Thetownend.com

Fair play to the US for going after FIFA in a way that no other country seemed prepared to do.

Blatter not on the hit list, but all of these allegations concern a period when he was at the helm.  Surely he cannot cling on for much longer after this.  Can he?

Of course they didn't go for Blatter straight away.

Hopefully they've started lower down the chain in the hope they'll roll over and give up Blatter and other higher level execs in exchange for a deal.

It's finally happening isn't it? Like, for realzies!

Jack Warner on the list, that's lovely stuff.

Supposedly the Swiss have an investigation open into the allocation of 2018 and 2022 World Cups as well. Not holding my breath for anything to happen but it could be great news.

They need to just clear out the whole lot and start again.

The corporation is fucked.

Course he can - he's super Sepp

The US has an advantage of the dollar being a reserve currency, it can be used as leverage to get foreign institutions to investigate.

I wonder if Blatter's arrogance allows him to stick his head above the parapet and claim some kind of involvement in instigating this? No doubt he's clamouring to explain how this is part of his masterplan to clean up FIFA.

And one can't help but think that if the US has shown their hand, they've got enough to believe Sepp's frantic shredding will have no effect.

I hope they bring that senile old despot down, as the timing's clearly got a Hollywood feel to it and surely can't be coincidental.

It's funny, I've had a mental image of burning waste bins in Sepp's room all morning, which your shredding comment alludes to. There will always be a record somewhere, no matter how much shredding and burning goes on. Looking forward to this story growing more than our transfer dealings.

This has been building since the time he dumped on Warner, and his mate Blazer, who used to be the US representative.

With the States being rejected for Qatar for 2022, and then the 'independent investigation' by the US lawyer, Garcia, whose wife works for the FBI, who FIFA then announced cleared themselves in the report, then Garcia, issuing a statement that says that the FIFA announcement was bollocks, and the lack of wanting to get the whole report in the public domain, the pressure has just been mounting of Blatter and co.

Whether the arrests will influence anyone in their votes, which Blatter has tied up, via his FIFA payouts, I do not know, but they'll be a number of FIFA bods sweating to see if they are next.

They won't get anything on Blatter. He doesn't get involved in the handling of brown envelopes, he just allows it to happen.

All in exchange for a vote to keep him in power, of course. Everyone's a winner.

"Fifa welcomes actions that can help contribute to rooting out any wrongdoing in football ... We are pleased to see that the investigation is being energetically pursued for the good of football and believe that it will help to reinforce measures that Fifa has already taken."

It's good to find out where the Iraqi information minister has pitched up.

If they can prove that he knew and allowed it, he is fucked.

Yep, doubt very much the FBI would have moved, If they knew they couldnt cut off the snakes head as the coup de grace.

Expected timeline:

Today - Arrests Made, Blatter Stalls.
Tomorrow - Blatter Outraged
Friday - Blatter re-elected
            Blatter states this is a mandate in showing FIFA members confidence on his ability to clean up FIFA. Investigation launched immeadiately
6 months - Edited report released
8 months - Still not fully published unedited
N Months - Goto 8 months.


Heads will probably roll, Blatter will survive (unless he snuffs it).

It ridiculous, either Blatter is corrupt, or Blatter is incapable of running a clean FIFA.

 

Similar happened in the UCI (cycling world body) but in that case delegates decided enough is enough and voted the incumbent out - fingers crossed for football.

Won't happen. The current structure won't clean FIFA up until you take corruption out of African politics. Our only hope is they've got something on Blatter. I'd love to see him die in prison.

Hypothetically speaking, as it will never happen for many reasons, but say the major European and American countries formed a new world body.

Do FIFA have any legal recourse for blocking the new body from playing exactly the same game of football as FIFA does? i.e. are the laws under some sort of for want of another word, copyright ?

This is been my argument.

Without the TV money FIFA get from the Europe and the US, they would be buggered. If those countries left to form their own World Cup, with the South American countries, FIFA would not survive. The only problem there are people in UEFA who are not 'whiter than white' themselves (Platini, who voted for Qatar, as they bought PSG, and employed his son), so you need a clearout at FIFA also.

The corruption goes right through football....although some are more corrupt and syphon off bigger bucks, than others.

For example why did the FA play a meaningless England friendly in Trinidad and Tobago?   Wine and dine Warner, in grand style to try and get his vote.  No different to Putin or Qatar, just our lot couldn't even do that properly.

Did Dyke give his 16K watch back in the end?

Yes...eventually.

Surely Blatter has to tender his resignation with immediate effect, hasn't he? The top man running an allegedly corrupt empire staying in his position would be unethical wouldn't it?

I am certainly not holding my breath.

A new World Football organisation is necessary with fixed term appointments so no-one like Blatter can carry on into their dotage as happens now.

As always it comes down to money and de facto rather than de jure. Should the European Associations withdraw en masse from FIFA then FIFA is fucked regardless of the rules. This is where the FA has been seen wanting, it criticises but still wants to participate in the bidding process while knowing the whole system is corrupt.

Having a read on the BBC website, that the US Attorney says that 'this is just the start of the investigation.'

I'm sure the press boys, who did the Sunday Times expose prior to the World Cup plus authors like Andrew Jennings and David Yallop, who wrote books on the corruption of FIFA will have plenty of ammunition to give the US authorities.

Yes it would. So, obviously, no he won't

Apparently Blatter "is not dancing in his office:

Here's the blog of Andrew Jennings on what he told the FBI 2 years ago :

https://transparencyinsportblog.wordpress.com/2013/03/27/what-i-told-the-fbi-about-the-fifa-crooks/

Apparently, investigators have told all Swiss nationals working for FIFA, which includes Blatter, that they are not allowed to leave the country until further notice.

BREAKING: Sepp Blatter releases statement, says FIFA "welcome the actions and the investigations by the US and Swiss authorities.." (1/2) Blatter (cont): "...and believe that it will help to reinforce measures that FIFA has already taken to root out any wrongdoing in football."

What a god almighty cunt he really is. (As is we didn't know that already)

Fifa ethics committee, perhaps the only thing less useful in football than the Fit and Proper Persons Test.

Please God, let something stick on Blatter this time.

All the way down from FIFA to the North Wilts & District Youth & Minor League.

