The media here in Blighty has been full of calls for FIFA to be investigated and / or President Sepp Blatter to stand down or face re-election against an ‘anti-corruption’ candidate. I'm not even sure what a world football 'anti-corruption' candidate would look like. Does such a person exist... somebody call Martin Bell.
Perhaps it's just a new way of keeping our attention in the closed season, along with frenzied 'speculation' - you might like to add words like 'guessing' and phrases like 'making it all up' at this point - but I couldn't possibly comment. Let's face it, the international window didn't even open until July, so in the meantime, it's be mean to Sepp time.
Don't get me wrong, he's a very appealing target and there may well be a whiff of something less than transparent to some of FIFA’s dealings, whether it’s Qatar’s winning 2022 World Cup bid or the ‘Goal’ project, but the rest of the world isn’t listening.
If the allegations have any weight at all, why isn’t the story being picked up abroad?
The sad truth is, it’s England's own fault. With no friends in World Football, England always comes late to the party and then complains about the rules, before reminding everyone that as the home of football the next World Cup should be hosted in England, before adding that England is also home to the most commercially aggressive league in the world.
Yet England still took part in the rather opaque bidding process for two recent World Cups – losing out to Germany and Russia – and for all I know employing some of the questionable lobbying tactics now being complained about. In short, England are seen as sore losers. Unfortunately, with good reason.
England need to start developing and coaching much younger, move the focus from winning at all costs to taking part and encourage a real passion for the game. Then maybe in 20 years time we might start to see some results...
Players? Well yes they could do with all that too, but I'm talking about administrators here.
Of course we could just take our ball home and set up our own 'World Football Union', with er, the USA, Scotland, Australia and Wales. Better odds I'll grant you, but here's two words of warning; boxing and darts.
OK, all a bit do bears shit in the woods I know, but I'm not the only one in the greenhouse chucking bricks.
For a much more considered view of this - and most other football related issues, for that matter - you could do worse than check out When Saturday Comes (WSC 293 in particular).
