Blatter resigns

[Ted Hughes]

I wonder if there is a single football association which isn't going to be shown as tainted by this cunt & his mob. England were cosying up to Jack Warner at one point, when they thought he might put his votes behind them.

They are all complicit in allowing this unspeakable shit to go on, year after year, & there should be mass resignations at the end of this.

Ted, you aren't naive, this is the way things rolled and it was the only way to get your foot in the door; but you know that. The difference with the England bid was that we only gave them top billing, gave them their luxuries but didn't leave the big brown envelope.

The England bidders weren't that naive, they played the game but did they have ulterior motives; can you see the heir apparent being indicted?

That's my point; they 'played the game' rather than trying to stop it. England sent a team over to play for Warner, which he will have pocketed a load of money from sponsor's deals etc on the back of. That's just a bribe without the envelope.

They should all be ashamed of themselves, right across Europe & hopefully a bunch will get pinched & some have to resign in shame. Platini is on thin ice imo.

[Dameerto]

I wonder if there is a single football association which isn't going to be shown as tainted by this cunt & his mob. England were cosying up to Jack Warner at one point, when they thought he might put his votes behind them.

They are all complicit in allowing this unspeakable shit to go on, year after year, & there should be mass resignations at the end of this.

Ted, you aren't naive, this is the way things rolled and it was the only way to get your foot in the door; but you know that. The difference with the England bid was that we only gave them top billing, gave them their luxuries but didn't leave the big brown envelope.

The England bidders weren't that naive, they played the game but did they have ulterior motives; can you see the heir apparent being indicted?

That's my point; they 'played the game' rather than trying to stop it. England sent a team over to play for Warner, which he will have pocketed a load of money from sponsor's deals etc on the back of. That's just a bribe without the envelope.

They should all be ashamed of themselves, right across Europe & hopefully a bunch will get pinched & some have to resign in shame. Platini is on thin ice imo.

France as a whole is on thin ice - there are rumours Sarkozy heavily influenced Platini to change his vote to Qatar in exchange for orders for something like 15 billion dollars worth of military aircraft (although Platini himself visited Qatar before the vote to cozy up to them). No wonder they voted for Blatter at the recent election.
As for England, we were played by Blatter pure and simple. He had an axe to grind with us after the BBC's documentary a couple of months earlier made allegations against voting officials of bribary and we fell into his trap. Lots of encouraging words for our bid from executive members as they c**k-teased and issued hollow promises. Then an attempt to paint it as sour grapes by Blatter when we were outraged afterwards at the lack of votes.

[Bianchi on Ice]

Blatter will have influence over who succeeds him. The roots and branch reform FIFA needs cannot happen while this structure is in place.

[Beefymcfc]

I wonder if there is a single football association which isn't going to be shown as tainted by this cunt & his mob. England were cosying up to Jack Warner at one point, when they thought he might put his votes behind them.

They are all complicit in allowing this unspeakable shit to go on, year after year, & there should be mass resignations at the end of this.

Ted, you aren't naive, this is the way things rolled and it was the only way to get your foot in the door; but you know that. The difference with the England bid was that we only gave them top billing, gave them their luxuries but didn't leave the big brown envelope.

The England bidders weren't that naive, they played the game but did they have ulterior motives; can you see the heir apparent being indicted?

That's my point; they 'played the game' rather than trying to stop it. England sent a team over to play for Warner, which he will have pocketed a load of money from sponsor's deals etc on the back of. That's just a bribe without the envelope.

They should all be ashamed of themselves, right across Europe & hopefully a bunch will get pinched & some have to resign in shame. Platini is on thin ice imo.

Of course they should be ashamed, they're all in it, just at different levels. As for the game, if I remember this right, England actually pulled the plug on it after we didn't get the vote.

Says it all really, but as for the FAI, well, that's another matter all together!

[Wonderwall]

Blatter will have influence over who succeeds him. The roots and branch reform FIFA needs cannot happen while this structure is in place.

Blatters influence is diminishing every day and I would be surprised to see him have any part of the organisation by the time it gets to crowning his successor.

