Hard not to be cynical about FIFA chiefs’ motivations

Saturday, November 21, 2009

ROBBIE Keane was spot on to question the motivations of messrs Blatter and Platini after Ireland’s heartbreaking defeat to France on Wednesday night.

No doubt the powers of world football are delighted that France, with a population of 60 million-plus and thus far more attractive in terms of marketing, is on it’s way to South Africa and a ‘backwater’ 1like Ireland is left out of the party.

One cannot but be cynical about FIFA’s motivations, from it’s well criticised U-turn on seeding the play-off draw to the events on Wednesday night.

Fair play? It appears that much-vaunted FIFA principle is applied on a case-by-case base.

On a slightly wider point, Thierry Henry’s handball and the massive repercussions it has had has re-opened the debate on bringing in some sort of video referee, a la rugby. What reasoned arguments can be put forward against such a move? Again, it’s hard not to be cynical as to why this hasn’t been introduced heretofore.

And ‘luck of the Irish’? Whoever coined such a phrase must firmly have had tongue-in-cheek.

Brendan Corrigan
Creevy
Lisacul
Ballaghaderreen
Co Roscommon

This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Saturday, November 21, 2009