Fifa's annual celebration, in Zurich, cost a fortune, involved over a thousand guests and reportedly had President Sepp Blatter parading around the huge hall accompanied on either side by a tough looking bodyguard. His recent fatuous suggestion that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar be played in January rather than June met with opprobrium from all sides. From Qatar itself, which insisted that air conditioning would be the panacea, to horrified European leaders appalled at the project of their club season being destroyed.
Michel Platini, now of course President of Uefa, suggested that the tournament be played not merely in Qatar but in the Gulf states too, a suggestion instantly rejected by Qatar.
Long-ball tactics
It's somewhat ironic to find Cesc Fabregas lamenting the so-called long-ball tactics of Ipswich town who inflicted that humiliating League Cup defeat on the Gunners last Wednesday, just three days after one saw Ipswich's tottering defence ripped to pieces to the tune of seven goals by a Chelsea team that had been in the doldrums for weeks.
If Arsenal's shaky central defence couldn't defend against the long high balls, whose fault was that?
It has been evident for a long time that, without the chronically injured Belgian international Thomas Vermaelen, the Gunners' centre backs are vulnerable to a degree. This, clearly, must be the fault of manager Arsene Wenger. How ironic that there are now rumours that he'd like to buy back Matthew Upson, now at West Ham, the centre back who as an untried youngster, cost a cool million from Luton town but was allowed to move on, with Wenger favouring his fellow Frenchman Pascal Cygan — very tall but none too reliable.
One still shudders at the memory of the Euro goal he so powerfully headed against his own team at the Clock End at Highbury.
A red, dead horse
Liverpool? Pity poor Kenny Dalglish, recalled by popular soccer demand to flog a seemingly dead horse. Already crying out for four new players, it makes you wonder what possessed poor Roy Hodgson to walk into such a shambles of a squad.
Rafael Benitez had left Roy with a squad which was never going to be adequate.
As Blackpol manager, Ian Holloway remarked, once Dalglish expressed his wish to return as the manager of Liverpool, Hodgson was plainly doomed.
Only if Dalglish can motivate Fernando Torres, such a busted flush though plainly not fully fit in the World Cup with Spain, so largely ineffective since his return to Anfield, does Kenny look likely to save a sinking team.
The writer is a football expert based in England.
