Columnists Archives - Page 14 of 77 - Inside World Football

Mihir Bose: Why Platini is the Dauphin, the insider, in the battle to succeed Blatter

The contest to succeed Sepp Blatter could still produce surprises, not least we could have more candidates. Some Africans, aided by European advisers, are still trying to find a heavyweight African, Tokyo Sexwale is the name most often mentioned, to provide a realistic chance of the first black man occupying Blatter’s wonderful House of Football in Zurich. Prince Ali could still stand. But whatever the final list of candidates already the contour of the election is clear.

Archive

Dr Laila Mintas: The Point-Voting-System – FIFA’s election system needs to be reformed

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FIFA has been the subject of relentless criticism and not only since the recent scandals shook the entire football world. There is no doubt that FIFA needs to instigate many-faceted, major reforms of its administration, procedures and structure that will transform different areas of the Football Governing Body’s fundament in order to recapture its credibility and reputation. Up to now, such fundamental alterations have not been visible.

Martin Volkmar: Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder – Germany has lost one of its football elders

Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder, DFB president for many years and a member of the Executive Committee of FIFA and UEFA, passed away on Monday aged 82 years.

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David Owen: François Carrard and the key difference between the IOC and FIFA

Much has been made of the appointment of a veteran of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Salt Lake City crisis to chair the new body charged with drafting a package of reform proposals far-reaching enough to salvage FIFA’s battered reputation.

Matt Scott

Matt Scott: Roman, please may I have another two more players?

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“Thinking to get at once all the gold the goose could give, he killed it and opened it only to find nothing.” The goose with the golden eggs, Aesop

Even John Terry – that Captain, Leader, Legend of Chelsea lore, who would in time make rubble of walls with his bare thighs if his manager so desired – is not superhuman. Eight years ago even he was knocked unconscious on a football pitch,

Andrew Warshaw: In reform can we trust?

Under pressure and backed into a corner? No problem, let’s take the weight off our shoulders by setting up a Task Force, pat ourselves on the back, send it away and hope for the best.

Martin Volkmar: Bundesliga, backpacks and grumpy Spanish men return

Germany’s football fans can at last breath a sigh of relief: after 82 days of rest, the Bundesliga is finally ready to start its new season.

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David Owen: Peak Sheikh? Don’t bank on it

Have we hit peak Sheikh? That was a question being posed in the luxury hotel bars of Kuala Lumpur last week during the 128th International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session.

Matt Scott

Matt Scott: Champions League puts gas in engines of top Premier League clubs

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“Money, it’s a gas/ Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash/ New car, caviar, four star daydream/ Think I’ll buy me a football team…” Pink Floyd, Money

When in 1975 Roger Waters wrote the lyrics to Money, Manchester United belonged to a local meat wholesaler, Louis Edwards. It was still about 15 years before his son Martin accepted a £20 million (€28.7m, $31.2m) bid for the club from a consortium led by Michael Knighton,

Columnists

Lee Wellings: Premier League managers shouldn’t be the stars

There can’t be many parts of the planet where people are not excited by the return of the English Premier League. They are watching from Times Square to Timbuktu. Global interest has made the league a licence to print money for two decades.

Andrew Warshaw: FIFA’s shifting sands turn friends into foes in race for the summit

You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours. But if things don’t work out, I’ll willingly scratch someone else’s. Welcome to the world of shifting allegiances and alliances that have become the hallmark of footballing presidential elections.

Martin Volkmar: Platini and the domino effect

The candidacy of Michel Platini for FIFA president could have far-reaching consequences – especially for German football.

Matt Scott

Matt Scott: Jose is talking piffle. But can he do without the presents of the past?

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“If you add up the amounts clubs have spent in the last three or four years I think maybe you will find a surprise.” Jose Mourinho

Jose Mourinho sat in the press conference with his arms folded. His bottom lip was pouting. This was the face of a child whose daddy had told him he was not allowed a lollipop. For the world’s top managers, and the habitually successful Portuguese is certainly one of them,

Andrew Warshaw: African Cup goes from twilight to limelight in the Sheiky world of Euro politics

As he prepares to show his face on FIFA duty for the first time outside Switzerland since the sky came crashing down on his scandal-tarnished organisation, Sepp Blatter could be forgiven for enjoying a wry smile on the flight to St Petersburg for the 2018 World Cup draw.

Columnists

John Yan: The trouble with instant wealth

Zhang Xizhe has returned to Beijing Guoan Football Club the club that sold him to the Bundesliga club Wolfsburg 166 days ago. He didn’t play a minute for the hugely improved German club, under the price tag of €2 million. Dispritied and tired, he told me that he would never play abroad again.