[Beefymcfc]

Blatter will have influence over who succeeds him. The roots and branch reform FIFA needs cannot happen while this structure is in place.

Blatters influence is diminishing every day and I would be surprised to see him have any part of the organisation by the time it gets to crowning his successor.

They'll all be steering very clear while they are being watched, knowing that he can take them down as well. Blatter's allies will be few and far between by now and he'll feel like somebody has just laid a great turd in his pocket.

Can't wait to see if anything comes out about the French and their 'lucrative' World and Euro cups. How did they get them so soon, I ask myself?

Glorious.

[patrickblue]

you lot are pretty sensitive, eh?



I was surprised that Blatter actually resigned, but optimistic for the future of the game now that he has done so.

It would help if the good old US of A stopped the likes speilburg and hanks distorting real history.
Back on topic..

As for Blatter resigning, it was literally only a matter of time.... Friday was his swan song in his very deluded mind.

Once chuck whatshisname was on board with the FBI/other legal bodies, all guilty parties including blubber will have realised the conversations he was party to and one by one they are beginning to tumble whilst cutting themselves a deal including chuk whatshisname, oh and now Jack Warner who was SO confident that he wasn't under investigation (last weekend), but today (as former VP) is prepared to spill the beans on all and sundry. If I'm honest, I half expect the FA to be muddied at some point and I wouldn't be surprised if USA 06 doesn't get questioned either if they are going back to France 98?

On topic WW1 & 2, I'm quite surprised at the reaction to a comment which I suspect was made somewhat tongue in cheek, although It's something that I would get very upset about if I thought someone was seriously suggesting it. Being an old bastard, I'm of the generation who's parents fought in it (my father was on Russian convoys amongst other things), and I totally agree about the distortion of history, my parents generation would become incandescent when films showed the US winning the war single handedly.
On topic corrupt bastards, I'm really looking forward to all this unfolding over the next few months, my bet is that it's going to go way past FIFA and the regional and national associations. I can see government leaders and officials, royalty and the great and good in general getting pulled into it. Should be entertaining.

[iwasthere2012]

I wonder if there is a single football association which isn't going to be shown as tainted by this cunt & his mob. England were cosying up to Jack Warner at one point, when they thought he might put his votes behind them.

They are all complicit in allowing this unspeakable shit to go on, year after year, & there should be mass resignations at the end of this.

Ted, you aren't naive, this is the way things rolled and it was the only way to get your foot in the door; but you know that. The difference with the England bid was that we only gave them top billing, gave them their luxuries but didn't leave the big brown envelope.

The England bidders weren't that naive, they played the game but did they have ulterior motives; can you see the heir apparent being indicted?

That's my point; they 'played the game' rather than trying to stop it. England sent a team over to play for Warner, which he will have pocketed a load of money from sponsor's deals etc on the back of. That's just a bribe without the envelope.

They should all be ashamed of themselves, right across Europe & hopefully a bunch will get pinched & some have to resign in shame. Platini is on thin ice imo.

Of course they should be ashamed, they're all in it, just at different levels. As for the game, if I remember this right, England actually pulled the plug on it after we didn't get the vote.

Says it all really, but as for the FAI, well, that's another matter all together!

From The Irish Times:
FAI boss John Delaney insists Fifa payment was ‘legitimate’
FAI threatened to take legal action over Thierry Henry handball incident in World Cup play-off

FAI chief executive John Delaney has confirmed the association received a payment from Fifa resulting from the fall-out from the Thierry Henry handball
Emmet Riordan

Thu, Jun 4, 2015, 17:19
First published:
Thu, Jun 4, 2015, 17:13


FAI chief executive John Delaney has insisted that a payment, believed to be €5 million, received by the association from Fifa resulting from the a fall-out from the Thierry Henry handball incident in a World Cup play-off “was a very good and legitimate deal for the FAI”.
Speaking on the Ray D’Arcy Show on RTÉ Radio 1 on Thursday afternoon, Delaney explained how the payment came about after a meeting with Fifa president Sepp Blatter, although he did not confirm the amount citing a confidentiality clause put in to the agreement by Fifa.
Delaney said: “We felt we had a legal case against Fifa because of how the World Cup play-off hadn’t worked out for us with the Henry handball.
John Delaney is backing Michel Platini to replace Sepp Blatter.

