By Ian Clarkson
A three-hour summit meeting in Manchester between senior figures within the FA, the Players' Union and members of the England team concluded yesterday with all parties in apparent agreement that common ground can be found in the attempt to avoid a repeat of the Rio Ferdinand threatened strike debacle in October. More meetings are planned and the Football Association expects to have an agreed policy for England team selection in time for the friendly against Portugal on February 18. Here's Gordon Taylor's view of events, past and present…
Q. HAVE YOU HAD ANY MEETINGS PREVIOUSLY WITH THE FA?
A. We have already had meetings on discipline and an improvement in the drug testing procedure, trying to make sure that whilst the procedure is independent the players are expected to be there and be tested within two hours if it is for random testing at training grounds. It is important that testers stick with the players for post-match testing at the grounds to increase the number of tests. We want to try and make sure that there is a perception out there that football is clean of drugs - unlike the problems they have had in other sports such as athletics, cycling, swimming and lately of course, tennis.
Q. WHO WAS PRESENT AT YESTEDAY'S MEETING?
A. I was there along with Mick McGuire whilst Gary Neville and David James represented the England players. Trevor Brooking, Gary Mabbutt, Brendon Batson were there for the FA and from the England International Committee, Noel White, Dave Richards, Rob Coar and Nic Coward (PFA lawyer). Bearing in mind the type of people involved, I was always optimistic of an acceptable outcome.
Q. WHAT WERE THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVES OF THE GATHERING?
A. The meeting was part of an on-going process. Of course, we are talking about the tightening up of drug tests - especially since the Rio Ferdinand debacle and the inordinate amount of time it took to deal with that issue - as well as the England selection criteria and the whole of the disciplinary system, trying to make the process sharper and clearer. In terms of a common interest in England doing well, the parties are not that far apart. But with regard to some procedures and the way they've been dealt with, there has been fair damage done and now we're in a healing process. We need everyone singing from the same hymn sheet.
Q. WHAT WAS YOUR PRIMARY OBJECTIVE?
A. We are hoping to start off with the parameter that you are innocent until proven guilty and then within those parameters, and within that principle, we can establish some criteria with regard to football offences for civil offences and criminal offences. And then look at the possibilities and see if we can come to some judgment, have a players code of conduct, whereby everybody agrees what should be done so there is not going to be the same policy on the hoof - whereby players have been called up and sent home.
Q. HOW IMPORTANT WAS IT TO BUILD BRIDGES AHEAD OF EURO 2004?
A. There had been a breakdown in relationships amongst the players and the FA and the New Year gives a chance to come together and to improve team spirit which can only be good for Euro 2004. Things have gone off track this season for all to see, on more than one occasion. In the last two games, players have been named in the squad and suddenly taken out. We have been shooting ourselves in the foot in full view of the country and the world and bearing in mind we've got Euro 2004 to look forward to, we should be pleased and optimistic and it is important that we get the show on the road with team spirit intact.
