Sepp Blatter

[heretoday]

Sepp Blatter eh? Who gives a monkey's? Just because England didn't get the World Cup the xenophobic English media are going mental.

I don't need any lessons in morality from the press thanks.

And I certainly don't look to the FA or the SFA for moral guidance. Neither of those organisations can exactly be said to be bastions of democracy.

[nonshinyfinish]

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Sepp Blatter eh? Who gives a monkey's? Just because England didn't get the 2022 World Cup the xenophobic English media are going mental.

I don't need any lessons in morality from the press thanks.

And I certainly don't look to the FA or the SFA for moral guidance. Neither of those organisations can exactly be said to be bastions of democracy.

True, but it doesn't follow that FIFA aren't massively corrupt...

[Haymaker]

My favourite was the Daily Star yesterday. Massive headline "Now give England back the World Cup!"

... pretty sure England never had it. Or even near getting it.

[twiceinathens]

That FIFA is at best incompetent at worst corrupt is not a new message. Suspicions of Warner for instance have been around for years. However the "football's coming home" "greatest league in the world" attitude has not won them many friends(not just in Scotland) over theyears and the timing of their protest obviously raises the question of whether they are concerned with football as a whole or having a fit of pique because their world cup bid was such a disaster.
Not to sure that the SFA's support of what was obviously a doomed attempt to have the presidential elction suspended was a wise move. There are many countries who resent Scotland's independent existence as it is. Blatter's reassurances are not worth anything.

[Hibs Class]

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That FIFA is at best incompetent at worst corrupt is not a new message. Suspicions of Warner for instance have been around for years. However the "football's coming home" "greatest league in the world" attitude has not won them many friends(not just in Scotland) over theyears and the timing of their protest obviously raises the question of whether they are concerned with football as a whole or having a fit of pique because their world cup bid was such a disaster.
Not to sure that the SFA's support of what was obviously a doomed attempt to have the presidential elction suspended was a wise move. There are many countries who resent Scotland's independent existence as it is. Blatter's reassurances are not worth anything.

It's never wrong to do the right thing. Going ahead with the coronation of Blatter was the wrong thing right now - the FA and the SFA were right to call for a postponement and the sad thing is that most of the rest of world football chose to turn a blind eye.

[stokesmessiah]

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It's never wrong to do the right thing. Going ahead with the coronation of Blatter was the wrong thing right now - the FA and the SFA were right to call for a postponement and the sad thing is that most of the rest of world football chose to turn a blind eye.

[snooky]

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It's never wrong to do the right thing. Going ahead with the coronation of Blatter was the wrong thing right now - the FA and the SFA were right to call for a postponement and the sad thing is that most of the rest of world football chose to turn a blind eye.

Corruption?
SFA v FIFA
Ahhh, yet another old adage - "Set a thief to catch a thief"

[Septimus]

Which all goes to prove that England are the worst losers that ever drew breath. Incidentally how many first class teams play in Qatar ?

[marinello59]

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It's never wrong to do the right thing. Going ahead with the coronation of Blatter was the wrong thing right now - the FA and the SFA were right to call for a postponement and the sad thing is that most of the rest of world football chose to turn a blind eye.

The FA's moral authority is somewhat questionable though given the way they turned on the UK media for exposing FIFA corruption during the World Cup bid. They were happy enough to turn a blind eye to it at that point if it meant getting the finals awarded to them.

[NAE NOOKIE]

What has to be faced up to is that FIFA is a world organisation and that in many countries giving or receiving bribes ( or gifts if you like ) is almost an accepted way of doing business or dealing with officialdom. Its not right, but its the way it is.

Blatter in many ways has been a huge success in as much as he has tried to move football on from its European and South American power base in order to expand its appeal in the huge Asian and North American markets. He has also raised billions by making the game more attractive to huge corporations, with a lot of that money going to grass roots football. Or so I hear.

But sometimes the decisions he has had a part in leave him open to accusations that he is prepared to give, at least tacit approval, to a way of doing things which FIFA should at least be seen to be trying to discourage.

Russia getting the World cup was at least understandable given their history in the game and the potential for growth in that country.

Quatar was a joke and has left FIFA wide open to accusations of corruption. There is no scope for any meaningfull football developement in that country. It will be a bore fest for the fans, unless you like 100% heat in the shade, not having a drink, not being allowed to be gay, not being allowed to wear what you want etc.

I dont know what the hell they were thinking of. There are a number of other middle eastern countries who if encouraged to bid would have been a more realistic option.

That is the problem with Blatter.

[JimBHibees]

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What has to be faced up to is that FIFA is a world organisation and that in many countries giving or receiving bribes ( or gifts if you like ) is almost an accepted way of doing business or dealing with officialdom. Its not right, but its the way it is.

Blatter in many ways has been a huge success in as much as he has tried to move football on from its European and South American power base in order to expand its appeal in the huge Asian and North American markets. He has also raised billions by making the game more attractive to huge corporations, with a lot of that money going to grass roots football. Or so I hear.

But sometimes the decisions he has had a part in leave him open to accusations that he is prepared to give, at least tacit approval, to a way of doing things which FIFA should at least be seen to be trying to discourage.

Russia getting the World cup was at least understandable given their history in the game and the potential for growth in that country.

Quatar was a joke and has left FIFA wide open to accusations of corruption. There is no scope for any meaningfull football developement in that country. It will be a bore fest for the fans, unless you like 100% heat in the shade, not having a drink, not being allowed to be gay, not being allowed to wear what you want etc.

I dont know what the hell they were thinking of. There are a number of other middle eastern countries who if encouraged to bid would have been a more realistic option.

That is the problem with Blatter.

Completely agree and then announcing a couple of months later well we might play it in the winter, talk about changing the goalposts. The only chance of anything happening now that the Football Associations have voted for Blatter is the large multinational sponsors of FIFA pulling out however that is highly unlikely to happen due to self interest.

The most obvious example of corrupt behaviour was the Scottish guy who was representing New Zealand being sent to deliver his vote for one country after a meeting and vote of his home association miraculously deciding to change his vote on the day.

[PeeJay]

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The FA's moral authority is somewhat questionable though given the way they turned on the UK media for exposing FIFA corruption during the World Cup bid. They were happy enough to turn a blind eye to it at that point if it meant getting the finals awarded to them.

Good point! The German FA is not much better by the way IMO - Beckenbauer was quoted on the Beeb recently as saying that Blatter is a good man and he has achieved wonders for the FIFA and the game of football. No mention of corruption, but then Kaiser Franz wants to get onto the FIFA Board, so ....

So much for fair play - personally I think the moral authority on this is with football fans around the world and surely we all know the various FA authorities are all incompetent or corrupt - or both? Seems to me it's no longer "our" game but that of the money-making and corrupt parasites running/ruining it? Blatter's victory yesterday was a terrible day for the image associated with the game of football.

[Jim44]

I would be surprised if any high ranking official in any league in the world is not luxuriously feathering his own nest.

[Holmesdale Hibs]

FIFA are corrupt to the core. Giving a world cup to Quatar FFS. Does anyone genuinely believe that there wasn't any bribery going on there? A small, very wealthy country that's totally unsuitable for football. An absolute disgrace.