“ FA OF WALES CHIEF EXECUTIVE UNDER INVESTIGATION “

Wednesday 13th December 2017

By Rob Phillips

The Football Association of Wales (FAW) has begun disciplinary action against its chief executive Jonathan Ford for saying the next Wales manager could be "foreign", but "definitely not English".

The FAW has set up a three-person panel to investigate a BBC Sport Wales interview in which Ford said: "We have always favoured Welsh people because arguably the passion is there.

"Somebody said this earlier, Welsh most definitely, foreign possibly but definitely not English."

The interview, at the Wales Sport Awards, was discussed at an FAW council meeting when Ford was asked to leave the room.

A disciplinary panel will meet to question Ford on the matter, though he is working as normal as Wales look to replace Chris Coleman, who departed following the failure of the national team to qualify for the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia, next summer.

Ford declined to comment when contacted by BBC Sport Wales.

Ford's tenure

Ford was appointed to the role in 2009 and has a marketing background.

He has been widely credited with lifting the FAW's profile and increasing turnover.

Coleman led Wales to their first tournament finals when the national team reached the semi finals of Euro 2016.

During Ford's tenure, Wales has staged its first Uefa competition with the European Women's Under-19s tournament in 2013 before hosting the prestigious Super Cup in 2014.

In the summer Cardiff staged the 2017 women's and men's Champions League Finals.

Ford will still lead the search for Coleman's successor, with a six-man panel looking to sift through the candidates with a view to appointing a new manager by the end of January, 2018.

Roberts, Giggs, Bellamy, Hartson

Coleman's assistant Osian Roberts, plus ex-Wales strikers Craig Bellamy and John Hartson and Ryan Giggs have all expressed their interest in taking over.

Former Wales and Manchester United forward Giggs has been long admired by the FAW, while Welshman Tony Pulis - sacked as West Bromwich Albion manager last month - is also among those linked with the post.

Ford believes the Wales job has become an attractive proposition following Coleman's successful Euro 2016 campaign.

quite right too - its completely unacceptable to arbitrarily refuse applications from one particular nationality in 2017. he is an employee himself and should be disciplined.

He never said that, What he did say was, that the applications from the english managers were not of the standard of what we wanted. Which is probably worse

quite right too - its completely unacceptable to arbitrarily refuse applications from one particular nationality in 2017. he is an employee himself and should be disciplined.

Pipe down Jeremy Corbyn!

He never said that, What he did say was, that the applications from the english managers were not of the standard of what we wanted. Which is probably worse

its whats printed mate.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42234166

No surprise there and some ambitious soul will have made mileage out of it in the current climate!

No surprise there and some ambitious soul will have made mileage out of it in the current climate!

its just a PR exercise....he made a stupid statement..which the FAW could either do nothing about and look as if its their policy , or go through this investigation which will end in him giving an apology while saying it was a joke. albeit a poor one..
who gets mileage out of it..?

No surprise there and some ambitious soul will have made mileage out of it in the current climate!

its just a PR exercise....he made a stupid statement..which the FAW could either do nothing about and look as if its their policy , or go through this investigation which will end in him giving an apology while saying it was a joke. albeit a poor one..
who gets mileage out of it..?

You're possibly right (PR Exercise) and he may simply get a rollocking before giving an apology. The FAW certainly know how to close ranks but just think that someone had to bring it to the 'official' attention of the brass and that person will almost certainly have boosted their CV by having that on it. As I said, it's how the modern world works and I've witnessed it all too often

Discrimination in today's world .

He never said that, What he did say was, that the applications from the english managers were not of the standard of what we wanted. Which is probably worse

Using your link the quote is:

"We have always favoured Welsh people because arguably the passion is there," said FAW chief executive Jonathan Ford.
"Somebody said this earlier, Welsh most definitely, foreign possibly, but definitely not English."

I think the UKIP AM has taken the spotlight off him now with his comments in the Assembly on Tuesday.

He never said that, What he did say was, that the applications from the english managers were not of the standard of what we wanted. Which is probably worse

Using your link the quote is:

"We have always favoured Welsh people because arguably the passion is there," said FAW chief executive Jonathan Ford.
"Somebody said this earlier, Welsh most definitely, foreign possibly, but definitely not English."

has now apologised for the statement and no further action....
why they needed a 3 man team to... investigate ...a statement on video and on the national news within an hour of its release beats me.