Wales boss Coleman demands football villains be ‘removed from the game permanently’
By and FOOTBALL is an “unforgivable” industry of corruption, Chris Coleman, the Wales manager, said yesterday as he called for lifetime bans against scandalhit figures in the wake of The Daily Telegraph’s investigation.
As Barnsley assistant manager Tommy Wright was sacked for accepting a £5,000 cash “bung”, Coleman and other top-flight managers said that disclosures of widespread financial wrongdoing had left a “black mark on football”.
Last night police faced intensifying pressure from the Government’s anticorruption champion to launch investigations into potential criminality. City of London Police said in a statement: “Following recent media allegations of bribery and corruption within football, detectives … have spoken to journalists involved and the FA.
“Officers will be reviewing any available material with a view to establish- ing whether any criminal offences have been committed.
“At this stage no formal allegations of criminal activity have been received. The material will be reviewed and a further statement will be made in due course.”
Sir Eric Pickles, an anti-corruption champion, said The Telegraph had uncovered “clear evidence suggesting a breach of the Bribery Act”, while Gerry Sutcliffe, the former sports minister, added: “If [football] can’t put its house in order, then the Government should.”
Meanwhile, England players woke yesterday to a postcard from sacked manager Sam Allardyce saying “our journey has begun”.
It is understood the cards were sent out second-class by the Football Association on Monday, just hours before officials were contacted by the Telegraph. Bilic, of West Ham, led calls yesterday for a major clampdown on greed in the game.
The Wales boss, who led his nation to the Euro 2016 semi-final, said anyone caught “stealing money” from football should be “removed from the game permanently”.
He said: “What we are talking about, effectively, is people stealing money. Whether you are earning 50 grand a year or 50 grand a week, you are stealing money. Anyone caught doing that, they need to be removed from the game permanently. That’s it. Good night.
“If you are earning 50 grand a year, to the average man in the street, that’s a good salary, so you shouldn’t be taking money.”
Koeman supported the decision to sack Allardyce. “For football in general, it is a black mark and that is not good. That is my opinion.”
Bilic, meanwhile, said that those involved with football had a responsibility to be “totally clean”.