I'm not convinced Platini is better than Blatter, or Dyke better than Platini. I don't see any of the solutions starting from within football. Maybe someone from outside football, in charge of FIFA with the brief to build it all up again from scratch.

Needs someone to pull the plug and no one seems ready for the nuclear option yet.

 I see the fella who either was or is charge of the Cayman Islands FA is on the FBI list......don't we have some link up with them.  Just saying like.

I think the Football in the Community guys have been out to the Caymans a few times.

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/9346205.High_hopes_for_Cayman_Islands_starlet/


 :hmmm: "It doesn't cost us anything and builds links with the Cayman Islands FA"

 Still this link is from the Fitton/Black/Wray era, so must be kosher ;)

The difference being that in the N Wilts league, the league officials and clubs themselves forced out the corruption and called in the police. Not without a titanic battle and it took too long for someone to stand up to the N Wilts Blatters but at least they did it. Whereas in the national and international associations, there's a lot of talk but no real willingness to tackle the problem. Which is why FIFA needed an external agency to start cleaning the Augean stables. We've not seen a fraction of the shit that will come out of there yet.

There's a danger of tarring everyone with the same brush here - just because the head of the Cayman FA is bent, doesn't mean everyone involved in football over there is. Or, by association, that anyone who deals with them is.

I did a course with a guy from the Caymans recently, should I turn myself in?

Was it a course on tax avoidance?

I think its great this is finally coming out into the open, however is it a little suspicious that the authorities finally decided to act the week of the FIFA election?

Its because they were all  in the same place at the same time, with little chance of skipping off.

Not really. They've been building their case, and due to the fact that all of them are going to be in the same place for the FIFA conference, it's certainly a lot easier to get them arrested in one raid on one hotel than all around the world.

Blatter refuses to quit :

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/32914907

I can't recall ever having such an appetite for any news, but all this FIFA stuff is brilliant.

This is a great article. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32909649

Looking back on Madoff's long drawn out downfall, and Lance Armstrong's, this feels quite similar; years of people shouting about the obvious and few taking any notice. Hopefully, like Madoff's house of cards, FIFA's will crash down in spectacular fashion.

This FIFA thing has resulted in me doing approx. zero work over the last two days.

Constant updates. Incredible news.

I do like the description of Andrew Jennings as a 'veteran Blatter-botherer'

Well if you read his blog from 2 years ago, about what he told the FBI, they were all the names that were arrested yesterday :

https://transparencyinsportblog.wordpress.com/2013/03/27/what-i-told-the-fbi-about-the-fifa-crooks/

I don't know what I'd prefer: a totally cleaned up FIFA caring for football around the world as a true independent body (some hope...) or the big 4 leagues - Prem, Germany, Italy, Spain - setting up their own version of FIFA, 'inviting' the smaller nations to compete in their version of the World Cup, Euros etc. All controlled by the big 30 or so clubs with all the money.

I mean, would we really want Abramovich (current interest-free loans to Chelsea now over the £1billion mark) and his like ruling the roost over world football? With relegation from the top leagues stopped as in US sport?

Both scenarios leave me cold.

But why are they the only 2 scenarios? The second is pretty laughable.

UEFA haven't shown any interest in breaking away and the leagues themselves have shown even less interest.

The dropping of relegation is never going to happen, don't think there has ever been a realistic suggestion for it to happen and it won't as it would destroy the leagues that implement it. Just people scaremongering.

Putin sticking up for Blatter.....

There's just no PR team behind it, is there?

You know you're in trouble if Putin's backing you up.

Putin sticking up for Blatter because 'the Americans want to stop Russia from holding the world cup'. Completely ignoring the fact it's a Swiss investigation into 2018.

So why do so many countries still support Blatter?

I'm guessing part of it is him giving more to the smaller (i.e. non-UEFA) members than they could reasonably expect. I can't believe it is all down to bribes and back handers.

Given that UEFA is the bulk of the money behind football the rest of the world gets more than their fair share of the money, hosts more World Cups than they should, get more places at the World Cup than the rankings say they should get and so on.

Interesting that UEFA now seem to be talking about a major toy throwing exercise if Blatter is elected, apparently withdrawing from FIFA is a possibility or boycotting the World Cup.

UEFA will fold.

should not be a surprise that corrupt nations aren't that bothered about corruption in football. especially as they get the most out of it if it continues.

I did chuckle when the Nigerian representative was giving Blatter his full backing on the radio this morning.

Blatter's position has become completely untenable. Even if he didn't know anything about the level of corruption (yeah, right) it happened on his watch and he has to go.

Blatter is regarded as hero in many parts of the world....he's been responsible for the creation of all sorts of facilities, in places like Africa, they don't mind that he's a corrupt old fart, because at least they get something....which didn't happen before.

There is zero chance of UEFA doing anything as Platini, learnt at Blatter side.  He's panicking as he is up to his neck in the Qatar bid.

I do think if the suits at the  FA, did the right thing and unilaterally withdrew from FIFA, then there'd be overwhelming support from English fans.....but they won't as they're at best hypocritical, and at worst complicit.

Not sure about the Swiss investigation.....companies and organisations like FIFA, don't just pitch up in Switzerland for the cheese, turning a blind eye is the modus operandi of the Swiss authorities, so I'd be very surprised to see anything with teeth here.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/may/28/sepp-blatter-fifa-africa-zambia

Decent article on exactly that!

This scenario sounds remarkably like the Division One giants wanting to keep more of the dosh and peeling off to form the Premier League, leaving the lower-league clubs to fight over the scraps. If this were the whole story, Blatter should be our hero.

But it isn't, and he isn't.

Apparently now been a bomb threat....

Greg Dykes quote did sound rather ominous..

Voted in again then....

Blatter was always going to be re-elected. It's what happens next which is genuinely interesting.

Truly inevitable and losing UEFA was never going to be an issue for Blatter either.

Over to you, FBI.

yup. it's how corruption works. over to uefa/fbi

He seems to be untouchable.  Why?

Because removing the corruption from FIFA is in the interest of very few of the delegates. Turkeys don't vote for Christmas.

It's similar to why some people vote Labour - they promise to tax some wealthier people and transfer the money to them in benefits. Same principle.

No point us doing anything unilaterally though. The FA might concentrate instead on urging other key European countries to withdraw from FIFA. Any World Cup needs Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Holland (England even). Any World Cup would be meaningless without the big six.

