- Jul 7, 2003
- 47,625
Say we got half of Europe onside, which isn't unthink able, I think the rest would follow!
Would that be the same Europeans who just voted against the England bid?
Unfortunately any split from FIFA would be holed beneath the waterline from the start because the organisation "gifts" considerable sums of money from its coffers to member nations (mysteriously enough, these gifts tend to arrive just before Mr Toad Blatter stands for re-election). If you're on the board of the FA in an impoverished developing nation, a Lesotho, if you will, or a Uganda or Congo, then such sums are most welcome. If you are also personally as corrupt as has been suggested, then the money will be even more welcome, and will probably never see the light of day in football terms after it disappears into the bank accounts of the nation's FIFA delegates. Those countries voting to leave FIFA would be like turkeys voting for Christmas.
FIFA also seems to be set up like Eurovision in many respects, in that countries with historical connections often vote with each other. Spain/Portugal had the votes sewn up from almost all the Latin American nations, for example.
Germany has hosted a recent World Cup, as have France, who also have Platini on the FIFA board. They're not going to side with us, and I don't think many others will either, as corruption is viewed as a necessary evil in many places still.