http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=286305&cc=5901 OK, I admit that manUre had played the FA like a fiddle in the whole Rio incident, but Blatter has gone off the deep end now. It is quite obvious that Sepp is scrambling to find a way to regain some power that FIFA believe that they have lost. It must keep Sepp awake at night knowing that UEFA has more power than FIFA, and that clubs are telling old Sepp to "stuff it" regarding his "16 clubs maximum" edict from a few weeks back. It's interesting that Blatter feels that the big clubs are only trying to better themselves financially, and to him that's bad. I wonder why Sepp felt that there should be a World Cup every 2 years instead of 4. It certainly couldn't be because FIFA would stand to make a few more bucks now, could it? The comment that all the players are mercenaries was pretty amusing, as well. How many people (of those of you living in the UK) are bothered that Arsenal has only 2 players from England that start regularly? Anyone?
This is the reason why term limits as president should be put into effect at FIFA. Because as long as Africa and the smaller developing footballing nations believe Blatter is fighting for them he will continue to get re-elected.
Actually, I've heard from many people this is why Arsenal is the Team of Evil (tm). Plus that many of those players are French only adds to the dislike. Many of the Brits I know, regard the lack of English players at top teams as a negative.
Was it not the votes of African delegates that got him reelected? At face value these comments are absurd. Think of the school set up in Senegal by Vieira, the heart foundation begun by Kanu? I'm sure there are plenty of other examples of how the interest of top clubs is feeding back into the economy of these countries, even if only in a modest way. Another positive is world exposure. Having players from small countries, playing for the world's biggest clubs, gives them a platform to highlight the situation in their homeland???? Between Blatter and the European Union surely a Super League is just getting closer and closer?
Re: Re: Blatter may have lost his mind Interesting. I really had no idea that people felt that way. Here in Dallas the Mavericks have loads of international players and I don't think it bothers most people. I hate basketball, so I could care less.
I think because of the quality and success of our foreign players, Gooners all over including England are more accepting by far, and are likely followed next by Chelsea supporters, but that feeling is evident among supporters and media in England. I think that concern about those sentiments led us to purchase Wright over Dudek and Jeffers over any number of foreign strikers in the summer of 2001. There is clearly an issue of nationalism here. ManU is viewed as an English club through-and-through despite the presence of Cantona, Schmiechel, Kanchelskis, and Solskajer to name but a few. They have gained this reputation from the youth system the had that purple patch(Beckham, Scholes, Butt, the Nevilles) and players from Wales(Giggs, Hughes), Ireland(Keane) and Northern Ireland(O'Shea) pawned off as English-more than French players anyway. The irony is that the Arsenal sides that won at Old Trafford in 98 and 02 had MORE genuinely English players and more English internationals in the side. But we are talking ManU here...The media bias against Arsenal is clearly down to the French influence at Highbury if you read articles closely. I have seen pieces encouraging Wenger and Vieira to leave and take the fellow countrymen with them. No joke-James Lawton said this of Wenger in the Independent and a so-called journo in the Sun of Vieira some time back. This attitude is for the most part on the wane depending on the region and club but does still exist, and quite clearly explains supporters patience with Jeffers I think when clearly his chronically injured ankle had permanently stunted his progress as a top striker to our detriment...
Re: Re: Re: Blatter may have lost his mind Nash-Canada Nowitzki- Kraut Najera- Mexico Abdul-Wahad - France Bradley- (german national team) ya know coach, i thought we had more international players... and i do love basketball... coming home next week to see my mavs!!! will be in dallas if y'all are still doin the watching at trinity hall~
When are you coming in next week? I'll be on the road Christmas Day through the 27th (Got to go to North Carolina and pick up the "Little Coach" from his mom's. Maybe the next weekend, perhaps?