ian1964 10,447 Posted November 16, 2012 Share Posted November 16, 2012 WITH Scotland managerless, Rangers in the Third Division and Hearts on the brink, Regan answers the questions fans are dying to know the answers to. IF itâ??s true that timing is everything then Stewart Regan might wish to consider asking Santa for a new watch this Christmas. Two years into his term as SFA chief executive the Englishman finds himself at the epicentre of the biggest crisis ever to rip through our game. A managerless Scotland team which is barely good enough to beat Luxembourgâ??s second string, having already been eliminated from yet another World Cup qualification campaign, this time after only four games. A club game still reeling from the demise of Rangers and their rebirth in the lowest tier. Hearts in serious danger of going the same way. And now the prospect of a bloody power struggle between the SPL and the SFL over league reconstruction, which threatens to develop into all-out civil war between footballâ??s have-nots and its have-even-lessers. The question now is was Regan simply unlucky in that he arrived just in time to witness our game hitting rock bottom? Or are his two years in office the reason why we are where we are? Here, Record Sportâ??s chief football writer Keith Jackson, holds the man at the top of the SFAâ??s ivory tower to account â?? and asks what exactly he plans to do about fixing our broken game before it really is too late... Q: Are you bemused when some people say all this is happening on your watch? A: It just shows how fragile Scottish football is. It has been said for some time the game in this country needs a strong injection of cash at a holistic level but also at individual club level. There are clubs who are really finding it tough. Every day I open the papers and read about another club struggling. That says to me we have a long way to go to build the game. But the good thing is there is a desire and willingness to try to get change. Thatâ??s what we have to keep focussed on. Itâ??s really hard to get that change because itâ??s about bringing together lots of different people with different agendas and ideas. But we remain focussed on trying to move the game forward and trying to do whatever we can to get the change we think will bring in additional funding. Q: But Rangers are in the Third Division. Hearts are teetering on the brink. Then there has been the palaver over Craig Levein, with the national team bottom of their World Cup group. Itâ??s an unhappy time. Are you concerned that at some point the pressure will be on you and people will ask: What exactly is Regan doing about all of this? A: The people who understand Scottish football and who know what the issues are will be able to separate them out. The national teamâ??s issues are completely separate from whatâ??s going on from a financial point of view at club level and the desire of the leagues to look forward towards reconstruction. As the governing body we have a duty and a responsibility to keep the game moving forward, to help where we can and to deal with challenges as they come. There are a lot of challenges right now but we remain committed to trying to deal with them. Thatâ??s not just myself saying that â?? itâ??s a real commitment from the Board to do whatever we can. Q: The SPL and SFL are coming at reconstruction from different angles. Would you be willing to step in and bang heads together if need be? A: If you think back itâ??s no different to where we were just after I first came to the SFA. There were proposals on the table back then, Henry McLeish did his report in December 2010 and talked about league reconstruction, colt teams and the need for a single league body. So there is no new news in whatâ??s being discussed now. Two years ago the SPL had a strategy document and a proposal which was presented. But it didnâ??t get bought into and hit a brick wall. The SFL have now picked up the baton and are trying to work at a different proposal. But no matter which proposal you have on the table it needs consensus and the support of all the clubs. The challenge is the differing voting structures within the leagues and the need to try to get to a place where everyone is comfortable with the outcome. That remains the challenge. So we are not in a different place now from where we were even two years ago. Q: So if nothing continues to happen can the SFA actually impose change? A: Not without breaking the voting structures and that needs the leagues and the clubs themselves to want to do it. There has to be a willingness from all parties to come together and say: â??Right, weâ??re not actually making progress, we need to sit down and work out what we are prepared to do.â?? But in the first instance we have a proposal on the table which does appear to have gathered some support. I think we have a duty to look at that proposal and see how we can take it forward. Q: But doesnâ??t self-interest always dominate in these matters? A: Club chairmen in particular will always look at things from their own clubâ??s perspective because, at the end of the day, reconstruction means different things to different people. Anything that challenges a clubâ??s financial situation or challenges a clubâ??s position in Scottish football will always be questioned by that clubâ??s own supporters, as well as by the chairman. Thatâ??s why it is always difficult to make a major change and why it takes time. Q: A couple of years ago, as you mentioned, you were full of enthusiasm and belief. You said our game WILL change. But it didnâ??t. As a moderniser, the more frustrating it becomes does there not come a point where you say: I quit, I canâ??t do it anymore? A: I remain focussed on change and I can see the day when change will come for Scottish football. I believe all of the signs are out there. There has to be change and there is a willingness for change. I just think we need the spark and the actual proposal to get it over the line. We will do what we can to make that happen. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/sfa-chief-stewart-regan-held-1438719 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,447 Posted November 16, 2012 Author Share Posted November 16, 2012 Very poor questions. How this muppet is still in a job I'll never know,pathetic,and yet we have all the chairmen,and all the media backing him!. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GovanAllan 0 Posted November 16, 2012 Share Posted November 16, 2012 Where do you even start with that. No direct link between the state of the league and the national team, are you serious ya muppet. The game no worse than 2 years ago when he took over, what f#^king shambles are you watching unfold this season. GTF Rhegan and don't let the door hit you on the way out. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GovanAllan 0 Posted November 16, 2012 Share Posted November 16, 2012 Very poor questions. How this muppet is still in a job I'll never know,pathetic,and yet we have all the chairmen,and all the media backing him!. Agreed mate, poor questions which makes the drivel that we got for answers make you want to pull your hair out in anger. This man will kill the game in this country and he will do it to a round of applause it seems. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the gunslinger 3,366 Posted November 16, 2012 Share Posted November 16, 2012 agreed a load of soundbytes excuses and waffle. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,447 Posted November 16, 2012 Author Share Posted November 16, 2012 That remains the challenge. So we are not in a different place now from where we were even two years ago. Aye,ok Regan ya dumpling 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darthter 542 Posted November 16, 2012 Share Posted November 16, 2012 Every day I open the papers and read about another club struggling. That says to me we have a long way to go to build the game. But the good thing is there is a desire and willingness to try to get change. Firstly, he has to rely on the media to tell him that clubs are in trouble??? Secondly, a "desire and willingness to try to get change" - clearly evident when he goes on to say that a similar proposal to the current SFL one was on the table 2 years ago - that's some desire!!! But we remain focussed on trying to move the game forward and trying to do whatever we can to get the change we think will bring in additional funding. Obviously sticking RFC in the bottom division falls in the "Bring in additional funding" pot??? As the governing body we have a duty and a responsibility to keep the game moving forward, to help where we can and to deal with challenges as they come. The mans a comedian!!! He can't seriously believe that is what is happening... Q: So if nothing continues to happen can the SFA actually impose change? A: Not without breaking the voting structures and that needs the leagues and the clubs themselves to want to do it. So basically, the SFA don't want to actually do anything...just leave it up to the clubs to sort out themselves. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueMazza 0 Posted November 16, 2012 Share Posted November 16, 2012 Fairly clear from that he believes it is not his fault at all. He holds no culpability and is simply the mediator between clubs etc. Poor Rhegan, life's a bitch huh? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
onevision 1,454 Posted November 16, 2012 Share Posted November 16, 2012 The guy is still in a job for one reason and one reason only and that is to carry out the last of his dirty deeds, strip us of titles. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,447 Posted November 16, 2012 Author Share Posted November 16, 2012 The guy is still in a job for one reason and one reason only and that is to carry out the last of his dirty deeds, strip us of titles. And then quit or be voted out!,mission accomplished. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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