FIFA

[RedRag]

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.

[pauld]

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.

[janaage]

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

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.

[chalkies_shorts]

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

[Reg Smeeton]

 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.

[jonny72]

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.

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.

[DarloSTFC84]

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.

[Reg Smeeton]

Great post.

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

[jonny72]

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.

[DarloSTFC84]

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

Which is a shame.

[Reg Smeeton]

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.

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.

[Abrahammer]

It originated as reaction to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan......25 years later the US was invading Afghanistan.

Hardly the same thing

[jonny72]

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.

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.

[janaage]

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

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.

[RedRag]

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!