New Year, new Fifa?

Day -905. ‪WorldCup2018‬.

2016 is upon us. It'll be the year of change and reform at Fifa, they tell us. And "they" are the candidates to be the next Fifa president- candidates who are all part of the old Fifa. Same old broken record from me, I admit, but I'll believe it when I see it.

At least in 2016 we can say the next World Cup is only 2 years away. Sounds a lot closer. But on January 1st it will still be 904 days. But who's counting......

Happy New Fifa!

Will it or won't it? World Cup in Russia.

Day -906. ‪WorldCup2018‬.

The new year will start with some of the same arguments that dominated 2015: Fifa and should it be disbanded and rebuilt; Blatter, Platini and their level of guilt; the awarding of the World Cups to Russia and Qatar and should they be taken away amongst allegations of corruption in the bidding processes. Even though Russia 2018 is less than 3 years away the question of whether the World Cup may not be held in Russia won't go away.

The website/publication "Russia Behind the Headlines" (rbth.com) asked three football officials, "Will Blatter's departure prove fatal for Russia?"

This is what Boris Ignatiev, former coach of the Russian national team had to say:
"We never let him (Blatter) down. Russia held and continues to hold many tournaments under the aegis of FIFA and we never refused to do so.
“Blatter valued this and defended us when Russia was faced with groundless accusations. Now the situation may change. FIFA may be led by a person who can be controlled, one who may let politics penetrate the organisation. If the new director judges us not on football activities but on foreign policy, Russia may lose the opportunity to hold the World Cup. This cannot be excluded."

Is this Russian paranoia (maybe justified) or just plain ignorance of the situation at Fifa? "Now the situation may change." And now it's going to be bad, Mr. Ignatiev? Fifa, and football all over the world was controlled by Blatter and his team of cohorts who went where the money was. Politics was, and still is, a sad, unwanted part of football. And maybe, just maybe Russia should be judged on foreign policy- it's policy of securing the World Cup by all means. Its' "football activities" have little bearing here. If all the footballing countries in the world kept politics out of their footballing activities the current mess may not exist.

So let's hope that there is a new "director" who does things differently. And then Mr. Ignatiev will see what happens when Fifa is run as an organisation that truly cares about football. Unfortunately the new Fifa President is going to be one of 5 candidates who are all part of the existing system. That's another argument and before that one is resolved there is little chance of much else happening.

Pavel Srnicek

Day -907. WorldCup2018

There was sad news in the football world today. Pavel Srnicek, most well known as Newcastle United's goalkeeper in the nineties, passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest just before Christmas. He was only 47.

Srnicek played 49 times for the Czech Republic but unfortunately never at a World Cup as the Czechs did not qualify for the 1998 World Cup when he was the first choice goalkeeper and he retired from international football when they failed to qualify for the 2002 finals.

He did however play in the inaugural Fifa Confederations Cup in 1997 where they finished third. As runners-up in the 1996 European Championship Finals they took Germany's spot after the Germans declined to take part. Srnicek also played in the 2000 Euros where the Czechs were eliminated in the first round.

However, it was as Newcastle's number 1 that he made a name for himself. He had two spells with Newcastle, 1991-1998 and a short return in 2006-07. He was a vital part of the exciting 1995-96 Newcastle team that was 12 points ahead of Manchester United at one point but a poor end to the season saw them end up second. Nevertheless that team, managed by Kevin Keegan, lit up the Premier League and were many neutrals' favourites to win the title. I remember many nail biting, end to end matches, in true Newcastle kamikaze style, in Mach and April 1996. I watched them surrounded by Newcastle fans in a bar in Malta where the emotional highs and lows of the fans around me was as enthralling as the entertainment on the pitch. Srnicek's agent, Steve Wraith, said Srnicek's last conversation with him was about bringing that team back together (the "entertainers") next year for a charity match to mark the 20th anniversary of that oh-so-close end to the season.
"We will make that happen and celebrate this great man’s life together,” Wraith said.

Srnicek had also just visited Newcastle to promote his autobiography, "Pavel Is A Geordie". I'm sure there will be many more a Geordie who will now be purchasing that book.

