2010 World Cup

Insideworldfootball.biz

Reform is the cry of the hour for FIFA. But, the question is: where does the reform start? It is not enough to open up FIFA in Zurich.

For real reform, we need to go to the heart of the organisation which extends beyond Zurich around the world. Without a worldwide fundamental structural reform, no amount of changes in Zurich will enable FIFA to come out of the crisis that has engulfed it.

People who run FIFA in Zurich may make all the right noises and promise to drive the devils and the money changers from the temple. But, even if they are truly determined to clean up FIFA and impose ironclad laws, the problem is that they are not in total control of world football.

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Insideworldfootball.biz

Thursday, 03 March 2011

Given how these organisations see themselves as accountable to nobody but themselves, and this in an era when the cry of democracy and transparency cannot even be resisted by Arab despots, this may seem a ridiculous question.

Yet I am inclined to raise it because of how different the Cricket World Cup in India is turning out compared to the Football World Cup in South Africa.

I have been struck by this comparison in the past week as I have travelled in India following the 50-over cricket tournament.

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Insideworldfootball.biz

The South African World Cup has proved supremely ironic. We went to South Africa wondering if the country could host the event. We have come away knowing South African can, but we are now not sure if FIFA can manage a World Cup in the modern era of technology.

Our FIFA doubts have to do with its failure to appreciate that it cannot continue to rely on the naked eye to judge all on field events. This is resulting in a yawning, dangerous gap between what happens on the field of play and what billions round on the world can see has actually happened.

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Evening Standard

Gerard Houllier could not be happier for his close friend Roy Hodgson. The two men got to know each other while serving on several UEFA and FIFA technical committees, and now they also have Liverpool Football Club in common.

There have been suggestions that Hodgson might bring Houllier to Anfield following his appointment as Liverpool manager and it is clear from talking to the 63-year-old Frenchman that the bright lights of the Premier League still beckon.

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Evening Standard

For Franz Beckenbauer 1966 remains a miscarriage of justice. “That Geoff Hurst shot was not over the line,” he says bluntly of England’s third goal in extra-time that broke the resolve of the Germans at Wembley.

Had technology been available to the officials 44 years ago, we may not still be talking about the decision of the Russian linesman who said Hurst’s effort was over the line.

Fast forward to 2010 and the same thing happened in reverse in Bloemfontein as the Uruguayan referee and his assistants missed Frank Lampard’s first-half equaliser’ as Fabio Capello’s team crashed out of the World Cup.

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