International Football
FIFA ELECTION: INFANTINO’S WOULD BE CHALLENGER, RAMON VEGA THROWS A BOMB
BY PAUL NICHOLSON.
It is harder to get five nominations for the FIFA presidency than it is to get 100 votes in the election, said Ramon Vega, who is putting together a challenge for the top job at the world governing body. To him, it is democracy versus fear when it comes to FIFA election.
Vega has spent his own money travelling the world lobbying for his candidature and says that while he has a lot of support there is a real “fear” by federations, especially within the smaller ones, that FIFA’s president and his iron-fisted executive will punish them if they are seen to question his rule.
Asked whether he has his five member association nominations for the presidency he laughs. “Spiritually and philosophically I have 106, actually perhaps a bit less, but it is a significant number. That of course is meaningless if I don’t have the first five and we are close – we just need a little bit more bravery,” said Vega.
Asked if he could win he said: “Look, sometimes it is not just about winning and losing. Of course I think I could win but there needs to be some time for people to get to know me better and what I would do within FIFA if I was elected. They need to get that chance and then decide for themselves.
“First we need to get on the ballot sheet and let’s see who has the courage to be one of those five penalty takers. I think I know who they are, perhaps we will have a few more,” he said.
“What I promise is that FIFA would become a welcoming, transparent and fair organisation that would put football first. And I think federations would find that they have more money, not less, and delivered in a fairer way with more support.”
Vega keeps returning to theme of democracy and transparency. Two concepts that have always been a challenge for FIFA.
“What is needed is that their needs to be a challenge and a debate on the future of world football. At the moment power is concentrated in too few hands who reinforce their power in uncomfortable ways because the structure has been circumvented to allow this. I have met very few federations who are happy with this. It is easier to stand up as part of a bigger group to debate. Being one of the first five takes a bit more courage.
“I know that many federations live in fear of FIFA because that is where they get their money. It is their lifeblood, it is how they finance their football and their people. I understand this but sometimes people have to be a little brave and stand up for what they really belive and make a difference. They need to look at themselves a little bit and ask some tough questions.”
Asked about the use of the money sloshing around in the organisation, he said: “The money is not the problem – money does not have a character, trust me, I know, I have been an investment banker. It is the characters that control that money and how they control it where there is danger. We saw that problem in FIFA before – people went to prison. We must not let this pattern repeat itself.”
“FIFA must be a democracy, it shouldn’t be afraid to debate its future openly and with transparency. Only that way will it be a truly world game. I don’t think you could honestly call it a world game now. Too many people have lost their voices or had them removed,” he continued.
“I do think you could call it a playground for global politics and that is getting worse. This is very worrying for the sport. For many of the people I have spoken to it really is time for them to stand up and be counted but sometimes you just have to ask the questions and send a message.” There is little doubt Vega has sent a message.
- Paul Nicholson writes for insidewordfootball.com
International Football
Former Brazil coach Tite taking break to take care of mental, physical health
Former Brazil coach Tite said he is taking an indefinite career break in order to take care of his mental and physical health.
The 63-year-old, who led Brazil to the 2019 Copa America title, was hospitalised due to a heart issue last August. He was sacked by Flamengo the following month and had most recently been linked with the Corinthians job.
“I realised that there are times when you have to understand that, as a human being, I can be vulnerable and admitting that will certainly make me stronger,” Tite said in a statement posted on his son Matheus Bachi’s Instagram on Tuesday.
“I’m passionate about what I do and I’ll continue to be so, but after talking to my family and observing the signals my body was giving off, I decided that the best thing to do now is to take a break from my career to look after myself for as long as it takes.
“As has become public, there was a conversation in progress with Corinthians, but it will have to be paralysed by a difficult but necessary decision.”
Tite, who stepped down as Brazil coach after their quarter-final exit from the 2022 World Cup, has previously coached a string of Brazilian sides including Gremio, Atletico Mineiro and Palmeiras.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Brazil have sacked head coach Dorival Jr, the country’s football confederation (CBF) said on Friday after the five-time world champions were thrashed 4-1 away to fierce rivals Argentina in a humiliating qualifying loss in Buenos Aires.
The 62-year-old was appointed in January 2024 after the team spent a year under two caretaker coaches as the Brazilian FA were unable to lure Italian Carlo Ancelotti from Real Madrid.
