Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Countries hold the key to football politics

ELEANOR HALL: Now to the furore over international soccer's governing body, FIFA.

The organisation's boss gave a defiant media conference overnight but former FIFA insiders are now calling on Australia to play its part in bringing about reforms.

Britain has already indicated it will abstain from the vote to re-elect Sepp Blatter as FIFA's head this week, and the Federal Opposition is backing the call for Australian soccer authorities to also take a tougher stand.

Simon Santow has the latest.

SIMON SANTOW: Seventy-five-year-old Sepp Blatter didn't sound like a man prepared to make compromises at a FIFA presser in Zurich overnight.

SEPP BLATTER: Crisis? What is a crisis? If somebody - if you were to describe to me what there is a crisis then I would answer. Football is not in a crisis.

SIMON SANTOW: Accused of being in denial and despite the tit for tat corruption allegations of recent weeks, the FIFA boss says the game has never been healthier. And as for the politics?

SEPP BLATTER: We are not in a crisis, we are only in some difficulties and these difficulties will be solved, will be solved inside our family.

SIMON SANTOW: Former FIFA insiders don't see it all the same way.

In an interview with the BBC, Mel Brennan describes how soccer's governing body operates.

MEL BRENNAN: The meetings, the congresses themselves are manifestations of smaller, private interactions across the board. Nothing is decided at the congress, everything is decided before the congress.

So when Warner refers to - and Blazer's evidentiary file - refers to meetings that Bin Hammam and Blatter and others were having at meetings well before this upcoming congress, that's when the real work is being done and the real deals are being made.

SIMON SANTOW: The one time FIFA delegate from the United States has long argued for an overhaul of FIFA.

MEL BRENNAN: From top to bottom, in this framework, interactions and relationships are comprised of bureaucratic political politics. The only thing that'll really forge a long term difference here will be when other stakeholders, the larger, wider stakeholders in the game begin to exert pressure on sponsors and have a sustained campaign to demand something better than what we've been offered.

SIMON SANTOW: The withdrawal of Qatari Mohammed bin Hammam from the race to head up FIFA means that Sepp Blatter is unopposed in seeking another four year term.

Whether all 208 footballing nations get a vote on Wednesday will be up to FIFA.

It's conceivable the ballot will be called off to avoid the likelihood that countries unhappy with Sepp Blatter will use it as a platform to register their dissatisfaction with the pace of reform.

Another former FIFA insider Guido Tognoni told AM Australia can do more to bring about meaningful change.

GUIDO TOGNONI: I mean who is FIFA and who owns FIFA? Two-hundred-and-eight national associations are the owners of FIFA, they are stakeholders. I can only hope that maybe England gets awake, maybe Germany one day, maybe France or even the Americans. They have some reasons to complain - Australia would have a reason to complain.

SIMON SANTOW: The Football Federation of Australia didn't return calls from The World Today.

The Government too has been careful in its commentary on Sepp Blatter and FIFA.

Some say the Sports Minister, Mark Arbib is anxious not to offend in case Australia gets a second chance to host the World Cup.

Luke Hartsuyker, the shadow sports minister, says it's time the hard calls were made.

LUKE HARTSUYKER: Well the current situation at FIFA seems of grave concern and I think that Blatter's comments "crisis, what crisis?" indicated that it's sort of Sir Humphrey Appleby on steroids. Quite clearly there are huge problems there, quite clearly there needs to be massive change in FIFA if the world community is going to have the confidence to invest huge amounts of money in bids in the future.

SIMON SANTOW: FIFA talks about its own family and that only change can come from within the family. Do you agree with that argument?

LUKE HARTSUYKER: The FIFA family is clearly dysfunctional in the extreme if the events of the recent past are any indication. It certainly appears to me that change is not going to effectively come from within, it's going to take massive external pressure.

FIFA really needs to get its house in order. Quite clearly, the world community has had their faith shattered by the recent allegations and it's of concern to soccer fans right round the world.

SIMON SANTOW: And can Sepp Blatter remain in the top job there?

