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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WHAT IS THE STARS on
8TH OCTOBER 2015 10:48 PM
Get the diggers out an build some tank traps ..
England’s gonna win the EURO’S!!!!
Pffffffttttt!
:)
BCW
HH
Defo off to mo leaba (still to sleep the sleep of the contented).
Why is it that being honest in your summation of a league campaign, and not congratulating a side that were incredibly poor overall is taken as being bitter and twisted.
Yes a fantastic result for Ireland tonight, although akin to Morton at CP a couple of years ago, and I’m sure the self same accusers were on Mortons blog that night telling them well done.
I see no reason why I should hide my disappointment at Scotland failing to qualify, and disguise the fact that Ireland were dire overall.
WITS, You are in mighty form tonight, I’m used to everyone here being on the one road at least when it comes to the fitbaw, I’m on a high but don’t want to rub it in too any lads who are feeling a bit down.
let’s be honest here
if there was a competition for losing heroically Scotland would go out on goal difference
well done the Republic
HH
Bsr,
Wee leigh will start on Sunday and play till he’s injured.
Hopefully not though.
I didn’t think there was a great deal in tonight’s game. Poland probably shaded it but they’ll toil without the big guy.
HH
Helmet on, hee hee!
THE EXILED TIM
Considering the shambles WGS inherited he has done very well. Naturally we get a rotter of a group to get to the Euros but next time who knows.
The World cup qualifiers are reasonable because other than England they are countries on a par with Scotland in terms of ability and population.
We’d be mental not to offer him another deal considering the muppets we could ask to do the job.
The man gave us back our pride in our national team and we’ve only lost to the world champs, England and sadly Georgia and Wales since he took over.
He is a good manager. we need continuity.
21 Nov/I heard he was dead
Don’t drink, lose a sporting contest, and argue with the winners.
WITS
Don’t drink, win a sporting contest, and taunt the losers
KofiAnnan CSC
Hunderbirds,
Wise words young grasshopper
HH
21st ..
Chill Man .. Just as patriotic as yourself .. We outclassed Ireland ..
Didn’t outclass, Germany or Georgia .. Ireland were stubborn against the latter two .. If unremarkable .. But non the less .. Got results ..
You’re coming across as bitter toward the ROI .. I’m no bitter .. I’m envious they’ve got independence ..
It’s only fecking fitbaw, dude!
:)
KofiAnnanCSC,
Ach! Whats the fun in that?
HH my friend
Will Rogers said that Diplomacy was saying “There! There! Nice Doggie!” while searching around for a rock.
Some posters are practising the same strategy tonight.
21NOV2006 on 8TH OCTOBER 2015 10:52 PM
Awe, ya wee hurtin’ soul yeh….. Hahahahahahaha
21nov, i heard,
Its very simple… Results… Ireland got them, we didnt. They were good enough, we weren’t. Whats to discusss
Blaster, Platini, SDM
Sounds like some of you need a wee nip to calm you down…
Might have the answer here. There’s a catch though…..
you might be aware BRTH is looking to help the homeless ? Well I cant do the sponsored sleep out, but I have a small bottle of Glenfiddich 12 year old single malt, it’s a small 35cl bottle though. Anyway was thinking I could do a quiz on CQN, with the bottle going to the winner….£1 entry (on Brth’s My Donate
Page.
Would anyone be interested?
As I said earlier no bitterness intended and apologies if it comes across as that. Just deep disappointment and frustration that in my opinion the better team is out.
Well done to MON and his fighting Irishmen tonight……
Love the guy for the malaise he stopped at Celtic…..
However….hope his team perform better than the last Irish side, under the Italian guy,in a major finals ….if they get there.
His tactics as an international manager would get football stopped……
99% perspiration with 1% inspiration…….
An indictment on the Scottish side not even good enough to finish above them.
I despair about Scottish fitba…..
BCW
I think that’s a pretty good idea. Keep me posted.
21NOV2006
That date (not 2006 – I wish) is my Birthday, so I had my doubts at going in with both Diplomacy barrels on ye. Thanks for takin it so magmana, maggmanni, magnam…………. Well!
