The FA: (Not) Laying Down The Law

The whole sorry mess that has surrounded the Carlos Tevez has once again shown just how badly managed and organized the Football Association really is.


The FA should have questioned the legality of the player when he first arrived at the West Ham. His registration as a premiership player by the FA was just the start of what has become a lengthy and totally nonsensical saga.

Even when the FA had the chance to make some amends for this later during last season, they once again managed to make a complete hash of instilling discipline in the game by electing not to deduct West Ham points or suspending the player.

Subsequently Tevez helped West Ham Stay in the premiership at the expensive of teams who had conducted their affairs legally and above board.

When Sheffield United challenged this decision, themselves losing their premiership place in part die to this, they were treated with an almost 'sour grapes' approach by both the FA and later the appeal committee.


It has now taken the actions of Tevez's agent, Kia Joorabchian to bring the full fiasco out in the open with a high court hearing set for August.

But is it really any surprise to the majority of football supporters in this country that the FA once again took the easy route, and effectively bottled out of making a proper ruling body decision.


It’s not the first time this has happened. When Sven Goran Ericksson was the subject of the News of the World 'Fake Sheikh' story not once did the FA leap to his defensive. This would have been a perfect opportunity to show the football journalists of this country that they don’t have some special dispensation in the game. They could and should have charged the News of the world with entrapment of one its employees. But they did absolutely nothing.


Sven’s comments at the time about corruption amongst managers in the premiership should have forced an immediate enquiry by the FA, but this had to wait until the BBC’s Panorama programme of managers receiving bungs was aired. Even then when the report was finally published it said very little.

It has now taken raids at various football clubs by the police to pursue any further action.


Isn’t it about time that the ruling body of English Football actually carried some clout and stood for something? instead of just sticking up for the richest chairmen in the game.