FORMER Premier League coach Joe Jordan believes anyone in football found to have accepted a bung should be given a lifetime ban from the game. The former Scotland international, who was Harry Redknapp’s assistant at Portsmouth, Tottenham Hotspur and Queens Park Rangers, was responding to the recent investigation by the Daily Telegraph that alleged, among other things, that eight current and recent Premier League managers had been open to illicit payments relating to player transfers.
Jordan, who left QPR in February last year, described the sums of money swilling around English football’s top league as “mindboggling” but felt that taking backhanders would still be unacceptable even if transfer fees and salaries were significantly lower. The former Bristol City and Hearts manager felt anyone caught and charged should face the ultimate sanction.
“I hope it’s not [a cultural thing in English football] but it’s certainly not good for the game,” Jordan said. “If people take what they call bungs then they should be done for life. Even if there wasn’t as much money in the game then it still wouldn’t be the way to do it. But the fact there IS so much money in the game, especially if you’re a Premier League manager, then something like that is just pure greed.
“To take something that is disguised and manufactured in such a way…..the money they get is more than enough. Even on a reduced wage, anyone involved in that kind of thing should be thrown out the game. It’s not on. Football is a great game but that sort of behaviour is not good for the profile.”
In a separate investigation, Redknapp was filmed by the Telegraph admitting that some of his former players had bet on matches they were involved in contrary to FA regulations, while England manager Sam Allardyce left his post after a separate sting in which he was secretly filmed offering advice about third-party ownership of players. Jordan felt that Allardyce had shown “poor judgment”.
“I saw when it came out with Sam in the Telegraph but a few other days that week I was away and never saw the paper,” he said. “My missus saw the later stuff and said there was nothing in it, although I think they were pushing and pushing. I think Harry was just advising people how to buy a small club, it seemed quite straightforward. With Sam it was at little bit different. I think [by leaving] he pre-empted what would have been a lot worse had he stayed. He’s got caught up on something and it was poor judgment by him. It’s cost him dearly.”
With the latest television deal topping £5 billion, Jordan believes there is little prospect of the Premier League bubble bursting any time soon. But he believes there is a risk of supporters being alienated should the game in England continue along this road.
“The money is mindboggling,” he said. “But I think it’s sustainable at the moment because the [broadcasting] contract has just gone up again. There are people fighting over it to get the contract and new players coming into the market all the time. So the money will keep pouring in. I’m still amazed by the sums involved. It’s gone beyond anything I ever thought. There’s football on TV every night of the week. Some weekends there are three live games a day.
“But they need to be careful. You can see people being selective with the games they go to and at some of the clubs – in London especially – the price of a match ticket is astronomical. That’s an area they will need to watch. You need the supporters to stay with you and don’t take them for granted. At the moment most of the stadiums are busy and there’s a lot of atmosphere and passion. And you go to games in London and people are there from all different continents to watch matches and enjoy the experience. So there’s still that buzz around the matches. But if you price people out of going, it will sink the game.”
- Joe Jordan is speaking alongside Graeme Souness at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on November 3 as part of the Legends of Scottish and World Football series. Tickets from £25 are available from www.glasgowconcerthalls.com
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