Blatter Apologises To FAI

[noelyf]

FIFA president Sepp Blatter today apologised to the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) for earlier comments which dismissed their hopes of being granted an additional place at next summer's World Cup finals.

The FAI requested FIFA include them as a 33rd team in South Africa in the wake of Thierry Henry's infamous handball.

Blatter raised the subject at the Soccerex conference in Johannesburg earlier this week and his words were greeted with laughter from some delegates and journalists present.

Including them at the finals would have been an unprecedented move and would set a dangerous precedent, Blatter acknowledged.

However, the FAI withdrew the proposal prior to this afternoon's emergency meeting of the FIFA executive committee and following the meeting, Blatter expressed remorse for his previous comments.

"We have received a letter from the FAI withdrawing their demand to be accepted as team number 33," he said.

"I would like to express my regrets to a wrong interpretation of what I said and to the FAI I'm sorry about the headlines going around the world.

"I have nothing against the Irish, they were very sporting when they came to FIFA."

Irish chiefs earlier today launched a scathing attack on Blatter, accusing him of making details of what they claim were private discussions public, and for expressing empathy with Henry amid the backlash over his "cheating".

In addition, they have demanded that tournament rules are not changed halfway through by the introduction of video replays and goal-line assistant referees, but requested such methods be implemented in future to avoid similar controversy.

Di**head!

​

 

[moh]

Red card from moh

 

[wheelo]

aw, f~*k away off septic bladder

 

[firsthand]

must say nice one to liam brady for speaking his mind on this one


I've been a player, a couple of times I've been on the wrong end of decisions," he said. "I think when it comes to the big games, the big decisions in football, you'll find it's the big teams that get the decisions.

"But forget about that. We can accept that. What we can't accept is how he presented the case to the media in South Africa yesterday. He needs to show some respect."

Brady reiterated his unhappiness at the way Fifa brought in seedings for the World Cup qualification play-offs at late notice.

"How fair is it to have a second-seeded draw for the play-offs? It's all wrong," he said. "I see Uefa have followed by doing the same, and this is [the Uefa president] Michel Platini who's supposed to be the champion of the underdog.

"I don't really get it and I don't think it's good for the game. I think if enough people show their distaste then Fifa and Uefa might have a rethink."

On the possibility of becoming the 33rd team at next summer's showpiece tournament, Brady added: "That's not going to happen. We asked that to see what Fifa's reaction was going to be

ya he's a di..head
all promises, and feck all to come from it :bang head:

 

[wheelo]

well said Mr. Brady