Agents kicked out by FA’s Ashworth
FA technical director Dan Ashworth has shown the power he now holds in English football by banning football agents from watching age-level international matches at St George’s Park.
Ashworth, currently in France to help rule on whether Roy Hodgson continues as England manager after Euro 2016, has sent an email to all FA-registered agents telling them to stay away from England Under 15, Under 16 and Under 17 matches.
He says the junior games are for parents and club staff only and writes: ‘We respectfully ask, at this sensitive time of their career and contractual situation, you do not attend these games, the training camp or come to the hotel.
‘I hope you can respect the need for a secure environment at this age for the players, parents and for the clubs’ peace of mind.’
Many of the youngsters involved are connected to agents already, but Ashworth’s edict follows parents being hassled even while they are watching their sons play international games. IT
LOOKS like the beginning of the end for David Gower (right) as Sky Sports’ lead cricket presenter. Ian Ward, heir apparent for the role for some time despite not having anything like Gower’s cricketing pedigree, is hosting the one-day series against Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, it is a mystery why Sky think Aussie irritant Shane Warne adds anything whatsoever to a series not involving Australia. WAynE RoonEy’S management will no doubt be interested to see the fine print of the deal that has allowed signed photographs of England’s captain to be sold by UEFA’s store in the Paris fan zone.
The Rooney camp closely guard his image rights and even the Manchester United striker’s autograph is trademarked. There are also Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale- signed boots and shirts for sale in the Paris store, and other fan zones are selling similar material.
A Euro 2016 spokesman said UEFA have permission to sell the memorabilia through their official licensee Icons. THERE
has been a noticeable drop in social media activity by the England players since their arrival in France. The FA have no hard-and-fast regulations about tweeting during the tournament, but do try to micro-manage the output on matchdays and in the 24 hours before. This is done by asking the squad to show media representatives or the management what they are intending to tweet before it goes out. The FA adopt this big-brother attitude so that tactics and injury news are not relayed to the opposition by mistake. The team seem to have responded by not bothering to tweet at all on those sensitive days.