By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent, in Dubai
April 9 – If Yousuf Al Serkal wins the race to become the new boss of Asian football at next month’s election, expect him to throw his powerful voice behind the growing calls to switch the 2022 Qatar World Cup to the winter.
“If FIFA decide to change the timing, it would be a good idea,” said Al Serkal, head of the United Arab Emirates federation, in what was one of the most forthright pro-winter comments to date from any leading football administrator from the Gulf region.
“I myself, and it is only a personal opinion, from my experience in this region I know it is very hot and the players will not perform their best at the top level,” he added. “This will affect the image of the game. If it took place in January, this is the best time of the year that we have in this part of the world. It would be a good decision.”
Al Serkal’s response will not be lost on Hassan al-Thawadi, organiser of the 2022 World Cup whose bid for a seat on FIFA’s executive committee will be put to the vote at the same time as the ballot for Asian Football Confederation president in Kuala Lumpur. Al-Thawadi has said many times that he would happily abide by whatever decision FIFA makes regarding 2022 but is clearly not likely to make the first move for fear of undermining Qatar’s position.
Worawi Makudi (Thailand), Hafez Ibrahim Al Medlej (Saudi Arabia) and Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa (Bahrain) are the other three candidates fighting Al Serkal for the right to run Asian football until 2015. Although Sheikh Salman believes he is the front-runner, Al Serkal is lobbying fiercely to edge ahead in the final stages. “I will not give out numbers now but I am very confident I will win both from the promises I have been given and my contacts with the federations,” he said.
How many times have we heard that before? How many times have we heard candidates proclaiming pre-election hopes of victory, only for their supposed “friends” to switch allegiance when it comes to the crunch.
Al Serkal has enough experience to understand how apparent supporters can switch camps at the last moment but doesn’t believe it will happen to him. He believes his campaign to end all the political in-fighting will ultimately bear fruit.
“In the campaigning for such a post we do receive a lot of confirmation from a lot of federations and I have received enough confirmations to make me feel comfortable,” he said. “I believe that whoever has promised me meant it. I will introduce the kind of governance that does not exist in the AFC right now.”
If Al Serkal does manage to squeeze over the line, he may well end up needing the backing of Al Medlej and his backers. The Saudi outsider is widely expected to withdraw from the race to prevent the western Asian vote being split. “I’ve heard him hinting towards it, but he did not come out clearly and say it,” said Al Serkal.
“I’ve been following the campaigns of the different candidates and he has not been doing that much which gives an indication that he will withdraw closer to the date. If he does withdraw I’m sure he will be supporting me because we have a very good relationship.”
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