Sepp Blatter again escapes his markers

Apart from Sunday’s crunch game in Dublin, football fans might be forgiven a small yawn at this week’s European Championship qualifiers.

Maybe the competition between Croatia, Italy and Norway in Group H could turn lively. Serbia badly need a win in Lisbon. Northern Ireland will fancy their chances against the Finns.

But otherwise it looks like being a fairly predictable week, on the pitch at least. Away from the action, among the men in suits, it is a different matter. The jostling for positions and power within Uefa and Fifa is a little like players contending for a corner, with plenty happening off the ball.