GOOD RIDDANCE BLATTER, YOU CHARLATAN

The news broke this afternoon that FIFA's long-term president, Sepp Blatter, stepped down from his role as the head of football's governing body. The 79 year-old was a polarising figure but deep down, a classic charlatan.

D. Ray Morton, 2nd June 2015

Sepp Blatter gave a short speech and announced his resignation as FIFA leader today

What a week it has been for FIFA. Shamed and arrested officials were veiled with hotel bedsheets as they were escorted into the back of FBI vans causing huge embarrassment for the organisation. Meanwhile, Sepp Blatter had been re-elected as president of the governing body causing huge frustration and listlessness amongst fans of the sport who had been sick of the 79 year-old's seemingly never-ending reign of terror. Now he steps down and we can all exhale a relieved breath.

Blatter had all the hallmarks of a classic conman. To his inner circle, his employees in Switzerland and visitors to the FIFA headquarters, he would regale them in his origins tale. A young lad coming down from the Swiss mountains with a ball clutched in his arm, a dreamer ready to change the world of football for the better. What a vision.

In truth, Blatter never really kicked a ball in his life (as Diego Maradona pointed out some months ago). His origin was in politicking around various Swiss sports organisations before slithering his way towards the top of the FIFA tree. A long journey but not the mystical fairytale he so often portrayed.

Even in his manifestos, he gave little. He would maintain that he was the head of FIFA, that everyone knew what he was about and that would be it. Amazingly, it managed to keep him there for a very long time. There are many reasons for this but the clearest would appear to be his elevation of the non-European confederations to, perhaps, the chagrin of the established order. He did, in his time, bring the World Cup to Asia and Africa for the first time.

It is over for the old man now and he leaves hanging his head under a cloud of shame. Who knows what lies in store for FIFA and Blatter personally. Maybe he can write a sci-fi book about playing aliens in intergalactic football as he had previously hoped for his darling organisation in the 22nd century. Football will move on and hopefully move on in a manner in which the sport can regain some much-needed credibility. The world's game deserves more than crooked baby-kissing hand shakers.

BRAZIL PREVAIL IN WORLD CUP OPENER

D. Ray Morton, 13th June 2014.

Neymar got his brace against Croatia but Brazil were far from impressive in general

The 2014 incarnation of the FIFA World Cup kicked off yesterday after the bells, whistles and general nonsense of the opening ceremony ended. When the football actually got under way, hosts Brazil managed to dispatch enthusiastic underdogs Croatia with a 3-1 victory having gone a goal behind early on.

Brazil were gifted a victory over a hardly undeserving Croatian side who will feel aggrieved at some highly questionable refereeing decisions. It only took Croatia eleven minutes to take the lead. Brazil started nervously, as evidenced by some of the facial expressions in the tunnel before kick-off. They had been inefficient in their possession and Ivica Olic broke down the left for the visitors and managed to centre towards Nikica Jelavic. Jelavic made a weak connection with the cross but it was enough to guide it onto the toes of the on-rushing Marcelo who was left with the misfortune of scoring an own goal.

Brazil's equaliser came in the 29th minute, against the run of play perhaps, when Neymar managed to beat Stipe Pletikosa from distance with a scuffed left foot effort. Pletikosa's positioning throughout the night had been poor and, refereeing decisions aside, his dismal performance might have been enough alone to lose it for the Croatians.

The true turning point of the match did not come until twenty minutes before the end. Fred, having miscontrolled a ball in the opposition's penalty area, backed into Dejan Lovren and hit the deck as if he had been shot. Lovren's ever-so-slightly raised hands were enough for the Japanese referee to point to the spot. A simply ludicrous decision which spoiled an intriguing football match until that point. Croatia had played a neat short passing game, the now shaven-headed Luka Modric impressing with his all-round orchestration of the game, but now they found themselves 2-1 behind thanks to Neymar's penalty.

With the wind taken out of Croatia's sails, Oscar managed to extend the lead in injury time and there was even a question of a foul in the lead up to that one too. 3-1 to Brazil and a brace for Neymar. That would almost seem predictable to someone who just glanced at the scoreline but the match as a whole told a very different story. Modric had been the best player on the pitch, not Neymar. Brazil's superstar had a decent game, troubling defenders with his agility but offered very little threat. He was made to look good by Pletikosa's shortcomings. Even the penalty had uncertainty smeared all over it. Neymar took the most ridiculous of run-ups and managed to squeeze it past the keeper despite getting a full hand on the ball.

This was not a great showcase for the game as a World Cup opener. The casual fan might have enjoyed Brazil's comeback victory but there was nothing too heroic about it thanks to some shady officiating. Let us hope that this does not become a theme for the tournament where certain teams get preferential treatment. Usually teams that FIFA have an interest in. We do not want another 2002 World Cup farce.