The entire football world should be delighted at the arrests of six Fifa executives in Switzerland this morning on warrants requested by US prosecutors. Fifa has successfully resisted reform, actively opposed transparency and supressed reports into corruption at the top of the world’s most lucrative sport.
No one will be surprised that president, Sepp Blatter, who was not one of the six arrested today, is deaf to calls for accountability at the top. He plans to stand in Friday’s election, no doubt keen to guide the Federation through its dealings with law enforcement agencies. Those arrested have yet to be charged with any crime, never mind successfully prosecuted, so Blatter has plausible deniability of wrongdoing on the part of Fifa, but under any properly constituted organisation he would step aside to let fresh blood reinvigorate the game.
The news that Swiss police are investigating the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding process is even more welcome than the arrests. This investigation is separate to that being carried out by US authorities and may ultimately be more pivotal in freeing the game from the grasp of bribery and corruption.
Mike Ashley is getting his Rangers International PLC (RIPLC) General Meeting, on 12 June, at which, the directors of Rangers International PLC have decided to titillate shareholders with details of Rangers Retail Limited’s shareholders agreement, between the club and Ashley, although they note this agreement is subject to confidentiality agreements – and details appear to have been leaked today.
In an eye catching move, the directors of RIPLC are considering disapplying voting rights of shareholders who hold shares in other football clubs, in this case, Mike Ashley, who owns Newcastle United.
It’s worth saying this remains no more than bluster for now. They are “considering” disapplying rights and will lay out a “timetable for presenting a resolution for shareholders’ consideration”. I cannot believe they would be so self-harming that they would actually try to remove Ashley’s voting rights. Mike has the resources to destroy them in court, and it’s a tad futile to risk enormous legal consequences to disenfranchise someone when you and your supporters control the majority of shares. Ashley could easily circumnavigate any such act, should is be successful, but selling his shares to a trusted third party.
As such this element of the debate is futile, not even King is stupid enough to waste time and energy on it. He would lose heavily, and even if he won, Ashley would accommodate the outcome without breaking sweat. This is some tough talking but I’d like to see them try it (I genuinely would).
Two resolutions are proposed: the first by Ashley, that his £5m loan is repaid “as soon as possible”, in return for the release of security over RIPLC’s intellectual property, Murray Park, Albion Car Park and Edmiston House. Ashley is happy to hand this back, he’s a retailer, retail rights are what he’s interested in.
The second, proposed by the board, asks for shareholder approval to demand all of the club’s relationships with Sports Direct group companies, the loan, securities and the lucrative retail rights, are “renegotiated on a basis that is fair and reasonable”.
Here we get to the crux of the matter. Dave King told us months ago that Mike Ashley was a businessman, and that he would recognise the hand King dealt him and fold. The contrary view is that Mike Ashley is a businessman who will not be dictated to.
There’s a scene in Groundhog Day when lead character Phil, realising he can act without consequences, as even after death he’d pop up the next day as though nothing happened, drives onto a railway track.
Nodding to the oncoming train he says “I bet he’s going to swerve first”. Mike Ashley is the oncoming train. Trains don’t swerve. Groundhog Day looks increasingly likely, 06:00 will strike with an away day at Brechin under a provisional membership.
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Captain Beefheart from last night.
You are probably the first person who rises Ukraine/Poland 2013 tournament in connecting to FIFA corruption and corruption at all. I have no dubts the process of choice was transparent. Poland is in Europe, it has always been in Europe, in that culture and environment.
I meant 2012 tournament.
BT it’s not raining since my post yesterday morning :-)
BMCUWP that was a funny reply :-)
Anyone know if you can get Ronnie Roar badges from the foundation ?
The big 60 for me today…dont know how I’ve made it this far….
Buspassescsc
Good morning friends.
I’m pleased to report that the combined breezinicity and chuckinitdoonity factor has mellowed to leave a dry, mostly clear skied but still a bit chilly start to the Day of Thor.
gettingdesparatenowCSC
“Impeach McCrummoch!”
