Greg Clarke resigned on Tuesday, hours after apologising for using the term "high-profile coloured footballers"; Mark Bullingham says FA hopes to have new chairman appointed by end of March 2021 and says best candidate will be selected from "diverse talent pool"
Wednesday 11 November 2020 21:05, UK
FA chief executive Mark Bullingham says the governing body hopes to appoint a new chairman by the end of March 2021 and has promised an open and diverse recruitment process.
Greg Clarke resigned as FA chairman on Tuesday after he used the phrase "coloured footballers" while giving evidence to MPs. Clarke apologised and accepted his remarks were "unacceptable".
Former FA chairman David Bernstein told Sky Sports News he does not have total confidence the shortlist will be diverse and inclusive but Bullingham says they will follow the Diversity Code.
"With other board directors, (interim chairman) Peter (McCormick) and I are finalising the process for recruiting a new independent chair of the FA," Bullingham said in a statement.
"Our aim is to have one in place by the end of the first quarter. Our process will be open and conform to the Diversity Code, ensuring that we are able to select the best candidate from a diverse talent pool."
Bullingham added: "Greg Clarke stepped down from the role as FA chairman yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon, acknowledging that some of his words in the Select Committee hearing were unacceptable and offensive.
"We respect his decision and are clear that his words simply do not reflect the views of the FA, our people and the organisation we are today.
"We are committed to playing a lead role in actively enhancing equality and diversity across English football, whilst steadfastly challenging and tackling all forms of discrimination."
Bullingham said the FA was "on a journey" to improve diversity both within the organisation and the wider game.
"Our published 'In Pursuit of Progress' plan has helped us to create a far more inclusive and diverse organisation," he said.
"Our work on the Football Leadership Diversity Code has taken many elements of this plan, such as published targets for ethnic and gender diversity, to drive change throughout the game.
"We have consistently reduced our gender pay gap to be far smaller than many organisations and have a very small ethnicity pay gap. We are investing record amounts in the women's game, which remains one of our top priorities.
"While all of this is progress, we would be the first to accept that we have more to do. We are committed to further progress and will continue to transparently publish our plans and targets."
David Bernstein, who was FA chairman from 2011 to 2013, has called on an independent regulator to implement sweeping reforms at the governing body of English football.
When asked if he was confident the shortlist for Clarke's successor will be diverse and inclusive, Bernstein replied: "Not total confidence, no.
"They must be in shock following what's happened so there will be an awareness of what needs to be done. But the FA is an organisation very resistant to change.
"The FA Council is still not representative of this country as it is in 2020. In a way, if that isn't right, if the structure and independence of the FA is not strong enough, these issues are much more difficult to deal with and the problems we had yesterday are more likely to occur. It may be that they are learning from this.
"They have to take diversity on board, and I don't doubt that they will. But the point I'm making is that, whoever gets that position is set up to fail, in my view, with the structure that they have to deal with. We need to get the structure and the organisation sorted out to help a progressive Chair of the FA do what needs to be done.
"A fish rots from the head. If the head of the organisation is not modernised and up-to-date and forward-thinking, then these sorts of things will happen, inevitably."
In a wide-ranging interview former FA chairman Greg Dyke told Sky Sports News he was shocked at the language used by Clarke who succeeded him.
"He said some things he shouldn't have said. You sat there thinking, 'Why is he saying that?! Why would you use that language?!' Everybody knows you can't use that language.
"I don't know whether he was pushed or he genuinely resigned himself but I just think it's sad when people's careers end in that way."
Dyke was chairman between 2013 and 2016 and did not seek re-election after being frustrated by the lack of reform.
On the FA's structure, he said: "I thought for some time the whole structure of regulation of football in this country needs to change.
"The whole governance structure of the FA is desperately in need of change. I tried and failed miserably when I was chair. I don't think Greg [Clarke] has pushed it any further.
"The old blokes are all still there. I suspect the FA will do nothing other than find someone else who sits there and chairs the meetings, and doesn't get a lot done."
And Dyke has some bold advice about anyone who is in line to replace Clarke.
"My advice to them is 'Don't take the job!'. If you like being a chair and has lots of nice trips and sees a lot good football, fine, take it.
"If you want to reform the organisation and the structure of English football, don't bother. I left with quite a bleak view of the organisation of football when I stopped being chairman of the FA a few years back"
"I hope they look for people who aren't (male, middle-aged, white) and that's part of the process."
Manchester United Women head coach Casey Stoney described Clarke's comments as "completely unacceptable" and said he did the right thing by resigning.
"It shows there is still a lot of work and educating to do," she said.
"It's extremely disappointing, especially when the person at the top of that chain is making those comments, and making them so flippantly and easily.
"You have to see this as an opportunity for positive change. There is a really good opportunity for that."
Sky Sports News chief reporter Bryan Swanson gave his verdict on Bullingham's statement:
"The message from Mark Bullingham and the Football Association is that when it comes to putting together a shortlist for the most senior position in English football, it will be from a diverse pool of people.
"So that then goes against what David Bernstein feared. He said he didn't have "total confidence" that would be the case.
"The message from the FA tonight is loud and clear - that there will be diversity, it will be diverse when they're looking at the replacement for Greg Clarke, who stepped down just 24 hours ago."
