FA chairman Greg Dyke announces plans to launch new football 'hubs' in English cities

FA chairman Greg Dyke has announced ambitious £230million plans to launch new football 'hubs' in 30 cities across England, writes Sky Sports News HQ's chief news reporter Bryan Swanson.

Dyke has also revealed that the FA’s Inclusion Advisory Board is looking into a proposed ‘Rooney Rule’ in the game.

The latest and final report of the year-long study proposes to 'set and deliver a target to significantly increase the number of coaches from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds so that their numbers properly reflect the profile of the game at all levels'. 

In September last year, Dyke’s England Commission set a target of increasing the current number of English players playing regularly in the Premier League by 2022.

Dyke has set a target of England winning the World Cup in 2022. 

The FA Chairman’s England Commission has proposed that by 2020 there will be:

• Football hubs in 30 cities, increasing the number of top-quality artificial grass pitches in urban areas to more than 500.
• A 50% increase in the total number of full-size, publicly accessible 3G artificial grass pitches across England to more than 1,000.
• More than 150 new football-owned and managed football hubs.

“We think we are behind in this country,” Dyke told Sky Sports News HQ at the launch of the Commission’s latest report in Sheffield.

“It needs to change. Local authorities are under enormous pressure. The great advantage of these artificial pitches is that you can play 80 hours a week. We have a big problem in grassroots football because of facilities. I wouldn’t say it’s at crisis point but we have to do something about it.”  

We have a big problem in grassroots football because of facilities. I wouldn’t say it’s at crisis point but we have to do something about it.

Phase One of the Commission’s new plans will cost around £230m over five years but the latest report notes: ‘The scale of funding required to deliver this radical new approach is well beyond the means of The FA.’

Dyke said: “We are hoping the Government and local authorities will give us some money. We hope the Premier League and private sector will put some money in. The Premier League already puts money into facilities and we just hope they put some more in.

“We are starting with this pilot scheme in Sheffield before going onto Liverpool and Birmingham. After that we might well have a competition and say ‘Look – you try and raise some money from your local charities etc. Come in and join in.’ It will be the local authorities who are the most enthusiastic. It might cost them money in the beginning but it saves them money over time.”

Welcome

Richard Scudamore, Premier League chief executive, said in a statement: “We were consulted by the FA Chairman’s England Commission as part of its research into the provision of grass roots facilities and coaching and welcome proposals to enhance both areas.

“Getting this right is imperative to the good health of the game at all levels - players like Raheem Sterling and Calum Chambers have to start off somewhere. The Premier League and our clubs will keep playing our part to help ensure that the provision of top quality facilities and coaching is delivered where it is needed most and will have greatest impact.”

Dyke was asked whether he would like high-earning players to help contribute towards the new proposals.  

He said: “I think it’s up to individual players. I have no doubt some will chip into their local areas and local communities. What we are trying to do with these hubs is involve the local professional clubs.” 

Dyke’s England Commission initially proposed the introduction of Premier League B teams but the second report notes: “It is clear that the overall reaction from many clubs was not favourable. Discussions are ongoing regarding the introduction of B teams into competitions outside the pyramid.”

Dyke denied that the snub from the Football League undermined the Commission.

“It won’t happen, I don’t think, in the way we suggested but I think it will happen in a range of different ways,” Dyke told Sky Sports News HQ.

“There was a lot of appetite from Premier League clubs. Every single player that played in the German side that won the World Cup had played in a B team. It is disappointing that Football League clubs are not keen on that. We can’t enforce this if they don’t want to do it.

“There are still some discussions going on about certain cup competitions and the introduction of B teams. I’m much too old to be embarrassed. What is frustrating about football is that everybody recognises the problem but everybody wants somebody else to do something about it and not them.”   

Shaun Harvey, the Football League's chief executive, said: “The Football League and its clubs place great value on the success of the England team alongside a thriving, competitive domestic league structure.  

"We have been represented on the Commission throughout its deliberations and we will carry on engaging with our clubs and the Commission, regarding both of its reports, in order to identify ways in which we can continue to make a positive contribution to English football.”

The latest report notes there is a ‘particular problem with the lack of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) coaches. There are few than 15 BAME coaches across the professional game.’

Dyke was asked if he would welcome the introduction of a ‘Rooney Rule’ in football, where clubs would be forced to ensure at least one person from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds are included on each interview list.

“We have an inclusion task force within the FA who are looking at precisely that,” explained Dyke. “What do we think the effects are of a ‘Rooney Rule’? They are looking at whether we think that is going to be effective or not if you introduced it right across football and then we are going to have to look at how do you do it.

“I am enthusiastic about anything that gets more people from different backgrounds into football at a whole range of levels.”