Then set about establishing a new organisation for world football, with proper governance. The current set-up is a Swiss bank, run by the Mafia, who occasionally organise football matches.

He's a hero in much of the developing world.  As Reg has already said, he does have a positive legacy in a lot of places.  He has globalised the game in way that no one else had done so before (although you could argue that the globalisation would have happened with or without Blatter.)  It's also probably true that many places around the world have a higher corruption threshhold than we do.

No point, other than showing the rest of world, that we might be a bit shit at football, but we did invent and develop most of these games and somewhere in their origins is the importance of fair play.  Dyke can rattle on all he likes, but UEFA will do jack shit. 

Our Serious Fraud Office, have been sat on their hands, when even the likes of the Daily Mail point out that a British bank like Barclays, have some questions to answer as regards FIFA transactions.

The only real hope for change is if the FBI feel a few more collars including Blatter.

Mainly because European football associations are too spineless to resign en masse in order to destroy FIFA, and in turn they do so because football fans are very reluctant to do anything to force said European football associations to do anything.

Football fans by and large will put up with anything even if it means supporting a world cup in Qatar where the human cost is quite frankly disgusting (http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/05/27/a-body-count-in-qatar-illustrates-the-consequences-of-fifa-corruption/).

Quite an interesting twitter debate going on with Richard Keys and new Qatari resident launching a staunch defence of his new home land and basically The Guardian report is inaccurate.

I'm probably behind the times on this thread, but I watched the 2 speeches. One of the candidates, and it was the telling moment for me, never once mentioned the fans who follow football. We don't matter do we mr blatter...

He'll never mention the fans, but he'll mention the ####ing 'football family' a million times.

There's a phrase that I detest.  Where is this 'family', anyway?  I have a worrying feeling that he may be talking about this lot.

(https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRvGoye7eVOWB4EGOnH45hHN9TJHC0CxxjiuCzDJSIInwaLZInqdQ)

The question of deaths in Qatar has been a continuing concern for a couple of years, and not just by the Guardian, and has been reported by many multinational agencies (http://www.businessinsider.com/qatar-world-cup-workers-dead-2014-3?IR=T). Exact numbers are always hard to pin down precisely, but it's quite clear that the Qatar World Cup has serious issues regarding workers' safety (http://fortune.com/2015/05/20/fifa-world-cup-2022-visa-qatar/)

Keys is a fucking prick at the best of times.

He basically said because he lives in Qatar, the whole death numbers are all lies!

The more I think about it, the less I care about Blatter and FIFA. It's all kind of irrelevant.

Sure there is likely to be many more millions that go missing, but then we wouldn't have got them in England anyway. Most likely it would have gone to a 3rd world country and seeing as they voted him back in, who gives a shit.

Doesn't make any difference to me where the world cup is held. It will still be on tv and England will still be shit.

Dykes is a far bigger threat to English football, and especially the Football League, than Blatter is or ever will be.

If we really did care and wanted to make a stand, we'd quit UEFA/FIFA and sod the consequences. But we don't.

Please do not scroll down from this post without saying Amen

I think you are very wrong. That attitude is why FIFA can be governed by someone who doesn't give a fuck about corruption. Not much you can do about it as an individual fan, if we all clubbed together and pressured sponsors everything would fold. But it seem like you nobody gives a shit deep down, so maybe you were right after all :)

The FA can't go it alone, I doubt UEFA members will do anything other than tut and draft a strongly worded letter.

Hopefully Blatter will be among them

More Indictments Expected in FIFA Case, I.R.S. Official Says http://nyti.ms/1coAP3W

Let's not forget as well the BBC got arrested, detained, and interrogated as spies with no recourse to a lawyer or their embassy for having the temerity to look around Qatari workers housing and discuss working conditions without a government 'escort'. All perfectly normal.

Come on UEFA a do the honourable thing and boycott next World Cup. Think the nations of the Amercias are fed up too, so the sponsors wouldn't be interested in a World Cup without the big guns.

Fck FIFA and their band of thieves.

Boycott the World Cup and play the Euro's every 2 years.

If UEFA withdraw from FIFA, then it's pretty much game over for FIFA.

FIFA's main income stream is the World Cup, which would become a meaningless tournament.

It's not just the loss of the European countries, it's the loss of all the players with European clubs - as the clubs would be under no obligation to release them to play.

UEFA can then organise a World Championship, with an invitation to countries outside Europe.

Problem solved.

Jack Warner.... BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Fucking idiot. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

The latest Andrew Jennings article on the fun and games at FIFA :

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3104087/How-FIFA-nailed-act-revenge-dying-man-Investigative-journalist-ANDREW-JENNINGS-reveals-former-official-led-Feds-dirty-depths-Blatter-s-kingdom-corruption.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

Apparently he believes FIFA are paying Blatter $15m a year.

Nice work if you can get it !!

Hard to know how much of that is true, but none of it is beyond the realms of belief. It would be a huge shame to lose the World Cup but as somebody said, replacing it with a UEFA + invited nations World Championships could be a way around that.

What does the president of Fifa actually do?

very nicely out of turning a blind eye ?

Wasn't Platini in with Blatter once upon a time until he took the UEFA job - not convinced that bloke is as clean cut as he likes to paint himself

Platini voted for Qatar, enough said.

I don't think anyone is saying Platini is an unimpeachable moral crusader but that is not a balanced comment in its implication.

Platini has urged Sepp Blatter to resign and UEFA members to vote for his opponent Prince Ali Bin Hussein

USA lost the FIFA vote for the world cup by 14 members' votes (inc Platini's ?) to 8 (presumably inc. England, Australia and USA's) and England's bid was a complete failure

The solution is to acknowledge that Football is not the UN where the UK has a veto and respect the fact that both in terms of achievement and numbers there is no particular reason to suppose that the USA let alone the UK should hold any particular sway.

I'm all for forcing FIFA to reform or die in terms of influence but you need to work your alliances and those who presume South America would jump ship and join a UEFA tournament are imo well ahead of themselves.


This is all going to take time.

