In 2014, the Football Clubs Commission was founded or, in other words, ProLeague, an organization that was created with the aim of jointly defending the rights and interests of its affiliated clubs before any person, entity or body, public or private. Currently with more than three hundred teams under its umbrella, the association that looks after non-professional football clubs, which this Monday presents, together with the Association of Spanish Footballers (AFE), a historic agreement for the First Federation, the first of the category, has just completed a decade of life. Its president, David Jiménez, reviews ProLiga’s achievements during this time and future projects on ABC.
–Ten years since the birth of ProLiga. How is the health of the association after this decade of life?
–Honestly, I think we are in the best moment of these ten years. ProLiga belongs to the CEOE (Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations), which brings together two million companies and self-employed workers, we are members of its board of directors and we are participating very actively in its culture and sports commission. Furthermore, we are significantly increasing the number of associates and, above all, relations with the RFEF are now normalized. This Monday we presented, together with the AFE, the first collective agreement for the First Federation, a very relevant milestone for the third category of Spanish football.
–What are the great challenges and projects of ProLiga for the future?
–Consolidating our position as a non-professional football association is the first of them. Also continue to launch initiatives that contribute to adding value to the clubs and generating income, which is an aspect that is of particular concern to the most modest football. We also do not forget to promote projects that I believe are important to do from ProLiga, such as corporate social responsibility projects regarding child protection, diversity and inclusion.
–And what are your main demands to improve football from the grassroots?
–Development projects that contribute to the clubs having greater possibilities and acquiring greater and better knowledge, so that, therefore, they have an impact on the thousands of boys and girls who play in the schools of our clubs. Furthermore, I believe that it is very important to launch training projects aimed at the managers themselves to increase the knowledge they may have, for example, in legal, tax or labor matters, among others. This will help them manage the clubs better and try to make fewer mistakes, that is, help them manage from an area of responsibility.
–Is there a true union between non-professional football clubs or does each one wage war on their own?
–In general terms, there is a collective feeling among the clubs. The feeling of modest football is very internalized and permeated in all clubs, although it is true that there are different circumstances and contexts depending on the categories. What the First Federation demands is probably not the same as what the Third Federation demands or asks for. There are issues that are specific to each of the categories, but I believe that there is a collective feeling between the clubs. Our mission as ProLiga is to make the clubs see that the common good should be what we all have in mind and that it is very important to be associated to have a voice that can ensure the rights and interests of all the clubs and to be able to represent them before the different organizations and institutions.
«It is very important to launch training projects aimed at non-professional football managers themselves»
David Jimenez
Presidente de ProLiga
–ProLiga kept its distance from the Spanish Federation during Rubiales’ mandate. Why?
–Well, we did not want to maintain any distance with the RFEF, quite the opposite, but it is true that we encountered quite a few difficulties because I think it was uncomfortable that the clubs could be associated. But it didn’t just happen with us, the same situation of distance existed with other associations such as LaLiga, the F League, the National Futsal League or the AFE union.
–Have positions become closer after Rubiales’ departure? Is there better harmony now with the RFEF?
–Yes, the situation has nothing to do with it, there is very good harmony, there is a willingness to collaborate together in this transformation process that the RFEF is asking for. In fact, I have personally had the opportunity to meet with quite a few territorial presidents and they have been able to better understand what ProLiga is and, above all, who the people behind it are.
–The territorial divisions are accused of promoting clientelism in all levels of football, also among the clubs, to ensure power. Is there that perception from ProLiga?
–I think there is a clear conviction on the part of everyone that we must learn from what has happened and, above all, put in place mechanisms so that the RFEF is truly the one we all want.
–ProLiga has always been seen as an association linked to LaLiga. Do you think that professional football should collaborate and help more non-professional clubs?
–It must be said that professional football, to be fair, has always helped more modest football, we would like to continue working to keep it that way. Even that collaboration and help, why not, be greater to the extent of their possibilities because, honestly, the most modest clubs need it as they have, as we all know, very limited resources and many costs to assume.
–You watch hundreds of matches every season in all categories. Is there a growing problem in non-professional football with racist insults and attacks on referees?
–The clubs, from their schools, are transmitting values to the boys and girls who are part of their teams. And they do it by teaching them how important it is to have an open, diverse and inclusive society. We also work with the coaches and the family members themselves, but it is true that, unfortunately, there are still some episodes that worry us all and that, obviously, must be eradicated. We must not give up on training and transmitting the culture that we all want and at ProLiga we are very aware of contributing in everything we can to that goal.
–There is also the feeling that non-professional football is a favorable terrain for fixing attempts. Is that impression real?
–We are also identified with this problem, we have even enabled our own mailbox to file complaints that the clubs want to send us, and we also advise all clubs on how they can inform their players and coaches to respect the fundamental concepts of integrity in football
–Football, like the rest of society, is taking steps towards equality, but why is it so difficult to find a woman in charge of a bench also in non-professional football?
–Women’s football is experiencing exponential growth that we are all very happy about. It is a matter of years before we see many more women footballers, coaches or in management roles.
2024-04-14 21:07:11
#relationship #nonprofessional #football #RFEF #improves #Rubiales #era
