Rod Petrie will be elected unopposed as the new president of the SFA today.
The Hibs chairman has been in and around the SFA during a period of incredible decline with the national team failing to reach a major finals for over 20 years.
During that period Airdrie, Gretna and Rangers have gone into liquidation but the SFA have no form of Financial Fair Play to ensure the viability of clubs and something of a level playing field for all clubs.
The Scotsman reports:
Petrie has served on Scottish FA committees since 1998, been a director on the main board since 2007 and became a vice-president in 2011.
While his route to the presidency has been clearly mapped out for some time, there has been growing disquiet among many within Scottish football over what appears an increasingly anachronistic system of appointing office bearers.
Peter Lawwell, the Celtic chief executive, who resigned from the Scottish FA board three years ago, is among those who have called for restructuring at the top of the organisation.
But despite speculation over a potential challenge to Petrie for the presidency, no alternative candidate emerged before the March 31 deadline.
Discussing some of the issues at the SFA Lawwell told The Sun in February 2018
I don’t think there is any value in personalising this, but clearly there are issues that need to be addressed.
On the other hand, there are positives because you have a board there with very capable people.
Mike Mulraney and Ian Maxwell represent the clubs, and there are non-executive directors in Gary Hughes and Ana Stewart.
They are capable people and it’s now time for these guys to be given their head and maybe given a bit more authority to understand what is the purpose of the SFA in the modern game.
Petrie and McRae were left out of that name check in what is probably as strong an attack as Lawwell has ever delivered.
VAR is expected to be one of the main issues at today’s AGM which tends to be more procedural with accounts approved and a shuffling of committee places announced.
Petrie and McRae were strong supporters of Alex McLeish who was appointed and sacked a year later with results and attendances at Hampden plummeting during his time in charge.
