There are more important issues at stake for Sepp Blatter and Mohamed bin Hammam, such has been FIFA's descent into disrepute and worse, but when it comes down to it, these are two men competing for the right to run soccer. And nowadays, it seems that soccer -- the actual game, as opposed to its commercial exploitation or the issues arising from its maladministration -- is the last thing on the minds of its powerbrokers.
Caring about soccer goes far beyond proposing the introduction of goal-line technology. The rampant commercialisation of the game is seen as inevitable, but the proliferation of matches, always in the pursuit of bigger broadcast contracts and sponsorship deals, is a serious problem. FIFA, under Blatter, has set aside a barely credible 15 dates for international fixtures in 2013, a record for a non-World Cup year. Bin Hammam's answer? Even more friendly dates, so that national associations can raise more revenue. Great work, guys.
Why will next year's FA Cup final clash with the penultimate weekend of the Premier League season? Because the season has to be compressed to allow for the European Championship finals and the Premier League insists on all 20 teams playing on the final weekend.
Why does the Premier League not adjust its fixture list so that matches can be played earlier? Because there is no space, such are the restrictions caused by European soccer, international soccer and by domestic cup competitions.
The FA had the perfect opportunity to ease this situation during its recent review of the FA Cup. It considered scrapping replays but decided against it, partly on the grounds that its broadcasting contracts are swelled by the prospect of replays and partly in the belief that the onus should not be on it to ease the pressure brought on by European and international expansion.
Soccer's calendar is a mess and, while the focus in England is often on the "betrayal" of the FA Cup, the international game is suffering most of all. After last summer's World Cup, widely derided as the worst in history, Blatter set up a task force to try to make tournaments more attractive. The 22-person task force includes not a single current player and only one present coach (Marina Sbardella, a former journalist who works with the Italy women's team). In the meantime, FIFA has voted to hold the 2022 tournament in Qatar, where the heat rises to 50C (122F) in June. Again, great work, guys.
THE TIMES
No comments:
Post a Comment