Dan’s not a ladies man

FA TECHNICAL director Dan Ashworth, who was a central figure in the Eni Aluko/Mark Sampson controversy, is to have his wings clipped at his St George’s Park power base.

Ashworth is understood to be concentrating in future on overseeing the men’s teams with the FA bringing in other personnel to look after all aspects of women’s football there.

Considering his job was in serious jeopardy, Ashworth has at least survived and presented plans for the England teams to the FA board with manager Gareth Southgate last week.

And Ashworth, together with HR chief Rachel Brace, also went through the new draft grievance and whistleblowing policies for England players, which will be part of the reforms to be rubberstamped by the FA council next month.

Meanwhile, FA chief executive Martin Glenn certainly likes to look on the positive side even after a year when the Sampson saga brought the organisation to their knees.

Glenn said in his speech at the media’s drinks reception that the FA get the big things right and added that he was convinced that the set-up was now right for England to win the World Cup.

lTHE

ECB’s Christmas media reception later this week sums up how they have become obsessed with their new T20 tournament at the expense of everything else. It is being staged in a hospitality box at a Big Bash game in Melbourne — in the middle of an Ashes series humiliation — to showcase what they’ve learnt from T20 Down Under.