Straight out of the Nigel Farage playbook. This ploy of wannabe dictators goes back to Ancient Greek times.
And now it's reported in a Swiss newspaper that Blatter has not actually resigned. In his speech he did not use the word "resign" or "resignation". Crafty or what?
Blatter has now announced the when he dies he will go to heaven. Good luck with that, Sepp. He has also announced that anyone who says that the Dear Blatter is corrupt ought to go to jail, presumably without collecting £200. Which would probably mean turning the world into one big jail, although there would be the added problem that there would be no-one left to be wardens, except for Blatter himself.
I read today that his consience is clear, which I took to mean he was so accustomed to bribes and the like that his concience just did'nt register any of that as a bad thing. However, maybe his concience is dead, and in heaven where it clearly won't molest Mr Blatter, who if there is a god, will be travelling in the other direction.
I am really not sure that Herr Blatter took bribes, it is just that as long as he got his own way he really didn't care if other people did.
So Blatter isn't going to the final later, why would that be? Easy to extradite him to the US from Canada would be my guess, but maybe I'm ignorant I don't know how these things work
I see Chuck Blazer has been banned from football activities for life by FIFA, according to the BBC. The way the article reads, it could well be that he is being banned for collaborating with the FBI to name other corrupt officials, but surely FIFA could'nt do anything so silly as to ban someone for helping bring criminals to justice could they?
I don't suppose any of you watched US v Haiti last night? Excellent, open match, and US very lucky to win 1-0. Haiti must have the fastest individual players ever. Made more chances, but lost their heads a bit in front of goal. Considering the ramshackle way their team is assembled, and total lack of funding and facilities, they must have a mass of latent football talent. But I supposed that goes for many African countries (which Haiti effectively is). US had a player of Haitian ancestry in their team, Altidore. Useless as ever.
Didn't Haiti received a considerable amount of funding, considering their relevance and contribution to "soccer"?
The guy I was with today was my friend who's been over in Doha working on 2022. He says that blatter doesn't use email or mobile phones, and in his spare time he simply drives around. Nothing new - but it's known that he's a very odd man. One that won't be found to be corrupt due to the magnitude he goes to to protect himself. Also reckons there's a less than 5% chance they'll lose the WC, and nor are they worried about it.
I am warming to him already. He may well not be financially corrupt personally. His legitimate salary should cover all his requirements. It is the power he craves, and he probably thinks he is the Messiah doing the right thing for football. But, of course, he has presided over a corrupt system and turned a blind eye to others' corruption.
My take on it too Bitter. I don't know if he is corrupt (and I'd love it to be true and for him to be caught) but I doubt it. Sepp Blatter has presided over a corrupt regime, and he knew some of his henchmen were recieving backhanders in my opinión, but did nothing about it, and indeed, did everything to ensure no decent investigation took place that might rock the boat. Even now, all the worthwhile digging is coming from the FBI, and I hope they empty the FIFA coffers to pay for it, while Sepp seems to be happy to try and continue to sit on the antheap another year and manage his damage limitation policy. I reckon he is now probably looking at his 'legacy', for when he finally kicks the bucket, and his family can write books about what a fubulous person football has lost.
He was also very manipulative with his power and created rules so he wouldn't lose out in elections. For example he changed it so every country had an equal vote, and would then invest minimal money in countries like Haiti (and the surrounding countries) guaranteeing votes left right and centre. He became a god like figure in certain places, being treated like royalty when he'd go to open the academies he built for them. All the while cementing another 4 years as the head of Fifa.