LUKE HARTSUYKER: Well there's certainly dark clouds over every element of the structure of FIFA at the moment.

ELEANOR HALL: That's the Federal Opposition's spokesman on sport, Luke Hartsuyker, ending Simon Santow's report.


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FIFA morally bankrupt: former executive member

PETER CAVE: A former member of FIFA's executive says he expects Sepp Blatter will be re-elected quite possibly without a formal ballot to stop any protest vote.

Guido Tognoni worked for FIFA for 13 years in marketing and as director of competitions.

He's told Michael Vincent that FIFA's cash box is full, but it's morally bankrupt and it's up to national associations like Australia's FFA to help continue what is already a "little revolution".

GUIDO TOGNONI: FIFA is in a crisis, if they are not in a crisis, I do not know what is a crisis regarding sports.

MICHAEL VINCENT: Do you think Sepp Blatter, given he is the only delegate standing, do you think people will abstain as a protest?

GUIDO TOGNONI: No, no they will not, not many will abstain. Mr Blatter will have a wonderful speech, a very emotional speech, he will speak about the unity of FIFA about the FIFA family and so on and so forth as he did always and he will be easily - probably with a standing ovation, he will be confirmed.

MICHAEL VINCENT: A standing ovation.

GUIDO TOGNONI: Yes it will be easy for him.

MICHAEL VINCENT: Where does FIFA go from here then? What would make FIFA change?

GUIDO TOGNONI: The only people who could change are the people from the national associations and so far they always missed these chances. Maybe they wake up now, maybe they force FIFA to go in another direction but the hope is not very big.

MICHAEL VINCENT: The national associations - by that you mean the individual countries that vote for the FIFA presidency?

GUIDO TOGNONI: There are even 208 countries, yes, but I expect from the leading countries to do something more for FIFA. You can not only come to the congress and applaud and have a wonderful time, you should also care about the image of FIFA, about the development of FIFA, not only about the cash box, because cash box is full.

But the moral box is empty and this would create a lot of concerns among the members of FIFA. Under these circumstances already a little evolution but we need much, much more from the side of the national associations.

MICHAEL VINCENT: What about sponsors - Coca Cola has put a statement out to Reuters today saying the current allegations being raised are distressing and bad for the sport but the spokesman goes on to say we have every expectation that FIFA will resolve this situation in an expedient and thorough manner.

GUIDO TOGNONI: Well that's a nonsense statement of course, this is a statement which doesn't mean anything because everybody would say this, that it's not good for the sport, what is happening now with FIFA.

But Coca Cola of course is afraid of course that Pepsi cola will take over and Adidas is afraid that Nike will take over and so there are always big rivals on the market and these rivals, they kill the courage of the other people who have now the contract with FIFA, that's a fact, you know.

And therefore FIFA so far was never bothered by the sponsors but I feel very sorry for that.

MICHAEL VINCENT: So in sum total, you believe that the national associations are in fact to blame for the current state of FIFA if they've allowed it to get to this point? They're the only ones that can make it change.

GUIDO TOGNONI: Absolutely. I mean who is FIFA and who owns FIFA? The 208 national associations are the owners of FIFA, they are the stakeholders. They come together once per year, they say celebrate, have a wonderful dinner or two and then they go back home without thinking about the future of FIFA and without complaining about the bad image of FIFA.

And I can only hope that maybe England gets awake, maybe Germany one day, maybe France or even the Americans they have some reasons to complain. Australia would have a reason to complain.

PETER CAVE: The former FIFA executive member, Guido Tognoni speaking to Michael Vincent.
AM approached the Federal Sports Minister, Mark Arbib to give the Government's view on the corruption scandal engulfing football.

Mr Arbib declined the invitation.

But the Federal Opposition says the time for change at FIFA is now and that reform has to come from outside the organisation.


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Weekend Half Time

The show which aired 29/5/2011

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(duration: 55:19; filesize: 25.2)

Presented by Cameron Green and Sacha Mirzabegian



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Scholes hangs up the boots

Posted May 31, 2011 20:50:00

Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has announced his retirement from football with immediate effect and will join the club's coaching staff.

