They say that Power corrupts and that absolute Power corrupts absolutely. FIFA is a shining example of that principle at work. The organisation represents self governance at its most incompetent and corrupt.
The complete lack of transparency and accountability for the decision to award the next two World Cups to Russia and Qatar is mind blowing. However, there is nothing that we can now do about this. Nobody is going to force FIFA to explain their logic and in any event we all know they couldn’t. What should English FA do now?
In my view, it’s simple. Stick two fingers up to FIFA and start to plough our own furrow. For example, the FA could announce immediately an extensive review into the use of technology during games with the intention of introducing, as a minimum, the use goal line technology in all English Leagues games from the beginning of season 2011/12. And similarly, on an experimental basis only, the use of a Fourth Official with access to video replays in all JPT games next season. Just for fun, they might also amend the rules on card appeals and retrospective punishment.
The FA should be doing this or something similar anyway. FIFA would be furious, not least because in all probability other associations would soon follow. What might FIFA do? No doubt they’d talk tough and threaten sanctions, but provided the FA stood firm they’d be unlikely to take any serious action. If we missed a World Cup mind you that might actually be a bonus!!
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Let's introduce goal-line technology ASAP and have extra goal-line officials in all Prem matches to start with. Try lots of different experiments to improve the game, but do it outside of the FIFA umbrella where possible.
As for playing International friendlies - we know who our friends are, so let's play them, and the countries that were open about not voting for us. That Trinidad fella is a disgrace - hope he gets his wedding invite cancelled !
We had a discussion last night at work about this topic. The overwhelming view was that the 'Home Nations' along with some of the other european football forces (excluding France due to the Plattini connection and his dislike of all things UK football can offer) should indeed form a breakaway governing body. The 'rival' body could invite some of the other world footballing powers i.e Brazil, Argentina etc and then see what FIFA does. Afterall any rival body that includes the above mentioned countries and some others will, we figured, take a lot of the TV sponsorship money and then the other product 'spin-offs'. Where would that leave Messers Blatter, Plattini and Warner? They can keep their 'cosy' Zurich based cartel and their antagonistic views of the UK and the FA. In the meantime the 'rival' body will ensure that ALL members of the new body will get a vote on matters apertaining to football, not just the 22 out of the 208 who are currently 'allowed' to vote - once Mr Blatter tells them which wayof course!!!
FIFA and the FA are both worthless, currupt, self-serving bodies who are competely detached from grassfroots supporters. The FA tried to buy this like they try to buy success at international tournaments by paying over the odds for a top coach who does'nt even speak the same language as his players. The only thing that matters is money.
Now they are outraged because the Russians were better cheats than them.
Goal line and other technology will never be introduced because far too much money changes hands in Asian betting syndicates on match outcomes- yellow cards, red cards, penalties, corners, goals scored etc etc.
Well done to the UK media for exposing them all as crooks.
The Russians proved to be more adept at corruption than the FA so let them take this crooked tounament to Russia..the perfect destination.
I had a little search yesterday to see what they were saying in the newspapers, but any bribery allegations were mostly made as part of reporting on the anger from the England bid team.
Maybe some of the international lifers can shed some light on this. I wonder also if the country this happened had been say Germany would we ahve been worried about FIFA corruption?
How many times over the years have we found ourselves the victims of completely unjust and unfair decisions from the FA and Premier League.
Greed and corruption has always existed, but the GFC, bank bailouts and the suffering that it has caused to innocent people, means that people have now had enough and want change. It will be interesting to see if Wikileaks get hold of any FIFA related dirt.
Sour grapes, yes - don't you think we're entitled?
Not sure about hypocrisy though.
Choosing where to hold the World Cup seems to have turned into a Eurovision style popularity contest, which we failed and will always fail because we ain't popular - blame Blair (for the Iraqi war) if you like but I think it goes back way further than that, to the days of the old British Empire - ruling a country against it's will and imposing your version of civilisation is never going to make you popular.
FIFA and the FA are both worthless, currupt, self-serving bodies who are competely detached from grassfroots supporters. The FA tried to buy this like they try to buy success at international tournaments by paying over the odds for a top coach who does'nt even speak the same language as his players. The only thing that matters is money.
Now they are outraged because the Russians were better cheats than them.
Goal line and other technology will never be introduced because far too much money changes hands in Asian betting syndicates on match outcomes- yellow cards, red cards, penalties, corners, goals scored etc etc.
Well done to the UK media for exposing them all as crooks.
The Russians proved to be more adept at corruption than the FA so let them take this crooked tounament to Russia..the perfect destination.[/quote]
Actually, I agree that the English FA suffer from many of the same failings as FIFA. They too have no accountability and much of their own decision making lacks transparency. The FA has also been appallingly badly managed.
Is it time to implement David Mellor’s recommendation and have the FA accountable to Parliament, either directly or indirectly via an independent regulator?
It would be fun to see some of the old buffers being grilled by a hostile select committee, but more significantly I’m sure that rigorous interrogation of the way in which the FA operates would bring much needed change; change which the incumbents, much like FIFA, will never initiate voluntarily.
At the risk of opening old wounds, I’m still waiting for the results of the joint FA/FA Premier League investigation into the Tevez affair. Accountability and the transparency that would come with it would make that kind of cover up [and that’s exactly what Lord Griffiths implied when he found in favour of Sheffield United] impossible.
As far as the use of technology during matches is concerned, it will come. It’s simply inevitable. The Luddites can only hold out for so long. Wouldn’t it be great if we led the charge? Given this week’s events we should no longer feel held back by the geriatrics in Zurich.
You mean you don't know this guy?
Sign him up!
Russia was less rigid. Also, many felt that Russia (with the Soviet Union) is undoubtedly a footballing nation having produced quite a number of
world-class players. The World Cup or the Euro has never been held there and the time was maybe ripe.
Don't ever believe the (grossly exaggerated) antagonism towards the British influences their judgement. Platini is popular but they don't like his
stance of being against video and goal-line technology.
As for FIFA and Blatter, they abhor them at least as much as you do.
We already have ...... he's called Izale McLeod.
Now that the dust has settled a bit, and trying hard to be objective, I can see that there is SOME merit in the choice of Russia. We shouldn't let our disappointment in missing out cloud the issue, although you just know that something smells BAD!
However, the more you look at the Qatar decision the crazier - or dirtier - it looks. For the life of me I can't think of a single genuine reason to give it to them. "They haven't had it before" is no kind of reason, nor is "it's good for the region" - so would rain be!
In fact, the more you look at it the more reasons there are NOT to stage the tournament in Qatar. The heat, the lack of stadia, the lack of accomodation, the absence of any real "legacy" - reusing stadia in the third world?, the horrendous carbon footprint, the "questionable" policies of the government there re Jews/blacks/gays, etc - and that's not even considering the fact that the place is tiny and has a population lower than some UK cities and that as a consequence their football team is guff.
It's so obvious that it's all down to one thing - MONEY. And money = CORRUPTION.
FIFA are so corrupt and so far up their own arses that they don't even realise, or care, how moody this all looks. The more I think about it the more I think we just cannot put up with this anymore or allow it to happen. Someone needs to do something - we should all be demanding that our FA does something about it.
...........
I believe the plan is to use solar power to generate the power for the air-conditionned stadia. Which in itself is ridiculous, but the plans are a lot more environmentally friendly than I first thought.
Still a dumb-arsed decision to play the WC there though.