The president of FIFA, Sepp Blatter, has announced this afternoon that he will be stepping down from his position as the head of the world football governing body.
The 79-year-old Swiss native has been in office since 1998 and is reliqueshing his position amid charges filed against several top FIFA officials.
Blatter won in a landslide victory in re election only last week but is stepping down as soon as a new president is elected. He wishes this to be done “as soon as possible.”
No charges have been publicly filed on Blatter.
More to come as details are made available.
I think some of these refs swallow more than whistles.
yes, it was a foul. But, we see refs swallow their whistle late in games all the time. Some do, some don’t.
All I know is Cro has been in a situation in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2012 and 2014 to win the ast game in the group stage in roder to move on….and guess what????? failed each time.
BTW here is another foul I have an issue with.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3QVunwUWek
@ Ziva please rewatch. Corluka was spun 180 degrees. It was’t just a tug or pull. It was a blantant play stopper.
Was it a foul on Corluka??? Yes.
But, we routinely see that not called. Watch any match on any weekend and pay attention to the corner kicks. So much grabbing and holding and hardly ever called.
If FIFA was caught how before Ivo Goldstein and his family are uncovered?
http://www.breitbart.com/sports/2015/06/05/indicted-fifa-member-threatens-to-spill-avalanche-of-secrets/
The Spain match was fixed to. No call on Corluka? who missed that???
Damir Buric, Hajduk’s new coach has impressed me already:
http://www.vecernji.hr/nogomet/damir-buric-dosta-mi-je-da-se-prica-o-zdravku-mamicu-i-sucima-1008914
Dosta je kuknjave i priča o Mamiću i sucima, gledajmo samo Hajduk
good point…….i really wonder if you could do something if it comes out that some games were fixed. Doubtful with the fine print that all games are final. But, I just wonder how much I have lost on frauds; then again I have probaably won some the other way as well.
A lot of people think our game against Brazil was fixed. Well, I won on that game taking Brazil, so I guess I shouldn’t complain.
Now that we’re in this topic if FIFA maybe Ziva can sue them for match fixing….I’m sure he must have lost a few bets!!!
Now I’m beginning to think that some of my losses on Xbox FIFA 15 were fixed.
wait a minute, you guys are pissed that FIFA is corrput? But, you don’t say anything about the HNS being corrupt?
My oh my…..so, you only get pissed when it pleases you, huh?????
If the Irish accepted the money, then what damage was done?
@Pedro
Hopefully they also find out how much those crooks at hajduk were paid and where all that money went.
@ Pedro
Cafe Max was always a good time… shame Veslo closed it doors too. All thats left is Skorpio’s… and Istra Klub, Rudar, etc.
…and the floodgates have opened
WOW FIFA PAID IRELAND OFF. WHAT CROOKS. NO DOUBT THAT THEY MADE SPAIN AND BRAZIL WIN AGAINIST US. I KNOW IT. NO WAY THAT CLOTHESLINE ON CORLUKA COULD BE MISSED. I HOPE THEY ALL GO TO A TURKISH PRISION. HOW MUCH WAS MAMIC PAYED BY FIFA?
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/soccer/feds-probing-world-cup-awards-fifa-scandal-live-updates-article-1.2245281
Ante…I don’t know about the prices downtown…I could never live in all that traffic and mayhem but I do know that even in the surrounding municipalities it is expensive.
I live 30-40 minutes outside of the centre…we have 3 lakes within a 7 minute drive, I have the ocean which is literally 1 km from my house and some wildlife…deer, black bears and fuck me…this year we have a bit of a cougar problem which has seriously freaked me out:
http://globalnews.ca/news/1998411/watch-trio-of-cougars-spotted-near-port-moody-fish-hatchery/
these cougars in this video are literally less than 3 kms from my house…and they move daily, people see them and report them so I fear for my kids and only let them play in my yard.
I love the Bay area…far more than LA. so many cool places to visit and the city looks amazing…you guys must have some nice smaller towns surrounding San Fran.
@ARMADA87
Grew up in Astoria. Went to old LIC high school and used to hang at Cafe Max bar on Astoria Blvd many moons ago. Astoria used to be a working to upper middle class town. To many ex manhattanites and transplants now driving up rents
and no pride in their town.
@ Pedro
I agree 100%
Although there are gay people everywhere in NYC. Astoria is changing in that its not as ethnic as it use to be. You had your Italian, Greek, Slavic (Czech, Croatian, Bosnian, etc.), Egyptian , Hispanic nooks, but there moving out and you have more and more out of towners.
