Horne To Take FA Reins Until The End Of The Year

The Football Association has appointed current chief operating officer Alex Horne as acting chief executive following Ian Watmore’s shock resignation with the governing body set to postpone confirming a full-time replacement until the end of the year.

Watmore resigned after reported disagreements with senior FA board figures after less than a year in the job.

The FA has had six chief executives in just over a decade, and chairman Lord Triesman revealed that a permanent appointment was some way off and that it is likely that Horne will be in charge until the end of the year.

The 37-year-old Horne has acted as the FA’s acting chief executive once before following Brian Barwick’s departure in 2008.

On 2nd December FIFA votes on which nations will host the 2018 and the 2022 World Cups, with England keen to host the 2018 tournament, and only after that decision has been made will a new chief executive be appointed.

Triesman insisted that Watmore’s sudden departure would neither affect the chances of England winning the 2010 World Cup in South Africa or the nation’s hopes of staging the 2018 event.

Commented Triesman: ‘We’ve done really well in the build-up to South Africa. The footballing side is not impacted by these things. The footballers are vehement they want to go and win the World Cup.

‘The 2018 bid is also on course. It’s run by a separate organisation and that is working. FIFA insists on an arm’s length organisation with a separate financial structure for auditing purposes. The bid is in good shape – just ask the FIFA executive how we are doing.’

And as the FA begins the search for its seventh chief executive in 11 years, Triesman was confident the organisation would be able to appoint a high-calibre figure.

‘Leading English football is one of the great things you can do in life. I think people will apply. I’m not nervous about good people applying.’

It is known that Watmore had a number of disagreements with Sir David Richards, the chairman of the Premier League, over proposed changes to The FA’s structure.

But in a statement The Football Association maintained that as an organisation was ‘stable, working normally and geared up for success’.

The statement added: ‘Further to reports following Ian Watmore’s announcement, the board are clear that the Professional Game has not blocked proposals for change.

‘Additionally, the board does not accept that Ian’s departure is down to any one individual or any personality clash with Ian.’