The 36-year-old made 676 appearances for the club, with his last coming as a a second-half substitute as United lost 3-1 to Barcelona in Saturday's Champions League final at Wembley.

The midfielder won 10 Premier League titles as well as two Champions Leagues and the FA Cup three times in a career spent entirely at United.

There had been growing speculation about his future in recent weeks as he grew dissatisfied with his increasingly bit-part role at Old Trafford.

Announcing his retirement, he said: "This was not a decision I have taken lightly but I feel now is the right time for me to stop playing."

"I am not a man of many words but I can honestly say that playing football is all I have ever wanted to do," he said.

"To have had such a long and successful career at Manchester United has been a real honour.

"To have been part of the team that helped the club reach a record 19th title is a great privilege."

Scholes paid tribute to Alex Ferguson, calling him a "great manager".

"From the day I joined the club his door has always been open and I know this team will go on to win many more trophies under his leadership," he said.

His role within the United coaching set-up has still to be outlined, although there could be an opening available with the reserves, where Warren Joyce has been acting alone since the departure of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Scholes will be granted a testimonial match in August.

"What more can I say about Paul Scholes that I haven't said before," said Ferguson.

"We are going to miss a truly unbelievable player.

"Paul has always been fully committed to this club and I am delighted he will be joining the coaching staff from next season.

"Paul has always been inspirational to players of all ages and we know that will continue in his new role."

Scholes was part of United's "Class of 92", from which David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt and Gary and Phil Neville also emerged. Gary Neville also ended his United career this season.

Scholes won 66 England caps and played at the 1998 and 2002 World Cups, but retired from international football in a shock announcement in 2004 at the age of 29.

England coach Fabio Capello tried in vain to persuade him to return for last year's World Cup.

-AFP

Tags: sport, football, english-premier-league, united-kingdom, england


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Sports Handicapping - Secret of Sport Handicapping


Article Outline: Sports handicapping has become as popular as sports. Betting on the local football or basketball game is a fairly common practice. Here's a closer look and brief outline about what professional sports handicapping really is and how it works.

Sports handicapping is not restricted to any particular sport although it takes place more commonly in popular sports like NFL football, major league baseball, and even college basketball games. Most of these championships take place at a certain time of the year and this is when the bookies from all over the country hold center stage. Millions of dollars are made and millions more are lost. This is the truth of sports handicapping.

Sport Handicapping in College Football:

Let us look at College football for example. College football handicapping is considered to be one of the toughest in sports handicapping, as you would have to keep up with the action within the complete day. Today football handicapping, especially on College football teams, is being looked at as one of the most popular form of sports handicapping. In College football handicapping, the popular bet or the most common is always the straight bet, which is laid on a particular/single team. Before you place the bet, you need to identify and do a detailed study of the key factors that will determine the result. The key factors include point spread, an injury to an important player in the team, the coach and his relationship with the team, the strategies employed by a coach more often etc.

You will have to make your pick of a college football team, which might be the hot favorites or the underdogs. In sports gambling, you will most likely have to lay juice or points when you make a bet. Let us look at a college football wagering example: If Colorado is playing Nebraska and they are a 6 ½ point favorite then Nebraska will have to win by a minimum of 7 points for you to win your bet. Of all the other sports, college football games draw maximum crowds and on any given day or night, even the best of teams can lose to the underdogs. That's the unpredictability of any sport. So what is the best way to handle sports handicapping effectively?

The Secret of Sport handicapping:

Let me share the secret of sports handicapping with you...whether it is football handicapping or another sport, you need to look at the following aspects very carefully:

How profitable is the situation: This is the first and foremost thing to look at. Football handicapping or basketball handicapping will require you to be in control of the situation, to understand where each team stands and what the odds against them are. If you look at the statistics carefully then you might find that there is a team that has an advantage over all the others in almost all categories or situations. Hence betting on that team might be relatively safe. Know this will help you with handicapping your next sporting event.