Well said RedRag. The arrogance of the major European footballing nations in assuming that they could pull out and everyone else would meekly follow precisely illustrates how Blatter has been able to establish such a stranglehold on world football. It's like the corrupt local councils in the 60s - yes of course everyone knows he is/they were bent, but just like those corrupt councillors, he makes damn sure he looks after his own and his opponents look no more attractive to his core support.

Loved Platini as a player but not since retirement. Don't trust him at all.

As for arrogance of European nations, it's not arrogance it's confidence in their status amongst the sponsors. As other have said without major Euro-nations the world cup commercially would be a massive failure.  Add the US and a handful of other nations and it's completely unworkable. It won't happen though.

Platini is a cunt who will do what's best for him. I wonder how his son got a top job with a qatari company. He's not the only Fifa committee member whose relatives have taken qatari money. Is it also a coincidence they pumped money into PSG. While platini is talking Blatter down the French apparently voted for Blatter. There is fuck all chance of a uefa boycott or any nation boycotting the world cup. If dyke was so sure of his morals then wed boycott the world cup regardless of whether others joined us. Dyke is another cunt. They are all fucking corrupt. Why did England play friendlies in Thailand and Trinidad. Others are better than us at this corruption mallarkey

 So what does the fact that Northern Ireland and the Sweaties, have had or are having friendlies v Qatar tell us.

 The Northern Ireland game attracted a crowd of just over 3000 at Gresty Road.....very strange.

Blatter is carefully trying to turn the rest of FIFA against England and the USA and to a lesser degree UEFA. This isn't about hosting a World Cup or thinking we're better or more important than other nations. It's about FIFA being corrupt from the top all the way down to the bottom and Blatter having no interest in doing anything about it. Enough is enough.

If the UEFA countries withdraw from the World Cup and hold an alternate competition to replace it, there would be no need for other countries to join in - it would be a big enough tournament anyway. Financially I'd guess the European Championship is a bigger money spinner for UEFA countries, not as much in the pot but far fewer countries to split it between.

If UEFA withdraws from FIFA, then the World Cup and FIFA themselves are fucked as their income would be wiped out. Don't forget that if this happens all the players in European leagues wouldn't be able to play in the World Cup - as there would be no obligation for them to release players.

Great post.

Apart from the fact, there is zero chance of UEFA withdrawing from the WC...

I think a mass boycott by European countries (and USA) of the 2018 World Cup is possible, especially as for a lot of countries it gets round the difficult issue of having to play in Russia.

Which is a shame.

Why do you think it's likely to happen?

The US boycott of the 80 Moscow Olympics was regarded as a failure. It originated as reaction to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan......25 years later the US was invading Afghanistan.

Thatch wanted to tow the Yankee line, but the decision was left to individual sporting associations.....predictably it was only the Tory party at play types like yachting, horse dancing and prancing who boycotted.

Hardly the same thing

Not saying it's likely, but definitely possible.

Think the difference this time is that Russia have crossed a multitude of lines and ended up offending a good chunk of the rest of Europe. Invading a wannabe EU member state doesn't help, neither does being involved in shooting down a passenger plane, add on the racism, being anti-gay and probably lots of other stuff I've forgotten.

At minimum it would be awkward for a number of countries going there to play football, this is giving them a get out of jail free card.

Well it tells me the SFA are run by a bunch of arseholes, thought you could have worked that out yourself Reg, a man of your means.

The US boycott of the Moscow Olympics was not unhelpful to a GB gold in the 100 metres, just think what a Euro boycott (us excluded) could do for our chances of winning the World Cup!

Very little. On current showings, we'd still struggle to get past S or N Korea

I dunno, Liechtenstein could probably beat England..

Home Nations it is then.  Surely it would be impossible for the Scots to win it and Gareth Bale could be refused permission to enter the UK to work if we have left the EU by then

In the last 2 WC's we've failed to beat, US, Algeria, Costa Rica.

I thought about UEFA doing a breakaway WC, with the South American countries, who apparently also voted against Blatter, with the US and Australia.

Yes, the sponsors might pull out of FIFA and so might the TV people, or ask for compensation, but I believe Russia and Qatar will just give more money to FIFA to 'subsidise' the tournaments, meaning they go ahead there anyway.

Putin has proved 'money is no object' via the Winter Olympics and Formula 1 in Sochi, and Qatar has money to burn, or pay someone else to burn. There's even a book just been published called 'The Ugly Game : The Qatari Plot to buy the World Cup.

UEFA won't do a breakaway from the 2018 World Cup as Russia is a UEFA member and UEFA are deeply intwined with sponsorship from Gazprom, the corporate arm of the Russian Mafia (in the same way as Putin and the government are the legislative arm). It's not just FIFA that are bent and all the Europeans holding their noses at the nasty stench from FIFA would do well to look in their own midden pile.

Surely we all think UEFA is a mini-FIFA on that particular scale. Platini's token "I asked him to resign" said it all.

Been nice knowing you Paul, watch out for blokes with sharp tipped umbrellas!  :bye:

I imagine any decision to boycott will be held back until we are part way through the qualification process with the potential for boycott growing in relation to how badly we are doing!

But as least we know that our FA have not stooped to the depths of bribery... oh bugger http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/nov/04/england-2018-world-cup-bid-fa

I get a little uncomfortable that we are not as corrupt as others, might be better to say that we are just less good at it! 

Fully agree. It's all come back to roost at Platini after backing Qatar, all because he wanted them to take over PSG, and make them a force in European football, and the fact that his son works high up in the organisation sums it up.

And the UEFA slight backdown on Financial Fair Play, is to allow PSG to spend more, as European clubs are worried about the financial muscle which English clubs will have due to the new TV deal.

oooh, a surprise Fifa press conference at 6pm (Europe time?). I expect Blatter to be dancg in a mankini shouting 'suck my balls'.

Blatter to resign !!!!!

Really?

Good. The corrupt old cunt.

Now lock him up til he pegs it.

Well, that is good news.

Nice :nod: :clap:

All those mother fuckers at all the other Confederations have got it coming to them as well. I reckon Platini's bricking it. I hate him almost as much as Blatter...

I guess then we can expect Blatter to stitch up behind the scenes the election for the next President - thus the desire for a rapid election. The problems are institutional, I won't be getting too excited yet...

Though clearly he's jumped before he has been pushed

Hopefully Blatter will not try and put one of his cronies forward, like Valcke.

