By Andrew Warshaw
March 10 – With what can only be described as bizarre timing verging on the foolhardy, Welsh football has been plunged into disarray with the news that Jonathan Ford is to leave his post as chief executive after 12 years.
Ford has arguably done more than anyone to promote the Welsh game within UEFA and FIFA in recent years.
Since his appointment in 2009 he has overseen a purple patch for Welsh football, not only with the men’s national team reaching the semi-finals of Euro 2016 but also the country’s national stadium in Cardiff hosting the 2017 Champions League final. On the field both the men and women have reached their highest ever FIFA ranking while off the field turnover was doubled.
But it seems his face no longer fits and in February he was the subject of a no confidence vote passed by Football Association of Wales council and placed on gardening leave with a view to leaving the job at the end of this month.
“Since Mr Ford’s appointment in 2009, the FAW’s profile in European and world football has greatly increased and there has been significant improvements in world class facilities including the National Training and Development Centres at Dragon Park, Newport and Colliers Park, Wrexham and the new National Elite Centre and FAW Head Quarters at Hensol, near Cardiff,” said a Welsh FA statement.
“During his tenure, Wales has hosted several prestigious events such as the UEFA U19’s European Championships in 2013, the UEFA Super Cup Final in 2014 and the women’s and men’s Champions League Finals in 2017.
“The men’s national team reached the semi-finals of EURO 2016 and secured back-to-back Euro qualification for the first time and were promoted to the top division of the UEFA Nations League in 2020 as group winners.
“The FAW would like to place on record its gratitude to Mr Ford for his efforts over the past 11 years and wish him the best for future endeavours. The FAW will not be making any further comment at this current time.”
Ford’s main “crime” was apparently bringing in Angela van den Bogerd as the FAW’s “head of people”, an appointment greeted with surprise and concern since, in a previous role unconnected with football, she had been fiercely criticised by a High Court Judge for both misleading the court and for obfuscation.
Ford has not been subject to any disciplinary process on any matter yet it would appear he has now paid the ultimate price, a classic example of old-school football politics allegedly orchestrated by FAW President Kieron O’Connor, the man tasked with giving Ford – conspicuous by his absence at last week’s International FA Board summit attended by FIFA president Gianni Infantino and hosted by the Welsh FA – the bad news.
But getting rid of him is potentially a hugely counter-productive move, leaving a vacuum at the top at the very time the Welsh game needs all the help it can get.
The immediate future of manager Ryan Giggs, currently still on “special leave” after being arrested last November, is still unresolved amid questions about whether he will take charge of the upcoming World Cup qualifiers with Belgium and the Czech Republic.
Not only are both the men’s and women’s Welsh teams without a current in-situ coach , hardly great for public relations, but in recent weeks Ford has been the driving force behind the campaign of Laura McAllister to give Wales a seat at the top table of FIFA which would arguably represent the country’s proudest moment.
McAllister is trying to unseat the present incumbent, Italy’s Evelina Christillin, as UEFA’s FIFA Council female representative but Ford being shown the door will hardly enhance her campaign among UEFA’s 55 voting member associations.
It is understood that Ford was perceived to have too much power and influence, perhaps not on paper a valid reason for relieving him of his duties but nothing new in the murky world of football politics.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1714062691labto1714062691ofdlr1714062691owedi1714062691sni@w1714062691ahsra1714062691w.wer1714062691dna1714062691