Thought of the day.

Day -908. ‪WorldCup2018‬.

If Qatar 2022 is going to be held in the winter let's have Russia 2018 in the winter to counter the lack of a World Cup in the Qatari summer. Now that would be fun.

Sunday memories: Malta-England 1971

Day -909. ‪WorldCUp2018‬.

It's Sunday. That means it's time to ignore the mess at Fifa and the proclamations of TASS about how Great Mother Russia is going to organise the most perfect World Cup ever. Instead here's a little, more personal, feel-good memory. This is brought on by the excitement of Malta being drawn in the same group as England in Russia 2018 qualifying.

In 1971 England played Malta in European Championship qualifying. It was a huge event for Malta. England were not really looking forward to playing on the sandy, rocky surface at the Gzira stadium. The Maltese supporters packed the stadium and any surrounding buildings that overlooked the pitch. England won 1-0 but it was far from easy and it took a late save from Gordon Banks to prevent an embarrassing 1-1 draw. For Malta a 1-0 loss to mighty England felt like a win anyway.

In the return match at Wembley, it was a little more straightforward as England won 5-0. However, the match has one of those interesting trivia facts that you can impress your friends with. For Maltese players in that team, and supporters, it may have been more embarrassing than interesting.

For the whole 90 minutes the ball never crossed the English goal line and Gordon Banks did not make one save. Imagine a football match you have watched recently and try to imagine how ultra defensive (or plain bad) Malta must have been.

Picture of match in Malta below.
 

TASS and Russia 2018

Day -910. ‎WorldCup2018‬.
 
When better place to go for news about the Russia 2018 preparations than TASS, the government owned news agency. It must all be true as it is coming directly from the people who are running the show. It sounds like Vitaly Mutko, the Russian Sports Minister/Head of the organising committee/Fifa Executive Committee member is very generous with his time for TASS. And there is no need for embellishment. After all, what could go wrong and who could oppose all that the Russian government....I mean, the organising committee...are doing to make this event great.

Here are a few headlines from TASS recently:
"FIFA gives Russia 12 on 10-point scale for 2018 World Cup preparation in 2015 — minister." Wow!

"Russian organizers of 2018 FIFA World Cup pledge reliability of security concept." Basically, no terrorists are going to mess this up no matter what it takes.

"Russia’s 2018 FIFA World Cup budget final, to remain unchanged in future — sports minister." Because no World Cup ever goes over budget, and we would never know anyway.

"Sports minister says World Cup in Russia won't be affected by Blatter, Platini suspension." Sepp, who? Michel, who?

"Vitaly Mutko: No one will strip Russia of 2018 World Cup." Nobody messes with us. Those Qataris maybe, but not us.

"Russian sports minister wants 2018 FIFA World Cup to be "kind of a conciliatory factor". This is about how Russia, the land of democracy will contribute to peace in the world by hosting the World Cup.

And after all the serious stuff, something a bit more personal from our friendly Sports Minister
"Russian sports minister aims for better English skills by 2018 World Cup."

Qatar, Russia, Syria.

Day -911. ‪WorldCup2018‬.

Since it has always been my habit to link almost everything back to football imagine my suspicion when I saw this headline:
"Qatar and Russia agree on Syria peace plans".

Russia and Qatar, controversially awarded the hosting of the next 2 World Cups, coming together to act as peacemakers in one of the world's biggest current tragedies. Coincidence? Probably. But the mix of football and politics has for a while now been quite complicated, or simple, really, since there the two are so closely linked.

Further down the Platini path.

Day -913. ‪#‎WorldCup2018‬.

As I continue to work towards a resolution of my dilemma over Michel Platini's guilt versus the man he was before his association with the evil world of football politics, I suggest taking the time to read this excellent explanation of how his character traits could have led to the situation he finds himself in.

The questions about his vote for Qatar 2022 may never go away and forever be held against him and his plea for innocence. Even if no proof of him having done anything untoward is found the perception of ulterior motives may always remain:

"So it is no surprise that he also saw no problem with his now infamous meeting with the Qatari crown prince (now Emir) Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani and the then French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, nine days before the World Cup vote in December 2010"
"In the air were various major trade deals, including a contract to sell Airbus planes to Qatar Air, and a prospective deal for QSI to buy PSG."
"As Blatter as been endlessly keen to point out since, it was the European vote that did most to help Qatar to victory."

