Gender storm gives FA food for thought

THE Wembley lunch before the FA Cup final has become a gender discrimination issue for the beleaguered governing body of English football.

Even before the controversy over Phil Neville’s appointment as England women’s head coach, FA blazers were bickering about the different meal arrangements before the men’s and women’s FA Cup finals.

The FA’s absurd protocol committee advised that games should be graded from A* to C to decide whether the VIP Wembley Suite should cater for a full silver-service three-course meal or have a more relaxed buffet arrangement.

Discrimination complaints were then made at a meeting when the men’s FA Cup final was deemed an A* event, with the full trimmings, while the women’s final was classified as a buffet occasion.

FA chairman Greg Clarke attempted to put an end to the argument at the last full meeting by explaining that the women themselves wanted the buffet, plus a more relaxed dress code and the option to bring children into the Wembley Suite.

New councillors are exasperated that such trivial matters are taking up council time, but it is unresolved to the extent that the FA are trialling the option of both buffet and full service options at future matches.

EVEN the £10million that Amazon paid for behind-the-scenes access at the Etihad Stadium for their Manchester City documentary was not expected to secure listening in on a Pep Guardiola team talk. However, it is understood Amazon have gained the gold-dust footage thanks to the long relationship Guardiola (right) shares with Spanish TV company Mediapro, who provide the camera personnel. Liverpool also allowed Amazon to film in the away dressing room during City’s recent visit to Anfield.

TOTTENHAM are still insisting their new ground will be their home next season, even if they have to play their first three fixtures away. Nevertheless, scepticism is growing in the construction trade that the Spurs stadium — still without a naming rights deal — will be ready by the start of September. To complicate matters, at least two test events will have to be held before they can host a home fixture.

THE United States, Canada and Mexico joint bid to host the 2026 World Cup may not be nailed-on to succeed after all. Not if, as expected, all 54 African voting countries pledge their support for Morocco at next week’s Confederation of African Football meeting in Casablanca. That would leave Morocco needing only to win another 50 votes to reach the 104 majority from the 207 FIFA territories. And half of those extra votes could easily come from Asia.