“Also the way Blatter behaved, if you remember on stage, having a snigger and having a laugh at us. That day when I went in, and I told him how I felt about him, there were some expletives used. We came to an agreement.
“That was a Thursday and on Monday the agreement was all signed and all done. It’s a very good agreement for the FAI and a very legitimate agreement for the FAI. I’m bound by confidentiality for naming the figure.
“You’ve put a figure out there (D’Arcy mentioned the figure of €5 million) and fair play to you. It was a payment to the association not to proceed with a legal case. And in there they signed a confidentiality agreement where I can’t talk about the amount involved.
“You used a figure there, well done to you, but it was a very good and legitimate deal for the FAI.”
Delaney also recalled a heated meeting with Blatter in the aftermath of the play-off second leg match in Paris back.
“In 2009 I called him an embarrassment to Fifa and an embarrassment to himself and he called me over about that and I said it to him across the table just like I’m talking to you, with one or two expletives. He said: ‘No-one speaks to me like that’. And I said: ‘Well I do’. And that was it.
“He knew how I felt about him, I never liked his modus operandi, his style. I don’t want to get too personal about him but he has a huge ego and I never felt he loved the game. It was all politics and how money can be dispersed and all about him.”
Meanwhile, the behind closed doors friendly between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland ended in a scoreless draw at the Aviva Stadium on Thursday afternoon.
“It wasn’t the best game of football,” added Delaney
................................................................................................
In other news, The FAI have have revealed the gate receipts from the recent game versus Northern Ireland came to €5 million....
Delaney is an embarrassment. There are stories going around that the books don't show the amounts he's talking about from 2009/2010. The man doesn't like Blatter and has always shown that regardless of whatever payoff they received, but he's as slimey as they come himself. In a further part of that interview on RTE this is what he said;

At the time of the incident in 2009, Delaney was quick to stress that money was not of interest to the FAI, saying "it's not about money. This is about sporting integrity."
The FAI Chief Executive was also asked this afternoon if he had ever been offered a bribe. Laughing, he said: "No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Not on my salary!"
"All my work is in UEFA. UEFA is as clean as it gets. I was never in a position to award something. I was never in a position where I was awarding a World Cup or a European championships.
"I just think you are paid to do your job. I know I'm paid very well - I accept that. I'm very happy in the job. If anyone was to come up to me and offer a bribe I would say 'listen, because you've offered the bribe you're not getting anything'."

I know. The man is a joke, and he's on €450,000 a year as well to run the FAI. No wonder they're broke.

[Beefymcfc]

To be fair, he'd already lost the game and it because of his temperament he got the FAI back hander out of it. However, it goes to show how the big-wigs dealt money out to silence the minions (no disrespect there as I class England in the same boat, according to Blatter), using financial leverage to keep associations quiet. Who next?

As for integrity, he's obviously got a guilty conscience, that's why he's getting it out there early.

[patrickblue]

The South African's are now saying that the 10 million they gave FIFA was a gift to help Caribbean football. Now I may have a suspicious mind, but when a country donates cash in a good cause, surely they would like it to be known, so they get the kudos.
Or maybe they went to great lengths to hide the payment because they were bashful, so they handed it over in used banknotes in an hotel room.
Seems perfectly plausible

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-33017886

South Africa's sports minister says the decision to donate $10m (£6.5m) to Fifa to develop Caribbean football was made by former President Thabo Mbeki.

The payment, which South Africa denies was a bribe to secure the 2010 World Cup, is central to the Fifa scandal.

The claim comes after a letter emerged that appears to show officials seeking an indirect route for the transfer.

South Africa's government said the letter did not contradict its statement that this was a legitimate payment.

It says the cash was to fund the development of football for the African diaspora in the Caribbean and that the reporting of the letter in South Africa's Mail & Guardian was "regurgitation and sensation".

