Why we shouldn’t forget the positives achieved by Uefa and Fifa

 

 

By Christophe Jost

The thing about FIFA and UEFA is that they redistribute most of the gazillions they earn – and the jetsetting of Infantino and co is just a drop in the water when you consider the amounts.   So even the African clubs who have been hard hit by the refereeing, politics, etc, will still vote for Infantino because…

a) The FIFA money paid to the federations and all the money paid to all the members of said federations for this congress or that conference make sure they know what they do.
b) What is left does end up converted into soccer fields, youth movements, etc even after the endless grifting.
c) Infantino presided over a time of money growth by ‘inventing’ new formulas, competitions, revenue streams and getting the WC to unlikely countries.
d) With the added countries, the show has become more unpredictable and, in my humble opinion, more fun. Yes, the players’ situation needs to be resolved with the number of games played. Yes, the financial strain on the clubs has to be resolved. Still…. what a show, what drama, what emotions (not as intense as the Arsenal PL…however).

All that has created a moat. Can any candidate for FIFA presidency get elected on a programme that sees less revenue and less grift? I doubt it.

What I’d not be surprised to see is some Saudi official taking over, which means that UEFA is under the Qatar influence and FIFA under the Saudi influence. As for the PL, they definitely look under UAE influence.

Now one final point. Look at how sports are organised in the US. Basically it is pay to play. Money does not ‘trickle’ down. Where outside of the US sport is a way to succeed for many who have little – especially immigrants – in the US it is a way for the more wealthy to get a cheaper education for their kids. Frankly, I prefer the way soccer is organised in the rest of the world to the way it is in the US. And I was a kids football coach for 10+ years.

Ying and Yang….

Yes, I mentioned a final note… let me change subject then

For all its shortcomings, visible incompetence at toeing a clear and fair line, for all the abuse in terms of treating the fans like sheep to be fleeced and idiots to laugh about, I keep being fascinated by the whole positivity that this World Cup has created and shown.

And it is something we can find in the past as well. Think of the 2006 ‘Sommermärchen’ in Germany. France 98, Brazil 2016, Roma 90, Munich 74, etc.

I cannot but be impressed and touched by the Tartan Army… and so many other fan communities who were giving out so many good vibes (and spectacular spectacles)
Somehow I just love how all these fans make it possible to share the game and not get violent, have fun, create bonds and just show that the PEOPLE can actually get along AGAINST  the wishes, influences, directions given by the rulers.

Along with the Olympics, the WC is to me the biggest show on earth.

And the human interactions that revolve around finding common ground rather than fighting are what the WC brings to this world – among all the other excesses.
But. as an accountant, I’d put all that into the Revenue/Assets column and, this year, against all odds, there is, to me, a profit.

In a country where the anti-immigrant rhetoric has been brought to a new level, where grift and unhinged capitalism – encouraged by FIFA and others – ruled the event(s), the people have shown quite a different attitude.  The resilience of the fans, even if we forget the ‘panem et circences’ perspective, has been impressive.

Which means that the game’s rulers will feel like they can continue the course they chartered, or so it looks.

So what I’m left with, as a final bridge to our common interest here on Untold Arsenal, is the huge, outsized impact this Arsenal team is having in this WC.    How the players behave when they are in opposing teams on the field – still defending each other. I can’t remember this ever happening in the past.

Seeing the talent being shown outside the team and shining. Seeing the bonds be stronger then the teams/nationalities.

And realising how this Arsenal team is in fact a family, with a DNA that has been imprinted into each player.    Maybe it is the result of social media, but I cannot remember any other team with such a ‘visibliity’ accross the whole competition.

So… I have fun, am proud and feel good of being an Arsenal fan and knowing that we are on a trajectory that is

Christophe F. Jost