And this has always been one of my big issues with his method and decisions about Qatar:
"..........Platini would make the case to a gaggle of reporters that the tournament should be played in the winter and spread across the Gulf. So just a month after voting for Qatar, he was advocating a wholly different tournament to the one he had backed."

 

Michel Platini: fall of a smooth operator who thought he played by different rules

The Platini dilemma

Day -914. ‪WorldCup2018‬.

There is an obituary, of sorts, for Michel Platini in me somewhere. Tomorrow I will put the sentences together that will re-create the childhood memories of Platini.

In the meantime it was heartening to hear Platini's dignified response today to his 8 year ban. Without the "what have I done wrong" theatrics of Sepp Blatter, Platini said he felt hard done by, that nothing was done about this for 4 years and all of a sudden he is investigated over this "disloyal payment". And he is upset, quite rightly I believe, that he has been associated so negatively with Blatter : "Whatever happens, my reputation has been sullied, I've been kicked in the teeth: I've been put in the same bag as Blatter."

And in a much more measured tone than Blatter's he has resigned himself to the fact that might be an ultimately unfavourable outcome: "I will fight. But then I'll take my responsibilities according to what happens."

Blatter maintains that if the 2022 World Cup had been awarded to the USA then none of this would have happened, there would have been no investigations and arrests because the Americans would have been happy. That's his opinion. As it is my opinion that no matter how much Platini protests his innocence the fact that he voted for Qatar in 2022, and then went so far as to go ahead with a change in the European football season to accommodate a winter World Cup will forever leave doubts as to his innocence. And therein lies my dilemma. A good man guilty of no more than one bad, maybe greedy decision, or a man of questionable choices who went one step to far with his support of Qatar?

Blatter's day.

Day -915. WorldCup2018.

Today was the day of the Sepp Blatter show, the man who in his own words will go down fighting, the man who looked like a 79 year old leader of some fringe, ridiculed political group turning up at a press conference attended by many for the entertainment value, and accompanied by his daughter ready to whisk him away if he gets too embarrassing. He did not look like one of the most powerful men in the world, not just the football world, who through his confidence and swagger up until a few months ago belied his age. His story is not over. There will be an appeal, there will be more press conferences, more denials, revelations and allegations. The only surprise will be if he decides to let it all go and slip away quietly.

Today's events reinforced my belief, and reportedly of many, that the changes needed at Fifa go way, way beyond the election of a new president and fancy manifestos using the magic word: reform. Rebuild. Start again, with new faces. That's the true reform.

The case against Platini is interesting and maybe a little sad for his supporters. Was he guilty because he was ignorant enough to allow himself to be associated, very closely, with Blatter? Or was it just one ignorant moment when he made that verbal agreement with Blatter. Over the last couple of years when Platini was strongly opposed (and very vocal about it) to Blatter carrying on as Fifa President, maybe we should believe that he was being truthful. His association with Blatter may have been over.

The conspiracy theorists may argue that he was pre-empting what was coming, that he knew the world would soon know about the "disloyal payment", and this was his way of distancing himself from Blatter. But, maybe just maybe, Platini was showing himself to be a good man, who truly beloved that football needed to get rid of men like Blatter. And maybe he deeply regretted his moment of weakness.

Maybe this is the defence of Platini born out of memories of Michel Platini, the 1980's footballer. Until we know the facts of the Ethics Committee's case against him, the memories may make for a strong defence. But only maybe.

Most beautiful team?

Day -916. WorldCup2018

It may not be World Cup related, but it is a Fifa event. More importantly Barcelona get recognition today for providing another reminder as to why they may be one of the most beautiful football teams ever. Earlier they won the Fifa World Club Cup for the third time. As ever they were an attacking joy to watch and their 3-0 win against River Plate could have been a lot higher. Not since Brazil in 1982 has it been so much fun to watch a team play football. Unlike that Brazil team, this team is actually winning something, again and again.

