By Andrew Warshaw
April 8 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter has appointed a former British tabloid journalist to help him win a fourth term of office by beating Asia’s Mohamed Bin Hammam at the presidential election on June 1.
Despite a long-established frosty relationship with the British media, highlighted by the recent World Cup corruption scandal exposed by both print and television outlets, Blatter has taken on Brian Alexander (pictured), who recently joined London-based public relations company Square 1 Consulting after 13 years at the BBC, to help his image.
Alexander has been sports editor at three English national newspapers, including The Sun where he came up with one of the famous headlines in British journalism, turning the then England manager Graham Taylor into a turnip.
For the past four years he has been presenting and creating a series of Sport Specials, including agenda-leading investigations and interviews with some of the biggest names in world sport, including with Blatter.
“I’ve got to know him quite well and I’ve always got on well with him,” said Alexander.
Blatter has remain tight-lipped about his strategy since Bin Hammam, head of the Asian FootbAll Confederation, announced he was challenging the 75-year-old Swiss for the top job in world football despite having supported Blatter in 1998 and 2002.
One of Alexander’s first tasks will be to try and win over the English Football Association who are still undecided about who to vote for despite FA chairman David Bernstein being visited by Blatter at Wembley earlier this week.
There is still resentment stemming from England’s humiliating defeat in the 2018 bid vote won by Russia last December, and the FA have asked both presidential contenders for their respective manifestos.
Blatter is due to meet officials from Belize, Guatemala and Costa Rica in the coming few days.
The timing of his visit is significant since CONCACAF holds its annual congress in Miami in early May when member federations are expected to decide which candidate to support.
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