The letter was written by then South Africa FA head Danny Jordaan three weeks before the first amount was paid in 2007.

US prosecutors say the money, which is a key plank in the wide-ranging criminal inquiry that has engulfed world football's governing body, was a bribe to Fifa officials.

Seven top Fifa officials, including two vice-presidents, were arrested last week in Switzerland as they awaited Fifa's congress.

They were among 14 new indictments in the US investigation, which alleges they accepted bribes and kickbacks estimated at more than $150m over a 24-year period.

Four other people were charged earlier. One of them, ex-Fifa official Chuck Blazer, has pleaded guilty in the US to taking bribes related to South Africa's bid.
'Diaspora legacy'

The BBC's Southern Africa correspondent Karen Allen says up until now it hasn't been clear who made the decision on South Africa's $10m payment to Concacaf, the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football.

But on Friday, Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula told the Beeld newspaper that President Mbeki "spoke with the leadership of the 2010 World Cup local organising committee".

"[It was] the government's idea," he added.

In a statement released last week when the scandal began, Mr Mbeki said: "I wish to state that the government that I had the privilege to lead would never have paid any bribe even if it were solicited."

The leaked letter, which also emerged on Friday, is signed by Mr Jordaan and addressed to Fifa secretary-general Jerome Valcke.

In the letter, Mr Jordaan says the deputy finance minister recommended the money be paid to Fifa but that Minister of Foreign Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said it should instead "be paid over to the 2010 Fifa World Cup Organising Committee South Africa".

Ms Dlamini-Zuma, who is President Jacob Zuma's ex-wife, is now chair of the African Union Commission.

The Mail & Guardian quoted former Deputy Finance Minister Jabu Moleketi as saying the letter was a "fabrication" and that he denied having "a conversation of that nature" with Mr Jordaan.

South Africa's sports ministry said in a statement on Friday that the letter merely affirmed that the payment was legitimate and proved that "the diaspora programme was pursued to support government policy".

Mr Valcke has previously denied any wrongdoing in the matter.

US prosecutors say a senior South African official travelled to Paris to hand over cash in $10,000 stacks in a hotel room to an unnamed person working for Jack Warner, the former Fifa vice-president and head of Concacaf.

On Wednesday they released a transcript of Mr Blazer's guilty pleas, in which he said: "Beginning in or around 2004 and continuing through 2011, I and others on the Fifa executive committee agreed to accept bribes in conjunction with the selection of South Africa as the host nation for the 2010 World Cup."

In addition to the US investigation it was announced on Thursday that an elite police unit in South Africa is to launch a preliminary inquiry into allegations that officials paid bribes over the 2010 World Cup bid.

[Beefymcfc]

That is normal scope for FIFA, dictating to associations who they 'Fund' developments for. Wasn't it the Ozzies who were asked to fork out a few million to some low key country, but they refused? I think they gave them some money but it disappeared into the ether.

This is how FIFA, ie. Blatter, kept things in check, by dictating fund distribution, sponsor 'adoption' and general under-hand means, mainly through the lesser nations, to ensure compliance. The fact that brown envelopes can't really be attributed to him is mute, he set the system and the rest just fell into place.

[iwasthere2012]

That is normal scope for FIFA, dictating to associations who they 'Fund' developments for. Wasn't it the Ozzies who were asked to fork out a few million to some low key country, but they refused? I think they gave them some money but it disappeared into the ether.

This is how FIFA, ie. Blatter, kept things in check, by dictating fund distribution, sponsor 'adoption' and general under-hand means, mainly through the lesser nations, to ensure compliance. The fact that brown envelopes can't really be attributed to him is mute, he set the system and the rest just fell into place.

Correct. Seems to be their MO. They suggest that you show your commitment to youth development or some such, by donating to some Caribbean country scheme to build a facility, that never materialises. Didn't the Aussies ask for their money back?

[kinkylola]

you lot are pretty sensitive, eh?



I was surprised that Blatter actually resigned, but optimistic for the future of the game now that he has done so.

It would help if the good old US of A stopped the likes speilburg and hanks distorting real history.
Back on topic..

