How power changed Wiseman

WHEN THE FA council selected Keith St John Wiseman as chairman in 1996 they thought they had pulled a fast one over the power-brokers of football.

Mr Wiseman, now 52, was a compromise candidate. As a director of Southampton he represented the professional clubs which were demanding a voice in the game's administration to match their growing wealth. As a coroner, he passed muster with the old-school-tie backwoodsmen.

Both parties thought they could control him. But Mr Wiseman proved a different animal once in power. At club level he was part of a board of directors who approved a reverse take-over that left them with paper fortunes, and the club in the hands of a company specialising in retirement homes.

This was followed by an attempt to turn his honorary position into a salaried post. The council rejected his request for a pounds 75,000 salary as smacking of self-interest.

Nevertheless, with the encouragement of Graham Kelly, he set his sights on a place in the administration of European and world football. But after producing a campaign that reeked of neo-colonial arrogance, he failed to gain a position within Uefa, the European governing body.

So he tried another tack. As founders of the game the four home nations have an automatic seat on the board of Fifa, the world governing body. This is currently held by David Will, a respected figure in the game. During the summer it appeared that Mr Will might step aside.

However, the position is shared by rotation and it was not England's turn to take it. Thus Messrs Kelly and Wiseman hatched a plan to enlist the Welsh and Irish in changing the routine. The Welsh, in return for substantial financial assistance agreed. The Irish did not. Mr Will stayed where he was.The FA tried to reduce the payments and the story emerged.

Mr Wiseman was out of the country yesterday but will soon be back seeking to clear his name of some of the more lurid allegations - it is understood there is no question at all of his benefiting personally from the deal - and defend his place. That seems doomed to failure for he will be judged by the same men who refused his request for a salary.