The FIFA row...

[Jaded]

not really a bad deal for the Irish in the end

Money vs a place at the World Cup 

[caerau]

From a fans perspective that's terrible, from the governing body, not so sure long term.


Freebie Wembley?  Probably not a bad deal for the Englsh Fa consider it cost over a billion.

[Jakob]

not really a bad deal for the Irish in the end

Money vs a place at the World Cup 

I still don't get what the FAI could have done. Sue FIFA for what?.

[pcolbeck]

not really a bad deal for the Irish in the end

Money vs a place at the World Cup 

I still don't get what the FAI could have done. Sue FIFA for what?.

I think they were going to claim the ref had been got at by FIFA to ensure France went through. It was a a blatant double hand ball and very offside. Even the French were stunned that the goal was allowed.

[Jaded]

The money was an out of court settlement, so suggests they had a case.

[Mr Larrington]

I think even Thierry Henry was a bit surprised by the outcome.

[sg37409]

There seem to be questions over where the 5M given to FIA went to.   Looks like it could be another case corruption there.  In any event, it was the fans who were shafted by this.

[caerau]

Fans getting shafted is kind of de rigeur in most sports.

[pumpkin]

Fans getting shafted is kind of de rigeur in most sports.

Like booking fees for concerts etc. The great thing is that the fans are queuing up for the shafting and the more expensive the shaft the more they seem to want it (in this country at least). It's not so much a shafting as 'an experience'

[sg37409]

... It's not so much a shafting as 'an experience'

 

[Andrew]

I read the FIFA movie is pretty good.

Some folk taking a pay cheque there.

[pcolbeck]

I don't get all this "its too late to change where the 2018 and 2022 World Cups will be held". It's only a football tournament, most countries in Europe or North and South America have plenty of decent stadiums all ready, its not like they would need to build any.

[Jakob]

not really a bad deal for the Irish in the end

Money vs a place at the World Cup 

I still don't get what the FAI could have done. Sue FIFA for what?.

I think they were going to claim the ref had been got at by FIFA to ensure France went through. It was a a blatant double hand ball and very offside. Even the French were stunned that the goal was allowed.

If they had any real evidence of that, surely they would not have settled for just $5million. 

[Wowbagger]

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jun/05/fbi-investigate-1966-world-cup-greg-dyke

Another elegant article by Marina Hyde. I love her waspish style.

The scale of the FBI takedown of Fifa is vast. England is like a diner in one of the ground-floor restaurants of the Towering Inferno building, wondering how what’s going on upstairs is going to affect its drinks order. Odd how they underplay the fact that England’s bid team gave the wives of the executive committee – their wives! – Mulberry handbags. This isn’t being “above” bribery. It’s being unable to get out of the group stages of bribery.

[sg37409]

This just in...

"Russia & Qatar 'may have bought votes'"

What ?  No way !!!

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/33044932

[mcshroom]

We appear to be out of effluent Mr Holmes

[Andrij]

We appear to be out of effluent Mr Holmes

New keyboard, please! 

[spesh]

We appear to be out of effluent Mr Holmes

LOLz 

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

Far more dramatic than the World Cup.  I bags the film rights.

I think you'll find there are ways of doing that.

Fifa film flops at the box office


If only they had waited..

[Bledlow]

No surprise. It's Sepp Blatter's tribute to himself. Who'd want to watch it?

[pcolbeck]

Anyone else not surprised by this ?

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jun/14/sepp-blatter-stay-fifa-president-swiss-newspaper

I think he will only go if he ends up in jail.

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

So it's Africa and Asia (incl. Russia) vs Europe and the USA.  Should be a good fixture but where to hold it?   We could call it the Sepp Blatter Memorial Challenge.   

[caerau]

Berlin?


*runs away*

[pcolbeck]

It seems we all misunderstood Sepp and that he never resigned at all:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33284185

[sg37409]

Excellent. 

This is going to end well.  He must be a glutton for punishment.