Fulham chairman Mohamed Al Fayed will propose a series of major changes
in the way football is run at Thursday's meeting of the Premiership chairmen.
The billionaire businessman believes too much power is concentrated in
the hands of a few influential clubs and claims to be speaking for the
smaller clubs. He told The Independent: "The [Football Association]
are kidnapped by the strong clubs. They have all the money and they don't
care about the other clubs. They need a revolution to help the clubs which
are suffering."
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Fulham Chairman and owner
Mohamed Al Fayed proposes changes to the Premiership
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Among Fayed's more controversial proposals are a move towards central marketing
and changes in player's contracts. Instead of Manchester United opening
"Red Cafes" across the globe he would like the Premier League
to open shops selling the products of all 20 clubs with income being pooled,
as it is in American football's NFL.
His views on players are even more contentious. Reading between the lines
it appears he would like to sack them for not performing, a sentiment
which will infuriate the players' union, the PFA. "The wages of the
players are out of line," he said. Speaking, perhaps, from personal
experience, he added: "You can't do anything. You sign a player for
four years. You pay him £20,000, £30,000, £40,000 a
week. You pay millions for him, and then they dance belly on the pitch.
They can't deliver. They don't want to deliver. You pay blood and it is
not fair. How can you do that? If a player does not deliver he is just
taking your money."
Fayed also advocates the introduction of technology to help referees
and wants changes to the television deal. He is particularly unhappy about
enforced kick-off times such as tomorrow's 7pm start to Fulham's FA Cup
semi-final against Chelsea at Villa Park.
Fayed has hosted a series of lunches at Harrods to canvas support for
his proposals. So far Doug Ellis, David Sheepshanks, Rupert Lowe, Richard
Murray and Terry Brown, the chairmen of Aston Villa, Ipswich, Southampton,
Charlton and West Ham respectively, and David Dein and Daniel Levy, the
significant influences at Arsenal and Tottenham, have all attended. Ken
Bates, the chairman of neighbours Chelsea, is also a regular visitor.
Fayed added: "It is good that Fulham are in the Premier League. It
means my voice is there. It is important for other chairmen and the FA to
listen."