The prospect of watching the world’s greatest players on home soil at the 2030 World Cup, with the announcement of a joint bid by British and Irish FAs, is tempered by the realisation that it would provide flag waving political types of various colours more opportunities to distract attention from their day jobs.
The English FA bid for the 2018 tournament but the UK government was insufficiently corrupt at the time to garner enough support from the Fifa executive. A great deal of work has since gone into upgrading politicians corruption status across the UK, so the Scottish, English, Welsh, Irish and N. Irish FAs will be hopeful their governments can cut it with the best Banana Republics out there.
Perhaps harsh but not without foundation.
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GGH, correct Kenny was DoF and picked Barnes as manager, they then brought in a parcel of scheidt. So why the clamour for a DoF tae pick who the manager is.
MAJESTIC HARTSON on 2ND MARCH 2021 2:35 PM
Everton had a DoF in Michael Brands. They appointed Marco Silva as manager and the club ended up flirting with relegation. Recruitment was highly criticized and tens of millions were wasted on poor signings as Everton fans started to question the role of Brands.
Ancelotti has obviously come in, improved the team and gets the plaudits so the managerial appointment still has to be spot-on.
Coincidentally enough, Ancelotti said yesterday that Decoure was a Brands signing and not an Ancelotti signing.
TONTINE TIM on 2ND MARCH 2021 2:48 PM
Because that’s how most big clubs operate these days.
An argument against not having one would be Sunderland. A manager comes in, signs a load of players, the team underperforms and the manager gets sacked.
The new manager comes in, doesn’t fancy the players signed under the last manager, and signs a load of his own, the team underperforms, and the manager gets sacked.
This gets repeated three or four times until you have a club no closer to success on the pitch, a bloated squad of underperforming players that can’t be sold and the club hemorrhages money.
With a DoF, the theory is that each managerial appointment and every player signed will fit a certain style that captures the ethos and identity of the club. When a manager leaves or is sacked, the transition is smooth and there won’t be as much upheaval in the playing staff.
Of course, this is only theory and doesn’t always work. As you said, the Dalglish/Barnes fiasco left our fingers burnt but it could be argued that the real mistake was making Dalglish DoF.
Get a good DoF and the rest should follow.
I don’t recall MON signing many duds.
Sutton , Hartson,Valgharen, Lennon ,Thomson .
He never seemed to nail the goalkeeping position.
But his decisions seemed to have a much higher success rate , and he unearthed a few gems.
Balde and Agathe.
Even his loan signings did well .
Sanchez Broto, Varga,Vega,Bellamy.
He also improved Macnamara and Petrov.
Martin O’Neill would be my choice for DOF.
Knows the club , Scottish Football .
Has great experience of international football.
CL .EPL etc .
He would be an outstanding candidate .
Totally agree with the header, the main complaint of team Beckham/Prince William seemed to be that someone else offered better “inducements”.
As a result the football world sleepwalks into one of the greatest scandals of our age. One day we’ll look back on this time and wonder how we marched in protest of 200 year old slavery, meanwhile managing to not just ignore its present day manifestation, but gleefully take part in a maniacal celebration of its works.
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/feb/23/revealed-migrant-worker-deaths-qatar-fifa-world-cup-2022
GGH,
Dalglish and Barnes – you’re right Dalglish was the DoF.
Like Levein, who TinyTim mentioned above, he took over as manager when things weren’t working out.
Not the sort of DoF I’d be looking for.
Qatar getting the world cup was the biggest disgrace for FIFA. I suspect Moscow was also corrupt. Some of the biggest hitters in football including Blatter the FIFA president have been found guilty of corruption. I feel that FIFA is lost to these people, the corruption you refer to is fair comment.
i also feel that this current UK government is the most corrupt we had. The “chumocracy” is in full flow with Government contracts handed out to firms with little or no experience and the appointment of Consultants at 6K per day all without tender. This is only the tip of the iceberg
Middle East corruption is rife with British based Companies offering bribes to get access to contracts they want. post colonial ex Empire had corruption built into the system.
However, like votes in Eurovision post Brexit UK has few friends in Europe and the rest of the world and will never attract enough support
He also gave Maloney and I think McGeady their debuts.
TT
Thanks GeeBee,
Good info and description to Tontine of why it’s a good system when it works. Getting the right DoF seems key.
Decoure, if he is French he sounds OK…
TINYTIM
Good shout with MON as DOF.He was brilliant at dealing with media too.
MON,Martinez and Maloney..mmmmm..that’l do me
Aye i’m on the list
BAMBOO
Where in London did you live.
https://news.stv.tv/politics/lockdown-exit-set-to-accelerate-as-more-pupils-return-to-school
Wee Nippy saying restrictions might be lifted sooner…
#mayelections
My family name is not on the list, I am disappointed with that.
Blackballed from the Black List,
not even a sub on the bench
story of my football life.
ISJ on the train after the 65 cup final.
https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cps/976/cpsprodpb/2A49/production/_117352801_greaves_yeats_getty.jpg
You have to remember that Martinez and Maloney have some super players under their control with Belgium.