It's amazing what has happened since Friday. Must be worried about going to Canada to present the Women's World Cup.

Unfortunately they say that an election cannot take place between Dec and Mar 16.

They should put Prince Ali in an a temporary measure until the election.

I think that's right, but now the boil has been lanced, expect to see all sorts of pus seeping out.  :puke:

 There needs to be a re-run for 2018 and 2022 next.

See that FIFA have announced a number of reforms to be voted on, including a limit on a number of terms of office a President can stay, which Blatter increased for his own personal benefit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxBOlLFz6NU

 ???

Cheerio cheerio cheerio!

Unless I'm mistaken, it sounds like he's hanging around for another 6 months while they organize yet another conference/vote!

He should go now and put Prince Ali in charge. You can shred a lot of documents in 6 months !!

Someone must have something pretty serious on him, surely.

Probably heading for the FIFA escape pod, bound for an underwater hideaway, as we speak

(http://www.bigflax.com/Movies/myob/images/spywholovedme-atlantis.jpg)

His wife trains dolphins.....

Apparently more is coming out from the US tomorrow.

He tried touching me once

So?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pt8SHP2x0xg

Probably been told he will be arrested when he lands in Canada

What will happen to the cat?

(http://images.fandango.com/MDCsite/images/featured/201412/blofeld-james-bond.png)

Be careful what you wish for.  This has the feel of Gaddaffi going from Libya;  what realistic prospect is there of getting someone any better in his place?  I don't see how any honest man (or woman) can ever survive at the top of FIFA as currently constituted.  Unless you are prepared to buy votes then you'll always be supplanted by someone who will.

Blatter's great skill was to visibly move FIFA from being a UEFA dominated organisation.  His replacement needs to avoid looking like a European stooge if he is to have any chance.

Whats Jack Warner doing these days.

Hopefully will be in the same cell as Blatter, sooner rather than later.

They could while away the hours playing FIFA 15, FIFA 16, FIFA 17, FIFA 18........   :)

Spot on PR. If anyone thinks that just getting rid of Blatter solves the problem, they're kidding themselves, don't understand the scale of the issue or they're Greg Dyke. Possibly all 3. Let's not forget Greg Dyke's watch, that our own FA's main problem with bribery around 2018 was that we weren't very good at it, UEFA up to their necks with Gazprom, the FA's reacting to the Times investigation into FIFA corruption 2 years ago by trying to smear the journos and backing FIFA to the hilt etc etc. Will take a lot more than just shifting Blatter to clean out these Augean stables

There needs a complete overhaul at Fifa but there will be a lot of people there worried their dealings with come out so I expect someone close to the likes of blatter will try and parachuted in 'to save fifa'

I wonder if Prince Ali was a viable candidate with when it was all announced Europe wanted someone to run knowing they would not win.

Whoever get's the position will need to win over African's who are loyal to blatter - that will be a hard job

Listening to this http://www.newstalk.com/He-was-dreaming-of-himself-of-getting-the-Nobel-Peace-Prize
Philippe Auclair (and he is very good on this stuff) seems to think that there is very little hope of anything changing without a radicial restructuring of every FA in every confederation. He sees each as corrupt as FIFA itself. It is well worth a listen, albeit a rather depressing one.

Not just their loyalty to Blatter, their opposition to Britain, America and Uefa.

South Africa claiming there was no bribe, that it's made up by the British and America and that they've defeated colonialism and will continue fighting it. The last part is particularly troubling as it is how a lot of countries especially in Africa see us.

Of course they are, FIFA wouldn't be susceptible to bribe scandal if all the FAs played it straight! Though I think 'as bad as each other' is not quite true.

An no getting rid of Blatter won't change much on its own, it **may** in fact achieve nothing. But keeping him there *would* change nothing- the last 16 years show that. Its an opportunity, lets hope its taken.

Chuck Blazer's spilling the beans then.

yeah 1998 bribes now, from Morocco. has a world cup ever been awarded on merit.

"Evening all"

On an Interpol list...

Is that one of Chuck Blazers cats, who had their own flat in Trump Tower?

http://time.com/3907187/football-fifa-sepp-blatter/ (http://time.com/3907187/football-fifa-sepp-blatter/)

Obviously 1966 wasn't corrupt. 

Jack warner going to spill the beans now blatter has gone

I see he was on his own TV station, Warner TV.

I wonder how he got the money to pay for that ?!!

You'd think being an ex copper he'd have known he'd get caught  :D

Any chance of me getting the job I could do with a few backhander's

Fifa gave 5 million to the Irish FA after Henry's handball :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Which in and of itself demonstrates how bent the whole system is - there's no way the IFA can feasibly claim they thought that was anything other than hush money. Even a reformed FIFA can only be as honest as it's member associations who (including our own) are pretty much all various shades of dirty from shabby to outright corrupt.

They'll be saying they gave the hush money for Lampards "goal" against ze Germans next

Or Maradona's 'Hand Of God' in '86.

The FAI are a disgrace for not going public about this at the time, they had a great opportunity to de,onset rate how corrupt the system was back then but took the cash. Fans were robbed that night and the FAI financially gained from it, disgusting.

Along with the 5 million Euros came an NDA so they couldn't.  It just goes to show that the corruption does not just stop at FIFA level.  The only way they could go public was by turning down the money and continuing with the court case, but their greed got the better of them.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v360/GlasgowRob/thumb_55589_default_medium_zps830e1a19.jpg)

Must be squeaky bum time for all involved in the making of this unfortunately timed pile of shite. More money spent in the wrong direction - FIFA really did live in its own self-congratulatory little bubble, didn't it.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCjeD-Jqd2s (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCjeD-Jqd2s)

I don't really view what the FIA did as corrupt, just immoral in regards to cheating their fans really.

Taking money as an out of court settlement is fine, and to be fair to Fifa, can you imagine the state of football if the FIA took it on and won.

to be fair, we did the same in order to get reinstated to division 2 didn't we - OK not money, but something in return for not taking court action.

To be fair, our board was probably just as corrupt as the FIA back then..

Our board back then probably taught FIFA a thing or two 8)

Many missed it but we could argue that a Henri-like handball by Jonathan Douglas cost us a Wembley final in the PO semi at the CG v Brentford

What is it about the Irish and the myth that this particular unspotted handball should lead to an extra place being made available for them in the WC in South Africa or that the match should somehow be replayed after judicial appeal.

