Former Everton and Blackburn Rovers defender Craig Short believes the Professional Footballers' Association needs to be overhauled amid the growing discord at the organisation.
Chairman Ben Purkiss has called for an independent review to modernise the PFA, which, according to reports, has been backed by more than 200 current and former players.
That has seemingly brought Purkiss into conflict with chief executive Gordon Taylor, who has run the union since 1981, during which time he has strongly defended his members’ right to earn large salaries from the game.
More controversially, however, he has also earned massive sums while doing so and is, by some margin, the best-paid union official in Britain.
Short told ITV News: “I am in touch with a lot of ex-pros from my career. There’s a strong feeling out there that there has to be some sort of a review.
“All former players and current players have issued certain concerns, not just over the last weekend, this has gone on for years now.
“They want a democratic process to choose a leader and an independent review to see how the PFA is run.
“I think Gordon has done a lot of good for the PFA but I believe that it is a time for change.
“For most people I’ve spoken to, it’s not about Gordon, it’s about having an independent review that is the main concern of people who’ve been in touch with me over the last few days.
“If this gets swept under the carpet I think they’ll lose the confidence and I think that’s the only way to move forward and make the PFA what it should be.”
PA
