So how does it all work out? You have four European superpowers with their cashcow Champions League lined up vs the united and closely aligned South America. Who are the ones to get squeezed in the middle?
Nope. He is from Switzerland, which as it seems you don't realize where it is : is that beautiful small country that is right in the middle of Europe with no beaches, where as a side note, is also where Uefa and FIFA's headquarters actually are. Why do you think, they got seeded instead of you guys last WC ? ; and got France (to satisfy his opponent Platini) as the 2nd Uefa team in that group against 2 other teams, which also happened to be the worst teams in their respective Confeds. While at the same time, both Uefa finalists from the previous WC, had to play in the same group, together with us (not a past finalist, but still another R16 team from the previous WC). And not only us in group B, group G had 4 teams whom all made it past R16 in 2010, and group D had 3 past WC champions in it. They fvked us all, into it.
Take away from their clubs, all those players who come from abroad (most of which if not allowed to play for their NT's at the WC, will not only get mad at their clubs, but also score on themselves just to prove their point), and that "cashcow" Champions league, would end being the most bizarre tournament of the world. Most likely, some club probably from Malta or San Marino, would end wining it, as they must be among the few Uefa countries where their clubs are formed basicly on Uefa local players (maybe they have 1 or 2 non-Uefa foreigners as well). All the prime clubs in Uefa, depend on their foreign players, mostly coming from South America and Africa. Btw, I think you don't know much about South America. We are anything, but never closely aligned countries. The only common issue here, is that all of us are tired of getting fvckd-up by one or other Uefa FA's, an issue where we can find lots of common grounds with countries all around the world, and where to your disappointment, we actually still manage to put many of your Uefa teams in shame playing the game (back in the 80's we weren't in the position we actually hold, so Uefa fvked us each time there was an increase in the WC spots, so Uefa almost doubled their previous berths (from 1978 WC and before), getting even more "extra" berths than any of the other Confeds got for themselves, while we only got 1,5 extra spots, in the same time). If maybe, 90 % of those "extra" spots would have been fairly distributed to the other 4 lesser confeds, leaving not more than 2 or 3 extra spots for Uefa, we wouldn't be having this debate now, but as it happened and stil happens nowdays, we are having it. Not any more, or at least not without fighting for it with words, backing it up with results of almost every one of our teams that makes it to the WC (an issue, where Uefa can't say the same on behalf of themselves).
You forget something else. South American armies fought not as often against each other. They committed crimes against their own people, for the most part not versus other countries. Nationalism is an European invention and product, then subsequently exported with mixed success to other continents. South America shares a common language, a common religion. There's a greater likelihood that an European will support or like a South American team as the other way around. That is the situation.
Can you name an UEFA executive similar to the Grondona you praise above? http://www.goal.com/en/news/585/arg...i-removed-doping-tests-in-argentina-australia http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...tina-took-drugs-1994-World-Cup-qualifier.html Any UEFA executive with similarities?
Argentina is hardly a FIFA ally. Colombia, Chile and Urugugay are not vassal states, whatever that means. I expect Colombia to win a WC in the next twenty years, they have the talent and population to do so.
What are you talking about ? Almost everyone down here has had at least one war, against each neighboring country. Our territory limits have never ceased changing, which also includes oceanic limits, since we got our independence from Spain. Most of us, are filled with xenophobics (not racism, though) against the people of neighboring countries or even against those who come a little more distant from beyond. We laugh at each others looks, how each other talks (even as most of us talks the same language), what we eat, almost everything that identifies each ones of our diferent nations. We may even have the same issues against people within our own countries. Strangely none of these xenophobics becomes important in regards to people from elsewhere round the world, as we almost all accept them better than what we can accept each one of us, inside South America. You think nationalism is something only existent in Europe. Take a trip down here, stay for at least a year and only then you will learn what nationalism actually is. Whatever exists in Europe regarding it, is like peanuts compared to what exists here in South America. Fortunately, most South American countries aren't very rich and have a very hard time trying to grow and develop, so we can't afford the acquisition of much weapons, or else we would be fighting against each other most of the time. Back here, if any country buys a ship or a warplane, all the neighbours will accuse them of starting an armament race (it's total madness) The only common ground for all of us here, is football. We love it when it is played right, no matter whom does it. And as most of us here plays it right (giving respect to the ball), we enjoy it the same if it is at a NT level, where the diferences between each other aren't so big, as they happen to be in other parts of the world. That's the reason why most of us will support another South American team when they confront an opponent diferent than us (although there is some nationalism issues regarding the 2 biggest fish here, where they will always support the opponent, no matter from where they might be. Believe me, the ones whom most enjoined the semifinal match Germany vs. Brazil, last WC weren't the germans, but the argentines. Brazil had their payback at the final match). If we see great football, coming from elsewhere, we will enjoy it the same. Now when playing for important things between each other, those nationalistic issues may arise from nowhere, between both opponents (all FA's down here know perfectly well that fan bases from both teams have to be perfectly separated inside and outside the stadiums, and get both fan groups separated, even after the match has ended, as they may clash violently inside or outside. Of course total numbers for each team, comes important This is another reason, why playing at home gives teams advantage over the opponents, as fear can play its part. Some countries here, don't even allow their opponent players to sleep the night before the games take place, if they arrive a few days before the match takes place. You can always seek for yourself what can happen if some reporters from the opponent team, start saying and inventing all sort of stuff related to the society of the home team (if it is South American) at the WC, days before the match is actually played as what happened to Italy in the 1962 WC, in what is officially known as "The battle of Santiago" (very sad chapter, but basicly nationalism in its full extent, associated to a football match). Easy. An even more corrupt than whatever Grondona could have ever been : sir Stanley Rous Although as a diference to Grondona, he was president of FIFA for 13 years, time where he managed to help his home team win the WC : English referee for quarters match between Germany vs. Uruguay, with german referee for quarters match between England vs. Argentina. Both referee's expelled some players from Conmebol teams to help their teams get out from it, after both Euro teams only achieved scoreless draws against the same diferent teams at group phase (the english referee defeated the german referee by expelling one more player than him). Besides, in that WC, doping controls started being executed by FIFA and when 3 players from the german squad resulted positive on the use of ephedrine (same substance that caused Maradona's ban in 1994), the great Beckenbauer being one of them, FIFA didn't do anything on them and allowed them to continue playing as if nothing had happened (maybe if Germany would've won that final match, they would've acted diferently). http://www.dw.de/doping-in-football-a-taboo-subject/a-17026060 As a last thing, everyone knew that he was for racism and not against it. African countries had a very big battle with him, for his support to South Africa with their appartheid, which finally gave way against his will to finally ban them.