Bognorbhoy
Happy 60th bud
A Big Hoopy Birthday to ole Bognorbhoy.
Happy Birthday Bognorbhoy
burghbhoy . Jobo . zbyszek
Cheers
Morning all and a very happy birthday to BOGNORBHOY.
Welcome to the three score club of auld gits behaving badly!
HH!!
Seems I’m heading to Roa Island … Barrow in Furness!!! I’m sure some bhoys
know the area ? BMCUWP was that the place you said was the worst you had ever been ?
Bognor
60 is the new 50 ya oul git.
Breithla shona.
Panorama should be worth a wee look tonight. “Security force” ( there’s a misnomer if ever I saw one) agents with impunity to murder.
Shockeroonicsc.
tallybhoy . gearoid 1998
Cheers
bognorbhoy
Hope you have a great day , best wishes and Hail Hail .
bognorbhoy
07:30 on 28 May, 2015
Hoopy Birthday, have a great day.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Bognorbhoy
Send me your address at my email & I’ll send you one with your bus pass. 8))
Happy birthday mate
Zbyszek
Good night last night, hope your city enjoyed the night as much as the match
HailHail
Hoooooooooooopy Birthday Bognorbhoy
Hail Hail
fourgreenfields . lennybhoy . blantyretim
Cheers
Only if I dont have to sit at the back of the bus :-))
Morning
Happy 60th birthday Bognorbhoy, is it sore I’ve got 15 to go….and hopefully more HH
Ayrshire is Green and White
bognorbhoy
Many happy returns to you, have a great day.
cowiebhoy . micktt
Thanks
No it’s not sore ,well if it does I’m to old to feel it :-)
Jackson from today’s DR. He sure doesent do irony.
It’s all so blindingly obvious that even SFA chief executive Stewart Regan –international football’s answer to Mr Magoo – can see it. After arriving in Switzerland yesterday, flanked by his own president, Campbell Ogilvie and vice-president, Alan McCrae, Regan confirmed that Scotland’s vote will be going to Prince Ali.
And yet there was a heavy irony about it too. After all, this was Stewart Regan, right? Calling for the head of a footballing administrator? In the name of improving governance and credibility? Talk about a lack of self-awareness.
Who knows, if Regan keeps this up he just might be FIFA material after all.
Oh, and happy birthday Bognorbhoy.
hamiltontim . tonydonnelly 67
Cheers
Some conceited ‘plants’ on about the victimhood that we’ll have to suffer if….the huns come back next season…?
Me….I dont fear the huns in any way.
What I do fear is…Celtic supporters being ‘stitched-up’ by a, Celtic board of directors who looked the other way when…the huns stole £60 million of CL-money on the back of, winning(stealing) 3 titles in a row due to ‘honest-mistakes’ on the pitch by the mibs…and, the SAME directors remain in charge of the club today!!!!
And yet…conceited-plants on here will tell you that the problem lies elsewhere Fifa/Uefa/SFA…p#sh-p#sh and more p#sh.
The biggest factor involved in all of this huns still there carry-on is….apathetic-Celtic-supporters.
Celtic supporters with no teeth.
Celtic supporters who dont fight back.
Celtic supporters who are easily duped by the clubs custodians.
Celtic supporters who seem to think that, signing petitions is fighting back…?
Celtic supporters who religiously follow Phil MacGiollaBhain who cant seem to find any links to the collusion of the Celtic boards part in the great con….oh aye.
Celtic supporters who failed to pick up on the pattern that, at convenient junctures ie: transfer window deadline day and…hey-presto…Phil appears with an article telling all the gullible-galloots who are so easily taken-in that…”The huns hivny got long to go now….!”
Phil rushed into print with his book – ‘Downfall’ – about how Rangers FC died…knowing full well that…the huns will ‘never’ die….never.
And yet, dafties-ego-trippers-15-mins-of-fame-seekers-with-a-page-from-the Herald-magneted-to-their-fridge-doors…that they can look at to remind them of the stance they took to…tell the truth…who listened….?