The three players who, especially, make the team an attacking work of art all have good World Cup stories. Messi, the little Argentinian magician, for many years now regarded as the world's best player, has had 2 disappointing World Cups where he failed to perform at the same incredible levels as his predecessor of football magic, Diego Maradona. Messi was guilty of an un-Messi like miss in last year's World Cup final where Argentina lost to Germany. Maybe Russia will be his stage to shine on. Messi scored the first goal today.

Messi's two partners in crime, the crime being the torture of opposing defenders, Neymar and Suarez were also very influential today. Suarez scored twice and Neymar had 2 assists. Suarez, if it need be reminding of, was banned from football for 4 months after Brazil 2014 for biting Giorgio Chellini, the Italian defender in Uruguay's crucial win over Italy. When he came back he had not lost any of his predatory skills, and if anything looked even sharper. And Neymar, of course, was Brazil in 2014. He was the man. And he led by example until the vertebrae-breaking tackle in the quarter final which ended his and Brazil's hopes. They were a lost team in the semi final. And nobody needs reminding of what happened in that match.

May they carry on for many more more years, the three of them and this wonderful team. And in 2018 what will they be able to do for their countries?

Mourinho

Day -917. ‪WorldCup2018‬.

What are the odds that Jose Mourinho, as of now out of work, will be managing one of the teams in Russia? He said a few years ago that he wasn't quite ready for a national team job (when asked about Portugal) because he still wanted to be involved in the daily coaching of a club side. But could this be the turning point? Maybe one more short stint and then he'll take on coaching Portugal (or England?) for World Cup qualifying. Call this an unsure prediction.

Swiss Man of the Year

Day -918. ‪WorldCup2018‬.

I apologize for two reasons. I got to this late, just about made day -918. So it is short and I mention the name which I promised not to mention today. But this is just too funny, or twisted:

"The magazine,whose editor-in-chief is considered a confident of Blatter and has defended him against corruption charges in the past, praised Blatter for his “impressive achievement,” calling him an “exceptional Swiss” and a “tireless and admirable fighter for a better world.”

http://www.politico.eu/article/suspended-fifa-chief-blatter-swiss-of-the-year-die-weltwoche/

Nobel Peace Prize

Day-919. ‪WorldCup2018‬.

Blame Valdimir Putin for my mention of Sepp Blatter today, even though I vowed to not mention the oh-so-great-one today- not to be confused with the other man in the news today, the special one, turned the happy one, turned Jose Morurinho the very unhappy former manager of Chelsea, owned by the Russia zillionaire Roman Abramovich. As an aside there is an interesting story there. Abramovich is understood to be part of Putin's very privileged inner circle. He was alleged to be instrumental in Putin becoming President. When Russia was awarded the World Cup, Putin suggested that Abramovich opens his cheque book and help pay for it.

But I definitely digress. Putin said today that Blatter should receive a Nobel Peace Prize for all the work he's done for world football. Putin also said that Donald Trump is "bright and talented".

Enough said.

Cockroaches and Blatter/Platini

Day -920. World Cup2018.

I resolve that tomorrow there will be no mention of Sepp Blatter or Michel Platini. It is very hard to escape any mention of them as their names pop up everywhere. I was looking up Michelin tyres for my car and I got as far as typing in "Mich" in google and "Michel Platini corruption ban Fifa Ethics Committee" popped up. Once I battled through that and figured that I didn't need Michelin tyres anyway (I somehow, maybe through association, had a bad feeling about them) I remembered that I meant to do some research into blattelidae and "Blatter Fifa corrupt enjoying caviar Swiss alps chalet" popped up. It's kind of fitting really since blattelidae are, after all, part of the cockroach family of insects. I will, of course, not go as far as to compare the individuals roaming the Brazilian marble-walled Fifa boardroom to the lowest level of dirty household pests. I can't because Sepp Blatter is not allowed into that boardroom while he serves his 90 day ban.

So my last mention of the Blatter/Platini black humour comedy act will be to amplify today's news that Platini has decided to boycott his own hearing in front of Fifa's Ethics Committee on Friday.  Why? Because he really thinks he has been wronged, that this is all a conspiracy to deny him running in the presidential elections. He, and his lawyers, believe the decision to hand him a seven year ban has already been made anyway.

