Columnists Archives - Page 55 of 78 - Inside World Football

Lee Wellings: Caution needed in di Canio storm

I didn’t think I’d be returning to the subject of racism in football quite this quickly.

But the stories are coming thick and fast as is the political manoeuvring from football’s leaders.

So the last thing that is needed is anything that threatens to dilute the very real, very serious issue of racism in football 2013. Anything that is grey – not black and white – poses a big problem. And yet it seems for each disgusting act from the terraces or on the pitch there is now an inconclusive allegation.

Jean Francois Tanda

Jean Francois Tanda: Oxygen for the people

The moment of truth is approaching. By April 15, the world will get to know how FIFA is going to handle the famous ISL dossier, i.e. the bribes paid to high ranking FIFA officials by its former marketing partner.

It will be a litmus test for FIFA and its reforms. The world is keen to see if FIFA is really serious about cleaning up the mess of the past. If FIFA seriously wants to reboot,

Mihir Bose

Mihir Bose: Why English football cannot get rid of the monkey on its back

The World Cup qualifiers have produced the usual bag of results that make you sit up and take notice. Spain rediscovering their touch with their victory in Paris, Israel suggesting they might become more than a country that makes up the numbers but, inevitably, it was been England that has made all the headlines and the wrong ones at that.

So the common refrain has been why cannot the English play like champions to be?

Lee Wellings

Lee Wellings: Peerless Spain soothe club concerns

When you are as special as world champions Spain, it’s no surprise two games without a win is viewed as a mini-crisis.

But the emphatic response of Vicente del Bosque’s side to World Cup qualification concerns reminds us they are close to football immortality. A fourth consecutive major tournament win in Brazil 2014 would be a simply incredible achievement.

In the spirit of consistency I should reiterate my prediction for how the 2014 tournament will unfold.

Osasu Obayiuwana

Osasu Obayiuwana: Who will untie the Qatari knot?

Whether the Gulf state of Qatar likes it or not, the recurring question of its suitability for hosting the 2022 World Cup is an issue that will just not disappear into the Arabian sunset.

That’s evident from the robust end to the press conference that followed FIFA’s executive committee meeting, in Zurich, last Thursday.

And it’s not just because of the serious allegations of corruption in the bidding process, resurrected by the recent “Qatargate”

Archive

David Owen: Why Valcke can breathe again – but not China

Here are a few preliminary thoughts on the reform proposals approved yesterday by FIFA’s Executive Committee.

1. Jérôme Valcke can breathe again.

The third of the 10 points indicates that the ExCo has headed off a proposal put forward recently by the 53 European FIFA member associations that could, I think, have excluded FIFA’s general secretary from running for the FIFA Presidency.

Mihir Bose

Mihir Bose: Don’t blame Ferdinand blame the structure of football

The Rio Ferdinand saga has once again raised the hoary old question of club versus country, always a potent question in international football, particularly the English game. Over the years this has generated much heat, except in the case of Ferdinand this old story has taken a very modern, and it must be said, fascinating twist.

In the classic battles between club and country the story often went as follows. A player would be called up to play for England.

Lee Wellings

Lee Wellings: Is Mancini fit for City?

Come next season, will Roberto Mancini still be the manager of the world’s biggest spending football club of recent years?

If Manchester City’s owners in Abu Dhabi decide the time has come to move on from Mancini nobody could accuse them of lacking patience or support.

But is Sheikh Mansour among those now taking the view that while Mancini is undoubtedly a good manager, he’s not proving to be a great one?

Osasu Obayiuwana

Osasu Obayiuwana: Without a will, there’s no way to beat Africa’s cheats

During an exchange of correspondence, with a well-known and well-informed personality in refereeing, who’s handled top-level matches in Africa and around the world, including CAF Champions’ League, Cup of Nations and FIFA games, he made a telling statement that left me deeply concerned about how corruption and match-fixing has impacted on the continent.

“It seems an accepted norm in CAF (Confederation of African Football) that people know that bribery exists. But it appears that they cannot or do not want to deal with the matter,”

Archive

The AFC minefield turns toxic

Sadly, the AFC presidential and FIFA Executive Committee elections in Asia promise to deliver another battle-field of smear and grime. Some of the protagonists are set to disappear into their self-made trenches of libel and slander, while one (or two) others are quietly watching from the side-lines at present, but ready to hit the unsuspecting contenders at the opportune moment.

Sri Lankan Vernon Manilal Fernando has been eliminated from proceedings. Temporarily, they say.

Jean Francois Tanda

Jean Francois Tanda: Hard to say I’m sorry

What a story! Loads of Money. Qatar! One tournament every two years. A project including big names such as Barcelona, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Liverpool and the best football players worldwide. What a dream of a football league!

The story run by The Times of London has all the ingredients of a fairy tale for adults. And like the lovely stories for kids, it was freely invented. At least, all available information so far suggests it.

Mihir Bose

Mihir Bose: English football should not turn defeat into disaster

It is always tempting in sport to draw huge global lessons from one defeat or victory. That is a temptation that should be avoided for the simple reason that sporting victories or defeats on their own do not signify vast changes. That only emerges if they are part of a consistent pattern over several seasons.

The most potent example of this was provided by Barcelona. Before their match against A.C. Milan many were prepared to write their obituary.

Lee Wellings

Lee Wellings: Women’s football gets its day

Question; which international defender with over 100 caps had to start their career washing the underwear of Denis Bergkamp and his Arsenal team mates?

Surprise surprise it wasn’t a man. England’s Casey Stoney was a senior player for Arsenal when she had to do laundry to supplement her income.

That was in 1999 so how far have women in football come since then? Well let’s say there’s still work to do on the field –

Osasu Obayiuwana

Osasu Obayiuwana: CAF’s conspiracy of silence is holding Africa back

But for the incontrovertible geographical fact that Marrakech is in Morocco, I would have argued, to the death, that the just concluded Ordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which I attended, took place in Kim Jong Il’s Pyongyang, North Korea.

Speech after speech at the Palais De Congres eulogised its president, Cameroonian Issa Hayatou, who enjoyed the anniversary of his 25th year in power on Sunday, by securing a record seventh four-year term in office.

Archive

David Owen: An Irish team that deserves to be remembered

The island of Ireland is a place where history casts a particularly long shadow.

So perhaps I shouldn’t be as surprised as I am that so few people seem to know about a proud episode in the island’s footballing history that took place 99 years ago.

I first stumbled upon this years ago during one of my periodic trawls through the pages of an old Rothmans football yearbook.

With the centenary approaching,