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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from Neepheid on TSFM
From here- https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/current-business/court-rolls/court-roll?id=031deca6-8980-69d2-b500-ff0000d74aa7
Glasgow HC Case Session Date Proceedings Case Reference PF Reference Court NameHMA v Sheik AHMAD 16-OCT-15 Criminal Preliminary Hearing SCS/2015-116564 CO14000356 Glasgow HCHMA v Paul CLARK 16-OCT-15 Criminal Preliminary Hearing SCS/2015-116564 CO14000356 Glasgow HCHMA v Charles GREEN 16-OCT-15 Criminal Preliminary Hearing SCS/2015-116564 CO14000356 Glasgow HCHMA v David GRIER 16-OCT-15 Criminal Preliminary Hearing SCS/2015-116564 CO14000356 Glasgow HCHMA v Thomas MCPHEE 16-OCT-15 Criminal Preliminary Hearing SCS/2015-118374 HM15007644 Glasgow HCHMA v David WHITEHOUSE 16-OCT-15 Criminal Preliminary Hearing SCS/2015-116564 CO14000356 Glasgow HCHMA v Craig WHYTE 16-OCT-15 Criminal Preliminary Hearing SCS/2015-116564 CO14000356 Glasgow HCHMA v Gary WITHEY 16-OCT-15 Criminal Preliminary Hearing SCS/2015-116564 CO14000356 Glasgow HC
I don’t recognise the name “Thomas McPhee” in connection with this saga. Can anyone help, or is his unconnected case just accidentally mixed in with the rest?
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a see a busy wee court :-) Their finacial woes could be solved if this where on sky :-)
have a great day Celts
================
Clogher mind bring me a poster
HH
Scotland & Ireland should merge.
We can be managed by MON, WGS & Keano.
Gordon
Coleman – O’Shea – Mulgrew – Christie
McCarthy – Brown – Armstrong – McClean
Griffiths – Keano
This new amalgamation of two Celtic nations could be called Celtic United.
Enjoy your international evening whichever nations you are supporting.
Personally I will be watching the highly enjoyable Rugby world cup this weekend.
LB
Bankibhoy1
Both played by Charlie Chaplin in epic films?
Sorry, Bankiebhoy1
Awe awe, looks like Findlay is getting involved, that’s the agenda horse been mounted, enter the Uni. Mob.
And it all heads south, in my opinion……
‘Scuse my ignorance…. but who or what is Glasgow Hchma?
Tia
Geordie Munro
Short abbreviation for Glasgow Hatchet-man
HeHe
butsybhoy,
No way!!?
braw. :)
HH
When the young lads aged 17 get arrested and taken to court for singing a song that is not sectarian and therefore not illegal – then it really does become something to engage Celtic fans.
Indeed, all decent law abiding folk should be engaged when police officers lie under oath, lie to bully our younger fans and break the law as part of that process.
This stupid law and the dictates from above seem to oblige some police to make arrests and then fit the evidence around what is needed to secure a conviction. Regardless of the truth and the innocence of citizens.
If we cannot speak up against that series of injustices then we are missing the point somewhere as Celtic fans.
Celtic as a club are officially not comfortable with political banners no matter how much some fans think they are appropriate, relevant of even funny. In their private capacity who knows what people at the club think.
The stark truth is that Celtic know that Uefa will punish them if political banners are raised during Uefa games. In addition, the Safety Team will have an important say on whether such banners reduce the perceived level of safety during SPFL matches. Since they do not increase safety it is likely that they would advise that such banners be prevented.
Thus there are some valid reasons for Celtic to prevent and discourage political banners at Celtic Park, and so, it would rank as hypocrisy of sevconian proportions for Celtic to object when their fans are prevented from doing at New Douglas Park something that Celtic would discourage at their own ground.
The issue of Celtic fans (regardless of the age) being treated unlawfully and unfairly by the police is a different matter, and it impacts on Celtic as club, as a business and as an institution. I can understand a lack of public comment from the club to a degree, but I really hope that the club are active behind the scenes in advocating for decency and fair treatment of our fans in the face of dehumanizing police operations and a bad law.
If we are rightly proud that Celtic advocate for disadvantaged people through the Celtic FC Foundation across the globe, then we must surely not ignore the injustices done to our own fans in our own backyard.