It’s just way too congested now. It was congested 20 years ago but anything close to a subway line and its just people living and working on top of each other. I couldn’t deal anymore….
@ARMADA87……why buy a house that is 100 years old for 700k+ in Astoria? still cheaper than Williamsburg rent wise.
Noone should buy in Queens. The neighborhhod changes every 10 years. Astoria is quickly becoming a gay enclave.
@Vatrena cast “Genius” no common sense yes. What I am trying illustrate is how the U.S. rose as a world power. America was great after the war yes but not by genius or divine right as the neo-cons think. Remember for what army many or our grandfathers died for.
re: expensive locales
NYC is bonkers… I was in Astoria (biggest Croatian population in the 5 boroughs) and for a small 1 bedroom, the wife and I were paying almost 2k… People in my generation (20-30 years old) can’t buy places in NYC anymore unless you go into an “up and coming area”, come from a family of money that can help out or inherit something, otherwise, you have to have both partners in a couple make 60k+ a year to account of cost of living, bills, mortgage, etc.
I’m living in New England now and while the home stock is slightly cheaper, its still pricey
I know in some (undesirable) states, you can buy a house for 100k, sometimes less…. you can’t buy a garage in Queens, NY for that haha
I have a Cro buddy in Vancouver who lives in the heart of downtown and I can’t believe how much he pays for rent. It’s California-esque.
hmmmmm….to live in the Bay area or some place out in the sticks? there’s a reason why places like San Fran (and its surrounding), NY, LA, Vancouver, Toronto….are so much more expensive. we, those of us complain because we say its expensive….but once we leave we crave going home….no offence Vatrena Cast, I’d like to visit OK but you’d never get me to leave Vancouver…its just too nice!
@ante
I know man! That’s why I calculus by live in Cali anymore. Right now while in college I pay 425 for a 1 bedroom duplex.
@armada
I know it’s crazy, but it’s all about utilizing your skills and having companies fight for you.
Vatrena cast,
If you come back to the Bay ever, a six figure salary is enough to make rent…barely. Dude rent in Mountain View for a 550 sq ft apt is $4500. I repeat $4500. Google employees are starting to be priced out.
a 6 figure salary in Oklahoma?
that’s pretty impressive…. and this is coming from a person in the Recruiting/Staffing field 😉
Landing on Normandy when 80% of the troops weren’t there was genius. 2 time world war champs baby!! Yeah pushing for equality for everyone is bad right? I’m not by any means saying we are perfect over here but you name one country that is. I still think there’s more opportunity in America than anywhere else. You get what out of it what you put into it. Shit look at me, I was born in zenica, lived in Germany, lived in Croatia l, and now I’m getting my degree in December and I’ll be making an easy 6 figure starting salary. And that’s in fucking Oklahoma, the cheapest state to live in, sadly it’s a very red state but hell I love it. Lifestyle wise it’s a lot like Croatia.
Vs Gibraltar Kalinic Vrsaljko Jedvaj Corluka Leovac Pasalic Badelj Pjaca Tomecak Kramaric Kalinic.
What is America today? Blacklivesmatter, homosexuals, the 1 percent, Clinton/Jeb, Depressing.
Who cares about 911, I’m more interested in why America is covering up the fact the Earth is flat.
America has been very lucky due to it’s location. She was lucky to escape large scale bombing during WW2. The Germans and Japanese could not reach them. Then they landed on Normandy when 80 % of the Axis was on the Eastern Front with their puny Sherman Tanks. They dropped thousands of bombs to weaken Germany and after the war she was the only Western power standing intact. This brought an economic boom for almost 20 years. Then when other countries rebuilt she slowing started to decline.
America today needs nationalist policies.
Oh boze moj, ima svakakvi budala
I like Americans, but politically the country is fucked.
The elections is too monarchy-like, every couple of terms the president has the surname Bush and/or Clinton (I am looking forward, of course).
Why wouldn’t Washington bomb Zagreb or anywhere else? I mean, it is pretty obvious that 9/11 was an inside job. Go to youTube and watch “the new pearl harbor”, before arguing this last point. You are welcome for that, in advance! 😉
Amerika je hot dogs, baseball, Wal-Mart, McDonalds, teen pregnancy and red necks!!!
Fala bogu! Ja sam Amerikanac!!!!!
Where would da world be without America? ya got the Russians who are salvitating over expanding into Europe. ya got da Chinese who are building islands to “enlarge” their territory. So given the Ruskis and the Chinese, I’ll take America as the world leader any day.
