Hasselbaink hearing farce
Attempts by the Football Association to improve the image and speed of their disciplinary procedures suffered an embarrassing setback yesterday when Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's misconduct hearing had to be called off because the referee had not been invited.
Only the day before, FA chief executive Mark Palios had talked up a series of measures for next season to ensure efficiency and avoid unnecessary delays. Unfortunately, that message does not appear to have got through to his administrative staff.
The Chelsea striker had been charged with violent conduct after appearing to elbow Scarborough defender Mark Hotte in January's FA Cup meeting. Hasselbaink, Hotte and Chelsea secretary David Barnard gathered yesterday at at Heathrow but the hearing had to be postponed when it was realised the FA had failed to summon referee Barry Knight to give evidence.
While Hotte had flown down from Scarborough to speak on Hasselbaink's behalf, the Orpington official was preparing for last night's Premiership clash between Liverpool and Portsmouth. Hasselbaink is understood to be frustrated by the delay.
The chief executive is likely to be unhappy his new tough approach appears to have been undermined so quickly by this gaffe.
Since Palios arrived at the FA last summer he has had to deal with a number of tough disciplinary matters.
It was felt he dealt well with the Rio Ferdinand drugs crisis, but then came the farce over Alan Smith's inclusion and then exclusion from the England squad after he was arrested over a bottle throwing incident but not charged.
