I hate to bang on about Gianni Infantino but… I have to. He’s horrible. He’s vile. And if you are a football fan, you’ll understand my complete contempt of the man. And if you’re not, then go read the new Robert Galbraith novel for the next 3 minutes instead. I’m reading it and it’s fab.

In an article in today’s Times, they made the totally credible case, to the point where, with hindsight, it actually becomes blindingly obvious, that this World Cup was Infantino’s showcase of precisely what he can get away with, in terms of the commercial underpinning of the event. He’d been planning ‘the great sell-off’ for ages and used the tournament to prove how financially rewarding for all it can be, if handled correctly.

Thus the introduction of ‘hydration breaks’. Dividing the game into quarters rather than the normal halves, to create extra advertising, brining in extra revenue. The half time show (scuse me whilst I vomit) in the final lasted 27 minutes and 17 seconds, despite FIFA’s own rule that it mustn’t exceed 15 minutes. Because a ‘half time show’, even one as dire and stupid as the one they had, keeps people watching. A ‘break’, has them running to the off-license for another case of Stella (UK), or rushing to the kitchen to throw tequila and ice in the blender for another 45 minutes (plus stoppage time) of margaritas (US). A half-time show keeps people at the tv, keeping advertising revenues high. Not so good for the drinks trade.

Christiano Ronaldo was on a 3-match ban for violent conduct in a game against Ireland. Meaning he’d miss Portugal’s first 3 games. Then he went out for dinner with Infantino, Elon Musk, a couple of Kushners (there’s a stupid ‘selfie’, which has in time become quite incriminating) after which FIFA ‘suspended’ 2 of the match-bans. No reason. Ronaldo is a big ‘draw’ on tv, so they wanted him to play; just ‘leave it to Gianni’. In a similar way to overturning the red card for Folarin Balogan to allow him to play America’s next match. Which, fortunately, they lost, otherwise that would have absolutely proved the absence of any possibility of any ‘God’ and would have destroyed all the religions of the world.

But worst of all is the complete ‘lack of transparency’ (I’m being sick once more; maybe I ate something dodgy). The man who came in just to create an ‘open book’ at FIFA, does the corruptest of deals without telling anyone, and then offers a bribe of $30million to every country who votes for him and his terrible plan.

Two countries remain in full support of this evil, corrupt football-terrorist. Qatar and Morocco. The former who Infantino awarded the most undeserved World Cup ever to; and the latter who, when they host the next World Cup, won’t have to play qualifying matches, whereas Spain and Portugal, the co-hosts, do have to. And again, no reasoning, no precedents (host nations ALWAYS have automatic entry) and no explanation given.

I’ve called this story ‘the last word’ because I sincerely hope it is. That he’ll be gone by tomorrow. Or assassinated on Tuesday. I don’t care which. Yet I suspect he’ll hang on, hated and reviled, for as long as he possibly can. Increasing his own humiliation with every hour.

Happy Sunday

A xxxx