In his attempts to drive and debase the sport towards ever-more breathtaking depths, and ever-further away from the ideals upon which it was founded, Gianni Infantino has found that some old truths about the beautiful game still endure.
A week, as the embattled FIFA president would now surely testify, really is a long time in football.
Still buoyant from parading around at the World Cup final trophy presentation with US President Donald Trump, Infantino must have thought he was the cock of the walk. Remove a few words from that particular saying, and you would likely arrive at the opinion most football fans the world over share of the Swiss-Italian now.
Even Trump, over whom Infantino has incessantly and nauseatingly fawned, for whom he invented a Peace Prize and whom he placated by bending the rules of the game, is now reportedly ghosting his old bosom buddy now that he is no longer of any use to him. Ah, summer lovin’, eh?
Infantino’s plan to launch FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a vehicle to effectively sell off stakes in the World Cup to private enterprise, was met with outrage, and a forceful response from UEFA in particular.
Any fears that the Scottish FA, with its president Mike Mulraney also serving as the chairman of the powerful FIFA finance committee and being pictured alongside Infantino in Miami as Scotland lost to Brazil, would fail to fall into line with the European heavyweights also proved to be unfounded.
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A scathing statement from the SFA was unleashed that underlined the governing body’s ‘unequivocal’ agreement with the concerns raised by their fellow UEFA members, and fully supported a UEFA statement of their own following an emergency meeting that outlined plans for all members to boycott the World Cup unless Infantino’s scheme was shelved.
It ended with a kicker, too.
“We are also aligned with our fellow national associations who seek to ensure our collective voice is heard resoundingly, and that the Corinthian spirit which underpins the beautiful game - invented here in Scotland and shared with the world - is protected.”
The SFA routinely gets it in the neck from all and sundry on a range of issues, but credit has to be given where it is due. This was the right course of action, and their stance reflected the feelings of the vast majority of football fans in Scotland. This wasn’t supine, it was a firm planting of their flag in direct opposition to Infantino’s plans.
But as Infantino found to his cost, things can move quickly in this game. And while there was undoubted heft behind the SFA’s statement last week, for some, they didn’t quite go far enough.
This week, some associations have now signalled their repudiation of Infantino himself, with letters of support for his re-election (which many associations would like you to forget were once flying through the FIFA letterbox like it was Sunday morning at Harry Potter’s uncle’s gaffe) being withdrawn left, right and centre.
The Welsh, Serbian, Swedish and Finnish FAs have all now made it clear they do not support Infantino remaining for another term as FIFA president. The English FA has been briefing that they intend to do likewise, though they haven’t issued a public statement nailing their colours to that mast just yet.
Either way, all of the above has put some pressure on the Scottish FA to publicly put their own withdrawal of support for Infantino’s presidency into writing, even if the old adage of actions speaking louder than words would seem to have sent that message resoundingly last week in any case when they enthusiastically backed UEFA’s position on the FFE fiasco.
While many fans may wonder if their reluctance to take that extra step and publicly declare that Infantino is an individual unfit to lead the organisation is related to Mulraney’s position on the FIFA finance committee, the truth of the matter is a great deal more complicated.
Sure, gut instinct may tell you that it is better to jump on the bandwagon set in motion by the nations above than be hitched to a runaway train that appears to be barrelling towards a collapsing bridge, but reports of Infantino’s demise as FIFA president may well – sadly - be premature.
The embarrassing climbdown and abandonment of his World Cup sell-off plan he was forced into late last week has undoubtedly weakened his position ahead of the FIFA presidential election next March, but he is not yet fatally wounded.
That much was made clear yesterday when five prominent African football figures offered their public support to Infantino ahead of a Confederation of African Football (CAF) meeting, suggesting that their 54 members – and, crucially, their votes – may well remain behind him.
There is solid support for CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani to replace Infantino. The Canadian would surely be able to count on the backing of his own federation and reportedly that of UEFA, which would bring him to 90 of the 211 votes available.
But even then, with the Asian associations privately not in complete lockstep behind the AFC’s critical statement on Infantino’s plans last week, there are those inside the organisation who remain doubtful that he could oust Infantino in an election. There would seem more chance of that now if the 43 associations that would be required to call for a vote of no confidence did so, rather than holding the election as scheduled in the spring, but the fact that hasn’t happened suggests that crucial momentum has already been lost.
It is all very House of Cards. And there is little wonder that fans have grown disillusioned by the politicking in the game’s corridors of power. But the realpolitik for the SFA in this position is that it is better to be inside the tent holding its nose to the stench, than be on the outside and finding itself being p****d upon down the line should Infantino survive.
If you come for the King, you had better not miss, and all that. Otherwise, it won’t just be Mulraney’s position at FIFA that is under threat from a vindictive and wounded president, but future funding for pitches, facilities and coaching.
Which is all very depressing. I am absolutely certain there are those within the SFA who would love to take a metaphorical flamethrower to Infantino, to the extent that it might even singe off his trademark eyebrows. It is an easy PR win, would get the galleries onside, and remove any suspicion that their president is simply preserving his position on the FIFA gravy train.
But, as noted above, actions speak louder than words. And it is sometimes smarter to express your view by exercising the power of the ballot box.
For all that the SFA can be criticised for, there is surely no remaining doubt over whose name they certainly won’t be placing their X against in any FIFA presidential election. Whether they get the chance to vote on the matter soon, or have to keep their pen dry, in every sense, for a little while longer yet.
