FA cuts 82 jobs as virus wipes out Wembley events
English soccer scheme to increase diversity among coaches
LONDON, June 30, (AP): As the 90,000-capacity Wembley held its first game without fans, the financial impact of the pandemic on English soccer was revealed by the national stadium’s owners.
The English Football Association announced plans to cut 82 jobs to cover an anticipated 300 million pound ($370 million) deficit due to the coronavirus pandemic restricting crowds at games and more events being canceled.
Social distancing at stadiums meant Northampton players had to pick up the medals and trophy themselves rather than from dignitaries - after beating Exeter in the League Two playoff final at Wembley to win promotion to the third tier.
It was the first time a game was played without fans since the rebuilt Wembley opened in 2007. The loss of revenue will also be felt when the FA Cup semifinals and final are staged at an empty Wembley in the coming weeks.
Wembley was due to stage seven games at the European Championship
BERLIN, June 30, (AP): Germany will have two summer transfer periods this year - the first for just one day.
The German soccer federation said on Monday it was reacting to the special circumstances caused by the coronavirus pandemic by allowing clubs more time to sign players for the coming season.
Player transfers can be registered on July 1 for one day, then another transfer period will run from July 15 to Oct. 5. Usually transfers are possible from July 1 through Aug. 31.
“We have made this adjustment together with the German soccer league and in coordination with FIFA,” federation vice-president Peter Frymuth said.
The first one-day period is intended for players whose transfers have already been agreed with a July 1 starting date, though they will get a permit
at Wembley, has “completely fallen away and will probably take years to recover,” the FA said. Compensation has also had to be paid for some of the canceled events, while the FA has been unable to fulfil some commitments to sponsors and broadcasters.
When Britain went into lockdown in March, the FA halted recruitment for only the 2020-21 season. The current season will not have been completed in full due to a twomonth suspension caused by the pandemic.
Bayern Munich plays Bayer Leverkusen in the German Cup final on Saturday, and there are still relegation-promotion playoffs and European ties before the season is completed.
The second transfer period will be longer than usual “so the clubs can be flexible and make transfers for as long as possible, also internationally,” the federation said in a statement.
It decided on Oct. 5 as a closing date as players need to be registered for the group stages of next season’s UEFA competitions the following day.
and 42 vacant positions will not be filled. Another 82 roles are being removed from the not-for-profit governing body.
FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said the focus will be spending on the key mission - helping the men’s and women’s national teams win major tournaments. “That means
we have set out in our proposals some difficult choices because we do not think we can afford to do all the things that we did before,” he said.
Meanwhile English soccer launched a placement scheme on Monday to assist players from ethnic minority backgrounds moving into coaching to increase diversity in the dugout.
The scheme will be open to Professional Footballers’ Association members from a Black, Asian or other ethnic minority background and will initially provide up to six coaches per season with a 23-month placement at a club across the three professional divisions below the Premier League.
“This is a critical time for Black, Asian and minority ethnic coaches,” said Darren Moore, chairman of the Premier League’s Black Participants’ Advisory Group. “We all know and agree that the diversity of coaches and managers must increase and this placement scheme represents a positive step.”
The lack of representation of Black people in senior leadership roles in the sport has been in the spotlight because of the increased focus worldwide on the Black Lives Matter movement.
Manchester City and England forward Raheem Sterling has been among those questioning why so few Black former players have made the transition into coaching or other positions of power within clubs.