well done to the SFA

[jamboinglasgow]

Not often that is said here but well done to the SFA for voting in the new reforms of the organisation and discipline. Hopefully the start in a long journey to fix Scottish football.

[Sheepie]

Similarly, I applaud the positive result in voting for change.

 

However, I am a little unclear on how far reaching these changes are and what it really offers to the progression Scottish football.

 

As i understand it, reduction in the committee size from 11 to 7 (I think) and a reform of the disciplinary procedures being the highlights.

 

Hardly earth shattering or am I missing something? Implications of the reduced committee size?

[milky_26]

Similarly, I applaud the positive result in voting for change.

 

However, I am a little unclear on how far reaching these changes are and what it really offers to the progression Scottish football.

 

As i understand it, reduction in the committee size from 11 to 7 (I think) and a reform of the disciplinary procedures being the highlights.

 

Hardly earth shattering or am I missing something? Implications of the reduced committee size?

at least it looks like a start though

[milky_26]

here is the link to the bbc story on it

My link

[colinmaroon]

The age of miracles is not past!

 

It remains to see if this is a genuine resurrection or just the death rattle of Scottish football.

 

Structures and Principles are fine but they have to be used even-handedly and without fear or favour!

[Homme]

Similarly, I applaud the positive result in voting for change.

 

However, I am a little unclear on how far reaching these changes are and what it really offers to the progression Scottish football.

 

As i understand it, reduction in the committee size from 11 to 7 (I think) and a reform of the disciplinary procedures being the highlights.

 

Hardly earth shattering or am I missing something? Implications of the reduced committee size?

 

It doesn't seem all that interesting to us fans but the fact that all 93 member clubs voted in favour of these changes must mean these are very positive moves.

 

I hope it is just the beginning of what must be a radical overhaul for the good of our game.

[Socrates]

It says a lot that these are allegedly the most significant changes to the SFA in 138 years. I can't say I think this will change things significantly, although hopefully they do finally get the disciplinary system sorted out so that Celtic and Rangers can't evade theur righful fines and bannings.

[Benzinho]

I've been reading about how these changes are going to make such a difference to Scottish football but what I can't quite understand is how these changes at an organisational level are going to make a difference where it really matters, on the park?

 

How will changes to the number of board members and such like improve the quality of young players coming through, the standard of football we watch every week and ultimately the fortunes of the national team?

 

How will these changes help to stop the curent duopoly of the OF in Scottish football which is strangling the game and allow for a more competitive league?

 

Maybe I'm missing something but these are the changes that matter to me most and I haven't yet seen any explanation of how these will allow that to happen. I don't doubt that they will make the organistaional structure of the SFA more modern and that may have some benefit but not where it really matters.

 

Anyone enlighten me?

 

 

[Jambothroughandthrough]

I'm not going to back slap them for doing something that should have been done years ago. We've all been saying change has been needed for donkey years and they ignored us.

 

The only reason we have change is because of what happened over the past 10 months. They had no choice. They had to change. It was forced upon them. If the last 10 moths had been controversy free do you think there would have been change today?

 

I know what my money would be on

[Socrates]

Calling this change really seems overblown. It's the same people doing the same stuff. Chances are that everyone will be moaning about the useless *******s at the SFA again within six months.

[Sheepie]

I'm not going to back slap them for doing something that should have been done years ago. We've all been saying change has been needed for donkey years and they ignored us.

 

The only reason we have change is because of what happened over the past 10 months. They had no choice. They had to change. It was forced upon them. If the last 10 moths had been controversy free do you think there would have been change today?

 

I know what my money would be on

 

While what you say is relevant to the disciplinary reforms, which I agree has been brought to the fore, there is more to this than just that and is the outcome of the McLeish review which has been ingoing for, what, 2 years +?

 

The reforms to the disciplinary proceedings are fairly straight forward, it is the inplications of the other reforms which seems less clear.

[Chad Sexington]

I'm struggling to get excited about this.

[2NaFish]

 

Randy is excited about change.

[bean counter]

Extract from the BBC

 

 

Also at the meeting, Campbell Ogilvie's election as president, replacing Peat, was also confirmed, while Alan McRae was voted first vice-president and Hibernian chairman Rod Petrie second vice-president.

[Jambothroughandthrough]

Extract from the BBC

 

 

Also at the meeting, Campbell Ogilvie's election as president, replacing Peat, was also confirmed, while Alan McRae was voted first vice-president and Hibernian chairman Rod Petrie second vice-president.

 

He is without doubt one of the best football administrators in the country. Had the pleasure of meeting him on numerous occasions over the years. Campbell is just what we need after the shambolic time we have had under the outgoing President.

 

All the best Campbell

[JamboAl]

The age of miracles is not past!

 

It remains to see if this is a genuine resurrection or just the death rattle of Scottish football.

 

Structures and Principles are fine but they have to be used even-handedly and without fear or favour!

 

Hit the nail on the head there.

And they could start by moving the whole organisation away from Glasgow to somewhere more central and give it a look of being impartial.

