Barwick admits FA’s archaic culture needs to be changed

BRIAN BARWICK admits the English FA must examine the way they appoint England managers.

Barwick, the FA’s chief executive, insists Steve McClaren was delivered on time and was always his first choice.

But he accepts the FA’s own ancient culture of committee has made life difficult since Sven-Goran Eriksson was asked to leave his job.

It has left the organisation open to ridicule because it seemed to lack direction – with different people chasing different managers and leaks springing from different places.

Barwick said: “We will review the process. We probably need to go away and have a look at it.

“There was a heck of a lot of good about it and just occasionally it was seen we tripped over.

“I’d like to think we might have been tighter in terms of confidentiality. We were trying to do a serious professional job and at times we were compromised.”

Without doubt, the single most embarrassing episode was when Luiz Felipe Scolari snubbed the job when the FA looked certain to offer it him.

Brazilian Scolari was the choice of Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein – a late arrival onto the FA’s nominations panel – which also raised questions.

Dein was accused of using Scolari to keep the FA from approaching Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, seen by many as the best man for the job.

Barwick said he had a two-hour conversation with Wenger at the start of the selection process and the Frenchman told him he wanted to stay in club football.

Premier League chairman Dave Richards, also on the nominations panel, had spoken out to support a British appointment.

Sir Trevor Brooking, the FA’s director of football development and advisor to the panel, liked the idea of Alan Curbishley.

Everyone seemed to be pulling in opposite directions.

Barwick said: “This is the FA. It is a unique organisation, 143 years old. It has certain styles and way of doing things. Some people might consider them anachronistic. Others don’t.

“My belief is that in this organisation you have to carry people with you.

“I believed I would drive the process and I can tell you I drove the process.

“I enjoyed other people’s contributions. To carry some of that experience with you is a good thing.”

The only man who managed to keep his nose out of the selection seems to have been Eriksson, arguably the man with the most valuable advice.

Barwick said: “Sven always wished to stay outside the process and we tried to keep him outside for the right and proper reasons. But he is delighted for Steve.”

The FA were also criticised for sluggishness., after announcing Eriksson would be leaving his job at the end of the World Cup on January 25, but did not start their official search for a successor until March 2.

Barwick said: “This process lasted nine weeks. At times it felt longer but in truth it was nine weeks.

“What we tried to do was put together a process that gave us a chance of seeing as many people as possible.”