HH
Visa – Debtmongers. McDonalds – Purveyors in Obesity and heart disease. Coca-Cola – Tooth Decay Vendors. Budweiser – Liver Disease Mart.
Global ethical leaders? They can see for miles from their lofty perch on the moral high ground – aye right!!!
Summa thanks for that 33 years married today, was that Marsaili who posted that? She’s off out to Oz for December,a wedding so you’ll maybe see her. Be good to meet up when you are here . I,m down for the Molde game and hopefully Dundee Utd and Aberdeen. Hail Hail Hebcelt
Just heard the tank in now £73k and counting.now will it be ADMIN WAN or ADMIN TWA………NO. OF POINTS DEDUCTED????????????? ………………………..is there not an agreement somewhere and should we all be told?????????????………………………………………….IMAGINE THERE’S NO RANGERS ,IT’S EASY IF YOU TRY.
NATIONALHEALTHSPECSAREJISTPUREDEADGALLOUS.
EXCLUSIVE: Scotland XI for tonight: Marshall, Hutton, Martin, Hanley, Whittaker, Brown, D Fletcher, Ritchie, Naismith, Forrest, S Fletcher.
Hebcelt
Congratulations to you both!
It’s the next 33 that are the difficult ones.
:-)
FIFA are advertising for a new CEO –
£25 million pounds per annum,
PLUS Salary, negotiable.
If Platini goes, our easier route to the CL might also go. Scary.
Hope Poland win tonight. Ireland and Scotland are dire to watch.
Good Polish vodka is £15 now at Morrisons. Zhbrovka (something like that).
Obviously, don’t wear anything Celtic related. The police may take offence.
Koop agrees to take the Liverpool job.
Glasgow HCHMA
Glasgow High Court Her Majesty’s Advocate
That’s just a guess by the way.. HH
Ayrshire is Green and White
Glasgow High Court Has Masonic Associations.
FACT!
.
HebCelt..
Yip..
T’was Marsaili..
My Young Nephew and Girlfriend land Christmas Day Plus l have French x2..Taiwanese and Japanese Students with us just Now so she is Welcome to Pop over anytime..
Re; Catching up..l was meant to be heading to Molde as I’m flying out from Heathrow 25th Oct.. but trying to stay in Scotland a little bit Longer and Fly out from here..
Summa
No had a drink since Sunday!
I fear 2 pints on Saturday an a wull be emdy’s!
Hope thurs loadsa wummin.
Cummin!
Only foreign refs are capable of corruption.
Only foreign blazers are capable of corruption.
Only Scottish refs and blazers are pure of heart.
Philbhoy,
Unless you have a fetish for older men, I would stick to the drink.
Captain Beefheart
I always say “don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it”,
however, a couple of beers seems the better option.
Oh, and you’ve obviously never met CQN’s very own Jamesgang, an Adonis among modern man!
So he is.
The Clumpany
Did you know you receive a mention in this article:
https://johnjamessite.wordpress.com/ ?
JJ
!!BADA BING!! @ 2:18 PM,
Looks like WGS has gone for a steady side and experience.
Would feel more comfortable with Griffiths and Gordon.
Let’s hope it works…
Scotland 2-1 Poland
Hail Hail
Micktt,
Sounds good.
Philbhoy,
:))
HH
CAPTAINBEEFHEART
There’s a surprising number of cute looking gals at a hootenanny
As time marches on(!)
What type of sentence can Messi expect if found guilty of tax fraud?
JJ
Baca Bing
On 8th October 2015 2 18
Nae griffiths off oot to bet Poland.HH.
BMCUWP,
You leave the Gallowgate Growlers alone :-)
Jungle Jim hot smoked on 8th October 2015 3:26
Same as sevco NONE HH.
John James suggests that Sevco are not defending Green’s claim for his costs to be paid by them. As Charlie Bhoy steps into the dock a week tomorrow, surely they are running out of time to contest this?
Jungle Jim hot smoked on 8th October 2015 3:26
Same as sevco NONE.HH
JJ I believe they are now going after Messi’s father and not him. H H Hebcelt
CALTONTONGUES
I don’t need any beer to know that you have done well,mate.
Hope to see you both at some stage.
HH