Since Sven-Goran Eriksson, football has become a real palaver

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David Bernstein would have asked Daniel Levy for permission to approach Harry Redknapp. The Tottenham chairman would have reluctantly agreed and, because losing a manager to England is different from having him poached by a rival, envisaged moderate compensation. Redknapp would be offered a salary commensurate with that of the French manager of France or Germany's German:
say £1.5million.

Tomorrow the Spurs players would come in to hear from Redknapp that, yes, he would be leaving at the season's end but that in the meantime all that mattered was the quest to win the title or, at least, secure a Champions League place. It could have happened, without undue damage to Spurs' season (and the minimum distraction to Levy as he ponders the succession).

But English football has become a thing of palaver, repeatedly clearing up messes caused by its own dismal governance.

The protraction of the Luis Suarez controversy by Liverpool is an especially odious example but even Redknapp's move to Wembley may become an acrimonious bore, overshadowing the joy football can bring. And it will be entirely the fault of the FA for hiring Sven-Goran Eriksson and, even worse, repeating the blunder with Fabio Capello.

The fact that faces have changed - including Bernstein's - offers scant consolation to grassroots victims of the redistribution of resources. Estimates have been made but the true cost will keep mounting for the foreseeable future. Why should Levy be soft with a market-oriented FA? Why should Redknapp take a patriotic wage when £6m was available to Capello? And why is our game so persistently myopic?