The FA will begin the process of finding Martin Glenn’s replacement on Monday by placing a formal job advert for a new chief executive.
Glenn announced yesterday he will be stepping down at the end of the season after a little over four years in charge, a decision that is said to have taken the organisation by surprise. As a result, a shortlist of possible candidates is yet to be drawn up.
The FA will also employ a headhunting agency to scour the market for suitable individuals and are willing to look both within and outside football to find the ideal replacement.
Glenn will not be involved in the appointment. The search will be led by FA chairman Greg Clarke and other senior figures and a quick decision is thought, at this stage, to be unlikely.
Those inside the FA believe Glenn will be a difficult act to follow after stabilising the financial picture and strengthening relations with the Premier League since taking the reins.
The final piece in that jigsaw was the proposed £600million sale of Wembley Stadium, but the deal collapsed in October when Fulham and Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan withdrew his offer amid concerns over sustained opposition from members of the FA Council.
However, it is believed Glenn has not walked away over that disappointment, with the FA believing the conversation over the sale has advanced to the extent his successor will be in a much better place to revive the project should it be pursued in future.
A framework for possible buyers in terms of the conditions they must meet is now in place, while the game’s stakeholders have clarified their thinking in a way which makes the complications over a future deal clearer from the outset.
Glenn also helped introduce a winter break — due to come into force next season — and adopted the ‘Rooney rule’ in a bid to bring more ethnic diversity in the application process for jobs within the England setup.
His handling of Eni Aluko’s discrimination case, the fall-out of Mark Sampson’s departure from the England women’s team and Sam Allardyce’s exit after just one game all prompted criticism, but on the pitch England enjoyed a period of sustained success at youth level, while the senior side reached this year’s World Cup semi-finals.