Hail Hail
Rudi
“99% perspiration with 1% inspiration…….”
——-
One of your posts?
I Heard He was Dead
I agree re WGS, always liked him.
But I disagree that we are on a par with Slovakia or Slovenia, they are far better than scotland imo, if the ejits at the sfa have any sense, they will extend WGS contract, but the smsm will be after his blood now that he has failed to qualify.
I will guarantee some hun hack will be calling for fat sally in the next week or so, tis what scotland is up against.
When I was a young fella, I loved scotland, the older I got, the love waned big time, why would I want a nation that hates my club to succeed, bitter, maybes, but I care not.
HH
Can’t remember who said it about 10 years ago that Scottish fitba would be on a par with League of Ireland within 10 years…..
Not far away,ey?
Have not seen Martin O’neill so animated on the touchline at the defeat of Germany by the Republic since his Celtic Park days
Oh No, Rudi is on backing the Paddies, does he love the Paddies or just see it as the better bet to ruffle a few feathers. Cue for me to sign out, hope no one rises to the bait.
Scot Celts, Irish Celts, Comrades all, let’s stay on the one road.
Good Night & God Bless All. Will check in the morning to see how Rudi’s fishing expedition went.
Rye
You seem rather chipper tonight, must be the Klopp effect me thinks.
Scotland made a total arse of it in Georgia,no one to blame but themselves.
Well done the Republic and I hope they get the result on Sunday.
HH
HH
THE EXILED TIM
Firstly we need to see what WGS wants to do.
If anyone is moronic to call for Fat Sally to be Scotland manager then we can all chuck it.
Both Slovakia and Slovenia do not have a striker worthy of the name.
Slovakia has Robert Vittek (36) or Sebo (nuff said).
Hamsik, Stoch, Kucka and Weiss – good players but mentalists the lot of them.
Look at their defenders – total rubbish.
Slovenia are the same. Good midfield – no strikers.
Scotland have a great chance in the next qualifiers
Dixiedeans
Correct, Scotland have no one to blame but themselves
When all the statistics are totted up its the team with the least amount of IFS BUTS AND MAYBES that succeed
BIGCUPWINNERS
You attending on Saturday?
Great suggestion and one or two will be happy to help you take that further.
I Heard
You are writing them off before a ball is kicked, seems like a kick in the nakas is beckoning mi amigo.
HH
THE EXILED TIM
Bud you can never write off the opposition as a Scotland fan.
I live in Slovakia ( hint hint) and talking to my mates they think they have 6 points against us but watching them I know they lack strikers big time.
Slovenia are the same.
I don’t say we have it won, we don’t BUT we have as good a chance as anyone in that group
Anyway,smashing night in damn good company in Ayr.
Battered in the baws late on,a real sair yin.
I’m f…..g fed up watching the Scottish Volume of Tales of Heroic Valour grow and grow.
But,we are what we are,them’s the breaks.
Ouch. Again.
Not to worry …..
Blood of our blood….Bone of our Bones have qualified for the Euros….
Thinking I will keep well away from the host country in 2016 …..a country I love to holiday in…but even being on the same soil as their fans would make my flesh creep.
Norn Iron…….
Embarrassing to think they’re at a major finals
Even more embarrassing thinking about their fans telling Europe how they ‘won’ battle of the Somme even though their menfolk were mostly sitting about doing feck all in the Shipyards of Belfast at the time.
It was difficult to imagine anyone buying a ship from that Orange cesspit after Titanic went down.
Inglorious bastards
Hail Hail
My thoughts on future qualifying tournaments
The team with the most goals, will win the game.
The team with the most points, will top the league.
None of this will be determined before a ball is kicked.
Goodnight Timscape
I heard
Possibly, but I am of the wait and see kinda thinking.
I have no idea if WGS will stay, I doubt it will be his decision.
As I said earlier, I care not for scotland any more, their hate towards us done it for me.
Gutted for the Celtic bhoys mind you.
HH