FA Humiliation at FIFA

[Tricky Dicky]

I do think the FA banging the drum has had little direct effect, but indirectly we've now got ...

- German FA sticking their head above the parapit and demanding we look into this.
- Warner suspended, and firing publically revealing an email from the General Secretary referring to Bin Hammam as "buying" the 2022 World Cup.
- Sponsors (ADIDAS and Coca Cola) publically saying they are re-considering their continued involvement with FIFA.

You can't help but wonder how much more of the above is happening out of public view. These are the moves that have come out of our FA crying foul, and it's now these issues that force FIFAs hand. While member disquiet can be subdued with an "investigation" and "discussion of the findings at the next AGM", buying enough time that this will hopefully all blow over, the sponsors is a different matter. If the CEO of Coca-Cola is currently poised over an 8-figure chq to FIFA, pen quivering in his hand, he is going to want answers and assurances NOW!!

Despite Warners thread of a "tsunami", I doubt if he has anything else incriminating over anyone of the executive, otherwise he would have shown it - unless he is waiting until he's found guilty before he shoots his wad - and of course he will be found guilty, as Valke has already called him a liar in Sundays press conference by taking Blatters word over Warners regarding the notification of alleged expenses payments.

 

[beorhthelm]

there's a lot of talk about reform, gettign rid of corruption, thats the wrong issue. its time to ask, whats the point of FIFA? does it set the rules? no. does it govern? well how can it if it doesnt set the rules? does it generate alot of cash to go to small countries in tiny projects that support football? well apparently. do we need a international organisation to arrange this? no.

walk away. no threats, no big protest, just with draw from the decision process. we'll still be allowed to enter the World Cup competition as others do, and if not, then talk about inviting others to join an alternative. but leave first, we wouldnt lose anything.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

walk away. no threats, no big protest, just with draw from the decision process. we'll still be allowed to enter the World Cup competition as others do, and if not, then talk about inviting others to join an alternative. but leave first, we wouldnt lose anything.

I think you have to be a member of FIFA to play in a World Cup. There are 208 countries in it, who plays in the WC who aren't members ? If we organised ad-hoc games against others, I would guess we'd have to find our own refs too, they're all FIFA I think. I don't think leaving is a realistic proposition, despite the attractions of it. Change it from within is the only way.

 

[Tooting Gull]

The FA have been a lot braver in the past few days than many journalists on this issue.

I would say only Andrew Jennings, the Sunday Times and Panorama can hold their heads high. Many of the rest of the so-called big names cravenly bottled it in the run-up to the World Cup vote, it's easy to get involved now, rocking the boat with a World Cup on the line is harder.

It's funny, Blatter stands accused of being a dictator, a despot, a man out of touch with the real world, dodgy on expenses, not accountable, sacrifices his lieutenants when it all goes wrong, never apologises or explains...it could be most newspaper editors.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

If we want to get FIFA back into the shape that it needs to be to serve the interests of English football, maybe we should have a practice run first? The obvious arena to develop effective techniques is the Eurovision Song Contest.

If someone can swing things so that the UK wins Eurovision 2012, I'll have some hope that FIFA can be reformed. If not ... then FIFA is a lost cause.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Looks like we (FA) have been told to SIt down and shut up by the fooballing super powers on Democratic Republic of the Congo, Benin, Cyprus, Fiji and Haiti

BBC Sport - Sepp Blatter set for Fifa presidential re-election

Surely its time to do something a bit more controversial?

Well done to the FA and the SFA. There's no 'humiliation' involved. They are making a stand. FIFA hates the level of investigative journalism we have in this country. That's why they are severely pissed off. The British stance is taking the moral high ground, based on an expectation of fair play from football's ruling body. Up to other countries and sponsors whether they follow our lead or not.

 

[beorhthelm]

Change it from within is the only way.

and change from within will never happen while there are 150 third world nations lined up against any changes to their payola.

