Premier League to reinvest just FIVE per cent of TV money — the latest domestic deal thrashed out this week is worth £4.4BILLION plus billions more in international rights — into grass-roots football.
SUNSPORT’S 5-POINT PLAN
1. MORE 3G AND 4G PITCHES: Artificial surfaces available for year-round use and throughout day and evening.
2. IMPROVE PITCH QUALITY: Better drainage and upkeep, with councils not having to look for cheapest options.
3. BETTER FACILITIES: Many changing rooms are barely primitive, let alone modern. Spend money on plumbing but also increase access to indoor facilities in schools.
4. MAKE COACHING MORE AFFORDABLE: Subsidised coaching courses to ensure more kids are taught how to play the game.
5. HELP REFEREES: Cash for mentors to keep younger refs in the game. Plus more severe punishment at all levels for managers and players who abuse officials.
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Those kickabouts with friends, jumpers for goalposts and games of three-and-in, are part of the fabric of our game.
It is time to save the sport, to preserve those precious games of street football and take them into safer, cleaner, better environments.
We can only do that if there are enough pitches for kids to play on. We need more investment, more pitches and even more commitment.
Premier League clubs — some paying their superstars salaries of more than £300,000 a week — are respected the world over.
They will get even more kudos if they can save the English game at junior level.
Former FA chairman Greg Dyke promised more than 1,000 all-weather “3G” pitches would be built in England by 2020.
World champions Germany have 3,735+ 3G facilities. Their international success is linked to that willingness to invest in grass roots.
More than 25,000 have signed the petition — if SunSport readers can boost that to 100,000 it will be considered for debate in Parliament.
There is existing funding, with the top flight allocating £100m to community, schools, good causes and facilities. They also pay £100m in solidarity payments to the 72 Football League clubs each season.
A Premier League spokesman said: “The scale of Premier League support and investment in the wider game, and in communities, schools and local facilities is unprecedented in professional sport.
“The financial value of this investment has been, and continues to be, greater than five per cent of the League’s turnover each season.
“We recently launched Premier League Primary Stars to support the delivery of English, maths and sport in thousands of primary schools.
“And our clubs run everything from football sessions for local children to national programmes to encourage more girls to play sport.
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“In terms of community facilities, the Premier League has invested in 702 new artificial grass pitches across the country, and the improvement of hundreds of grass pitches and changing rooms.”
It is honourable but even the Premier League itself accepts it can do more.
The soul of the sport is on park pitches, where tomorrow’s stars need somewhere to hone their skills before the pro clubs take them on.
The country is crying out for more places to play whatever the weather.
We have to create opportunities, give kids a chance of recreating their favourite Premier League moments.
Without them, we will lose grass roots from the game.