World Soccer - UK (2022-07)

BOOKS

THIS

MONTH

THECUP

ByRichardWhitehead

(PitchPublishing,£25)

For 150 yearsthe FA

Cuphasbeenatthe

heartof Englishsport.

FromStanley Matthews

toArseneWenger,

Ronnie Radfordto

Billy thewhitehorse–

itsheroes,mythsand

legendsformthe fabric

ofour nationalgame.

TheCupcelebrates

thestoryofthe world’s

greatestfootball

competitionwithmore

than 10 0 stunningand

evocativephotos.

THELasT

BUsBy BaBE

ByWayneBar ton(Pitch

Publishing,£19.99)

Sammy McIlroyhadone

ofthe most memorable

careersinfootball.

After all, whoelsecan

saytheyplayed with

George Best,DenisLaw

andBobbyCharlton,

experienced relegation,

wontrophiesand

played under six

differentmanagersat

ManchesterUnited?

Withmorethan 400

appearances,McIlroy

• thelastplayer signed
  bythe legendary Sir
  MattBusby – is a
  bonafideOld Trafford
  legend.TheLastBusby
  Babefinallyputs on
  record oneofthe
  greatestcareers
  infootballhistory.

GlobalfootballintelliGence

competitionin 19 55- 5 6 then
headeddownthe hybridpath
ofgroupsandknockouts from
1992. Wherethe Champions
Leagueleads,all Europe’sother
competitionsfollow.As they will
again,from 2024 -25.
Thisisa newerain more ways
thanone.
Morethana decadeagoa
personableChileanaccountant
namedLeandroSharabegan to
thinkoutsidetheboxaboutthe
footballcalendar. He worriedthat
deadfixturesinany league’sclosing
stage were an opendoortothe
corruptionofmatchfixing.
Shara computed a varietyof
conceptsandtookthemtoboth
FIFAandUEFA.Hissuggestion,
forthefinalsofWorldCup or Euros,
wastheuseofcoefficient-based
pots. Forexample,topteams,
mediumlevelandleastsuccessful.
Eachteamwouldplayoneormore
opponentfromthe otherfluidly-
adjustingpotsandthe results would
becalibratedina single leaguetable.
Knockoutdramacouldbe
maintainedbydrawingthetopeight
or 16 teamsagainsteachotherby
anopendrawor, preferably, based
ontheirposition in theoriginaltable.
SufficetosaySharawasnot
impressedwhenUEFAsuddenly
cameupwithitsown versionofthe
potssystem.Norwasheimpressed
bythe mannerinwhichit will be
organised forthegroupstageof
theChampionsLeaguefromthe
autumnof 2 02 4.
Butthen,whileSharahas
workedwith tennistournamentsin
whichplayersareallgatheredina
single-centrevenue,majorfootball
events demandweeksoreven
monthsofpreparatorymanagement
forsecurity, broadcasting,tickets
andtransport.
UEFA’s solutionisasfollows:
All 3 6 clubswillplayeightleague
stage gameshomeand away
against differentlyrated (orseeded)
opponents.Thetop eightina single
leaguetablego directlytothe
knockoutstage. Clubsfinishing
fromninthto 24th will compete

intwo-leggedplay-offstojoin

them.Thentheknockoutstage

picksupinstandard,andhighly

successful,fashion.

Incidentally, the 36 willinclude

twofifth-placedclubsbasedon

a nation’srecordin theprevious

season.This is thecompromisethat

headedoff the“historicbonus”that

Agnelli& Co hadpromoted.

Innovationwill notendwith

a newsystem.UEFAwassurprised

andimpressedatthe successofthe

“finalsweek” systemenforcedbythe

pandemicin 2020 withsemi-finals

andfinalbeingplayed outinone

weekinonecountry. Do notbe

surprisedonedaywhen that

emergencysolutionfeaturesinthe

shapeofthingstocome.Revolution

orevolution?Takeyourpick.

TOLEaDORNOTTO LEaD

FIFApresidentGianniInfantino

hasformallyconfirmedseeking

re-electionatcongressinZurich

nextyear. He hasalreadygarnered

supportfromwithintheAfrican,

AsianandSouthAmerican

confederations.No-oneis

expectedtorunagainst him.

AleksanderCeferin,bycontrast,

resisteda call from theNordic

associationsatUEFACongressto

declare pursuitof a furtherfour-year

mandatenextyear. Hispresidential

addressinVienna,extollingthe

wondroussuccessesofEuropean

footballoverthepast year, was

a powerful foundationforany

manifestohemight puttogether.

Thefinancially record-breaking

Euro 2020 permitteda 21 per

centincreaseto€935mforthe

HatTrickdevelopment programme

sharedamongUEFA’s 5 5 national

associations.Thataveragesat

€4.2 4 m-per-yearfor eachFA.

ConsiderthatFIFA’s ownForward

programmeoffershalfthatamount

(albeitavailableto 211 members).

NowonderEuropeopposedFIFA’s

now-defunctbiennialWorldCup

proposal.The 2 020- 21 financial

yearsawUEFArevenuessoar

toa record€5.7 2 5bnwhichwas

gravity-defyingonthe back of the

devastatingCOVID- 19 pandemic.

Ceferindoesnotappearto

enjoyhisown presidencyas

Infantinorevelsinhis.But if the

Slovenelawyerwants another

fouryears – particularlywithin

thedarkshadow of theRussia/

Ukrainecrisis– thenthetaskis

surelyonlyhisfortheasking.

WORLDSOCCER 15

Contrtingmbition...FIFapreidentGinniInfntino(L)with aleknderCeferinofUEFa