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11-06-14, 02:58 PM
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#1 |
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Nicked from elsewhere
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 18,261
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FIFA Corruption Thread
Why Sepp Blatter sees Fifa, not Qatar, as the true victim of prejudice
Marina Hyde Marina Hyde The Swiss has finally stopped pretending to govern a sporting body and openly placed himself on a par with heads of state Sepp Blatter Sepp Blatter said Fifa is still strong and 'I still have fire inside me'. Photograph: Alexander Hassenstein/Fifa via Getty Images Wednesday 11 June 2014 11.14 BST Why have people assumed that Sepp Blatter is talking about Qatar when he accuses the British media of “racism” toward unnamed parties? I have another theory, given the persecuted tenor of the rest of the Fifa president’s comments: that he has finally gone the whole hog and perceives Fifa itself to be a race. For a man who has for so long characterised himself as noble yet besieged, you have to think Fifa-ism was always the next logical step. At no stage in his provocative rallying cry to the African and Asian football confederations this week did Blatter explicitly delineate what he felt was racist about journalists exposing bribery and corruption in what amounts to the awarding of billion-dollar contracts. But the overwhelming focus of his dewy-eyed speeches about defending Fifa against those who seek to destroy it suggests that Herr Blatter casts world football’s governing body itself as the true victim of prejudice. “Once again there is a sort of storm against Fifa relating to the Qatar World Cup,” he warned. “Sadly there’s a great deal of discrimination and racism and this hurts me.” Though Blatter stopped shy of floating terms such as lynching, his sense of himself as some nebulous kind of civil rights leader appears stronger by the day. “I still have fire inside me,” he intoned, repeatedly stressing that when united (behind him, obviously), Fifa is “so strong”. Stirring stuff. In fact, I can only dream that in the forthcoming movie about itself, which Fifa has bankrolled to the tune of £16m, the closing titles feature a slow-motion montage of the real-life Sepp going about his good works, set to Labi Siffre’s (Something Inside) So Strong. Inspirationally, Sepp has a dream (and if only he was just dreaming). He has a dream of a day when his people will not be judged by the colour of their email exchanges, but by the content of their Swiss bank accounts. When they can stay in five-star hotels, and take limousines down Zil lanes, and order 16-course tasting menus in Michelin restaurants, and think: God almighty, all this is free. Free at last. Admittedly, there are a few glitches in my thesis – the principal one being that not three years ago, a certain Sepp Blatter was explaining how racism didn’t exist in football. If I recall correctly what we’ll flatter as his reasoning, so-called “racism” can all be solved with a handshake, because the world of football is only a game. As underscored by the allegation that Qatar’s Mohamed bin Hammam helped broker a major natural gas deal between his country and Thailand, via the latter’s Fifa representative. Small boys in the park, jumpers for goalposts, rush goalie … marvellous. Incidentally, it should be remembered Blatter is not alone in making inquiring journalists the scapegoat for questions that feel rather bigger. I’m sure David Cameron will have a view on the latest Fifa allegations – actually, hang on. Inevitably, the prime minister has already piped up with one. “My memories of that bidding process are not happy ones,” he explained the other day, “in terms of the way the whole thing was arranged and the role of Fifa and the rest of it.” But this is odd, because my own memories of that bidding process are not happy ones either, primarily because I distinctly recall Cameron taking the time to criticise the British media for reporting Fifa corruption. The PM professed himself “frustrated” by a Panorama programme detailing chicanery in World Cup bidding, presumably imagining that such a pose would curry favour with the ordinary people who seem to remain such a beguiling mystery to him. Somehow, Cameron was unaware that anyone remotely well-versed in football (but not in its pay) knew England didn’t have a snowball’s chance in Doha of getting any World Cup under the current conventions, for the sort of reasons including – though not limited to – those currently being exposed by the Sunday Times. Back then, the PM sighed that a free press was something one had to “roll with”, so perhaps we can live without his interventions now that said free press has worked to investigate Fifa again. As for the rest of Blatter’s stump speeching this week, it may yet come to mark the moment the Swiss finally stopped pretending to govern a sporting body, and appeared to openly place himself on a par with heads of state. Certainly, there was much to enjoy in his perorations for those of us who have long droned on about Fifa being less of a sporting body, and more of supranational quasi-state. After all, and as frequently mentioned in this space, its rules trump any country’s constitution, it insists on its own legal system via those “Fifa World Cup Courts”, it sets its own tax liabilities (a tempting O%) in the aptly classified “host” nations to which it parasitically attaches itself every four years … the list goes on. Even so, it felt pointedly candid of Blatter to draw attention to Fifa’s immense riches at a time when “states are in debt”. That the Fifa president should choose this particular moment to imply that his organisation’s peer group consists not of sporting entities, but of sovereign nations, feels significant. It has been a long walk to freedom, but on the eve of his fifth presidential term, Blatter seems to have got there at last.
