ONE of the more enjoyable jobs in sport must be that of an accountant at the Football Association where, it seems, reality is something for others to worry about.
That much was confirmed when it was announced that the FA were in talks with a consortium of banks over the refinancing of the loan taken out for the rebuilding of Wembley.
The FA and their backers agreed a £443m deal in 2002 to be paid over 16 ye
ars, but now we are told that because of higher than expected start-up costs and – would you believe? – a shortage of concerts at the stadium this summer the FA need to juggle the figures to allow the loan to be paid off over 25 years.
At the same time as the talks were going on and our accountant chums were preparing to declare a loss of £22m on Wembley's first year in operation, the FA were announcing that £15m was to be spent on their campaign for the 2018 World Cup to be staged in this country.
Lord Triesman, the FA's new chairman, is now looking to build a team similar in standing to that which won the 2012 Olympics for London. There will be a chairman and a chief executive working with his Lordship plus two deputy chairmen.
Gary Lineker has, for some reason, been suggested as one likely candidate, but so far there appears little inclination to invite Gerry Sutcliffe, the Sports Minister, or his predecessor Richard Caborn, who now rejoices in the title of the Prime Minister's World Cup ambassador, to join.
That might be a mistake. For if the costs start to escalate – which would not be the first time in the FA's history – there may be an urgent need for some sort of bailing out and the best way to guarantee that would be to have someone, anyone, close to Downing Street on board. Or is that Lord Triesman's real role?
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