As for Blatter resigning, it was literally only a matter of time.... Friday was his swan song in his very deluded mind.

Once chuck whatshisname was on board with the FBI/other legal bodies, all guilty parties including blubber will have realised the conversations he was party to and one by one they are beginning to tumble whilst cutting themselves a deal including chuk whatshisname, oh and now Jack Warner who was SO confident that he wasn't under investigation (last weekend), but today (as former VP) is prepared to spill the beans on all and sundry. If I'm honest, I half expect the FA to be muddied at some point and I wouldn't be surprised if USA 06 doesn't get questioned either if they are going back to France 98?

On topic WW1 & 2, I'm quite surprised at the reaction to a comment which I suspect was made somewhat tongue in cheek, although It's something that I would get very upset about if I thought someone was seriously suggesting it. Being an old bastard, I'm of the generation who's parents fought in it (my father was on Russian convoys amongst other things), and I totally agree about the distortion of history, my parents generation would become incandescent when films showed the US winning the war single handedly.
On topic corrupt bastards, I'm really looking forward to all this unfolding over the next few months, my bet is that it's going to go way past FIFA and the regional and national associations. I can see government leaders and officials, royalty and the great and good in general getting pulled into it. Should be entertaining.

I always find it amusing how Americans cop all kinds of hyperbolic shit on here, and if anyone doesn't like it, the comment becomes have a sense of humour, or further about Americans not having a sense of humor. But all it takes is a throw away line, a known joke .. and all are up in arms.

There's a term for that I think, but being American, it escapes me.

The FAI bit is utterly ridiculous. I hope that we get a decently full picture of the all the FIFA corruption that went on, I'm sure it will make for amusing reading.

Having operated in the business world a bit, it's amazing what people will start to do when they think they are free from consequence, and how it warps their minds.

[iwasthere2012]

you lot are pretty sensitive, eh?



I was surprised that Blatter actually resigned, but optimistic for the future of the game now that he has done so.

It would help if the good old US of A stopped the likes speilburg and hanks distorting real history.
Back on topic..

As for Blatter resigning, it was literally only a matter of time.... Friday was his swan song in his very deluded mind.

Once chuck whatshisname was on board with the FBI/other legal bodies, all guilty parties including blubber will have realised the conversations he was party to and one by one they are beginning to tumble whilst cutting themselves a deal including chuk whatshisname, oh and now Jack Warner who was SO confident that he wasn't under investigation (last weekend), but today (as former VP) is prepared to spill the beans on all and sundry. If I'm honest, I half expect the FA to be muddied at some point and I wouldn't be surprised if USA 06 doesn't get questioned either if they are going back to France 98?

On topic WW1 & 2, I'm quite surprised at the reaction to a comment which I suspect was made somewhat tongue in cheek, although It's something that I would get very upset about if I thought someone was seriously suggesting it. Being an old bastard, I'm of the generation who's parents fought in it (my father was on Russian convoys amongst other things), and I totally agree about the distortion of history, my parents generation would become incandescent when films showed the US winning the war single handedly.
On topic corrupt bastards, I'm really looking forward to all this unfolding over the next few months, my bet is that it's going to go way past FIFA and the regional and national associations. I can see government leaders and officials, royalty and the great and good in general getting pulled into it. Should be entertaining.

I always find it amusing how Americans cop all kinds of hyperbolic shit on here, and if anyone doesn't like it, the comment becomes have a sense of humour, or further about Americans not having a sense of humor. But all it takes is a throw away line, a known joke .. and all are up in arms.

There's a term for that I think, but being American, it escapes me.

The FAI bit is utterly ridiculous. I hope that we get a decently full picture of the all the FIFA corruption that went on, I'm sure it will make for amusing reading.

Having operated in the business world a bit, it's amazing what people will start to do when they think they are free from consequence, and how it warps their minds.

You're right. The FAI in general are ridiculous, but just in case it's not clear from the excerpt of the interviews that I put up. The bit about the gate receipts from the recent Northern Ireland match BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, mysteriously appearring in the accounts as €5 million, was my own tongue in cheek version of events.
The rest is as was reported.

