October 27 – English Football Association chairman Greg Dyke is back on the offensive over FIFA’s reform process, saying senior officials, including the president, should be restricted to two terms of office.
Since taking over at the helm of English football, Dyke has frequently called for change in Zurich and repeated his stance on BBC radio at the weekend.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who has run the organisation since 1998, has confirmed he will stand for a fifth term in May next year. But there are voices within the FIFA hierarchy – including members of the current executive committee – who believe that is too long and that restricting term limits, one of the reform recommendations that has not been implemented, should be further addressed.
“Two terms is probably as long as anyone should do in that job,” Dyke said. “You need change and it’s hard to get change if you don’t change the president.”
Dyke and Blatter have endured an awkward relationship in recent months and the former’s latest comments are unlikely to bring about a rapprochement.
“The FA made it very clear we didn’t think he should have stood again (in 2011),” Dyke said. “We did think he stood last time on the basis that would be his last term and therefore we needed another candidate.
“I think there’s a possibility another serious candidate emerges. I think their chances of getting in are not great. I think Blatter will be there for another four years.”
In terms of serious candidates, the strongest currently in the wings looks likely to be Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein of Jordan who, although keeping quiet to date on whether he will declare, would likely command regional support within the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) as well as a strong anti-Blatter European vote.
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