Normally on a Friday night The Gurgler unloads its thoughts on the upcoming weekend of football, but it’s hard to talk about any other subject than the arrests of FIFA executive during the week. That and there’s not much left on the field to talk about. Like Arsenal winning the FA Cup 4-2.
Was it really a surprise that the FIFA executive were arrested this week, or was the surprise that finally something happened. There have been countless articles, reports, TV Shows highlighting the corruption within FIFA, yet up until this week nothing has been or looked like being done about it.
We’re not talking about any sporting body here. Football is played in just about every country in the world, and the World Cup is one of the two biggest sporting events in the world, and the only one that is interesting. It brings in a reported $US4 Billion plus, and where does that money go? Well into movies laughably showing FIFA’s connection with the world and allegedly into the pockets of the people running the game.
At the top of the tree is Sepp Blatter, an almost laughable figure akin to a Mr Sheen, in which he has more comparisons than looks. Because as he refuses to step down from the election, because he has no idea of what’s been going on. Please – no boss of any organisation can be around for 15+ years and not know everything that goes on. He’s either lying or so incompetent that he shouldn’t run either way. Or win.
But he is, and he will win, because all of the developing football nations stand a better chance of improving under Sepp, and their numbers will outrank the big powers from Europe and USA. So with another X years of him at the helm, it’s time to admit that you can sit back and keep whining about the same clowns or do something about it.
The World Cups in Russia and Qatar look like dud tournaments, with Russia’s love for anyone out of a narrow line of acceptance and crime issues, and Qatar’s heat forcing everyone else to change on top of the 1000’s of killed migrant workers by the time 2022 rolls around given the current rate of mortality.
That leaves only one choice for those who are opposed to FIFA and willing to do something about it. A mere boycott of the World Cup is not enough, the World Cup will continue on regardless, what needs to happen is an alternative World Cup played at the same time.
Long term gain always has a measure of short term pain, just ask the professional cricketers around the world after World Series Cricket made their sport a gold mine. Sure they had to play in secondary stadiums and at night with what looked like pyjamas, but you can’t deny the end results of today with million dollar cricketers. At that time the real tests continued with second and third string players, and whilst they keep the official stats, the real interest was in the Supertests, because they had the best players.
The Super League battle of the 90’s in Rugby League also transformed the sport, and they also had to suffer some short term pain. It wasn’t as affected as the game was a little stronger than cricket, but the Super League / NRL split of talent was more equal.
But both have a powerful message to the countries who want change, do it yourself, but be prepared for some pain.
Think about it, if the unhappiest of the footballing nations – Europe, USA, Australia, and some support of the best players in the world from the other nations like Messi, Suarez, James, they could build a footballing nations tournament that would at least match a world cup without them.
Putting the neutral glasses on, would you really get excited about a World Cup with no European teams. Without the best players. Of course not. At a minimum if only Europe and a handful of sympathisers were to break away, they could just make the Euro Championships every two years, with invitations to other nations like Australia.
A competition to rival the depleted World Cup would also attract sponsors, and taking them away from FIFA is a step in the right direction.
It may never happen, but neither will change in FIFA and World Football until someone steps up, other than Sepp Blatter that is.