[Beefymcfc]

That is normal scope for FIFA, dictating to associations who they 'Fund' developments for. Wasn't it the Ozzies who were asked to fork out a few million to some low key country, but they refused? I think they gave them some money but it disappeared into the ether.

This is how FIFA, ie. Blatter, kept things in check, by dictating fund distribution, sponsor 'adoption' and general under-hand means, mainly through the lesser nations, to ensure compliance. The fact that brown envelopes can't really be attributed to him is mute, he set the system and the rest just fell into place.

Correct. Seems to be their MO. They suggest that you show your commitment to youth development or some such, by donating to some Caribbean country scheme to build a facility, that never materialises. Didn't the Aussies ask for their money back?

Not sure, I think they just let it ride as they'd only paid a fraction of the cost they were supposed to offer. The pertinent words there are '..they were supposed to offer.'.

I'm sure we'll find anew ground or 2 going up in the Cayman Isles soon.

[Slim]

Platini to FIFA job, Gill to the UEFA job. Corruption, kickbacks and G14 wankfest for another 15 years!

[Mikhail Chigorin]

Being somewhat cynical, I would have thought that the Irish FA could have squeezed far more than a paltry 5 million out of FIFA, as this sum would seem to be more like small change to Splatter and his cronies.

In footballing terms, some might even construe this as being the equivalent to the biblical thirty pieces of silver.

Mind you, the English FA are as spineless as they come, so we're in no position to criticise anyone else.

[iwasthere2012]

Being somewhat cynical, I would have thought that the Irish FA could have squeezed far more than a paltry 5 million out of FIFA, as this sum would seem to be more like small change to Splatter and his cronies.

In footballing terms, some might even construe this as being the equivalent to the biblical thirty pieces of silver.

Mind you, the English FA are as spineless as they come, so we're in no position to criticise anyone else.

As you've probably seen, I'm no apologist for the FAI or Delaney in particular, but the facts of this do suggest that FIFA or should I say Blatter are really the guilty party here in sofar as he seemed to throw this kind of money around like it was his own. The money went into the FAI accounts, it would appear and was used to pay part of their debt for the building of the Aviva stadium.
I would like to see how it appears in the FIFA accounts, as it seems the FAI were basing a legal challenge on the fact that a couple of weeks before the game against France FIFA chose to seed the playoffs. This had not been mentioned before France didn't qualify automatically. They were not merely bitching about an Henry handball.
Blatter negotiated behind closed doors with Delaney and Delaney accepted the money which compensated for loss of earnings by not getting to the finals. The FAI were cash strapped and were depending on the money in the building of the stadium.
They signed a confidentiality agreement and Blatter then proceded to ridicule Ireland at the famous press conference where he joked about Ireland wanting to be the 33rd nation in the finals. This despite the confidentiality agreement.

The whole thing was ridiculous and seedy in my mind, but you have to ask what Delaney is hoping to gain by getting this out in the open now.
He's always spoke against Blatter....probably bore a grudge. He has openly backed Platini for the job and has not denied that he would consider a place in UEFA maybe in the future, himself.

The guy has Teflon skin. Nothing seems to stick. Don't be surprised if you see him move up the ladder.

[Dameerto]

If he negotiated the clause with Blatter it has possibly been rendered void by Blatter announcing he will step down or maybe it became void with the last election for president - so it's in Ireland's interest to mention it now and play the 'out of court settlement' angle so any negative repercussions are on Blatter and not them.

[Ted Hughes]

If he negotiated the clause with Blatter it has possibly been rendered void by Blatter announcing he will step down or maybe it became void with the last election for president - so it's in Ireland's interest to mention it now and play the 'out of court settlement' angle so any negative repercussions are on Blatter and not them.

Probably best to get it out in the open so it doesn't look like they have accepted a bribe, which they actually have.

I recon every FA everywhere will have at least a significant one of these. It's how it all works. If they could also 'send the boys round' to back it up, then that would fit too; carrot & stick, fear of exposing it from both angles.

Jack Warner seems genuinely worried on that front.