You wouldn't believe it......

[TightEnd]

[Tal]

Swiss nationals working for FIFA are told they are not allowed to leave the country.

Swiss nationals working for FIFA? "Errr...anyone with the initials JB...and anyone in the most senior position at a governing body of football..."

Is this a good time to press on the bet for Blatter to be re-elected? Def wouldn't be trading that £20 yet.

[bookiebasher]

What a great story this is. Or it would be, were it not so sad.

Meanwhile, the World Cup presumably goes ahead in Qatar?

It's not sad at all.

Been waiting for this day for years . Praise be to the FBI .

FIFA have probably denied me the chance to watch England in a World Cup on home soil.

No doubt in the coming months Blatter will "retire" on health grounds.

I hope one of those indicted  by the FBI accepts a plea bargain and indicts Blatter.

The bastard wants nailing.

[Marky147]

I hope he gets nailed, but not until after he has been elected, and bwin have weighed us in

[Junior Senior]

Don't fuck with the Feds!

[Karabiner]

I hope he gets nailed, but not until after he has been elected, and bwin have weighed us in

I always knew that your heart was in the right place.

[Ironside]

What a great story this is. Or it would be, were it not so sad.

Meanwhile, the World Cup presumably goes ahead in Qatar?

It's not sad at all.

Been waiting for this day for years . Praise be to the FBI .

FIFA have probably denied me the chance to watch England in a World Cup on home soil.

No doubt in the coming months Blatter will "retire" on health grounds.

I hope one of those indicted  by the FBI accepts a plea bargain and indicts Blatter.

The bastard wants nailing.

would hate to see the odds of getting a ticket to a game involving a home nation.

[TightEnd]

Click to see full-size image.

[Doobs]

Click to see full-size image.

I hate this kind of misleading that is all too common on twitter and facebook.

There are 8 vice presidents in total, of which 3(?) have been arrested.   Why include Conmebol, but not UEFA which is much bigger?  etc  The true picture will still look damning, and a fair few of the others have been linked to corruption in the past, so why mislead the public? 

Bunch of absolute bollocks.

[Marky147]

I hope he gets nailed, but not until after he has been elected, and bwin have weighed us in

I always knew that your heart was in the right place.

My Nandos bill is big this month, Ralph

[MANTIS01]

Listening to Blatter's speech I was just agog. He reminds me of that dude who was Saddam Hussein's henchman during the Iraq War. You know the fella who kept appearing on the telly saying Iraq was winning, even when the allies were breaking down the door and pinning him to the ground. Absolute rhubarb!!

[TightEnd]

[horseplayer]

What I find even more astounding is the arrogance of Europe

Until Europe realises football is now a world game not a game that just involves the champions league nothing will change.

The BBC world football podcast was excellent this week. The south African correspondent was superb he basically said obviously blatter should go but why are people in England surprised when very small nations he visits and reports from now have national stadiums and in some cases national football centres., love the bloke.

In 1974 when Europe lost power they had nothing and the pitiful bottle job platini and to a lesser extent Figo long realised they can't promise the same funding and support, nor did they want to.

Of course they Could have more under a European power Base but that is a big risk to take for them..

[jakally]

What I find even more astounding is the arrogance of Europe

Until Europe realises football is now a world game not a game that just involves the champions league nothing will change.

The BBC world football podcast was excellent this week. The south African correspondent was superb he basically said obviously blatter should go but why are people in England surprised when very small nations he visits and reports from now have national stadiums and in some cases national football centres., love the bloke.

In 1974 when Europe lost power they had nothing and the pitiful bottle job platini and to a lesser extent Figo long realised they can't promise the same funding and support, nor did they want to.

Of course they Could have more under a European power Base but that is a big risk to take for them..

The key to this is why Blatter gives a lot of time to supporting the smaller federations.
If it's because he cares about the game of football, and it's development, then the stance of UEFA is very arrogant, and self-serving. (i.e. they want more of the money/staging of the World Cup, to go to them).

The line that the media feeds us, is that Blatter loves his position of power, and his support of smaller nations ensures that he keeps it. In return, some of the heads of the smaller nations, know that they are more likely, under Blatter, to be able to allow situations to benefit them financially.
It's not arrogant of UEFA, if they are trying to stop the administration of their game becoming completely rotten.

[horseplayer]

What I find even more astounding is the arrogance of Europe

Until Europe realises football is now a world game not a game that just involves the champions league nothing will change.

The BBC world football podcast was excellent this week. The south African correspondent was superb he basically said obviously blatter should go but why are people in England surprised when very small nations he visits and reports from now have national stadiums and in some cases national football centres., love the bloke.

In 1974 when Europe lost power they had nothing and the pitiful bottle job platini and to a lesser extent Figo long realised they can't promise the same funding and support, nor did they want to.

Of course they Could have more under a European power Base but that is a big risk to take for them..

The key to this is why Blatter gives a lot of time to supporting the smaller federations.
If it's because he cares about the game of football, and it's development, then the stance of UEFA is very arrogant, and self-serving. (i.e. they want more of the money/staging of the World Cup, to go to them).

The line that the media feeds us, is that Blatter loves his position of power, and his support of smaller nations ensures that he keeps it. In return, some of the heads of the smaller nations, know that they are more likely, under Blatter, to be able to allow situations to benefit them financially.
It's not arrogant of UEFA, if they are trying to stop the administration of their game becoming completely rotten.

Firstly i find it slightly strange UEFA can take the higher moral ground on the corruption issue but that is an aside.

Uefa cared so much about this election they ended up with ONE representative from Asia who did not even come close to winning the majority of his own region let alone anywhere else.

Uefa cared so much about cleaning up corruption they have not suggested any alternatives as to how the game should be developed in the smaller nations. This leaves anybody who was even wavering about switching allegiances think probably quite rightly that what are you going to offer us?

If you think about it the Europe voting part of Fifa is still very nearly 50%.

All UEFA/europe/ the big powers need to do and have needed to do for years is persuade another 50% of the remaining voters to switch with a better alternative to Blatter.

Before 1974 football was not a world game it is now, whether Europe likes it or not.

It is about time they realised this if they want to regain the power they seem to think is a given.