By Andrew Warshaw
December 4 – FIFA Pesident Sepp Blatter has re-opened his feud with English football by saying the country has still not come to terms with losing out on the 2018 World Cup.
In an interview with a Swiss newspaper a year after the votes for 2018 and 2022 World Cups, won by Russia and Qatar respectively, Blatter says England are no longer the power they once were.
Despite efforts by the English Football Association (FA) to build bridges since abstaining when Blatter was re-election unopposed for a final four-year term, he feels there is still lingering resentment.
“In the 60s and 70s, the great sporting federations were in the main British,” Blatter told Matin Dimanche
“It’s no longer the case.
“The English have lost power and, most recently, the 2018 World Cup.
“They were very keen, more than for the Olympics.
“They thought that football should have come home.
“The World Cup was theirs by right.
“When they came here with [David] Beckham, Prince William and Prime Minister [David] Cameron, they were certain of winning.
“They got two votes.
“Afterwards they looked for any and every possible excuse to explain away their defeat.”
Recently, Blatter caused outrage in England when he was quoted as saying that any incidents of racism on the field should be settled by a handshake.
He later apologised for causing any offence.
During the interview with Matin Dimanche, the 75-year-old Swiss refused to associate himself with the scandals that have engulfed so many of his Executive Committee.
While he had been elected by Congress, he said, the other 23 members had come from their Confederations “and when they come to Zurich they put their own interests first.”
A case in point of self-interest, he said, came when awarding the 2010 World Cup to South Africa.
“First, when I wanted to convince the ExCo, I found I was on my own,” he said.
“Nobody believed in it and everyone thought, for one thing, we would lose a lot of money.
“In fact, we have never made such a surplus from a World Cup, not only FIFA – all of our 203 member associations profited financially from the success of the World Cup in 2010.
“The other lonely moments were when I came up for my re-election in 2002 in Seoul, before the World Cup in Korea and Japan.
“There was such a vicious atmosphere I cannot describe it.
“That year, standing up in front of Congress, I truly felt on my own.
“Fortunately I have developed an internal strength, a little voice which urges me forward all the time.
“My daughter, Corinne, has said to me: ‘Why do you keep going? But I must go on: I haven’t finished my mission.”
And when he has, Blatter gave his strongest support yet for UEFA president Michel Platini to succeed him.
“Platini is destined for the highest role in football,” he said.
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