Bit of a diffeence between KdB and this season’s version of Ryan Christie.
No Pontins for me then ,😀
And who owns Pontins – Brittanica hotels, your couldnt make it up. ffs 2020.
“Undesirable guests” was the headline on a memo listing Irish surnames and published on the intranet of the British holiday parks company, Pontins. The memo was circulated among staff at the company, which has six holiday parks around Britain, and has been operating since 1946.
Staff were required to block potential customers with those names from booking. Staff monitored calls and refused or cancelled bookings made by people with an Irish accent or surname.
By declining to provide its services to guests of a certain race or ethnic group, Pontins was “directly discriminating on the basis of race” and breached the UK’s 2010 Equality Act, said Britain’s Equality and Human Rights Commission, which has investigated the matter and reached an agreement with the travel park operator.
The Pontins memo said: “Please be aware that several guests are unwelcome at Pontins. However, some of these will still try and book – especially during school holidays. We have been informed by our Operations Director that we do not want these guests on our parks. Please watch out for the following names for any future bookings.”
There followed a list of some 40 surnames: Boylan, Boyle, Carney, Carr, Cash, Connors, Corcoran, Delaney, Doherty, Dorran, Gallagher, Horan, Keefe, Kell, Leahy, Lee, MacLaughlin, McAlwick, McCully, McDonagh, McGinley, McGinn, McGuiness, McHarg, McLaughan, McMahon, Millighan, Mongans, Murphy, Nolan, O’Brien, O’Connell, O’Donnell, O’Donoghue, O’Mahoney, O’Reilly, Sheriadan, Stokes, Walch, Ward.
The memo entitled ‘Undesirable guests’ listing Irish surnames and published on the intranet of British holiday parks company Pontins.
The memo entitled ‘Undesirable guests’ listing Irish surnames and published on the intranet of British holiday parks company Pontins.
The memo alerted people taking phone or email bookings at Pontins to blacklist these names. Some names seemed to be phonetically misspelt: for instance, McGuiness, Sheriadan and Walch.
The undated memo, published in a story in the UK “i” newspaper, is illustrated by a drawing of a wizard in a cloak, holding wands in both hands, with the caption: “You shall not pass!”
Learn more
The EHRC found that Pontins had been monitoring calls to its call centre, and subsequently refusing to process bookings, and cancelling bookings, from people with these surnames.
Some of the surnames are common within the Travelling community.
Martin Collins, co-director of Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre in Dublin, told The Irish Times: “This shows not only how discrimination against Travellers is an ongoing issue – but also discrimination against Irish people in general in the UK. People with an Irish accent were targeted by Pontins for negative treatment as well as Irish Travellers.
“Banning a particular ethnic group is a despicable practice. It precludes people from participating equally in society and this case shows how important it is that legislation in this area exists.
“We know from recent reports that there is huge under-reporting of incidents of discrimination among Irish Travellers and we urge the Government to raise awareness on equality legislation as part of its forthcoming National Action Plan Against Racism.”
The British Prime Minister’s office condemned the blacklist as “completely unacceptable”. A spokesman said: “No-one in the UK should be discriminated against because of their race or ethnicity.”
Pontins is owned by the Britannia Hotel Group which has signed a legal agreement with the EHRC to address the discrimination. Alastair Pringle, executive director of the EHRC, said: “It is hard not to draw comparisons with an ‘undesirable guest list’ and the signs displayed in hotel windows 50 years ago, explicitly barring Irish people and black people.”
The Britannia Group has agreed to run annual equality and diversity staff training courses.
Mr Pringle has called on Pontins to “take a fundamental look” at their policies and practices following the discovery of a list of “undesirable” guests.
Mr Pringle told RTÉ radio’s News at One that the commission had been first contacted by a whistleblower in February 2020 who raised concerns about some of the policies and practices that were being undertaken by Pontins, which they thought were particularly discriminatory.
“So we’ve had a look into this and in fact some of the practices that were involved were refusing any bookings that were made by people with an Irish accent or surname.
“The list is quite long, there must be about 30 names on the list that they passed out to the call centre that took the bookings. There was a list of names and they were titled ‘undesirable guests’. There’s also a policy that banned holidaymakers from arriving in commercial vehicles and that was potentially or specifically to exclude gypsy/traveller communities to arrive at holiday parks.”
Mr Pringle said the commission was concerned, as gypsy/Traveller communities are a protected racial group under the Equality Act. “That was specifically where our interest arose from and this was to us direct discrimination.”
Pontins had accepted that they were not acting lawfully, he said and the commission had engaged them in a formal agreement, under the Equality Act.
“They’re going to conduct an investigation into this list of undesirable guests and see where it came from and make sure appropriate action is taken. They’re going to be providing enhanced training on the equality law for their staff.
“It was clearly a set of policies and practices, this wasn’t about one or two individuals deciding that they thought this was a bad thing, this is clearly policy and practice and that’s why we’re interested in looking at it as an issue.
“They need to take a pretty fundamental look at how these policies and practices arose, why anyone thought they were acceptable in the first place.”
The commission will be monitoring the situation for 12 months, he said.
The Irish Times has contacted Pontins for comment.