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Bob Paisley - "This club has been my life. I'd go out and sweep the street and be proud to do it for Liverpool if they asked me to." |
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11-06-14, 03:00 PM
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#2 |
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Nicked from elsewhere
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 18,261
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Owen Gibson @owen_g 24m
Blatter says he his bearing the flame of "honesty, responsibility and respect" and will not betray the "spirit of solidarity and integrity" Paul Kelso @pkelso 17m I'm not at the Fifa Congress today, but this Sepp Blatter parody act sounds a hoot.
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Bob Paisley - "This club has been my life. I'd go out and sweep the street and be proud to do it for Liverpool if they asked me to." |
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11-06-14, 03:03 PM
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#3 |
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Nicked from elsewhere
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 18,261
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Jonathan Northcroft @JNorthcroft 2h
Had 4 sticks of chewing gum confiscated by security at Maracana: not a foodstuff made by a FIFA Official partner, apparently. Jogo Bonito.
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Bob Paisley - "This club has been my life. I'd go out and sweep the street and be proud to do it for Liverpool if they asked me to." |
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11-06-14, 03:13 PM
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Bite my shiny metal ass!
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 36,860
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Funny how the likes of Sony,Coca Cola & Adidas etc are now voicing their concerns at the Qatar world cup,how many of them said anything in the past at Fifa's goings on and how come none of these big companies are saying or doing anything about the continuing problem of Racism in Football......
Countries should have boycotted these world cups or do so with the next Euro's to make a real impact! |
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11-06-14, 03:20 PM
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Touching cloth
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 16,678
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I still can't believe that Fifa is allowed to force countries to rewrite laws (I.e. the strict ban of alcohol sales in Brazilian stadia) and get away with it.
It reminds me of the scene in Godfather 2 where Hyman Roth says to Michael that they are "bigger than US steel". |
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11-06-14, 03:57 PM
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Ant Pisser
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 67,263
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Sepp Blatter is among the most despicable people who walk this planet.
He's dogshit.
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Oh I don't know. |
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11-06-14, 06:44 PM
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#7 |
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Paisley
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 28,025
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Sepp, I can say hand on heart that I have NEVER wondered such nonsense.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...World-Cup.html Inter-planetary World Cups: For when you can't bung enough people on Earth!
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Football without Origi is nothing |
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12-06-14, 08:45 AM
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Dalglish
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,381
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12-06-14, 10:10 AM
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#9 | |
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Nicked from elsewhere
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 18,261
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Quote:
That said I feel he has absolutely no choice to stand again, he basically has to keep standing until he drops dead Because the moment hes out of office they are going to start finding where the bodies are buried and I reckon its a cert he would go down for a long long time on corruption / bribery charges
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Bob Paisley - "This club has been my life. I'd go out and sweep the street and be proud to do it for Liverpool if they asked me to." |
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12-06-14, 10:13 AM
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aka liverpooltj
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 26,012
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12-06-14, 10:13 AM
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#11 | |
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Nicked from elsewhere
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 18,261
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Quote:
What makes them so fucking special Lots of chatter that the US Treasury / FBI are starting to investigate Blatter & FIFA I think some countries could now be gunning for him
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Bob Paisley - "This club has been my life. I'd go out and sweep the street and be proud to do it for Liverpool if they asked me to." |
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12-06-14, 10:14 AM
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#12 |
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aka liverpooltj
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 26,012
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He should be sharing a cell with Bernie Madoff.
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12-06-14, 10:54 AM
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Meh
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 36,243
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Quote:
 It seems that they live outside of any laws and have done for so long that it's almost as if they believe themselves to be untouchable. I mean what are the chances of their "independent" investigator is going to find anything wrong with what they've been doing? |
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12-06-14, 11:17 AM
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Paisley
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 11,752
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Quote:
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Those that hid Anne Frank were breaking the law. Those that killed her, were following the law. |
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12-06-14, 11:51 AM
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The Pun Police
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 33,477
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Quote:
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I could not dig, I dared not rob: Therefore I lied to please the mob. Now all my lies are proved untrue And I must face the men I slew. What tale shall serve me here among Mine angry and defrauded young? |
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12-06-14, 01:10 PM
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Paisley
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 16,686
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Saw that few days ago. It's great. They are a poisonous shower of cunts. Cant fucking wait for the world cup to start though 
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12-06-14, 02:25 PM
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Meh
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 36,243
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He seems to be running out of friends.
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12-06-14, 02:34 PM
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#18 |
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Unidentified Rascal
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 133,771
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Hallelujah!
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Thanks very much for being ‘This Mornings’ Farmer’ |
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12-06-14, 02:37 PM
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Administrator
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 36,411
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Quote:
Glad hes taking a stand though.
