ROLE REVERSAL ?....

Odd things going on in the world right now.  Nothing unusual you might say as the world is an odd place. Take the latest examples of FIFA and the World Cup and the ultra democratic process that sees just one candidate put forward for the Presidency of the European Commission.

FIFA is run by one Sepp Blatter and has been for more years than I care to remember.  His leadership has given rise to rampant criticism, suspicion and downright cynicism about the way that organisation is run.   However, it carries serenely on with every indication that Blatter will seek to carry on for another four years, thus making the root and branch reform which it is crying out for, even less likely.

In the European Union, the one candidate to be the next President of the EU Commission was one Jean-Claude Juncker, an arch federalist and one who in Dave Cameron`s opinion is yesterday`s man, entirely incapable and unwilling to contemplate any reform of the EU but instead is quite probably going to promote even greater centralised power to Brussels.

In today`s vote, Dave lost 26-2, with only Hungary as his sole supporter in opposing Juncker`s `election.`   I put `election` in quotes, as my idea of an election for the President of the EU is that there should be a choice of candidates and a vote of all the `citizens` of the EU rather than it being left to the whimsical notion of EU members.   But this is the EU, of course, where their idea of democracy is to ignore the wishes of those who pay for it all, ignore the results of democratic ballots in member states and carry on regardless because they know what`s good for us.

Juncker, of course, was supported by the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who seems to have assumed the political leadership of the EU, which is very odd indeed, given the fact that Germany are 2-0 down after extra time.  Now the truth is that the leadership of the EU so far has also given rise to rampant criticism, suspicion and downright cynicism about the way that organisation is run (is it 19 years now that their accounts have not been signed off because of the institutionalised financial mismanagement?)  And with Juncker`s `election` the EU will carry serenely on, thus making the root and branch reform which it is crying out for, even less likely.

So, two conclusions.  The first is to say well done to Dave Cameron for at least giving it a go, although his defeat does mean that any chance of acceptably renegotiating the UK`s relationship with the EU is dead in the Channel, so we might as well have the in-out referendum now and get on with it.

The second is to suggest that there might as well be a role reversal between Blatter and Merkel - she could run FIFA (well, the Germans with their largely non-German team seem to be doing OK) and Blatter could become the eminence grise of Brussels.  It may be fanciful but I`m not sure we would notice any difference.  After all, there`s no hope for any reform of either organisation and every chance that they will both continue to bring the game into disrepute.  

POPPYCOCK..

So, FIFA have banned England players from wearing embroidered poppies on their shirts for the upcoming game against Spain  at Wemberley on Saturday.   Football’s governing body do not want to create a ‘provocative political precedent which would potentially cloud a future match because of historical difference.`

The England Football Association had their request for poppies to be sewn into England’s kit for Saturday’s match against the world champions declined by FIFA, to the dismay of war veterans and England’s governing body.

England`s £6million a year Manager Fabio Capello wore a poppy while watching Tottenham beat Fulham yesterday, so if he`s not bothered about it as an Italian, why should anyone else care?   Also, Frankie Lamps,  the player likely to captain England on Saturday in the absence of the troublesome John Terry, is apparently calling on FIFA to relax their ban.

However, a FIFA spokesperson has responded thus: ‘What would happen if England played Germany around the time of Remembrance Sunday, for example? The international aspect of the regulations gets overlooked when people want to feel it’s England against FIFA.   But the rules are there in case political inference could potentially be far more provocative."

It seems the sanctions open to FIFA, if England defy their rules over this issue, include sending nasty letters to the players, fining the English FA and even expulsion from FIFA.   Well, here`s a thought.   If sticking poppies on shirts constitutes sticking two fingers up to FIFA then so what?   It`s far more important for our football team to be seen to be supporting the nation`s proud remembrance in a way which is neither `political` nor `provocative` than it is to pander to the sensitivities of Herr Blatter and his questionable chums.

The solution for FIFA  might be simple - just ban England from playing Germany any more.  That way everybody wins !!

LOST MARBLES ?..

Sometimes I`m not sure I`m living in the real world.   There are so many examples of madness around, but perhaps the craziest is  the enduring saga of FIFA and its head honcho Sepp Blatter.  

 In just the most recent weeks, we have seen the disgrace of the FIFA presidential `election,` which bore all the hallmarks of some hitherto Marxist state.   We then learned that Blatter and his cronies are going to cop for ringside seats at next year`s London Olympics, five star hotel accommodation, chauffeur driven limosines and any other `luxury` that can be showered on them just because they are who they are.   All of which leaves the `general public` - dreadful phrase anyway but especially when referring to people who, as taxpayers, have coughed up the vast bulk of the £12billion cost of staging the Games - wondering not only why yet another abuse of power but also why they seem unable even to get tickets for the Olympics being held in their own country.

Now we see that as one of President Blatter`s initiatives to `clean up` FIFA, he has invited those twin fountains of all football knowledge Henry Kissinger and Placido Domingo to  sit on the ‘council of wisdom’ at football’s main governing body, which sounds more Monty Python than responsible governance.  Blatter told CNN on a visit to  Azerbaijan: ‘These gentlemen are more or less advisers, they are not the experts but advisers. What they should be also is the kind of council of wisdom.’   Quite so, but why stop there, Sepp?  How about Katherine Jenkins or that bloke who sings the Go Compare ads?  Or Ann Hayden-Jones and her husband Pip?

But of course the craziest issue of all is the prospect of the 2022 World Cup being held in the 40C heat of Qatar.   For once I agreed with the Germans, who called for that decision to be reviewed.   However, now that Blatter is back in the presidential chair for another four years, he has now said that he doesn`t want to initiate an investigation into the Qatar decision.   Looking at the picture above, I`m not surprised.

Now if these are just a taste of the issues surrounding Blatter, FIFA and the beautiful game that I have played, refereed and observed for over half a century, small wonder I`m beginning to wonder whether it`s me or Blatter whose marbles have gone astray.  But last time I looked, most of mine were still where they should be.