Alex Phillips - The most influential football administrator you' ve never heard of

Sports Content Strategy with MrRichardClarke: Exploring sports content, journalism, digital and social media

Alex Phillips does not look or sound like a revolutionary but his ideas could shake up football.

He spent 15 years at Uefa, including a couple as Head of Compliance and Governance. He was seconded to the Asian Football Confederation for three years and now leads the World Football Remission Fund, a FIFA body administrating how money "stolen from the game" should be returned for its overall benefit.

Phillips has been described as "the most influential football administrator you have never heard of". Certainly, he has an analytical eye and passion for reform.

In this podcast, we discuss good governance, the ramifications of the failed Super League project, educating owners and fans, setting examples and, of course, content

TOPICS

His views on the Super League between its collapse and now - "a great fragmentation"

Uefa's mistake of not making co-efficient qualification 'a red line'

Having the same people governing conflicting tasks

Why regulatory bodies are "not up to the job"

Linking financial control to regulation and its inherent problems

Not restricting finances but restricting player numbers instead

Changing payers and coach's behaviour

Using broadcasters to educate players and fans

"Leadership time is often spent chasing money rather than on sporting issues"

How to change a football reputation - the example of German refereeing

The differing concepts of "cheating"

The values of football's myths and stories. And why owners need to be educated

How television does football's marketing job

The challenge to retain younger audiences whose frame of reference is different

The concept of scarcity in creating sporting interest - 'hats off to the Champions League?"

Working properly with partners and sponsors to grow a sport

Alex's three recommendations to grow football