Besides Australia, Canada, Europe, and America are all on the same team. We gotta stick together. ‘Cause The rest of the world is a pretty messed up place!
You Americans hate each other, country full of race riots and school shootings. Plus your country is ruled by nutjob evangelical Christians. Merica
I love the United States. Haters gonna hate. Everyone hates the USA until the shit hits the fan.
Ok sure…..maybe the states had some kind of involvement in this. What is the US getting in return? For them to screw someone only means there’s some kind of reward at the end of this. To be continued…….
Anonymous hilarious I tell you!!! LMAO
Now that’s a proper welcome.
Ante B. Good to see you remain clueless…rock on.
Here’s a name you should understand…pizda.
Croatians were let into the US, like all the rest of immigrant groups for cheap labour….full stop. What our parents did with that opportunity may be different from today’s immigrant pool but my comments were directed at your simplistic comment re capitalist demands….learn something.
Liverpool will be a marketing launch pad for the dynamic Kovačić.
The EPL dwarfs Serie A these days and Liverpool is an iconic brand.
Can’t wait to see Kovacic light up Anfield.
ZDS
it would be the best thing Lovren has delivered to Liverpool.
But, in terms of stature. Inter = Liverpool. Neither side is close to Champions League qulaity.
God bless the USA…period.
Kovocic to Liverpool per Livern coded Instagram.
Hope it happens- would be a great replacement for Gerrard.
Not to mention he will get that tough EPL treatment which will only help-
@Anonymous
HAHHAHAHAHH WHAT CROATIAN HAS EVER WORKED FOR CHEAP WAGES. NONE!! OUR DADS BUSTED THEIR ASSES WHEN THEY CAME HERE. NO GENEROUS WELFARE BENEFITS TO SIT ON THEIR PORCH AND HAVE ILLEGIMATE CHILDREN, PREACH COMMUNISM OR WAGE JIHAD.
CROATIANS WERE LET INTO THE US BECAUSE THEY WORKED AND RAISED FAMILIES. AT LEAST OUR FATHERS GENERATION DID. NOT SURE ABOUT THE UNDER 35 HIPSTER CROWD WHO ARE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT A WORLD CLASS ATHLETE BECOMING A WOMEN THEN HAVING FAMILIES.
BTW THE STAT IS TRUE. BEING THAT IT CAME FROM SUPERSTAR BILLY GRAHAM DOESN’T MATTER.
Anonymous above,
Please think of a name and sign in because you’re hilarious.
You’re quoting from a publication started by Billy Graham?!?!
That’s too funny.
@TONI
Mate Boban is scum.
@Toni
By your argument, neither your dad nor mine would have been allowed into Canada/USA in the late 50’s/early 60’s and found their better life….no?
P.S. Cheap labour is in China, no such thing as cheap labour in Canada/USA, unless those working at Tim Horton’s/Dunkin Donuts is whom you are referring to….
The U.S. would never had bombed Zagreb. Helmut Kohl would have invaded with his Panzers.
It would appear but one will give you a soft death and the other will behead you within 30 seconds. The Western world is run by a cabal of Capitalist’s and Marxists. The Marxist’s insist we allow uncontrolled third world immigration and the Capitalist’s insist we let in cheap labor. What about the native people. How do they benefit from this? Germany is on the path to extinction. Where do we draw the line.
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/fast.shrinking.country.germany.becomes.land.with.the.fewest.babies.in.the.world/55008.htm
We laugh at the domaci just as much as they laugh at us. Washington would have never bombed Zagreb.
You boys are getting ahead of yourselves I think. FIFA remains a powerful, closed door society. Listening to Declan Hill on the FAN590 in Toronto last night, it is his assertion that one of the many “Kingmakers” in the shadows around FIFA whispered into Blatter’s ear that it was time to go.
This story only scratches the surface. I will only believe fundamental change is afoot when transparency rules. Having a country like St. Lucia have equal voting rights as Spain or Germany is absurd, yet not easily or willingly rooted out.
It is funny how a number of major sponsors have come out supporting a change now, even as whispers persist that NIKE was involved in payola with the Brazilian FA.
It would be much easier to completely blow FIFA up and start from scratch.
P.S. Advocating Michel Platini as the next in line is a joke. Not only is he a Frenchman, UEFA is just as messed up as FIFA. If they could ever sort out the voting as well as transparency on bids, my suggestion would be to hire an independent 3rd party recruiting firm to find an interim President completely outside the cesspool that is world soccer. Only then might you see change.
