Gill set for top FIFA job

FA vice-chairman David Gill has promised to be diligent, rather than awkward, if he is elected as Britain's FIFA vice-president.

Gill is competing against Trefor Lloyd Hughes, president of the Football Association of Wales, in an election involving UEFA's 54 members at its annual congress on Tuesday.

FA chairman Greg Dyke said on Sunday that Gill would "not be afraid of asking appropriate questions" and claimed the former Manchester United chief executive will become a member of the "awkward squad" if he is elected to FIFA's executive committee.

"I heard that, but I don't know quite what that means to be perfectly honest." Gill told Sky Sports News HQ in a wide-ranging interview in Vienna. "What it means from my perspective is to ask appropriate questions and do your work diligently. That's what I've been training throughout my career, whether it be before I joined Manchester United, at Manchester United, with the FA and UEFA."

'Positive'

Gill is overwhelming favourite to replace Northern Ireland's Jim Boyce, who steps down in May after four years as FIFA vice-president.

"My campaign has been fairly low-key." said Gill. "I've written to everyone and explained why I'm standing for the election. The feedback has been positive. There's a general appetite within the UEFA associations to be much more effective within FIFA - they have roughly a third of the voting. There is no reason why UEFA cannot be (more) effective and efficient."

If Gill wins the European election, he will become one of world football's most powerful officials from May 29, with roles as FIFA vice-president, UEFA executive committee member, FA vice-chairman and Manchester United director.

"It is important being diligent about it and working hard and understanding who you are representing." he said.

Asked if he faced a conflict of interest, Gill replied: "No, not really. If I'm on the board of the FA, I'm also being put there by the Premier League so there are always those decisions but you have to understand your responsibilities. I think all of us working in those bodies want football to improve both at club level, nationally, internationally, so that's how I try to undertake my responsibilities."

Gill has welcomed a final decision by FIFA to switch the dates of the World Cup in Qatar in 2022.

FIFA formally approved a World Cup final on December 18, following an executive committee meeting on Thursday.

"I've been in football for many, many years and people will reach solutions." he said. "We now have the certainty. It gives leagues, cups, associations plenty of time to ensure that they protect, as best they can, their tournaments in those periods and I think that's what will happen.

"The decision is the key thing, we have the end date. We understand it will be a 28-day tournament. The release period for the players will be reduced, clearly, from a normal summer World Cup. It's up to the working group to set the appropriate international match calendar. We need to move on."

Gill has rejected a complaint from the Welsh FA, who strongly believe the FA withdrew from a deal agreed in 2011 which would have seen a Welsh nominee replace Boyce.

'Democratic'

"We need to understand and explain that the rotation system (between British associations) ended." he said. "What now takes place is UEFA elect the vice-president, reserved for one of the home nations, but it is voted on by all 54 associations and it is more democratic. If those changes in UEFA's statutes had not taken place then, yes, Trefor (Lloyd Hughes) would be on there. But it has happened and we need to move forward."

Gill concedes that reform and change in the game will not take place fully until FIFA president Sepp Blatter steps down as president of world football's governing body.

"Mr Blatter has made some good structural changes." said Gill. "I think there is an appetite in terms of transparency. My own personal view is that actually the key reforms and key changes won't take place until there is a change at the top. If Mr Blatter is re-elected in May, then he has been democratically elected and we have to work with him and be effective in those four years. We can't allow those fours years to be wasted."

Gill has also reiterated his call for further testing on video technology for match officials, after West Brom's Gareth McAuley was incorrectly sent off during Saturday's defeat at Manchester City.