Salman would offer senior FIFA post to England’s Scudamore

The Bahraini sheikh bidding to become FIFA president next month says he would like Richard Scudamore, chief executive of the Premier League, to be his secretary general if he is elected. Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, also said he wants former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson to join a board of advisers that he would set up. Al Khalifa is the president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and a front-runner in the FIFA election.

The election to choose a new head of FIFA was called off after the organisation was plunged into the worst crisis in its 111-year history last May. There were arrest of officials by American . The Swiss authorities are probing corruption allegations. Scudamore, has overseen the development of the Premier League into the world’s richest and most popular domestic soccer competition.

He would be offered the role of running FIFA’s day-to-day business under Sheikh Salman’s proposal. Ferguson was responsible for United’s dominance of that League, with 13 titles in two decades. In an interview with Sky Sports, Sheikh Salman said: “Richard … is still doing a great job at the Premier League.

At the end of the day we have to choose (someone) who is ready to come in and take up this responsibility. Sheikh Salman told media in a recent interview that he would split FIFA into separate ‘business’ and ‘football’ entities if he wins next month’s election in Zurich. He sees the presidential role as a non-executive one involving delegating rather than micro-managing the organisation.

Asked if Ferguson and Scudamore could be on his proposed advisory board, he replied: “Absolutely, they have the experience and the personality. “Everybody respects them and the work they have done. “There are other people around the globe who I am sure could make a similar contribution,” he added.