Obviously there’s a lot of work behind the scenes in a large organisation so the chairman will need to be competent when it comes to business, but they are also seen as a figurehead which can set the tone for the entire structure.
Greg Clarke finally resigned from his role as the Chairman of the FA after he ran out of minority groups to offend with his disgraceful comments, so the hunt is on for his potential successor.
A report from I-news has indicated that they are hoping to make a quick appointment, and former England striker Emile Heskey has announced his intention to take the role.
This will immediately bring out the cretins who will claim he’s only being considered because of his race, but let’s remember that he’s done a lot of work with Leicester City’s women’s team and he’s also completed UEFA courses which are designed to equip players to take on leadership positions within football administrations, so he’s perfectly qualified for the role.
Heskey admitted that it would send a powerful message if he was appointed:
“It would be powerful. It would send messages. It’s been called for, for a long time.
“I would be very surprised if it was a black person. I’d be very surprised if it was anyone within football right now. I think there’s a network of people they tap into that doesn’t have anything to do with football and they’ll try to bring someone from there.”
He went on to suggest that the FA may go for someone from a business background rather than a footballing one, but he thinks it would be a good idea to appoint someone who understands the game.
There’s no sign that anyone is primed to take the job yet, so it will be interesting to see who’s chosen.