Platini's lawyers statement: "Michel Platini … has decided not to attend his hearing at the Fifa ethics committee on 18 December 2015 as the verdict of this ethics committee has been announced in the press last weekend by one of its spokespersons, Mr Andreas Bantel, in disregard of all fundamental rights, starting with the presumption of innocence. By this decision Michel Platini means to express his deepest indignation with a process he regards as solely political and intended to prevent him from standing for the Fifa presidency."

The matter of a conspiracy against Platini seems a little odd, but, if true, maybe shows the division between Fifa, the organisation, and Fifa the federation comprised of the 209 national associations. The 209 members vote for the President and Platini seemed to be a favourite amongst many of them. It was the Ethics Committee, the same one that banned President Blatter, that banned Platini. So does Platini maintain that while he has the backing of the many of the member associations,  the members of the Ethics Committee, independent members appointed to police Fifa and ensure adherence to Fifa's Code of Ethics, have a good reason for him to not become the next President? Possibly he believes that the reason for his ban (the alleged "disloyal payment") was brought to the attention of the Ethics Committee by someone who is vehemently opposed to his candidacy. Or, maybe, just maybe, that person, or people, had good intentions and knew it was the time to put an end to the cycle of secret, backroom big money deals happening at Fifa that are destroying football.

There is a lot more to be known, much more to be investigated. This needs to be re-visited, but not tomorrow.

Blatter and the Spanish Inquisition

Day -921. ‪‎WorldCup2018‬.

Sepp Blatter today wrote a letter to the 209 Fifa member nations, proclaiming his innocence and going on about "honesty, fair play and respect" and values passed down from his parents. Truly classic Blatter irony. But my favourite line is this: "Never accept any money which you have not earned, always pay off your debts." It’s very easy to pay off your debts when you are so readily accepting other people's money. By the way what debts has he ever had to worry about? Blatter will face the ethics committee on Thursday and he likened the whole process to the Spanish Inquisition.

How he thinks this plea for understanding amongst his peers will help him is questionable, seeing as most of his "supporters" will jump ship to the next candidate who promises them riches to pay off their debts. The other detail about his letter, which Blatter was conscious of, is that by writing the letter he breached the terms of his provisional ban. But as his spokesman said he is more concerned about the fairness of the hearing than whether his ban should have stopped him from writing the letter. Right.

By next week this could all be over with Blatter banned and gone from football. Could be, but won't be. The appeal is probably being prepared already.

Blatter, Platini, one step closer......

Day -922. ‪‎WorldCup2018‬.

Another part of the Fifa saga should be over next Monday when Platini and Blatter are finally put out their misery and know that their football careers are over. This Thursday and Friday they will appear for the Fifa Ethics judge for their hearings in the case of the alleged "disloyal payment" from Blatter to Platini.

The expectation amongst those in the know is that they will both receive seven year bans. While that will spell the end of Blatter's involvement in football, I fear that Platini will not go away and will somehow show up in Qatar for the World Cup there which is in....seven years. He will just need for the ban to back dated a little bit as the World Cup is scheduled to start in November. One wishes, after his great career as a footballer, that he would just go away quietly and graciously. But going by his questionable denials when originally accused it doesn't seem likely. And with his son's suspiciously timed involvement with Qatar Sports Investments, there is good reason to believe that Platini and Qatar 2022 are not quite done with each other. That could all change if this upheaval at Fifa leads to Qatar 2022 not happening. But that's a different story, for a very different day, after Russia 2018 gets sorted out.

Big Phil! Neymar!

Day -923. ‪WorldCup2018‬.

I always feel the end of the weekend needs a happy story. This one didn't quite have the fairytale ending, but it may still happen. It's is also not directly related to Russia, or the World Cup. But is inspired by events at a previous World Cup and at a current Fifa event.