TONTINE TIM on 2ND MARCH 2021 2:48 PM
GGH, correct Kenny was DoF and picked Barnes as manager, they then brought in a parcel of scheidt. So why the clamour for a DoF tae pick who the manager is.
____________________________________________________________
Agree. We tried it before, as you say, and it was an abject failure. A DoF would be just someone else on the payroll to fall out with the manager or CEO or both.
Hi Bhoys
RE PONTINS
My late mother always told a story of when I was young pre school the whole family went to Butlins in Ayr for our holiday. There was around 30 of us in the group and Butlins insisted on taking our photograph for the front page of their camp paper as we were the largest family ever to visit. The head line in the paper was The happy FamiLEE. That was my mums family maiden name. So I don’t think we would be welcome at Pontins.
KEEP THE FAITH
PETETHEBEAT
I so want a manager thats coached at that level.As a club and a support we are at that level.so next the players hopefully
BIG GEORGES FAN CLUB – HAIL, HAIL, WEE OSCAR on 2ND MARCH 2021 12:34 PM
Hi BGFC, regards Paul Lambert and his ‘background’. I was working over in darkest Renfrewshire at the time he signed for us and it was common knowledge (allegedly) that his background over in Linwood was from a strongly influenced Sticky-Bun persuasion. There was talk among the natives of a falling out with/between family members and some ‘friends’, some of whom were appalled/disappointed that he ended up at Celtic Park and not over in Mordor. Given any truth in these assertions, I was always very impressed with his commitment to us on the park, especially on the occasions he excelled against the Forces of Darkness. A total professional.
However I think his utterances now and recently about ‘Old Firmism’ is just him being unable to shake off his origins, returning to his natural environment. Just my musings and ramblings of course.
Ave Ave
SAINT STIVS@4.26.
I see I’m not welcome at Pontins! What a pity – not.
Bit harsh on the Welsh political classes Pablo?
Yippee! I’m not on the list…Pontins here I come!
67 European Cup Winners on 2nd March 2021 12:10 pm
never been first
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Surely the 67 European Winners were first to…………………
I had heard at the time that Lambert’s father’s family were blue noses but his mother’s side were Tims.
TIMHORTON
At that time I lived in Putney . I’d also been up at Villa Park for Liverpool-Chelsea semi-final. And around this time got a trial for Fulham just by phoning up and convincing Vik Buckinghham I was good . Got my hair cut and new boots then got blistered and slept in and missed my chance . Later in the year I was back in Scotland and saw Celtic for the 1st time at Hampden winning the league cup against the buns. Then my 1st game at Celtic Park 5-1 victory over them again . I became a supporter and the rest is history..
FRITZSONG on 2ND MARCH 2021 4:28 PM
That’s because we appointed the wrong DoF.
Nearly all big clubs have a DoF or sporting director nowadays – even Rodgers was saying the other day that in this day and age, it’s essential.
The last few years we’ve been put in our place by smaller but more forward-thinking clubs in Europe but all was forgiven because we were dominant in Scotland. We are no longer dominant in Scotland.
We say we’re a big club (fanbase, stadium, history, etc) but now we need to start to act like one and move with the times.
In the wake of Neil Lennon losing hte 10, a significant portion of the support want to see John Kennedy and Gavin Strachan go because they are tainted by association.
If we employ a DoF and a new CEO, will we not be wanting them sacked too if the manager does not cut it. I always thought the idea of a DoF was to have an “untouchable” figure to provide a team identity and style while manager/coaches came and went.
Are we willing to put up with an unsackable DoF just as we “put up” with an unsackable CEO?
Weebobbycollins on 2nd March 2021 12:49 pm
Paul67 says…”The prospect of watching the world’s greatest players on home soil at the 2030 World Cup…”
Some of us won’t be able to see them from the cemetery…
not to worry, I believe St. Peter likes his football and is an ok bloke, he’ll let you watch with him from from above, probably the best seat in the house.
Bunny Wailer RIP
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfoi-cye26c
Hankray…I hope I’m watching it from up there with big Peter and not down in the basement with you know who… :-)
SCULLYBHOY on 2ND MARCH 2021 5:07 PM
I will take that – thank you
67ECW
GEEBEE1978 on 2ND MARCH 2021 2:58 PM
TONTINE TIM on 2ND MARCH 2021 2:48 PM
Of course, this is only theory and doesn’t always work. As you said, the Dalglish/Barnes fiasco left our fingers burnt but it could be argued that the real mistake was making Dalglish DoF.
*The Bunnet thought so and tried tae call an EGM in Dublin tae prevent the “Golf Pro” as he called him getting the job.
However when he took over the manager position he helped Lubo win his first ever medals in the game.
SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 2ND MARCH 2021 5:41 PM
A DoF shouldn’t be unsackable. The wrong signings and managerial appointments would see him lose his job.
It works for almost every big club in Europe now. We need to move with the times to make up for what we’ve already lost.
BAMBOO
Lived in Earls Court and Tottenham,worked part time in a pub called Snows in Piccadilly Circus.
1966 to mid 68.
BAMBOO
I liked your story😁