Football Association board set to choose new chairman

[Mr007]

Football Association board set to choose new chairman

Dein is thought to be among the candidates for the FA role

Football Association board members are set for a meeting on Wednesday that could see them choose a new chairman.

The FA has been without a permanent chairman since Lord Triesman's enforced resignation in May.

Former FA and Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein, 67, is believed to be the favourite to fill the post.

Andrew Croker, son of ex-FA general secretary Ted Croker, and former FA joint acting-chairman David Sheepshanks have also been linked with the job.

Sheepshanks lasted only 11 days in his role as the FA's joint acting-chairman, leaving Roger Burden to remain as the sole post holder.

Burden was the favourite to be installed permanently but he withdrew his application at the beginning of December after England failed to win the right to host the 2018 World Cup, saying he "could not trust" football's world governing body Fifa following its decision to award Russia the tournament.

Bolton chairman Phil Gartside is head of the nominations committee appointed to find Triesman's successor, and he is expected to present one name, or possibly two, to fellow board members.

DAVID BOND'S BLOG
It may well be that the FA has lined up the sort of candidate with the football and business pedigree required, but get it wrong and it could increase the pressure on a body already facing a period of intense scrutiny

Sir Keith Mills, the deputy chairman of the London 2012 Olympics and a Tottenham board member, was viewed as another potential candidate but he has ruled himself out on the grounds of lack of time, leaving Dein in pole position.

"At the moment the only name that seems to be out there is that of former Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein," said BBC sports editor David Bond.

"He was also international president of the England 2018 World Cup bid and he used to be the vice-chairman of the FA, but at the moment the FA are keeping it very close to their chest."

Dein impressed ministers as international president of the England 2018 bid, even if his efforts came to nothing, and he has good connections to Uefa and Fifa.

The only possible problem would be his age - under current rules the chairman has to stand down when he is 70, meaning Dein would only have three years in office.

Former sports minister Richard Caborn, whose term in that office coincided with the Burns report that led to changes in the structure of the FA, said: "I believe that from the FA's point of view David Dein would be a good choice.

"He's respected both nationally and internationally and he has a good rapport with all parts of the game.

"We need to build bridges with Fifa and Uefa, and restore the authority and the respect of the governing body and he would be a good choice to do that."

The board will also hear a review of England's failure to win the right to host the 2018 World Cup and will also discuss international player development.

The review into international player development by FA general secretary Alex Horne and Sir Trevor Brooking will recommend changes to youth football aimed at developing a stream of talented young players for the national teams.

The review was ordered following England's dismal showing at the World Cup in South Africa this summer.

With regard to England's failed attempt to win the right to host the 2018 World Cup, bid chief executive Andy Anson is likely to tell board members that there is little point in bidding again unless Fifa changes the process and makes voting and bidding more transparent.

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