The football industry is corrupt. You know this, we all know this. The nature of the institutions who govern the sport, combined with the enormous amounts of money the industry is now worth, is a toxic cocktail.
A few minutes ago the Fifa Ethics Committee provisionally banned Fifa president, Sep Blatter, Uefa president (and Fifa vice-president) Michel Platini, as well as Fifa Secretary General, Jermoe Valcke, for 90 days pending an investigation. Former Fifa VP, Chung Moon-joon has been banned from the game for 6 years and fined. Chung and Platini both remain candidates to succeed Blatter as Fifa president – yes, it’s that dysfunctional.
This may be the beginning of the end for football’s great Oligarch Administrators, who lived like Saudi princes, paid for by the money which slushes around the game, but it is far from assured that football is now on the right path. Blatter, the embodiment of everything which is wrong with sport and business to many, remains a hugely popular figure. Some of the games administrators, themselves untouched by corruption, shed tears when he recently announced his decision to retire.
The core problem is one of democracy. Fifa is a democratic organisation, which on the face of it sounds like a good thing, but democracy has its drawbacks. One member one vote affords the British Virgin Islands the same weight when it comes to exercising ultimate control as Germany. Apart from hosting the World Cup once every 40 years or so, Fifa can offer Germany little tangible support, but the governing body can metaphorically pave the streets of tiny nations with gold.
Fifa executives, and Blatter in particular, have enormous patronage under their control. Blatter is personally responsible for the decision to ‘support the game’ in many small nations and protectorates, by funding the construction of expensive stadiums and facilities. These amenities are great for the recipient nations, often well beyond anything the local FA or government could afford. Blatter has been The Great Facilitator to many far-flung entities. That patronage buys loyalty and genuine affection.
The problem is not limited to the Fifa executive. Administrators at all levels of the senior game enjoy control over a degree of patronage. Merely becoming an office holder at your FA makes you a dignitary of some sort. There will be an expense account, doors will open, facilities made available.
Football’s problem is that its structure made it inevitable that corrupt individuals would eventually take control. Cutting the head off Fifa will not be sufficient to change that, the way football funds itself also needs to change – and that would inevitably mean less money going to poor places in the world. If accountability replaces patronage, Blatter’s largess to underfunded Associations would end. The game would be cleaner, but there are 100 FAs with skin in the game who stand to lose, so assume nothing.
Take a look at the work of Joseph Gormley, a Scots-born artist in the US, who has raised over $170k for various charities. His is another great tale in the story of the Celtic support.
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Well, WTF?
15 minutes to go – Scotalnd at 2-1, Ireland at 0-0, World champions pressing I say to me mates in the pub ‘Explain to me exactly how we’re not going to the last game with this now?’
I fporgot I’d been watching, willing Scotland on for over 3 decades of incomprehensible pish.
Mother Universe Footballing Dept. Random Happenstance Division – Fuuuuuuu## you.
Well done to Ireland.
Crow about luck all you like but going head-to-head with the world champions and turning them over 3 points to 1 and 2 goals to 1 – nothign more needs saying than absolute congrats.
Just don’t blow it in Poland, because aside from RL, they can be got at and beaten; they’ll be more nervous than Ireland, the momentum’s with MON’s boys.
As for us and WGS – man, what can you say; amazing how Scotland contrive to blow it year upon year. Even with someone of his intensity and know-how at the helm. Amazing.
The real problem was the performanc ein Georgia – played like total wankers; believing in their own press, expecting it to happen for them. When will we/they – the players of generation after generation learn? Work for it. Stay focussed. Every Game. Every minute. then you might get to say you mixed it with the big boys instead of listening to genreations of journos and fans bemoan ‘glorious’ failure.
Scottish football and professionalism; ruined by years of Hun cheating and financial doping, sucking the lifeblood and work ethic from the game.
Only 2 good things come from tonight – SFA blazers get to go to Peebles instead of Paris, and Leigh Griffiths got a rest. Broony – magnificent performance, now be ‘injured’ and miss the Rock.
CC .. Loves the Clash and Liverpool mate .
Innit Mate!!!
London’s Calling ..
Innit!!!
I heard he was dead,
Why the name change Snake?
If you don’t mind me asking.
Hail Hail.
THE EXILED TIM
Mate, you think WGS, Wee Shaun , Forrest, Broonie etc are against us?
I think not.
Yes the people who run the game are Sevcovians but the fans come from far and wide and we are not in that camp.
For me Gordon brought many of us together. I love him for that. We need to build on this campaign.
I am not for the SFA but I am for the Scottish people supporting their national team. Not the tools supporting England, Ireland or Northern Ireland out of loyalty to causes I disagree with.
This song was Banned by the BBC….
Only 30 odd years ago too ffs….
Great mega band with a great GIRFUY to the BBC on Norn Iron politics….
The Police – Invisible Sun – YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VuDjJ9KIxM
Fred C. Dobbs
Account hacked
CQN changed – lost data
Needed something linked to the old name and I heard he was dead is from the movies
Oh feck! .. Here we go .. Ruddi’s, been up watching pop of the tops 1981 awe night..
