Yes, the Brazilian capo dei capi Joao Havelange has returned!
The first reported sighting took place just before one of the biggest dates in world football that most schmoes know nothing about – Soccerex. It’s essentially THE world football convention and Darth Havelange – the man credited with making football a global financial juggernaut AND wrestling total control of the Beautiful Game from Europe – emerged from the crypt just before and during to say that he talked Brazilian Football Confederation president Ricardo Teixeira out of contesting the FIFA presidency next year, but has encouraged Teixeira (his son-in-law - yeah, that's right) to run in four years.
More than being a significant decree that immediately shook the footie world, the timing must be noted. It came a couple weeks before FIFA will choose the host nations for the 2018 and 2022 WCs. Given the intrigue and shenanigans taking place in the buildup to Thursday morning’s announcement, Darth’s comments must be recognized.
You see the election for FIFA president takes place in June 2011 and some of the likely challengers to FIFA King Sepp Blatter’s third term reign have already publicly backed down to avoid jeopardizing the chances of the WC bids they are actively promoting. None stands out more than Asian Football Confederation’s powerful president and FIFA executive committee member Mohamed Bin Hammam, who flirted with challenging King Sepp, but demurred to keep hope alive for the Qatari 2022 bid.
Meanwhile, others have already all but announced their intention to oust King Sepp. Most notable was South Korean Football Vice President Chung Mong-Joon, who also happens to run the Hyundai Empire. Joon has repeatedly suggested his firm (but not official) intention to defy The King in 2011. Despite his billions, I foresee a tragic end for Joon’s FIFA aspirations. Do the words “Sell Mortimer, sell!” mean anything to you…?
All but rewarded for services rendered is South African World Cup Chairman Danny Jordaan, whose uncontested ascent to S. African Football’s vice presidency took place over the weekend. Despite recent controversy over vote trading for the upcoming WC vote, Jordaan readily admits he used it to get the WC to S. Africa. Having successfully hosted the WC, Jordaan’s new post makes him eligible for a seat on the nearly all-powerful FIFA executive committee… in 2011 – the circle is now complete.
I say the executive committee is NEARLY all-powerful because as we know, The King runs this. And who made the king? That’s right, Darth Havelange.
Meanwhile, the jockeying and vote collusion is intensifying right up until Thursday’s vote. The most recent thunderbolt was a BBC investigative report that aired Monday called “FIFA’s Dirty Secrets.” It alleges that three top FIFA executive committee members have taken bribes in the past, or improperly scalped WC tickets. The allegations have even precipitated an official investigation from the bastions of above board sport operations – the International Olympic Committee.
Meanwhile, Qatar bid chief advocate Bin Hammam has accused various media outlets of conspiring through a “hidden war” to scuttle the desert nation’s chances. But then recent reports put Qatar as the odds on favorite for 2022.
Qatar’s chief rival for 2022 is the US-of-A. Despite dissing Qatar as an over-heated deathtrap, US bid organizers have deftly added political firepower and Hollywood paparazzi to their bid in its closing stages. Former US President (and still global pimp) Bill Clinton will deliver the bid presentation. Meanwhile, America’s current voice of god Morgan Freeman will add his calming baritone to the presentation.
The rival bid responses: Qatar added another camel to the caravan delivering its’ bid, some fresh dates, and complimentary shoe-sand removers for all visitors; Australia will insert a caveat into its new proposed law banning smoking in public places that would allow chain-smoking Europeans and Asians to suck on their cancer sticks all they want in calendar 2022; and S. Korea promised to postpone the start of a thermonuclear war with its neighbors to the north until after 2022.
And the Japanese bid response…
It’s all so tasty… so I suggest you saddle up to your television Thursday around 9:30 a.m. for the festivities. FYI, people stateside will have their choice of networks to watch for the announcement. I suggest Fox Soccer Channel, which will have a pre-announcement show on the day before and lengthy pre- and post-announcement coverage on announcement day.
Meanwhile, the World Wide Leader (in American sports)’ self-confessed new focus on the Beautiful Game is sadly inadequate for the magnitude of the announcement. Despite being the official television partner of the WC in the US, the WWL(IAS) is only carrying the live announcement. As of now, it’s not clear which WWL(IAS) channel will carry the announcement, but I put my money on ESPN2. Others believe it’ll be on the WWL(IAS) live online stream ESPN3. If that’s the case, it is yet more evidence that they have no clue what they’re doing with our sport.
UPDATE: You can watch the bid presentations (which began Wednesday) at this FIFA link!
Lastly, it’s worth noting that the long struggle in Spain to share top flight football television revenues evenly in La Liga (instead of predominantly between the two big dogs of Barcelona and Real Madrid)… continues. Readers of the blog will remember The FP mentioning that other La Liga clubs were threatening to excommunicate the big two if they did not agree to more equitable TV revenue sharing. In response, the big two offered to reduce their 40% share to 34%. How generous.
Most of La Liga has acquiesced. But six clubs are holding out for a better deal and The FP salutes them.
And now, your football anecdote.
An English club manager has decried his team as the worst in Britain after conceding 227 goals in 11 matches. Madron FC Manager Alan Davenport made the admission after a 55-0 hammering to Illogan Reserves. Said Davenport: “I know everyone is probably laughing at us… (but) we have no plans to stop.” Asked about his players continued interest despite repeated shellackings, he added: “Fair play to them for showing up.”
CLASS DISMISSED
