The appointment of Tim Hollingsworth OBE as the new CEO of Sport England is to be welcomed. I don't just say this because Tim is a personal friend and somebody I have worked with but because throughout the appointment process and our 'discussions' I heard somebody passionate about sport and what it can achieve. But more importantly I was listening to somebody who understands the challenges ahead for sport and specifically Sport England with its new strategy and direction.

There are so many challenges ahead for an incoming CEO Tim will have to prioritise which he tackles, but knowing him as I do I am sure there will be clarity of purpose and direction from him.

In some thoughts for the new CEO I feel some of those issues are as follows. I'd love you to share some more of your ideas too!

A declining and stretched budget; the Outcome Measures not really clear or developed sufficiently, a workforce not really designed for the delivery of the new strategy and leadership still poor in too many parts; a sector still working in too many silos; a drive to increased commercialisation just as these opportunities are being squeezed; more work needed to make the work on the Sports Economy work; the gap between SE and UK sport on the talent pathway still needs work; the role of CSPs needs now to embedded and used more strategically, austerity at local level means any funding is not filling the cuts happening at pace; Governance may have hit some targets but now the work on changing culture needs to continue, the drift away from a sport to a physical activity agenda may hinder the health of the NGB Club sector vital to many local communities, the lack of evidence of population wide physical activity solutions and internally the culture of Sport England and the decision making process will need to change dramatically as I have told Directors on a regular basis! There are many more thoughts I have but I didn't want to burden the the CEO with too many. This list has not even touched the BAME, Gender disability and social class issues I am passionate about in sport...