By Andrew Warshaw
February 3 – Just days after dismissing Gianni Infantino’s World Cup promises as pure electioneering, Russian football boss Vitaly Mutko says his federation will support him at the February 26 ballot to succeed Sepp Blatter.
Tass is reporting that Mutko met with Infantino in Moscow and pledged his backing for the current UEFA general secretary.
Federation chiefs have a habit of saying one thing before FIFA elections and doing something else on the day so it remains to be seen whether Mutko, one of Europe’s three representatives on the FIFA executive committee, follows up his pledge by actually voting for Infantino. At the last election in May, it is widely believed that Russia supported Sepp Blatter over Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, who was the European-backed candidate.
Last month, Mutko, whose country hosts the 2018 World Cup, described Infantino’s plan to allow entire regions to stage the tournament as “a campaign idea. I believe that the identity would be lost as well as the holiday of a particular country and culture,” he told Tass.
Infantino is expected to secure the majority of European backing and will be encouraged by Italy also coming out in support of him.
“I know Infantino well. He is competent and reliable,” Italian FA (FIGC) president Carlo Tavecchio said. “I am certain that he is the right man to warrant FIFA the necessary solidity and independence. FIFA needs to start over with young managers and renewed enthusiasm.”
Although he has no vote, former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has emerged as the latest high-profile figure to endorse Infantino’s candidacy.
In a video message, Ferguson said: “In my role as ambassador to UEFA over the last few years I’ve got to know Gianni very well. I must say that all the help he’s given me has been without question really really valuable to me.
“I think he’s got good professionalism, discipline, organisational ability and knowledge of the game and I wish him every success in his quest to be a FIFA president.”
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