LAWWELL LASHES OUT AT SFA CHIEFS

Celtic chief exec argues buck shouldn’t stop with Regan axe

PETER Lawwell, the Celtic chief executive, last night launched a thinly-veiled attack on Alan McRae and Rod Petrie, the SFA president and vice president, and called for others to be handed greater power at the governing body. Lawwell was speaking publicly for the first time since Stewart Regan stood down as SFA chief executive after eight years in charge last week following an outcry over the failure to appoint Michael O’Neill as Scotland manager and the decision to take on end-of-season friendlies against Peru and Mexico. He stated that

others who have presided over the SFA for a number of years”, a reference to both McRae and Petrie, also needed to accept responsibility for the failings of the beleaguered organisation and suggested that board members Gary Hughes, Ian Maxwell, Mike Mulraney and Ana Stewart are given greater influence.

In an interview with BBC Radio Scotland, Lawwell expressed the view that the SFA must undergo a wide-ranging overhaul of its structure and re-evaluate its purpose in the modern game following a series of damaging high-profile controversies.

“I came off the board a couple of years ago,” said Lawwell. “From the outside looking in, clearly there are problems and they appear to be significant.

“It seems that Stewart Regan has taken the rap for that in terms of the changes over the last couple of weeks. I think there are others in there who have presided over the SFA for a number of years who really need to look at themselves just now as well.

“I don’t think there is any value in personalising it, but clearly there are issues which need to be addressed.

“But on the other hand I think there are positives because you have a board there with very capable people in Mike Mulraney, who represents the clubs, alongside Ian Maxwell and you have independent non-executives in Gary Hughes and Ana Stewart, who are capable people.

“I think it is now time for these guys to be given their head and maybe be given a bit more authority to actually understand what is the purpose of the SFA and how does that relate to the SPFL.

“I think there should be a process of restructuring and reorganising that allows the SFA to be fit for that purpose.

“There are a lot of good staff at the SFA and we engage with them. For me, there is an opportunity for everybody to sit down, look at what they should be doing, learn lessons and move on.”