Rage please but grow a pair, no handball incidents in matches are EVER reviewed in Court leading to a replay or changed result, for heavens sake and certainly nothing like our demotion for illegal payments

Clear corruption or mentalism by Delaney and the FAI - and of course by FIFA

Can sort of understand the quandary, shut up or take on Fifa in court, would only be one winner. It's taken the whole of the US secret service, the most powerful organisation on the planet to actually start the ball rolling to bring the sods to their knees.

Lets not forget Andrew Jennings dogged contribution. 3 Decades and a few books. The ball started rolling with him really. I'm shocked he hasn't been found dead in mysterious circumstances TBH. Has been a constant pest to FIFA. Most had him labelled as some demented mad man only for everything he has been saying for years to come out as the actual truth.

If the Irish didn't accept the money they wouldn't have had to accept the NDA. Fans robbed again.

Time for a revolution in the sport, from the top down. Including the disgusting way the tv money ends up in the pockets of the rich at the expense of the fans. Players earning thousands of pounds a week is immoral.

True, good point well put

I never under stand comments like this. Players that have talent, dedicate their life to the sport and finish early thirties deserve all they get. Is it immoral that film stars get paid millions? So many examples can be used. There is enough money in football to pay players thousands a week and make tickets cheaper for fans. Not in the lower leagues but the argument should be distribution of wealth in football not what players deserve to get

Players don't deserve to earn hundreds of thousands of pounds at all. Find it wrong that there's uproar about politicians possibly getting a pay rise when someone like Sterling will shortly sign a contract worth millions.

I'm out as far as football's concerned fed up of supporting a sport where the powers that be have no interest in the people that keep the game going.

Andrew Jennings- The David Walsh (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Walsh_(journalist)) of the FIFA debacle?

It was actually started by David Yallop with his book 'How They Stole The Game', about how The Sun King Havelange 'bought' his presidency, and how Blatter was made his heir. Jennings wrote 'Foul !', and there has just been another book on how the Qataris bought the World Cup by the journalists who wrote the articles in the last year.

All seems to have gone a bit quiet.

I was thinking the same thing earlier today.

I suppose the initial "shock" of the arrests is now over and now the feds have to get on with their investigations. It'll take a while.

Sepp appears to be attempting the full Farage of unresignation.

He was never going to go quietly into the night, was he?

Nope...unfortunately.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/33284185

Oh FFS.

The only way Blatter is leaving looks like via getting nicked by the Swiss/FBI or in a body bag !!

Mandate ... shmandate! The only date he deserves is a date with a judge or with destiny.

See good old Sepp or his right hand bag man is not going to venture out of Switzerland then for the women's world cup - probably right that they don't it would take away the focus from the tournament - plus he'd probably be worried about arrest

Aside from the corruption and the heat, surely after the terrible events in Tunisia the security implications for the WC in Qatar must be huge.

What does Tunisia have to do with Qatar you fucking imbecile

Both Arab countries that will have thousands of Westerners there numb nuts

You're a cunt. Any more racism and you're banned, I'm fucking sick of it.

You really are a disagreeable fucker

Where was he racist then?

Is Audrey now Kerry Red and now banned?

Wow, that escalated quickly. Not sure he was being racist, ignorant perhaps. France probably at greater risk from terrorism than Qatar, but no-one's saying they shouldn't host the Euros next year.

Going by the moderation log, he deleted his account himself.

 :girlgiggle: I know its a hot day but really?!  :smugfu:

Ah well, shit happens.

Not sure. At the risk of being booted out myself, the small amount of power given to the banning happy mod has defo gone to his head. Even if Kerry left on his own accord, it was no doubt the racist accusation that led him to delete his acc. Maybe Kerry had form, but I've never seen/read it

Grow up. I've never banned anyone you tool

Racist

Only 1 tool in this thread and it ain't Audrey and it ain't Jan.

To the core. Im setting up a lib dem national front movement if you fancy joining?

I know you didn't ban him jay, but calling him racist was a bit harsh.

In that way you sometimes think what TEF members might look like, I always had a vision of Kerry red resembling father ted on a poaching trip with his greyhounds. Now that is racist stereotyping.

Stay off the white lightning mate, doesn't do you any favours.

Blimey, the heat has kicked in today..

Over tired.....

Fucking mods in this place:

(http://www.e-goat.co.uk/forums/customavatars/avatar1237_41.gif)

Crikey. The TEF's worse than Network Rail for melting down in hot weather. We'd never have run the raj for 200 years with you lot at the controls.

Very much doubt you can say raj here anymore. Hold on i'll ask Paddy

If you can't say raj, you certainly can't say Paddy. Is this what it's like living under ISIS?

I hear the mods were radicalised and tried to join the fight after passage through Torquay.

The fucking rag-heads wouldn't take us.

Is it just me who thinks of this every time someone says ISIS?

(http://illuminatiwatcher.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/IlluminatiWatcherDotCom-Archer-ISIS.jpg)

What about this?

(http://www.swindon-town-fc.co.uk/images/Pics/Kits/Kit1982-1984_1.jpg)

I'm in a hotel opposite Finsbury Park. The TVs are made by Isis. I'm expecting it to go bang any minute.

Are you taking the Mick?

Nip round to the Finsbury Park Mosque.....I believe the post Abu Hamza management are following a more open door policy to improve understanding....

For me I always think about the godforsaken city of Poxford where many of the sick scummers affect to call the river Thames "the Isis" and indeed its reserve rowing team is called "Isis".

For the (comparatively) fair town of Luton to be linked a week back with Isis must have been a bit of a sickener for the locals.

Just thought I would check out the Audrey situation and visit this thread.

Audrey is our sort of cunt and I hope he returns very soon and posts whatever he likes (and I know it wouldn't be "racist" anyway).

By the way, I blame you Ardiles for the spat, starting the thread page concerned "it's all gone a bit quiet"

His comment was not in the slightest bit racist. I don't know what the hell went on there  ???

Just a mod on a power trip from what I can make out.

And perhaps slightly 'Stella'd up'  :sherlock:

I was at work, so hardly stella'd up. If you don't think likening a terror attack in Tunisia to a football tournament in Qatar due to the heritage of the local people is racist then good for you. The two places are 6000 miles apart on two different continents. I didn't ban audrey, he left of his own accord.

