Blatter carries on making it up as he goes along

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Australia being lined up to host 2022 World Cup, a full seven years before anyone else had even begun thinking about it

When is Sepp going to install his favourite horse on the International Board? Or has he done that, already?

[Rory Bunk]

Blatter carries on making it up as he goes along

Sepp's just being Sepp. He is in Australia so he says what Australia want to hear.
He will then totally contadict this when he is in England, China or wherever and announcing what the people there want to hear. We wouldn't have him any other way.

[trimster]

Blatter carries on making it up as he goes along

Great.... gives Australia plenty of time to remove all the cricket pitches, and rugby and AFL markings from the grounds....

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Blatter carries on making it up as he goes along

And so to the first Tuesday of the close season, another day for a bored Sepp to kick over a couple of applecarts and stir up an argument where none previously existed.

He's railroaded the FIFA Executive Committee into approving his proposal that, progressively from 2010 to 2012, club sides will only be allowed to field five "non-home grown" players.

No sensible definition yet of what "home-grown" means, or how this can possibly fit with EU legislation.

[ursus arctos]

Blatter carries on making it up as he goes along

He's trying to use that vote as leverage in the political discussions with the EU for a "sporting exemption" to the rules on freedom of movement.

He isn't likely to get very far with that, as the strength of the commercial forces on the other side of the question have increased significantly since the time such an exception was first proposed (one of such commercial forces now being Prime Minister of a EU member state, for instance).

Also announced that the Intercontinental Cup/Club World Championship will be leaving Japan for the UAE and that the rule barring international matches at high altitude will be "suspended" pending "more comprehensive" measures on matches in "extreme" conditions.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Blatter carries on making it up as he goes along

He'd already backed down on Quito, La Paz and Mexico City. I think the only other place left possibly barred by the "altitude" rule was if Brian Blessed fancied a kick-around at the top of Everest.