England friendlies and FA Cup replays are sure to be under threat for 2022

England friendlies and FA Cup replays are sure to be under threat for 2022

Alan Green, Radio 5 Live’s top football commentator, was conspicuous by his absence from the England game in Ukraine on Tuesday night.
The controversial Green, who divides opinion among fans and those in the industry, had been expected to be in Kiev, having returned from holiday in time to commentate on England’s win against Moldova at Wembley on Friday.
It is understood Green had personal reasons for missing the game. But there has also been a summer-long dispute over whether he would be able to fly to Ukraine in business class as he has done regularly throughout his BBC career.

Not in attendance: Alan Green (left) was conspicuous by his absence from the England game in Ukraine

But the changing times at the corporation and their significant budget cuts meant luxury travel was no longer an option for Green, unless he paid for an upgrade himself.
The Beeb quarrel comes at a delicate time for Green. His freelance contract expires at the end of next summer’s World Cup in Brazil, when his long-time England commentary partner Mike Ingham is retiring.
The high-maintenance Green is keen to carry on in his prime BBC football role but questions may be raised as to whether his 5 Live bosses want him. A spokeswoman said Green was  ‘unavailable’ for the Ukraine match.

England friendlies and FA Cup replays are sure to be under threat in the club and country horse trading over the switch to a winter World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
The change of dates to a Qatar tournament in October and November — the same months the Under 17 World Cup is being staged this year in the United Arab Emirates — is now a fait accompli ahead of the FIFA ExCo meeting on October 3-4 that will grant the winter go-ahead.
However, something in the international calendar will have to give to make room for up to 10 weeks of a World Cup and preparation time.
International friendlies being mothballed would give extra dates for club fixtures in the seasons affected, as would losing replays in the FA Cup. The FA board have yet to debate Qatar but would not oppose any FIFA-led directive.

Reduce: England friendlies could be banished in 2022 in the run up to the World Cup

Cricket WAGs are less contentious than their football counterparts but England team director Andy Flower is taking a similar strict approach over their permitted time in Australia this winter as he did last time.
The players’ partners will be welcome only for the last two Tests, in Melbourne and Sydney, and any wife or girlfriend arriving before then has to find their own accommodation and pay for it.
The FA, who regard Euro 2012 arrangements as the template for future tournaments, have no potential plans to accommodate England WAGs in Brazil — certainly during the group stage.

Pay your own way: England team director Andy Flower (above) will take the same approach to cricket WAGs as he always has, with Kevin Pietersen and Jessica Taylor (below), seen raising awareness for Sport Relief the most popular couple in the England camp

BBC Sport have seemingly wasted licence fee payers’ money on a nine-month probe into the training methods of Mo Farah’s American coach Alberto Salazar.
The investigation, which saw TV production crews having to sign strict confidentiality agreements, looks to have been shelved having not uncovered the evidence to make a programme.
The BBC declined to comment but speculation within athletics about the documentary in the making led Salazar to make a forthright defence of his system and that Farah is running totally clean.

Probe: Alberto Salazar (centre) had his training methods closely looked at

Dyke has an off day
FA independent director Roger Devlin, who led the panel that appointed chairman Greg Dyke, says he ‘completely understands media concern’ about Dyke inexplicably not being in Ukraine to support England — a week after his state-of-the-football-nation speech.
But Devlin added: ‘It is a well-established minimum principle that either the chairman or the general secretary attends England away games and Alex Horne was there.
'No disrespect to my chairman, but I would rather have had Wayne Rooney available than Greg.’

No-show: Dyke was not present in Ukraine, but the FA had their necessary representatives attending

Ascot named their concluding race on Saturday The Last Call from ‘The Croc’ Handicap to mark the final commentary of BBC racing commentator Jim McGrath.
Alas, it was an unfortunate finale for Aussie Jim, who failed to name either horse or rider after Liam Jones fell off Arctic Lynx three furlongs out.