For someone working for the police, im surprised you got so irate about his post.
Not that surprised that you were drinking on the job though.

I found your original response to Audrey so baffling I assumed you must have been on some mind altering substance. I apologize for my presumption.

However, the conflict we are talking about is essentially the Muslim world v The West - I don't think there is any dispute about that is there? Tunisia and Qatar both belong to the Muslim World, racism doesn't come into it. For this reason, I found Audrey's post perfectly reasonable.

Not that it makes any difference, but Tunisia and Qatar are actually 3000 miles apart (approx).

I must be so inherently racist or stupid or both that I can't even understand what you are trying to say or what was offensive in audreys post. It's a shame another good poster has gone

Audrey's post was ignorant so I'm glad he was challenged in a good old fashioned tef way, via personal abuse. if that was too much then a break from the web is for the best

How?

I think much of this current drama might be down to what one might consider an Arab. 'Arabian' can be considered a race, it could also be considered a culture, it can also simply refer to somebody from a geographical location. I know that I often identify certain people as Arabs in the racial sense and I have also known Arabs to identify as 'Arabian' when the matter of race comes up. They're proud to do so (why shouldn't they be?)

Had Audrey said 'Islamic' countries then I think that may have been less contentious as it's blatantly fucking obvious that the world has a problem with Islamic extremism and something like the WC would be a prime target for them. Although it would still have been ignorant.

He didn't though, he sad 'Arab' countries. For some, this could be just the same as opposing something because it's in a 'black' country, which is blatantly racist.

For once and for all, Audrey’s 5 second tweet was not racist unless you look for racism
Audrey mused about the security implications of the Qatar World Cup in the wake of Tunisia and was immediately called a fucking imbecile and asked what Qatar had to do with Tunisia.  
Qatar and Tunisia both proudly identify themselves as Arab nations and Audrey made this link between Qatar and Tunisia as hosts of western visitors and was called a cunt in an un-TEF-like way and accused of racism.
Qatar itself will doubtless have asked itself how the targeting of western tourists in Tunisia might replicate itself in the World Cup and build up so why shouldn't Audrey?
Compared to Russia (or hypothetically Brazil or South Africa previously) the threat of (so called) Islamist terrorism will be different in nature (and arguably greater) as a result of the World Cup’s location in the Arab world.  
Surprise, surprise Audrey’s post didn’t encapsulate the subtleties of race, ethnicity and counter-terrorism but he is no racist (and above all a lot funnier than me... and a number of posters)

So 99% of Tunisians are Arab Berber and the spoken language is Tunisian Arabic but saying they are Arab is racist. Has anyone told them that?

Who said that calling Tunisians 'Arabs' is racist?

I agree with Red Rag.

Audrey was guilty of imprecise use of language - nothing more.

This ain't the Oxford Debating Society though and Audrey ain't no racist. Anyone who isn't totally stupid knew exactly what he was getting at. It was not ignorant and sure as hell was not racist.

Why do I keep chipping away at this like a dog with a bone? (that's a really bad mixed metaphor I think but whatever...) It's because I cannot stand to see people being called racist when they are quite clearly anything but.

Technically speaking the comment was racist.

Other than that I'm inclined to agree with what OST just said. I like Jayo but I think he called it wrong, the beardy cunt.

And wont own up to it.

I still see it the same way, it's a ignorant comment and I called him out on it. He decided to go full retard over it. So fucking what?


Think you have me confused with someone else, I don't work for the police.

May be a tad ignorant at a push. I still can't see how it was racist though. Over reaction from both sides I think!

If you cant see why people are pissed off at you then it's pointless trying to explain. If anyone went full retard you did.

Yet

Calling people 'cunt' and 'retard' is not exactly the model of enlightenment either.

Hmm another nail in the coffin of free speech.
Aptly executed by the joyless Jay.
Such a shame.
Have you ever thought of stepping down and letting a more liberal guy take over?

I really must be missing the point here. Can somebody please explain to me how audreys post was racist. I really don't understand.

Using a stereotype/generalisation to draw a conclusion about two very unrelated parts of the world.  Would we draw the same conclusion about an attack in Brazil meaning people in Portugal should keep their street smarts about them?   There are already more than enough Westerners in Qatar and it's adjoining neighbours to have raised security concerns if there were any (and there may well be, but they should already exist).

Or something like that.
I would say it was lazy and typical of the UK to be honest from what I read and hear, but I would have just let it pass as not being overtly racist.  Jayo is just being his internet self, not sure why everyone suddenly wants him to be agreeable.  Audrey was being Audrey.

 In further news away from the Audrey/Jayo debate (maybe that should have its own thread)   Blatter is now saying he's had enough of being blamed for Qatar, and pointing the finger at the French and Germans...namely politicians at the top, telling their delegates to vote for Qatar.

Sarkozy, now under corruption investigation in France, being no doubt intererested in arms deals with the Qataris, the Germans more construction projects...

No wonder the NSA keep a spy tap on these two countries....

Blatter also admits, he'll be staying put in Switzerland for a while, to avoid being nicked.

'Arab' is (or at least can be) a race, as is 'black'. Replace 'arab' with 'black' and all would be kicking off at Audrey. To suggest that an event should not held in a particular country because the majority is of a certain race is undeniably racist. What if, in a reference to Bokoh Haram, somebody said that en event should not be held in Kenya because it's a black country?

I don't think that was Audrey's intention though, I think he's just guilty of sloppy diction.

Sloppy diction aside, there's a big clue in the name moderator for what the main issue is, they are there to moderate, not have hissy fits and be abusive to people' just because thier interpretation of something differs to someone else's.

Maybe, but he didn't say that or even suggest it - you've made it up.

He said there would be security implications, which there would be especially as ISIS have already threatened attacks.

I didn't say that he did say or suggest it, did I? It was quite obviously just a hypothetical comparison. And I've already made it quite fucking clear that I think Jayo called it wrong and that Audrey was just sloppy with his wording, so let's not go trying to put words into my mouth here, eh? 

Yes, you did.

Maybe that's not what you meant, but that is exactly how your post reads.

But Jayo being snappy and abusive is ok?