Fifa's Club World Cup is happning in Japan right now.  The European and South American champions always enter at the semi-final stage. In the quarter finals Guangzhou Evergrande, the Asian champions from China beat the CONCACAF champions, Club America. The prize for the Chinese team is a dream match againt Barcelona. That is only a small part of the stoy. Guangzhou Evergrande's coach is Luiz Felipe Scolari. Scolari may have to figure out how to stop Neymar, who was on a great goalscoing run until his recent injury. At the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Big Phil was the coach, and Neymar the star player, hoping to win a home world cup. It all ended in tears with Neymar leaving in the quarter final with broken back veterbrae and Big Phil slipping away into what the world thought would be humiliating oblivion after the historic 7-1 semi-final defeat.

But Big Phil is back. He is the man in China, or at least in Guangzhou. Neymar may not recover from his latest injury to play the semi-final but I am looking forward to an emotional reunion. Neymar and Big Phil had a dream together. Scolari was the coach brought in to save Brazil from what was looking like it would be a disastrous World Cup, and Neymar was to be what Maradona was to Argentina in 1986: a player head and shoulders above the limited talent around him who would single-handedly win the World Cup for his country. It didnt happen. Who knows what could have been if Neymar played in that semi-final.

Now they may meet on a football pitch again, on opposite sides. To mark the possible occassion, allow me to take you back to those crazy Brazilain summer nights.

 http://dinoworldcup.blogspot.ca/2014/06/hey-messiwhere-are-brazil.html

Busy day...slow day.

Day -924. ‪WorldCup2018‬.

Tomorrow there will be more.....sometimes life gets in the way.

Platini......gone?

Day -925. ‪‎WorldCup2018‬.

So no surprise that Michel Platini's 90 day Fifa ban was upheld by CAS. But of course in the surreal world of anything and anyone connected with Fifa, Platini saw a hint of victory in the ruling. When the Ethics Committee originally imposed the ban it was noted that it could be extended by 45 days if deemed necessary. The ruling by CAS today warned against this being enacted as it would be "unfair" to Platini. Platini and his lawyer pounced on this fragment of positivity:
"Michel Platini notes with satisfaction that CAS partially granted his request when it demanded that Fifa not extend his ban. In substance, he is confident that his case is solid."

Platini still belives that he will be able to campaign for the Fifa presidential post once his ban is over. And he still believes he can win. He is ignoring the fact that just before Christmas the Ethics Committee will deliver it's verdict on the charges against Platini. The widespread rumour is that he will be banned for "several years".

Regardless of the outcome and the rumours, it is another reflection on the sad state of the quality of candidates for the Fifa presidency that Platini still believes he is in with a shot.

More immediately for him, tomorrow is the draw for Euro 2016 and this will now take place without its leader. Fifa are floundering and the most powerful continental federation are leaderless. World football is not exactly a happy thing right now.

Platini....going, going.....

Day -926. ‪‎WorldCup2018‬.

Tomorrow's another big day. Michel Platini finds out if the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will lift the 90 day suspension imposed on Platini by Fifa's Ethics committee.

Ok, now go back and read the first sentence above in a sarcastic tone. Platini thinks if he gets the ban lifted and he can resume his campaign to be Fifa president then he has a good chance of winning.

So really tomorrow is just another episode in this ongoing Fifa tragedy. Platini thinks he can replace his buddy Blatter because he believes he still has the backing of all the European nations and many more worldwide, despite the 2m Swiss Francs he received from Blatter for work done for Fifa.

Now go back and read that last sentence with a sense of sad irony. Because even though it seems ridiculous that Platini could still be a legitimate candidate, it seems like he is no different from any of the other candidates. What's an undocumented couple of millions between friends.

Once again I plead: get rid of them all, all the candidates and many of the people doing the electing. A bunch of questionable characters voting for the one person most adept at turning his questionabilty into reasons to be voted the best choice to lead them all.

And if you want to go back and re-read that last sentence while looking for a hint of humour in the tone, there's not any.

Return of Musa

Day -927. ‪WorldCup2018‬.

An easy post needed to mark this day, a travel day with limited opportunities for thought and research. So here's a subject of earlier news attempting to make a comeback. The interesting, colourful character Musa Bility is back. Not sure Fifa could do any better if one of the other candidates are elected.

http://m.bbc.com/sport/football/35056585

The non-statement from Fifa

Day -928. ‪WorldCup2018‬.