Attention to handicapping details: Different sports have different requirements and details. If you are considering football handicapping for instance then you would need to focus on the different betting lines and the football spreads. In the NCAA football lines, if you bet money line on an underdog then you will be rewarded nicely. So using the college football line as a part of football sports handicapping, you can get a payback of $170 if you bet $100. Your risk will be for $100, which is less than $170 as opposed to the situation where you bet on a hot favorite.

Sport Handicapping Statistics: It is important to be always updated with the latest and right statistics because even the smallest point difference can lead to the biggest win or loss in sports handicapping.

Situational Sports Handicapping: It is important to always be aware of any given situation between two sports teams. The sports event underdog may have more motivation to win a particular game then the favorite voted to win which could leave to the inevitable upset.

Additionally to these guidelines, while handicapping any sporting event you should follow your knowledge of the game and what your intuition or common sense says. A sports handicapper should be pretty clear and confident over the option of his bet. If you are an individual making a bet for the first time, don't wager big. It can lead to unexpected snags. Remember, it takes time to learn and develop sports handicapping skills.

If you follow the above guidelines then you will be prepared to make some extra cash this up and coming NFL football season.








Roger Disantos is a Sport Handicapping expert and a Sport Picks enthusiast from Kansas City.
Links: Sport Handicapping http://www.atswinners.com
Links: Sport Picks (http://www.atswinners.com/footballpicks.html)


Besieged Blatter denies FIFA in crisis

Updated May 31, 2011 09:48:00

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has denied soccer's governing body is in crisis, saying his organisation would solve any "difficulties" internally and that there were no issues with the 2018 or 2022 World Cups.

"Crisis, what is a crisis?" Blatter told a news conference following an executive committee meeting.

"Football is not in a crisis," said Blatter, who is due to stand unopposed for a fourth term as president on Wednesday after his opponent Mohamed bin Hammam withdrew amid cash-for-votes allegations.

"We have just seen a beautiful Champions League final with Barcelona, with fair play.

"Football is in some difficulties and they will be solved inside our family."

FIFA has been dogged by corruption allegations since the vote last year to stage the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in Russia and Qatar respectively, leading to widespread calls for reform.

But Blatter said there were no issues with either tournament.

"The World Cup in 2018 is not touched by that, neither is the 2022 World Cup in Qatar," he said.

Blatter was cleared of any wrongdoing by an ethics committee meeting which handed out provisional bans to bin Hammam and executive committee member Jack Warner, a long-term Blatter ally. Bin Hammam has stated he will appeal his ban.

Blatter said: "I regret what has happened in the last few days and weeks.

"There has been great damage to the image of FIFA and especially a lot of disappointment for football fans."

He said Wednesday's election could only be cancelled with the approval of 75 per cent of FIFA's congress, which consists of 208 national associations.

"If somebody wants to change something in the election on Wednesday, these are the members of FIFA," he said.

Blatter also said there was no case to answer against four FIFA executive committee members accused of corruption during a British parliamentary hearing this month.

FIFA received a report from the English Football Association concerning the allegations against Ricardo Teixeira, Nicolas Leoz, Jack Warner and Worawi Makudi.

"We can confirm there are no elements in this report which would even report any proceedings, but for the sake of transparency we will agree a comprehensive summary of this report," Blatter said.

He also said there had been no evidence from The Sunday Times newspaper over allegations that Issa Hayatou and Jacques Anouma had been paid to vote for Qatar's 2022 World Cup bid.

"We have not received any evidence whatsoever from the Sunday Times or from any announced whistleblower with regards to allegations against Hayatou and Anouma, therefore the same," he said.

FIFA sponsor adidas reacted to the controversy.

"Adidas has a very long and successful partnership with FIFA, which we are also looking forward to continue," a spokesman said.

"Having said that, the negative tonality of the public debate surrounding FIFA is neither good for football nor for FIFA and its partners."

-Reuters

Tags: sport, football, switzerland

First posted May 31, 2011 05:48:00


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