Well, the truth is…Celtic FC will never allow Rangers FC to die and, the Celtic hierarchy will get away with that ‘secret-society’….for so long as they know that…in the main…Celtic fans of today…who plough all the £millions into the hierarchy’s biscuit-tin…dont have a scooby as to the degree of shafting their getting…in their own tent.
The Celtic fans of today should stop trying to get justice from Uefa over the SFA’s chicanery with the huns whilst…their own directors are peeing on them in their own tent.
The SFA looked the other way to let the huns into Europe…no surprise there.
But…Celtic directors looking the other way….and, not a punch landed on them from the fans….know what?….Celtic fans might just deserve all the shafting that they get…toothless-tigers are no good to anybody….FFS!
Deluded dullards disny begin to describe you….so sad.
…..oot.
Zbyszek @06:40
It was an interesting statement, from Beefy, to conflate Poland/Ukraine and suggest that these places are renowned for corruption (traces of a Johnny Foreigner argument there).
The last set of Corruption Perception Index scores from 2014, places Poland at 35th in the least corrupt list. For comparison the UK is 14th and the US 17th.
Only Estonia, at 26th, scored higher as a former Soviet state restoring more liberal administration.
Now Ukraine, ranked 142nd merits some concern. But the sentence used by Beefy makes as much sense as saying the UK and Russia (unsurprisingly not mentioned by the Putin fan but ranked 136th) are both renowned for their high levels of corruption.
In any case, an index that places Quatar at 26th and UAE at 25th and Switzerland as 5th maybe needs a bit of tweaking in what it considers under the wide rainbow of corrupt practices..
9 am news – way down south.
Visa are saying – maybe not
Hyundai are saying – maybe not
Budweiser are saying – maybe not.
Australia are saying – we were cheated – we want our money back.
Italian fitba media claiming that Don Blatterone will not be able to ride this out.
Hot n sunny – way down south.
Happy Birthday Bognorbhoy
Hope you have a great day :)
Dinnae think you will be getting gifted a podium though eh?!
South Of Tunis
To be fair we could do with a decent beer sponsor for the football, maybe Adnams something like that!
thunder road
cheers
No podium for me today …..
bognorbhoy-Hoopy Birthday
MR Z – Do you know of this guy ? As reported by Przeglad Sportowy in Poland, Celtic are keen on signing the young Polish centre-half this summer, although they face competition from a selection of Bundesliga clubs.
Janicki, 22, has played for Lechia since the summer of 2010, and his impressive form this season has seen him called up to the Polish international squad in recent months. He has yet to make his debut for his country, but he is sure to feature this summer after recent call-ups.
A central-defender by trade, Janicki can also play at both full-back positions, and he has made 32 appearances this term for Lechia. In total he has played 115 games for the club, captaining them on occasion this term, helping them to a fourth placed finish in the Ekstraklasa, with 42 goals conceded in 34 games.
Along with Ronny Deila’s men, Janicki has been drawing admiring glances from a selection of Bundesliga clubs, with Hamburg, Koln and Hannover interested in securing his services this summer, as well as Gent in Belgium.
The report states that Lechia are willing to cash in on the young defender this summer, and will accept transfer negotiations should a club make a formal approach for him.
Celtic are looking to revamp their defensive unit at the end of this campaign, with Jason Denayer set to return to Manchester City at the end of his loan deal, and Virgil van Dijk seemingly pushing for a move away with a number of clubs interested in his services.
Happy birthday to Bognorbhoy and Mrs Hebcelt. Winning Captains who is responsible for the pop ups when you TRY to log in? Please get this sorted. Kev Bhungle i posted a couple of daysago that I thought you were smarter than some on here think but not as smart as you thought you were. I now retract the first part. H H Hebcelt
Joke of the day (so far )
Is it true that when those FIFA officials were being arrested they immediately threw themselves on the ground and pretended to be injured ?
http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/rafal-janicki/profil/spieler/153638
Bognorbhoy
Anything nice planned?
bada bing . hebcelt
thanks
all the best Mrs hebcelt
bognorbhoy
Hoopy birthday pal.
HH jamesgang