:)
RUDICANTFAIL
Not read back too much,but I have read enough.
I really,genuinely,100%,do not have a f…..g clue why you post here,except to try and wind people up.
Seriously,you strike me as one very sad individual. Yet,in your previous incarnation,you were at least halfway to a decent poster,and a decent conversation.
I don’t know what your problems are,bud. I don’t think anyone does.
Meantime,and you’ll like this….
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bkyCrx4DyMk
I heard he was dead,
Yeah, remember that from the Film :O).
Just me being nosey…cheers.
Hail Hail.
I Heard
I said I was gutted for the Celtic bhoys, and I am, the suits would see us gone, I want them gone, it aint gonna happen till the clubs, all the clubs get their act together and bring them down, till then, I will have no truck with them.
HH
I heard he was dead on 8th October 2015 11:43 pm
Fred C. Dobbs
Account hacked
CQN changed – lost data
Needed something linked to the old name and I heard he was dead is from the movies
============
Ha! Snake. Of course.
SANDMAN
Last kick tonight was a sore one,but we all know Georgia was the killer.
And I am on your side re indy, just not with the nats tho :-)
HH
Sandman, Fred.C.Dobbs, TET
Samozrejme
Djakeme
To be honest , I want my old name back but I can’t
You can you know, just click on your name and it will take you to where you can change the name you post with.
HH
I heard he was dead,
That’s a pity, Snake Plissken was a damn good name.
Maybe Paul67 can help?
Hail Hail.
I genuinely miss Snake Plissken .. About 5 years ago we were the nasty nat trolls ..
What comes around my Slovakian friend!! :)
Hail Hail SP!
:)
Snake,which old name?
You’ve had one or two!
Drop a line to PAUL67 and I’m sure you’ll have your identity back. Better hurry before someone nicks it though.
Good to have you back,btw.
HH
Awrite .. He’s a jock!
Buit living ooer there :)
Maybes you can’t now, I just tried to and it took me somewhere I have no idea where, Oh well
Ah-ha
I am back bitches
SP .. Nae taking a hairy .. Next time we get pumped!!! Lol
:O))).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duKL2dAJN6I
Joking bad
Nice one Snake
WTF am I doing wrong
Sleep well Timland
HH
KTF
Snake Plissken, welcome back.
I heard he was dead though!
My suspicion is that What is the Stars is from the same part of Ireland that I come from the same part of Brigadoon but I remain open to correction.
LOL
BMCUWP@ 11.45
You being serious?
Winding ‘people’ up…..
Ffs…..it’s a blog
Get a grip
Stop being precious about a blog
Jesus and Allah both just wept
I can understand the disappointment from the Scots. In a group that most of us agreed would be between Ireland, Poland and Scotland for the second and third spots, Scotland have missed out despite doing well against both their main rivals.
Having said that, Scotland were dire in Georgia. Poland and Ireland both beat the world champions.
It was a difficult group, there certainly were much easier groups – see NI…
Scotland fell short against, the league table never tells lies.
Delighted for Ireland tonight, superb performance with competent and confident players anything is possible. Roll on Sunday.
Read the abuse you took Snake .. When you lost the plot after a defeat .. Canny remember what game ..
Calling you a hun .. All the self righteous pish .. Because you hate seeing Celtic losing ..
This little Gent in a Black Velvet Coat is glad to see you back ..
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xwdYd_RdLCQ
Keep banging oot the posts .. CQN is CQN .. Reading them ..
Bed Time
Careful With That Tax, Moonbeams
I tok pish when I lost the plot when Celtic got beat?
ME?
Never?
I am not a maniac.
Next summer I am bringing 40 Slovaks to Scotland for a week.
I hope my CQN friends will come and meet us in Glasgow ( there are one or two REALLY hot girls coming).
.
Bobby..
i was in the Market..Just after the Game Tonight..;-(
Summa
It’s nice to know CQN missed me.
My son brought me home a present tonight.
It’s a Breaking bad mag that when cold has the letters BB on it.
Fill it with tea however and a transformation takes place. As the heat permeates through the ceramic, a broken glass background appeared and the BB logo turns into the title.
Best present I’ve had in ages.
I may take it to work in the morning to show off but it’s coming straight home.
Available in B & M apparently.
Gutted about Scotland and its football team.
Brave performance and two astonishing goals but yet we fail.
A trumpet of shortbread tonight said that WGS should be dumped and replaced by Billy Davies, Davie Moyes or Alex McLiesh.
hope Jamsie bounces back and isn’t out of any Celtic games.. He made a good contribution tonight.
Broonie was caught out of position for their first but made some brilliant interceptions and had one little turn in the second half that took out about 4 Poles.
Well done Ireland on beating Germany. Some feat to take 4 points against the world champions.
HH
Enjoyed ☆ the game with a few Polish booze brothers. Scotland are dire. Didn’t even know who Ritchie and Handley were until a friend checked.
Much as I have affection for the Irish, I hope Poland make it.
☆ homemade vodka and Aldi beer probably enhanced the proceedings.
Another site would accuse you of treason
Mentalists