 

[Tooting Gull]

We're less bad than FIFA, but still bad

Okay. But Syed is a cock.

 

[portlock seagull]

Well done to the FA and the SFA. There's no 'humiliation' involved. They are making a stand. FIFA hates the level of investigative journalism we have in this country. That's why they are severely pissed off. The British stance is taking the moral high ground, based on an expectation of fair play from football's ruling body. Up to other countries and sponsors whether they follow our lead or not.

Trouble is, our morale high ground is on par with the Maldives topography.

 

[Tooting Gull]

You do begin to wonder how sinister FIFA might be. Can we expect a whistle-blowing Warner to die in a bizarre snorkelling accident?

 

[Tooting Gull]

Trouble is, our morale high ground is on par with the Maldives topography.

Our 'morale' high ground is down there with the Mariana Trench. What about our moral high ground?

 

[Uncle Buck]

I think they would probably love it actually as they wouldn't have to worry about any English hooligans at major tournaments

Yeah that is right, the last 4 tournaments England have been in have been blighted by hooligans...

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Trouble is, our morale high ground is on par with the Maldives topography.

Based on the amount of money generated for UEFA/FIFA funds? Don't think so. Time to hit them in the only place they understand or care about - their pockets.

 

[Gritt23]

Despite Warners thread of a "tsunami", I doubt if he has anything else incriminating over anyone of the executive, otherwise he would have shown it - unless he is waiting until he's found guilty before he shoots his wad - and of course he will be found guilty, as Valke has already called him a liar in Sundays press conference by taking Blatters word over Warners regarding the notification of alleged expenses payments.

Plenty of time for him to release more info. He's not so fussed about the election, as his own hearing. He has been the name at the centre of every corruption story at FIFA for a couple of decades, so you can bet he's got a whole load of beans to spill should he choose to. Whereas, he's already said enough that the concerned parties such as the sponsors who are threatening to walk away will not accept him merely going quiet in exchange for the charges being dropped.

 

[Ernest]

How many countries in the World Cup generate money and interest ? Argentina, Brazil, England, Germany, Italy and Spain with the rest nowhere. How many sponsors would want to bother with Bulgaria v Haiti and Congo v New Zealand ?
If the FA did withdraw from the next World Cup it might just start something off and it's not like we're going to win it anyway.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Its currently flashing across the bottom of BBC News 24 Screen that the German FA is asking that FIFA 're-examine' the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar. Maybe the tide is turning.

 

[crodonilson]

Quite simply why don't we quit FIFA, we don't want to be part of such a corrupt organisation, especially when we hold a lot of cards in that we house the biggest league in terms of revenue and viewers in the world and are still one of the biggest draws at international level.

 

[Ernest]

Quite simply why don't we quit FIFA, we don't want to be part of such a corrupt organisation, especially when we hold a lot of cards in that we house the biggest league in terms of revenue and viewers in the world and are still one of the biggest draws at international level.

Exactly, let the FA lead for a change

 

[Tooting Gull]

I see Blatter's masterstroke today, bearing in mind he needs the support of the 208 heads of national associations.

The World Cup venue will now not be chosen by the 24 ExCo members - but by the entire FIFA Congress! So now 208 people get their snout in the trough, and he sails through today. "I want to put more power in the hands of the Congress". And lunches, free holidays and cash bribes. Brilliant.

 

[ROSM]

We have two choices here - we can

a) play the long game, make some friends around the world, do lots of altruistic things and seek to grow a power base

b) pull back from everything - no nice money making friendlies, investment projects in smaller countries etc

I dont think leaving FIFA is an option.

And for those yesterday who couldn't understand what the issues with FIFA had to do with is being one of 4 home nations then perhaps you should read the media outputs from todays sessions. the Senior Vice President questioning why the home nations get an automatic vice presidency between them, other nations asking why the home nations make up half of the rules committee and others asking why we have 4 votes at full sessions. They have been fed these lines by Blatter and his cronies for years so they now see the two as linked.