Once/if FIFA is reformed you then have a bigger task. Rooting out the corruption that exists in virtually every FA in the world, not to mention all the match fixing that runs the sport.
Good luck with that.
Karl Marx was wrong, Religion is not the opiate of the masses, World Football is!
note: Bruno and Zvonko are not brothers.
“Zvonko who?”
Speaking of Rafa.
I’m watching the French Open and the half-hrvat Djokovic is doing a number on him so far.
Bold prediction time, well maybe not that bold…….If Djokovic wins this match, he will not only go on to win the French Open, he will also win Wimbledon and the US Open this year and win all four majors in the same calendar year. He is about to have a historic season. he was won every match at evey main tournament this year. All Grand Slams so far and all Masters events he has entered.
I thought Mate Boban, Rafa Boban and Zvone Boban were all from the same village!!!!!!!!! So confusing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ziva sad thing is you are probably right. Honestly any diaspora Croat who doesn’t know who Bruno Busic should hand back their diaspora membership and be exiled from all diaspora communities.
@Toni – not disagreeing with you I just think its one side or the other. The utopian society ideal does not work and I rather have the US/Israel than neki ludak from the middle east waiting to destroy something or someone. How do muslimani live in Christian countries? They have decent rights etc for the most part right ? Now how do Christians live in Muslim countries ? There is no comparison.
90% od diaspora hrvati are currently googling to find out who Mate Boban and Bruno Basic were.
Hint……Mate Boban was not Zvone Boban’s dad.
Remember Bruno Bušić
who killed Mate Boban?
@Croatian Person
Who gave Israel such power over world governments?
daj mi hot dog, picku mater! ja sam americanac!
@Naprid Bili……..nope, Dayton in fact did happen. Towards the end it became comical in Dayton as Slobo and Stric Franjo had drinking sessions together that didn’t include Alija.
It is very well known in military and political circles that Washington was only posturing when they threatened Zagreb with air strikes.
Back to soccer.
http://www.croatiaweek.com/kovac-calls-up-rijeka-defender-as-lovren-withdraws-from-italy-euro-clash/
Lovren out of Italy and Gibraltar match.
Lovro
Football world is definitely split but not that cleanly though, the word is that 18 European countries voted for Blatter including Spain and France. That’s a significant chunk of UEFA. Also a whole bunch of the middle eastern countries jumped ship and backed Price Ali.
The soccer world is divided very broadly into two camps:
One comprises the traditional soccer powers of Europe and South America, most of whom have demanded Blatter’s ouster for years. The other encompasses the smaller soccer nations in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the Caribbean, which flourished under Blatter and voted heavily to keep him as president last week.
The next president faces the conundrum of figuring out how to balance the demands of the smaller nations, which share equally in voting power and revenue distribution, with the yearning of most of the traditional European and South American powers — which have won all 20 World Cups — to take back some of the authority they lost under Blatter’s presidency.
Blatter has agreed to stay on until the next elections – which might not be until March 2016.
“Proud Croatians” supporting a foreign country that has manipulated and caused harm to our homeland…. A joj, no wonder the domaci laugh at the Diaspora.
Better America than the other options as the world’s superpower, no doubt. But that doesn’t mean we can’t criticise America, its a healthy thing to hold those in power to account and to scrutinise them. And more than anything is just plain fun to ridicule American culture and society, because lets face it you guys are weird.
And for the U.S bashers/sympathizers. Everyone is some what correct but really you are choosing between 1 of 2 evils. Who would you rather have dictating the world US/Israel or Russia/China/Middle East? I am sorry but this idea of a utopian world where everyone loves everyone will simply never exist. There is always one person in a room who wants more than everyone else and there will always be a struggle for who calls the shots. I live in Canada and the U.S is my neighbour. Sure they have done, are doing and will continue to do some not so nice things to put it lightly but if it isn’t the U.S it will be someone else. If I lived somewhere else in the world closer to another super power whose actions coincided or promoted my standard of living I would probably support that country just like any normal rational person. People respond to incentives and that will never change.
Hey in all fairness I can see how it seems like Ziva is putting people down (I used to think the same with some of his comments before) but I think, at least for myself, Croatians can sometimes be naive and need someone to be more blunt and call things how they are. None of us will ever truly know what’s happening in Croatian when we don’t live there. A lot of reading is involved and apparently Croatian media is very Yugo to be general so it’s difficult to read between the lines.