I think @Puck means that Blatter was in cahoots with Grondona, of course no longer an issue as Grondona is gone.
Oh and one other thing, regarding corrupt FIFA officials. Joao Havelange, might have been from Conmebol, but he actually wasn't a pro Conmebol man as Grondona was in his lifetime. The only team for which Havelange had some simpathy was for his home team, Brazil. I believe he was firmly against everybody else around here, because this "sucker" only had one thing in his mind, which was to win more money, and as Conmebol were basicly poor, he would get nothing of his interest from them, so he focused where he could actually win more money for FIFA, and of course for himself. Blatter learned the business from him in his position a general secretary, during Havelange's reign. Fortunately, we had Grondona, whom always was the spine sticking into Havelange's skin. If there wouldn't have been a Grondona to stand against him and afterwards to stand against Blatter, we might probably have nowdays only one spot for the WC or half of it, like OFC. Grondona was corrupt as well, but at least he did a great job defending his Confedaration at FIFA. Nicolas Leoz, as head of Conmebol, was against both of them, as he probably wanted to enrich himself the way Havelange did, but also supported Grondona defending Conmebol's interests.
Totally agree, I sort of said something similar, what the Euro pansies are affraid of is that if their allocation is reduced, their team may never ever qualify for the WC again. The top 5 or 6 will remain constant - Germany, Italy, Holland, Spain, France - and the Englands and the Portugals of this world will maybe qualify once every 20 years or so. THAT IS WHAT THEY`RE CACKING THEIR PANTS ABOUT, THEIR TEAMS WILL NOT QUALIFY!
How does this refute what I said previously? I said: Germany had since 1960 always one or multiple figures in the exclusive & powerful FIFA Excom (the most important decision maker within FIFA), with the sole exception of the 1998-2002 period. The other two countries, without exception, are Brazil and Argentina.
It doesn't refute what you said. You specifically asked for an Uefa executive, whom share similarities to Grondona, and I gave you sir Stanley Rous and what he did at office.
Difference is that Stanley Rous didn't do it himself. He was responsible, arguably, but he didn't give the orders and didn't take the initiative. Unlike Grondona, who himself took the initiative and distributed the orders (which he himself admitted). Plausible deniability
So ? Not because someone has to admit being guilty of wrongdoing, means that he is not guilty of what was done before. Till now, Havelange hasn't recognized any wrongdoing, but everyone knows perfectly well how corrupted he was. Bin Hamman, even up to nowdays insists he was innocent of what was charged on him, that got him banned from FIFA. Does that also give him credit for plausible deniability ? In any case, you din't ask for someone who was exactly the same as Grondona. You asked for someone whom shared similarities, and "similarities" imply that there are some things in common, but not necessarily the same.
Forget Rous and all the other corrupt turds. Let`s move this debate on to see HOW we would reduce the Euro allocation. Logistics is what they fear. Currently the winner of nine Euro groups qualify along with 4 runners up via a play off. Just cut the 4 runners up spots and youre down to 9 spots - why should those that cant even win their group qualify, it doesnt happen in any other Confederation? After that, create 8 slightly larger groups and cut the Euro spots to 8 maximum. Easy. COME ON FIFA, CUT RACISM OUT of FOOTBALL BY FAIRLY ALLOCATING WC PARTICIPATION EQUALLY TO CONTINENTS LIKE ASIA and AFRICA.
Yeah let's do this - will be fun to see either Argentina or Brazil staying at home + the other also-rans. 8 teams from Europe and 1 team from Conmebol, 1 from Concacaf etc... - I can live with that.
HaHa typical Euro apologist - this will be the formula for Europe, not elsewhere. And trying to change the subject will not get you anywhere. 8 Teams for Europe first then we can discuss the other continents later, they are not linked i.e. we have to sort out the European greedy cowardly weasel joke situation first (which you represent) and then fine tweak other continents after, they are not mutually dependent LOL! Nice try I`m sure you think the debate will just go away if you make stupid sarcastic remarks, or ask stupid question but it wont.! It`s an irresistible surge towards equal rights for other continents, there is nothing you can do but cry and stick your hands down your underpants at nights and hope it will all go away if you ridicule it. COME ON FIFA, KICK RACISM OUT OF THE WORLD CUP! It`s FIFA policy come on `Just Do It`.
The fact is there a around 200 FAs around the world, only 50 or so in Europe, so you will be outvoted by 3 to one. EUFA quite clearly do not believe in equality, will they be exposed as anti-dmeocratic as well? Watch this space. Come on FIFA, do the right thing.
Not cool. If you feel the need to insult people, take it to the "dumb people's" thread. http://forums.bigsoccer.com/forums/world-rivalries.160/ "Home of the dumbest post threads."