Continuing the worst “will he or won’t he” story ever, Sepp Blatter has now hinted to several people within FIFA that he could remain FIFA President after the special election this upcoming February according to Sam Borden of the New York Times.
Borden’s Twitter timeline has all the details about Blatter and it sounds like FIFA officials don’t know if they can take Blatter seriously but just serious enough that they wouldn’t be shocked if Blatter pulls something to try and remain FIFA President.
I understand that this next tweet may not contain the most popular news ever as it relates to world soccer but ….
— Sam Borden (@SamBorden) September 25, 2015
Multiple officials in Zurich say that Sepp Blatter has, on a few occasions this week, hinted that his term might not end in February.
— Sam Borden (@SamBorden) September 25, 2015
Some context: Blatter has said in meetings or to Fifa staff that he will be president “at least” until February.
— Sam Borden (@SamBorden) September 25, 2015
And, at least one person I spoke with, said there is some sense that Blatter may just – for lack of a better word – be trolling.
— Sam Borden (@SamBorden) September 25, 2015
That is, he is enjoying hanging on to his power and is sort of reveling in that.
— Sam Borden (@SamBorden) September 25, 2015
That said, it’s also become clear that Blatter is not happy with the idea that Platini is the clear front-runner.
— Sam Borden (@SamBorden) September 25, 2015
As @richard_conway reported, he would have initially been in favor of Valcke trying to run. But that’s clearly not happening.
— Sam Borden (@SamBorden) September 25, 2015
So, is Blatter trolling the soccer world or laying the groundwork for a re-appearance? Surely he’ll be asked again about it.
— Sam Borden (@SamBorden) September 25, 2015
But again: officials said it was hard to say just how seriously to take Blatter in this regard. Could be, for lack of better word, trolling.
— Sam Borden (@SamBorden) September 25, 2015
Not to be more of a spook, but: there are situations where Blatter’s “hinting” could lead to actual results. For example …
— Sam Borden (@SamBorden) September 25, 2015
What if so many of the countries who have supported him hear his rhetoric and abstain at the Feb. election? No candidate gets …
— Sam Borden (@SamBorden) September 25, 2015
… the required majority and … then what?
— Sam Borden (@SamBorden) September 25, 2015
Blatter stays put.
— Sam Borden (@SamBorden) September 25, 2015
So, Blatter’s hinting this week could just be an old boss hanging on to his title as long as he can or … it could be something more.
— Sam Borden (@SamBorden) September 25, 2015
So this could just be the ramblings of a deluded 79 year old who is so out of touch that he’s in denial that it’s only a matter of time Loretta Lynch and U.S. and Swiss authorities are closing in on him. It could also be the plan of a man with a Napoleonic complex who, like Napoleon, has a plan to come back to power. This has certainly added to the uncertainty of FIFA reform and after cooperating with authorities about Jerome Valcke, FIFA may be back to not progressing again.