“The Brazilian Football Confederation informs that coach Dorival Jr is no longer in charge of the Brazilian national team,” the confederation said in a statement.
“The management thanks (Dorival) and wishes him success in continuing his career … the CBF will work to find his replacement,” it added.
Dorival was handed the job after his success with Flamengo in 2022 where he won the Copa Libertadores and Brazilian Cup, a trophy he lifted again the next year with Sao Paulo.
However, he never seemed to get to grips with the national team job and failed to earn the trust of Brazil’s demanding fans after winning only seven of his 16 games in charge.
Sources told Reuters the CBF was not confident in Dorival’s work, considering there had been little to no progress since a lacklustre Copa America campaign when Brazil were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Uruguay last year.
Still, the CBF was willing to wait and see until the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay in June to reassess the situation following the end of the European season and the Club World Cup in the U.S. in June and July.
But after Brazil slumped to their heaviest-ever loss in a qualifier when they were thrashed by Argentina this week, CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues decided to pull the trigger.
IDEAL CANDIDATE
Sources told Reuters Ancelotti was still the ideal candidate but he is under contract with Real until July 2026 and there is no indication he would leave the European and Spanish champions.
Brazilian media have reported that Al Hilal’s Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus is the favourite to replace Dorival.
Brazil have been in unfamiliar territory for over two years since crashing out of the 2022 World Cup against Croatia on penalties in the quarter-finals, a heartbreaking elimination that led to the exit of long-time manager Tite.
Their humbling defeat in Buenos Aires was the latest of a series of negative records Brazil have set under caretakers Ramon Menezes and Fernando Diniz and with Dorival in charge. They had never conceded four goals in a World Cup qualifier.
Brazil are in the midst of their worst-ever World Cup qualifying campaign. They are fourth in the South American standings with 21 points, a point above sixth-placed Colombia who currently occupy the final direct qualifying berth.
Never have Brazil lost so many games, conceded so many goals or set so many negative records in the qualifying competition. They have lost five of their 14 games and conceded 16 goals.
Brazil’s 1-0 defeat by Argentina in the Maracana late in 2023 was their first-ever qualifying loss on home soil.
They also lost to Colombia for the first time, saw the end of their unbeaten run against Uruguay stretching back over two decades and were defeated by Morocco and Senegal, having never previously lost to an African nation.
-Reuters
Follow the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
International Football
England’s German manager Tuchel will not sing the English anthem in his first game
England manager Thomas Tuchel said he would have to “earn the right” to sing the national anthem, God Save the King, after announcing his 26-man squad on Friday ahead of the team’s World Cup qualifiers.
Tuchel, who was appointed as Gareth Southgate’s successor in October and named his first squad to face Albania and Latvia this month, said he would not sing the anthem in his first games in charge.
“It means a lot to me, I can assure you, but I can feel that because it is so meaningful and it is so emotional and it is so powerful, the national anthem, that I have to earn my right to sing it,” the 51-year-old German told a news conference.
Former caretaker manager Lee Carsley was criticised last year for not singing the anthem during his tenure.
However, Tuchel added that while he is proud to be in charge of the team and knows the words to the anthem, he plans to earn the right with results.
“Maybe I have to dive more into the culture and earn my right from you, from the players, from the supporters, so everyone feels like ‘he should sing it now, he’s one of our own, he’s the English manager, he should sing it’,” he said.
-Reuters
Follow the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
- Nigerian Football6 days ago
Financial rainfall awaits Nigeria’s Flamingos for every goal scored in Algeria
- OBITUARY1 week ago
NFF mourns the demise of former FIFA referee, Bosede Momoh
- Nigerian Football6 days ago
Former WAFU President, Ogufere mourns Christian Chukwu
- Nigerian Football1 week ago
Remo Stars maintain ‘7Up’ lead over Rivers United
- feature1 week ago
Ghana’s Cardinal, Appiah Turkson, listed as a possible Pope
- Badminton6 days ago
It’s Nigeria again as Eniola Bolaji wins the 2024 Africa Women in Badminton Award
- CAF Champions League5 days ago
Al Ahly, Sundowns brace for Cairo showdown with final spot on the line
- U-20 FOOTBALL3 days ago
African youth stars chase glory as U-20 AFCON kicks off in Egypt today