For the 3rd time now (I think), I said I think he made the wrong call. I don't think I could be much clearer.

Fuck it. Not my problem. You lot have fun.

(http://faq.sealedabstract.com/structs_or_classes/downwith.jpg)

The End.

 Thanks rob. I now bow out of the argument. I still can't see anything wrong. I'm as racist, as big a cunt and as fucking retarded as Audrey.

 OK seeing as how this sub plot is going to run on here, FWIW here's my take.

 Audrey questioned whether the events in Tunisia, would add security to the list of concerns over Qatar, quoting corruption and heat as the two others.

 The simple answer is no. 

Firstly, 7 years away assuming it happens is a long time, and secondly there is now massive security at all WC and Olympic events. In fact a country like Qatar, which operates under an oppressive regime, should have no more problem than any other.

 Jayo, may be mixing up racism with "Islamophobia" a hint of which it is perhaps possible to detect in Audrey's question, if interpreted in that way by the reader, but maybe not implied by the writer...such is the nature of ambiguity.

 Either way they should have  :starwars: and then :hug:

Fair enough it was a bit of an overreaction, but as he isn't here to apologise to, what would people like me to do?

Set up and run a sort of cover band type account called FrAudrey who posts exclusively in the style of Audrey.

I think that would be a fitting tribute!!

Hopefully Audrey/Kerry sees it and joins back up, and the usual bollocks can return to normal now.

Can't we just go round and round in circles having pointless arguments for a few more weeks? It's far more interesting than the lack of news from the County Ground

Hari kari? Fall on thine Moderator's sword? (Whatever that may look like).

Don't give in the lynch mob, call them all cunts and ban everyone!

If you must go soft offer to do something with ink and Audrey's balls.

I'm not saying anyone is right or wrong,  we're all dicks on here  :)

Blimey I've missed all the fun on here while I've been away.

If anyone knows another way of getting hold of KR/Audrey, pm me and I'll be happy to apologise and invite him back.

And then ban the cunt. winklyfacesmily.jpg

 :plane: :iloveyou: Skywriting? Just to show you really mean it ...

FIFA have announced their election on 26th Feb...around 9 months after Blatter resigned...or did he?!!

Surely postal voting to the 208 countries would've been quicker !!

Ledge: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/sepp-blatter/11751156/Sepp-Blatter-showered-with-banknotes-as-prankster-Lee-Nelson-storms-Fifa-press-conference.html

I think Tans's tweet summed up my feelings on this very well.
https://twitter.com/tansstfc1983/status/623134538252873728

Yarp, I'll go along with that

Yep, although for that image I might forgive the entire Lee Nelson opus.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33700638

Don't worry, things are in safe hands now....

So the FA have put their weight behind Mr UEFA - the one that is on Sepp's exec committee, the one that voted for Qatar, the one that was apparently convinced to vote for Qatar by the French government after a trade deal, the one that has been part of the inner sanctum of Fifa for years.

Who did the FA consult on who to back ? would it not be worth waiting and seeing who else stands ?

Something smells (again)

It is about time the man in charge of Fifa was independent of world football and open to governance and given a blank sheet of paper to set Fifa up from scratch and weed out the corrupt ones that are left - get rid of the old guard

All of which goes to show the only difference between FA corruption and FIFA corruption is perhaps scale. The French wanted to flog arms to Qatar....these along with Saudi equipment are either used to oppress, or find their way to Daesh, which tends to lead the sort of crisis we're currently seeing at Calais.

I wonder what deal the FA have stitched up with Platini?

You mean the one who's son became legal advisor in January of 2012 for the European operations department of a rather large and wealthy corporation: Qatar Sports Investments.....?

The one who thinks that because he was "transparent", by openly stating that he voted for Qatar, it clears him of any accusations of corruption that might go his way. This, despite admitting that Sarkozy, the French president at the time, had told him over lunch that “it would be a good thing if I did it” — that is, vote for Qatar. But, of course, this didn’t mean the president had specifically asked him to do so, as he knew “that I am free and independent.”

Just a coincidence that the year following the vote the Qataris bought PSG, who just happen to be the favourite team of Sarkozy, (incidentally, the first head of state to make an official visit to the Élysée palace after Nicolas Sarkozy’s election to the presidency in 2007 was none other than Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Following that meeting Qatar bought £208m worth of defence equipment from France as well as a fleet of sixty Airbus 350s).

What an incredible string of coincidences

Any organisation where there is money is involved is, to some degree, corrupt. Human nature, I'm afraid.

Even our very own Kids' League turned people into thieves.

Everyone's at it and if we're all totally honest if we were in a position to benefit ourselves somehow, however small, we probably would.

Cue outrage!

Pretty sure most people fall short of bribery, fraud and stealing from children.

Bye bye Blatter, and maybe taking Platini with him? :

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34363289

Let's hope so.....but I reckon Platini will be Blatter's replacement. The amazing thing is that he (Platini) maintains that he's innocent of any corruption. Bent as a butcher's hook like the rest of them.

Platini is bent like the rest of them. 2 million Swiss francs for 'work' for FIFA, whilst UEFA President...yeah, right !! If you were being cynical, with this payment being made months after the 2018/2022 WC decisions, you would wonder if this was Platini's pay-off.

Platini looks like a nonce

Wait for the 'too ill to stand trial' line...

That's why that Middle Eastern fella needs to be FIFA President. He's so filthy rich he wont need any kickbacks.

Opening line from the BBC in the video "This was a bad day for football". Fuck off Bias Broadcasting Configurartion. Was a fooking great day for football. As soon as the FIFA theifs are banged up the better.

Are you really surprised? Don't forget it was the BBC you did that interview with Blatter a few weeks back with him saying he was innocent. This is despite Blatter has hardly left Switzerland since the arrests a few months ago. He didn't go to the Women's World Cup in Canada, and the Exec meeting, which should've been held in Asia, but it's been switched to Zurich. It is seemingly only a matter of time Blatter is arrested by either the Swiss or the Americans.

The House of Cards are falling...

Do you really think any media organisation would have turned down the chance for that interview? Don't be so silly. And it didn't need to be a Paxman job, Blatter did a fine job of hanging himself with the least convincing protestation of innocence since "HMRC asked me to step aside from some of my directorships for a little while" ....