[Craig the Jambo]

Hit the nail on the head there.

And they could start by moving the whole organisation away from Glasgow to somewhere more central and give it a look of being impartial.

 

 

Hamilton?

[Craig the Jambo]

Hit the nail on the head there.

And they could start by moving the whole organisation away from Glasgow to somewhere more central and give it a look of being impartial.

 

 

Larkhall

[Deevers]

He is without doubt one of the best football administrators in the country. Had the pleasure of meeting him on numerous occasions over the years. Campbell is just what we need after the shambolic time we have had under the outgoing President.

 

All the best Campbell

No doubt Celtic supporters will not see it that way. Standby for more victim moaning and conspiracy bleats.

[269miles]

I've been reading about how these changes are going to make such a difference to Scottish football but what I can't quite understand is how these changes at an organisational level are going to make a difference where it really matters, on the park?

 

How will changes to the number of board members and such like improve the quality of young players coming through, the standard of football we watch every week and ultimately the fortunes of the national team?

 

How will these changes help to stop the curent duopoly of the OF in Scottish football which is strangling the game and allow for a more competitive league?

 

Maybe I'm missing something but these are the changes that matter to me most and I haven't yet seen any explanation of how these will allow that to happen. I don't doubt that they will make the organistaional structure of the SFA more modern and that may have some benefit but not where it really matters.

 

Anyone enlighten me?

 

 

 

I'm with you.

 

I've just read an article from the Herald on line (from yesterday) that says these are 'radical' changes. I don't see how or why.

 

It may be radical in the sense that just about every other major European national FA has a committee structure.

 

It may be 'radical' because the SFA bundled in the disciplinary changes with the structural changes. Big deal.

 

In terms of what the SFA is now supposed to be trying to achieve - I still don't get it. It's the usual business jargon on 'focusing on outcomes'.

Whatever that means. But I'm sure it is 'radical'.

[portobellojambo1]

I'm struggling to get excited about this.

 

As am I, the only thing that actually caught my eye was the appointment of Rod Petrie as a vice president. if he is what Scottish football has to look forward to we really are more fecked than we maybe imagined.

[KennyMcP]

He is without doubt one of the best football administrators in the country. Had the pleasure of meeting him on numerous occasions over the years. Campbell is just what we need after the shambolic time we have had under the outgoing President.

 

All the best Campbell

 

 

Given the praise that the media often dish out for Campbell, and the good job he did for hearts, I can be quite confident that this point is true.

 

However, it is this same line (word for word) which we always hear and read.

 

Ewan - as someone who knows him, would you be able to put any context around this statement?

 

How many football adminstrators do we actually have in the country?

What does Campbell do that others don't for example?

 

Like I said, I am sure he is very good - but it doesn't really mean anything to the average fan.

[heartyhub]

Tin hat on but can i be the first to congratulate Neil Lennon and the Celtic family for forcing the SFA into change and saving our ghame.

[Guest Ultraviolet Catastrophe]

The age of miracles is not past!

 

It remains to see if this is a genuine resurrection or just the death rattle of Scottish football.

 

Structures and Principles are fine but they have to be used even-handedly and without fear or favour!

 

Are you one of the guards from Metal Gear Solid?

[Carl Spackler]

They've disbanded the sub-committees and brought in an independent member to the board. There's to be another independent member when the 2nd vice-Chairman role is dropped in a couple of years time.

 

The big change though is that they are saying the board is to be 'strategic' and not representative. That says to me the right people for right jobs.

 

Remains to be seen if it makes any difference but it definitely sounds better than the previous setup.Apart from putting our own house in order I hope they set about FIFA too. It's FIFA that tie a hand behing the nation's backs when it comes to officiating the game for a start.

[KennyMcP]

Another point.

 

Are we likely to hear of redundancies at the SFA?

 

I'm not in favour of people losing their jobs, but surely any 'efficiencies' must also involve some financial savings that can benefit the association's member clubs?

 

Are those being removed from boards & committees being given alternative roles which will positively impact the game?

 

Like most people, whilst I applaud change, and am pleased by the promise of this change being positive, there is very little meat on the bones at this stage.

 

One thing the SFA need to sort out is their communications and explanations.

 

This is the best place to start, and I eagerly await the full dossier from Mr Regan. Then we can start to get excited.

[TheBigO]

Given the praise that the media often dish out for Campbell, and the good job he did for hearts, I can be quite confident that this point is true.

 

However, it is this same line (word for word) which we always hear and read.

 

Ewan - as someone who knows him, would you be able to put any context around this statement?

 

How many football adminstrators do we actually have in the country?

What does Campbell do that others don't for example?

 

Like I said, I am sure he is very good - but it doesn't really mean anything to the average fan.

 

I emailed Hearts a couple of years back saying that I felt their communication was poor and raising a few worrying points such as the direction the club was taking, youth development etc.

 

To my surprise, I received an email back from Campbell asking me to give him a call. I did so and we chatted for maybe 45 minutes about all things Hearts and Scottish football. Top guy and that sort of thing was above and beyond.

