New FIFA President

[crodonilson]

Who are you backing??

Got to be Tokyo Sexwale for me, if he were going for the UN gig he would be a shoe in with a name like that.

 

[Brian Fantana]

Who are you backing??

Got to be Tokyo Sexwale for me, if he were going for the UN gig he would be a shoe in with a name like that.

Surely as a football fan you can't be voting for who should be the most powerful man in the sport based solely on his name?

 

[Goldstone1976]

Surely as a football fan you can't be voting for who should be the most powerful man in the sport based solely on his name?

It's as good a determinant as any other, isn't it?

Giant Infant looks quite good too though.

 

[happypig]

I've voted for Sepp Blatter apparently

 

[WATFORD zero]

You're not catching me out this time. It has to be the first one as the rest are all ridiculous made up names

 

[JC Footy Genius]

I'm not voting until we know what each candidate is prepared to offer in bribes. #$$$$

 

[Saladpack Seagull]

Gianni Infantino - what a great name! Reminds me of when I was at school studying the Thirty Years War which featured "Cardinal Infant and the Bavarians". Always thought that would be a great name for a rock band. Gianni could be lead vocals!

 

[Tricky Dicky]

They're all so mired in their own corrupt crap, I doubt it makes any difference. The Isle of Wight will be hosting the next World Cup if they pay enough. Scrap FIFA and let someone upright and honest run it, you know, like Tony Blair.

 

[brakespear]

Inigo Calderon

 

[Paul Reids Sock]

Sexwale

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Ruel Fox

 

[halbpro]

Well Sheikh Salman has been accused of “complicity in crimes against humanity” with, I believe, evidence produced, so he's out. Infantino wants to bring the World Cup up to 40 teams, so that's a no from me. Tokyo Sexwale may have been involved in some dodgy stuff in the Republic of Guinea which seems awfully like bribery wrapped up in a mineral rights deal, which makes me hesitant to back him despite his fabulous name (he does have a lot of positives though when looking at his life as a whole).

Of the remaining two, Jerome Champagne has a manifesto that I actually like, so he gets my vote.

 

[Insel affe]

Amazing what judgments you can make by pictures....

 

[Mellotron]

Lovely touch including Cotterill - I fear whether even a man as great as he could handle running FIFA AND applying for the Albion job each time it came up.

In all seriousness, it has to be Champagne surely, based on what each of them has actually said, and what we know of each man.

 

[Insel affe]

I wont bother with Steve

 

[Billy the Fish]

The cleanest seems to be between Prince Ali and Champange and they are most likely to reform. Although Champagne has close links to Blatter which taints him severely.

Salman and Sexwale will just carry on the current status quo because they're crooks, Infantino just seems like a weak candidate.

The problem with this election is that the people with the votes want to stay on the gravy train so they won't vote for change. For that reason neither Champagne or Prince Ali has any chance of winning. I suspect Prince Ali knows this which is why he tried to get the voting made transparent.

 

[halbpro]

The cleanest seems to be between Prince Ali and Champange and they are most likely to reform. Although Champagne has close links to Blatter which taints him severely.

Salman and Sexwale will just carry on the current status quo because they're crooks, Infantino just seems like a weak candidate.

The problem with this election is that the people with the votes want to stay on the gravy train so they won't vote for change. For that reason neither Champagne or Prince Ali has any chance of winning. I suspect Prince Ali knows this which is why he tried to get the voting made transparent.

That's a good summary. I agree that Champagne is tainted by his association with Blatter, at least perception wise, but given the reforms he's suggesting he does seem to be anti-corruption (or he knows he won't win so can publicly posture to make himself look good).

 

[crodonilson]

Salman and Sexwale will just carry on the current status quo because they're crooks, Infantino just seems like a weak candidate.
.

A bit harsh on old Tokyo, for those that don't know about him here's a profile of him.

HY IS HE STANDING?

Sexwale says he is a reluctant candidate. He says insiders pleased with him to stand after Blatter announced he would resign last June.

He describes himself as "a FIFA man, cut me in half and I bleed FIFA" and he is well-connected in Zurich. FIFA has never had a president from outside Europe or South American and Sexwale says it is time for a black leader: "Blacks have been warming the bench for 111 years. The score is 111-0. The time has come to decolonise football. It has been led for too long by white men. Soon it will be 111-1 and the greatest comeback of all time will have started, one day they will make a film about it."

Re-distributing wealth to the poorest member associations is key for Sexwale

WHAT ARE HIS CHANCES?

Not good. His slim hopes of making any sort of impact rested on gaining the support of the African Football Confederation. Their executive committee announced on February 5 that they would be endorsing Sheikh Salman instead.

Sexwale was expected to withdraw from the contest at that stage, but he remained defiant and insisted he would make it to Zurich on February 26.

His campaign has been low key compared to some of the other candidates and it has been described by critics as lacklustre and low energy. There have been reports that his own South African Football Association was concerned by his failure to make any sort of impact.

When asked to assess his own chances, Sexwale said: "There is an element of risk. It is a zero-sum game."

WHAT KIND OF PRESIDENT WILL HE BE?

As one of the richest men in South Africa and a former host of their version of The Apprentice he knows all about delegating responsibility. He says his No 1 choice for secretary general would be Gianni Infantino and he has always been open to doing deals with the other candidates during the campaign.

He knows his way around FIFA, having served on the committee on racism and discrimination, and the media committee. He was also picked by Blatter for the sensitive role of chairman of the monitoring committee on Israel and Palestine.

WHAT STANDS OUT IN HIS MANIFESTO?

His manifesto is not as slick as the other candidates. Its most eye-catching proposal is allowing national teams to have commercial shirt sponsors.

Under a Sexwale presidency, there would be a real chance of England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland playing with "Vauxhall" on their shirts.

Sexwale justifies his proposal by pointing out that the majority of FIFA's 209 member are struggling financially and they need to raise funds. Re-distributing wealth to the poorest member associations is a key element of his 14-page manifesto.

Sexwale also believes in entertainment, another proposal is larger goals by 10% if a game goes to extra time and a golden 10 minutes at the end where any goals will count double.

WHAT DOES HE THINK OF SEPP BLATTER?

Sexwale says Blatter is his friend and he always stands by his friends. He stills speaks to Blatter on the telephone.

He believes Blatter has transformed the game during his 40-year FIFA career: "The work he has done is a monument and that monument cannot be moved. We need to have mercy in our hearts. I cannot celebrate another man's misfortune and misery."

WHO DOES HE BLAME FOR THE FIFA CRISIS?

Sexwale says FIFA is well run and he claims "not a penny has gone missing". He blames FIFA's problems on rogue officials in the Americas.

While that may apply to the US investigation into football corruption, it does not explain why the three most powerful men in world football - Blatter, Michel Platini and Jerome Valcke - have all been banned.

According to Sexwale, we should put football's problems into perspective: "The damage done is for posterity. It is not like they have murdered someone or committed genocide. It is only a game. We are here to understand and carry on their good work and learn from their mistakes."

WHO DOES HE SUPPORT?

Sexwale has been supporting Liverpool since he was in prison for 13 years with Nelson Mandela on Robben Island. He watches all their games on television in South Africa, although recently he has changed some of his allegiances to Manchester City. "I have always loved Liverpool but my heart is turning a shade of blue. These two teams are in my heart now and forever."

 

[Ninja Elephant]

It's got to be either General Infant or Tokyo's Sexwhale.

 

[Two Professors]

Got to be Steve McClaren-press conferences would be hysterical!