Occasionally I check Fifa's website to see what they have to say about what the rest of the world is saying about them. I wonder if there will be a statement on the lines of, "we understand there are a lot of stories in the international media right now concerning allegations of corruption and bribery involving members of the Fifa Executive Committee and that many of these members have had charges laid against them by the American and Swiss Attorney Generals. However, while we assist with these investigations, we will not comment until the investigations are completed. And as far as the supreme leader is concerned, we hope that Andrew Jennings' latest Panorama programme, aired this week on BBC, finally gets him jailed and out of our offices. We are sick of having to polish his shoes everyday, pick up fresh caviar for him in a refrigerated truck everyday, clean his Brazilian marbled conference room with a toothbrush everyday, prepare a hot tub and steam room to the exact temperature that him and Michel like sharing it at and be sure to pay attention every Friday while he lists all his exact requirements of what he is going to spend his millions of Swiss francs on that weekend".

In all seriousness though, if there is any left when it comes to the joke that Fifa is slowly becoming, the latest stories on their website are dominated by the new-ish money maker, the Club World Cup starting soon in Japan. The Russia 2018 stories are very important: the kick-off times for the World Cup have been approved by the Fifa ExCo and the panel of judges to select the World Cup mascot has been announced. Considering that there are many European countries (especially, but not only European) that doubt that Russia 2018 will even happen, it's almost like the Russians and Fifa are operating in a parallel, fantasy universe.

And again, I say, with Fifa the entertainment never stops.

Fifa version 2.0

Day -929. ‪WorldCup2018‬.

As the investigations into all the alleged corruption and bribery continues and grows, I believe the time has come for an alternative to Fifa, or at least a complete rebuilding of Fifa. The American and Swiss charges were initially against football officials not employed by Fifa, officials who sat on Fifa's Executive Committee or who represented Fifa in their continental federations or national associations. Now it has been revealed that Sepp Blatter is also being investigated. So if he is accused of acting illegally then is the organisation he works for, and heads, also involved in criminality? Blatter says he didn't know that when he was the secretary general, a payment made to the then president Joao Havelange was a bribe. Since Blatter became president and allegations of his involvement in corruption were made against him, how many of the other high ranking employees at Fifa are going to say the same thing? How far down does this inheritance, and denial, of a culture of payments and favours go?

Therefore, as a starting point, the Presidential elections set for February, should be scrapped. All the candidates are a part of this disease. Jerome Champagne was a former Fifa secretary general. How much did he know? Gianni Infantino is UEFA's secretary general. He worked closely with his President, Michel Platini, who is banned from football, and facing a long suspension, for allegedly receiving a large payment from Blatter. Surely Infantino knows a lot more than is reported. The other candidates are all officials who have worked with Fifa.

Fifa needs to bring in an outside body, or individuals, to take over the running of it-lawyers, business administrators, people who know how to run an organisation without any political involvement. It will be a bit like bringing in bureaucrats to run a country that politicians have run into the ground. So scrap the elections, put the whole place in order and formulate a system for a proper electoral system that eliminates vote buying and elects a president elected by voters who truly understand what their organisation needs.

Fifa is a huge organisation that employs many, many people who's careers should not be tarnished by what goes on above them. How far down it goes will be up to the "cleaners" who move in to decide. If Fifa as we know it does indeed disappear let's hope that the existing brains and manpower are utilised to build the new Fifa.

With every passing week, and every new investigation, there must be a dwindling number of anybody who loves football that believe that Fifa can survive. Let's start from scratch, even if this means jeopardising the chances of there being a World Cup opening match in 929 days.

From Havelange to Blatter

Day -930. ‪WorldCup2018‬.

Yesterday I mentioned ex-Fifa president Joao Havelange and how the allegations of corruption and bribery started under his watch. And, voila, in the news today....http://m.bbc.com/sport/football/35007626

Joao Havelange

Day -931. ‪‎WorldCup2018‬.