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*Except Michael, who died. |
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12-06-14, 02:38 PM
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#21 |
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Paisley
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 16,239
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He's been positioning to take over for years tbf. I'd imagine anyone decent thinking of standing will back down if Blatter runs again, and wait til he's gone.
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12-06-14, 02:41 PM
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#22 |
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Paisley
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 16,686
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As long as Platini doesn't run himself this is good news. To be fair though , they are all as bad as each other. Platini has links to Qatar, has a son who works for QSI and his son in law wrote the theme song for the Europa league.
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12-06-14, 02:45 PM
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#23 |
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Administrator
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 36,411
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He has openly admitted he voted for Qatar, one of the few who have actually.
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*Except Michael, who died. |
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12-06-14, 02:49 PM
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#24 |
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Paisley
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 16,686
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Yeah so you'd have to question his sanity on that alone. However his family links to them muddy the waters still further and he's shown he's fond of nepotism too. I'm not quite sure who would be good but Platini is of the same ilk as blatter. And he's against technology usage in football which is crazy in this day and age.
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12-06-14, 03:07 PM
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Shooterista
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 32,026
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It really is.
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12-06-14, 03:17 PM
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#26 |
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Dan Ashcroft
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 55,814
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Blatter leaving isn't enough though. Platini will hope ousting him will take the heat away so that it can carry in as normal.
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12-06-14, 03:34 PM
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#27 |
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El Pistolero
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 35,788
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Platini is just as bad. Nothing will change.
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"Its not about the long ball or the short ball, its about the right ball." Bob Paisley |
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12-06-14, 04:18 PM
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#28 |
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The Wisp
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 22,116
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Anyone know of any recent articles on the FBI thing?
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Hello mert. |
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12-06-14, 07:18 PM
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#29 |
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Cuboid Humanoid
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 30,548
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Platini is indeed also a massive gaping thundercunt.
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3rd place. Worst champions ever. 
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12-06-14, 07:49 PM
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#30 | |
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Big Girl's Blouse
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 36,660
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13-06-14, 06:35 PM
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#31 |
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Dan Ashcroft
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 55,814
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http://www.theguardian.com/football/...atar-world-cup
Beckenbauer suspended from all football activity for 90 days for refusing to talk to ethics committee. I wonder what happens after 90days, he carries on having not answered questions designed for him? |
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14-06-14, 12:07 PM
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#32 |
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Paisley
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 13,049
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Beckenbauer sounds corrupt too. Visited Qatar on behalf of Hamburg shipping company ER Capital Holding and around that time went back and forth at on the invitation of the Qatari's. Also now an ambassador for the Association of Russian Gas Producers.
Bribed by both Qatar and Russia and now pleads ignorance. Thing is this happens for every vote, football is so corrupt |
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14-06-14, 03:46 PM
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#33 |
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Ant Pisser
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 67,263
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At the very least there appear to be many undeclared conflicts of interest. Any organisation with its salt should be all over that, but not our dear football governance bodies.
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Oh I don't know. |
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14-06-14, 04:45 PM
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#34 |
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Paisley
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 21,296
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Not sure why everyone is so down on FIFA
They do some very good work........ "Fifa have confirmed that fans will be allowed to take their England flags into the stadium, but the England band, who have become a familiar part of past World Cup games by playing the theme from the Great Escape and leading the crowd in song, will be told they cannot take their instruments into the venue" http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...nst-Italy.html |
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14-06-14, 04:59 PM
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#35 |
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aka liverpooltj
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 26,012
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Good. can't stand that fucking band.
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14-06-14, 05:01 PM
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#36 |
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Daddy day care
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 23,998
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some fans have taken massive drums into the columbia v greece game.
to prevent us taking a trumpet, trombone and a couple of little drums into the stadium is a breach of our human rights and tantamount to a declaration of war. racist cunts 
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removing all the weak links makes us stronger too many gutless players, no beef or desire. pussies everywhere... sack them all, but not VVD or Fabinho |
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14-06-14, 05:04 PM
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#37 | |
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Ant Pisser
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 67,263
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14-06-14, 05:24 PM
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#38 |
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Heretic
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 23,633
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They make vuvuzelas seem appealing, that Ingerlund brass band! Good on you FIFA!
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16-06-14, 08:38 AM
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#39 |
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Administrator
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 36,411
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I dont know anyone that likes that fucking band. Totally trashes what little atmosphere Wembley has usually.
Great escape after 3 minutes is never welcome.
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*Except Michael, who died. |
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17-06-14, 03:50 PM
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Passion for fire alarms or extinguishers?
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 34,986
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Quote:
a load of young'uns kept on chanting..... "we're the self preservation society!" - just those words about 3 or four times and then stop... and repeat
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i own everton fans on the internet....that's what i do |
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