 

Ultimately he said things needed to change in Scottish football and that he was focussed on bringing in as much info on how to progress youth players from 18yo kids to top pros (maybe a reserve league isn't the answer, but we need to do it better was his thing). Had lots of interesting ideas and it was great he shared them with a pleb like me!

 

He also agreed there was too much of a committee structure and that decisions needed to be made easier to make.

 

I think that's the main thing about the changes. The SFA is now less representative and decisions can now be made with less self-protectionism which has been the weight around it's neck since inception.

 

We'll see where it takes us - you still need the right men on the committee, but let's see I guess is the thing.

 

I think they're calling it historic in that today is the start of something. I hope!

[colinmaroon]

Are you one of the guards from Metal Gear Solid?

 

 

I'm sorry, New Testament Greek is my thing, not too good at the Ancient Phoenician!

[269miles]

They've disbanded the sub-committees and brought in an independent member to the board. There's to be another independent member when the 2nd vice-Chairman role is dropped in a couple of years time.

 

The big change though is that they are saying the board is to be 'strategic' and not representative. That says to me the right people for right jobs.

 

Remains to be seen if it makes any difference but it definitely sounds better than the previous setup.Apart from putting our own house in order I hope they set about FIFA too. It's FIFA that tie a hand behing the nation's backs when it comes to officiating the game for a start.

 

So the 93 clubs (feck me, 93 clubs in a national FA in a country of less than 5 million) have voted for a proper business structure in which the Mickey Mouse clubs have been booted out of the main structure of the FA to a 'lower level', Totally radical ,dude.

 

That English bloke must be ###### himself to death over this. I wonder who the non executive directors will come from (Celtic or Rangers ?).

 

And don't forget : the overhaul of the disciplinary committee/proceedings. A complete embarrassment that has been airbrushed away as though the clubs never voted for it in the first place.

 

Zal : the nation owes you an apology.

[Carl Spackler]

So the 93 clubs (feck me, 93 clubs in a national FA in a country of less than 5 million) have voted for a proper business structure in which the Mickey Mouse clubs have been booted out of the main structure of the FA to a 'lower level', Totally radical ,dude.

 

That English bloke must be ###### himself to death over this. I wonder who the non executive directors will come from (Celtic or Rangers ?).

 

And don't forget : the overhaul of the disciplinary committee/proceedings. A complete embarrassment that has been airbrushed away as though the clubs never voted for it in the first place.

 

Zal : the nation owes you an apology.

All I'm saying is that on the face of it the changes are a good thing. Hopefully it will lead to the big changes that need to be made to improve Scottish Football generally and a serious sorting out of the officiating.

 

If it makes no difference then bleat about it then or perhaps suggest a reasonable alternative.

 

For now I'll accept that changes are at least being attempted in effectively the first time in the organisation's history. Given how long it has been going this in itself explains a great deal.

 

 

 

[Stanley_]

So the 93 clubs (feck me, 93 clubs in a national FA in a country of less than 5 million) have voted for a proper business structure in which the Mickey Mouse clubs have been booted out of the main structure of the FA to a 'lower level', Totally radical ,dude.

 

That English bloke must be ###### himself to death over this. I wonder who the non executive directors will come from (Celtic or Rangers ?).

 

And don't forget : the overhaul of the disciplinary committee/proceedings. A complete embarrassment that has been airbrushed away as though the clubs never voted for it in the first place.

 

Zal : the nation owes you an apology.

 

I don't understand this constant complaint about the number of clubs. It's only 93 because it includes non-league clubs that are SFA members (ie the ones that automatically get into the Scottish Cup 1st/2nd round). Most of the clubs in the country are going to be small ones. There are over 7000 clubs in the English pyramid. Scotland currently has 42 league clubs plus 200-odd clubs in the senior/junior non-leagues and then a far larger number in the amateur/welfare leagues. The vast majority play at a low level and aren't doing anyone any harm. Getting rid of a bunch of clubs does no good. Getting the clubs to play at the right level through a pyramid system is the answer.

 

Personally I think it's better that the bigger non-league clubs have a say in the future of Scottish football too rather than just the same old league clubs as usual.

[Cut The Crap]

So, who can tell me what difference the changes listed below will make to me as I sit and watch Hearts next season?

 

• 
   
  
• Reduction of the SFA board from 11 officials to seven, including an independent member.
  
• Board to become more strategic than representative and focus on "corporate strategy and top-line decision-making".
  
• Two new boards created under the main board - one for the professional game and another for the non-professional game.
  
• Disciplinary procedures to be rewritten.
  
• Compliance officer to decide whether cases will be heard by the new semi-autonomous judicial panel.
  
• Numerous SFA committees - such as the disciplinary, general purposes and emergency panels - have been immediately disbanded.
  
• Audit committee will be formed to ensure the efficient running of the organisation.
  
• Articles of association to be rewritten and the second vice-presidency will disappear in four years' time, to be replaced by a second independent board member.
  
• Give greater support to referees.