The much acclaimed McLeish Report into Scottish football is far from certain to be approved at next week’s SFA Annual General Meeting.
The wide ranging report from the former First Miniser was published in December and was widely regarded as a no holds barred attack on the workings of the SFA.
Chief Executive Stewart Regan has thrown his support firmly behind the report as he comes to terms with the archaic workings of the SFA.
McLeish damned the SFA claiming that there is a great deal of insularity, exclusiveness and isolationism as well as saying that openness, transparency and accountability are lacking.
The report needs to get 75% backing from all members of the SFA to be approved with McLeish appealing for members to put aside vested interests for the good of the game.
Creating accountability and streamling the old boys committee network are priorities of the McLeish report but involve a number of turkeys voting for an early christmas.
Regan has arrived at the SFA with a mandate to bring the organisation into the modern era but that could upset the traditionalists concerned about the pace of change and missing out on the committee gravy train.
Addressing the concerns of some members McLeish said: “In any form of institution there is vested interest. Vested interest is part and parcel of a modern world, an old world, maybe an ancient world. But that’s not the issue.
“What we’re talking about is bigger and more significant than any individual, any player, and manager, any chairman, any board member, any official within the SFA or SPL.
“This is about the future of the game and everyone should recognise they are in football because of the game.
“I think this is a once-in-a-lifetime, once-in-a-generation opportunity. I think that’s why people will seize it. I think people know the game is not in good shape.
“People know the game has many problems and difficulties and this is the first time I have seen the prospect of change actually happening. If we don’t see the changes put through on Tuesday, Scotland will have lost a marvellous opportunity. It may not happen again.”
Regan has had a hellish introduction to Scottish football with a number of issues landing on his desk before he had time to settle into the job.
If the McLeish report isn’t implemented it’s difficult to see him staying in the job and trying to make sense of rules that have been held up to ridicule.
“Stewart Regan was a very, very wise appointment,” McLeish added.
“He’s had a quick learning experience and had to rise to the curve very quickly.
“But he has done an enormous amount of work to make sure that everything goes smoothly on Tuesday. I believe that on Tuesday all the participants will rise to the occasion.”
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This has nothing to do with your article, but has anybody noticed the lack of coverage about Stephen Gallagher competing in this years US Open Golf, no its about Monty failing, Ritchie Ramsey, and other non Celtic minded failing,
Or is it my paranoia with Scottish media, think the Sun gave some coverge
If they don’t forge ahead with these changes then why bother to appoint Regan in the first place. An outsider was picked because he is just that, an outsider.
He comes without the hang-ups and bias of anyone inside Scottish football, and I think he should be given the time and the backing he requires to make these changes necessary.
If Scotland wishes to be more than a spectator in world football then big changes are going to have to be made, and it starts here and now at the AGM.
Mr. McLeish only said what we have all been screaming for years. The insular thinking of those with too much power and control of the SFA and their personal alegencies and agendas is the problem at the SFA.
The “establishment” have far too long been marching on unpunished, placing themselves above the clubs who pay their wages! They have proven they feel they can use their personal bias and religious bigotry and allowed those to play big parts in their treatment of many individuals both management and players alike.
The power given to bigots like George Peat and Hugh Dallas was dangerous to the point where the game in Scotland has become a standing joke in world circles. Yet they don’t care. maybe they are simply too arrogant to notice, but if you look how UEFA punsihed bigotry and religious hatred of Rangers fans, arguably the worst fans in the game today, and how the SFA have totally ignored it, if shows simple arrogance.
You look at the treatment of Neil Lennon this year, and the lip service from the SFA and Rangers alike, it promotes their arrogance again. People in positins of trust and power like Peat and Dallas should have dignity, consistency, fairness and moderation upermost in their minds. Instead, they had personal agendas which have damaged the Scottish game.
This has also encouraged others, like the very undignified Walter Smith, make outrageous statements against both Celtic and Neil Lennon in particular. This contradicted everything Smith claimed has was against. The death threats towards Celtic players, fans and management were very real. yet even after the lip service from Smith, Peat at the SFA and the choking from Bain at Ibrox, their lip service was evident as they all openly inflamed the situation by going public in their criticism of Neil Lennon afterwards.
In my opinion, they were not only provinding lip service, they were in support of the deeds of the cowards. Celtic owned Rangers this past season and this is the single reason these threats and bombs were allowed to go though the “system”.
When you have police telling Celtic to stop humiliating Rangers or they would be arrested, the game has sunk to a level the SFA can’t manage anymore, and certainly not with the staff currently in place, with the alegencies they carry.
The SFA don’t need changes of faces. they need to be investigated for tgheir corruption, regligious bigotry, and personal agendas which affect the once good name of Scottish football.
Scumbag cowards like those Rangers fans who are supported by some indiviuals in power at the SFA, have made Scotland the laughing stock in world football. I congratulate all of you little scumbags. Cowards like you have no back-bone and hide behind your vast band of other scumbags. But there is one thing you won’t ever change.
We are a united front, we are Celtic, and we own rangers.
Regan and Doncaster should be shown the door with a good toe up the arse on their way out. They have both demonstrated that after almost five months of this tedious Rangers saga that they have been unable and unwilling to deal with a indefensible case of club corruption on a massive scale.
It’s time the clubs demanded that they go and make way for people that can demonstrate qualities such as impartiality,leadership,integrity,fairness, and a ability to bring important and demanding issues to a speedy conclusion.
Scottish football is a state of meltdown because of Regan and Doncaster’s stalling and blatant refusal to deal with cheating “Rangers FC” GET THEM OUT. Hail, Hail.