As the debate around Sepp Blatter, and what seems like every senior Fifa official, and bribery and corruption continues it is worth remembering that he carried on from where his predecessor, Joao Havelange, left off.
"Havelange, the 96-year-old who ruled Fifa for more than two decades, was forced to resign his honorary position after the report laid out how both he and his former son-in-law, the former Brazilian FA president Ricardo Teixeira, had taken a series of bribes over an eight-year period from the now defunct sports marketing agency ISL."
 
Ricardo Teixeira, who has long been suspected of shady dealings with and through Fifa has finally been indicted on corruption charges by the US Department of Justice.
 
Also note from this report in The Guardian from over 2 years ago how long Blatter has been denying any direct involvement in any scandal.
"The central charge that has dogged Blatter's tenure – that in March 1997, when he was still secretary general and a year before he won a bitterly contested election to become president, a bribe meant for Havelange crossed his desk – is confirmed."
 
http://www.theguardian.com/…/apr/30/joao-havelange-resigns-…

More charges.

Day -932. ‪WorldCup2018‬.

 I've said it before and I'll say it again, and probably again, the Fifa tragic comedy just writes itself. Another 16 Fifa officials were charged by the US Department of Justice today with corruption and bribery. And the FBI has identified a Fifa official as being suspected of paying a $6.6m bribe in return for votes for the 2010 World Cup.

Maybe the end of Fifa is near, and actually needed. The most interesting quote of the day came from Jamie Fuller, chief executive of global sportswear firm Skins, talking to the BBC:

"The Swiss government have the capability. They have the legal rights to seize Fifa's assets.
"They can liquidate Fifa and reconstitute it in a separate form with accountability and transparency.
"The place is toxically corrupt. It's not just the president, it's not just the executive committee. It goes into the organisation"

More arrests

Day -933. ‪‎WorldCup2018‬.

Another fun day at Fifa but not as entertaining as another episode of "Fifa officials arrested at luxury Zurich hotel". Today it was the turn of two vice presidents, Alfredo Hawit of Honduras and Juan Ángel Napout of Paraguay to be arrested by Swiss police on behalf of the US Department of Justice. It must be quite amusing for the staff of the Baur au Lac hotel every time there is a Fifa Executive Committee. They probably take bets as the guests check in as to who will be leaving the next day in a police car.

Alfredo Hawit's arrest is even more entertaining when you consider that he was interim president of Concacaf, having taken the place of Jeffrey Webb who was picked up in the last round of arrests. Those Concacaf countries seem to be hanging on to the Jack Warner legacy of less football, more bribery.

The arrests preceded the meeting of the Fifa Executive Committee, meeting to discuss and approve the recommendations of the Reform Committee. The one reform that was not approved but put off for further discussion was the one to expand the world cup to 40 teams in 2026. The irony of this suggestion is that while all 209 members get an equal vote on something as big as who the next Fifa president will be or who will host the next world cup, only the ExCo members get to decide on expanding the world cup. This doesn't so far fetched, especially as the ExCo is going to be replaced by an elected Fifa Council. But then, get rid of the equal vote for all member associations for other matters.

More to come from Fifa, as always.

Holidays!

Day -934. ‪‎WorldCup2018‬.

On holiday. No time, too busy being on holiday. Just wanted to make sure the day is recorded. Another day closer.

Peace in 2018

Day -935. ‪‎WorldCup2018‬.

935 days. That's a pretty long time. A lot could happen between now and the start of the World Cup in 2018. The obvious changes, or the changes that we think will obviously happen, include the Russia-Ukraine situation, the Russia-Syria relationship and maybe the Russia-US relationship. The last one is changing constantly. The common factor is Vladimir Putin, ex-President and Prime Minister of Russia, now the President of Russia. It is amazing how one man can have such an influence on what goes on in the world. Whereas with other countries it is safe to say that, for example, France doesn't agree with Germany's policy decision on something, with Russia it's not about the country but one man.

And this is the country that will welcome the world in 2018. Will the world go? Of course they will, if it does indeed go ahead. Like never before do I think a World Cup is at the mercy of world politics and Fifa politics. But if football is played in Russia in 2018 the world will be watching. Because the world loves football and we all hope that Ukraine and Syria are at peace.

935 days to go. I'll be watching and hoping.