@Ziva I used to heavily disagree with you on some things before (and I’m not ball hugging here) but you have some points that are bang on. Keep it up. Sorry for having a misconstrued notion of your past comments. We are fortunate to have an awesome website like this everyone to vent, chat etc
@Ziva Istina
Sure, and Dayton Agreement never happened either.
Zagreb was never going to be bombed. It was a bluff and our inexperienced politicians bit.
@Ante B.
Yea of course, that’s why the threatened to bomb Zagreb if we proceeded into Banja Luka. But nope. The genocidal Republika Sprksa has to surive in Bosnia&Herzegovina for a potential future war which means more profits from arms dealing.
At the beginning of the war, it was atrocious but then the tide changed after Bush Sr. If you would like to open Pandora’s box, by all means, go ahead and do so but let me leave you with this:
“Navijao sam za Hrvate.” – Bill Clinton
You’re welcome.
@Ante B.
Yea they helped a bit with Oluja once they saw that a large communist country in Europe was on the brink of destruction. Before that they said “we cannot and will not act as an international police force” and supported a “united yugoslavia.” I’m sure they enjoyed putting an embargo on us so we barely defend places like Vukovar and Dubrovnik while Serbia was heavily armed with all the weaponry they needed. And at the same time they only allowed us to buy from them, wow what a convenience. Thanks for helping us and getting your pockets deeper.
“Na hrvatskoj zemlji i na hrvatskom nebu, može vladat samo hrvatski narod. I Bog na nebesima. Ali nikad više Srbi i četnici. Nikad više London, Pariz i Washington.”
Instead of going to Washington to celebrate and love them (and my supposed hard on), can I just stay in California instead and do the same?
Naprid bili, who helped during Oluja? When the world turns to shit and asks for help, who does everyone scream for? Russia? China? Madagascar? Germany?
Again, I say: God Bless America.
I see we have anti-Americanism here……not cool, not cool at all.
If it wasn’t for the US of A, many of you would be speaking Russian or German right now.
Not only did we save the world twice, get rid of the threat of Saddam, eliminate Bin Laden and introduce the world to Nike, jeans and Apple products, we have now stepped up to save the game of soccer. A decade ago George Bush helped improve my stocks in defense contractors and now this decade America will save the beautiful game.
I think so e of you will need repent in church this Sunday…….or, rather next Christmas because I have the feeling some of you fake hrvati only view the insides of a church twice a year.
Boban would be nice but to be fair, Boban already failed once as an executive. He is good in his current analyst role with Sky.
ante why dont you and all the other albanian gyps that have a hardon for the US go to washington and worship the ground corrupt american politicians and american war criminals walk on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2rTafbQepg
Blatter favored the US over Qatar. That is well known.
When the vote took place he didn’t have any fear of entering the US. I’m not saying he is clean, he is not, but I also believe in the facts and he was not in favor of Qatar. Once they won, he towed the FIFA line. Platini is the one who favored Qatar. Plus, Qatar paid millions to the likes of Pep, Zidane, etc for them to be ambassadors for their bid.
@why…….what did I ever say that was not accurate about Gotovina????? You really think Puppet Suker is clean? You need to read up on him.
@Ante
What happened to Croatian Americans during WW1? Who awarded serbs control over other countries land which would be known as “yugoslavia?”
What about the weapons embargo at the start of the war in the 90s? And what was going to happen to our capital if we went to Banja Luka in ’95 along with ArmijaBiH?
“Na zahtjev Tita…” Enough said. Enter 1999.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gelCe981y0I
“god bless America”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhqlS3m-lKE
Why do you think Blatter backed a WC in the US, Ziva? He’s too scared to even enter the country, why would he want a WC there? C’mon.
Dick Pound!
I’m not trying to be funny.
He’s real!
He would be a great short term solution to clean up the game a bit.
That’s what Declan Hill said on Off The Record today…
So who replaces Blatter?
Prince Ali Ababwa? Or Platini?
Watch Boban come out of the shadows and take it.
oh really so now suker is corrupt, ah yes ziva once again putting down another hrvat, first gotovina, now suker, doesnt stop with him
I wonder how this impacts Qatar’s World Cup bid because Blatter didn’t back their bid. He preferred the US. Platini was the one who was a big Qatar backer.
The people who pick these fuckers are corrupt (Puppet Suker) so unless everything is cleaned it will be more of the same but they will be more careful in how they move their cash around.
Well, FIFA did always want greater US involvement in soccer …
Just as I predicted – the already arrested FIFA execs are singing like canaries.
Blatter kept all the African and Asian nations support by distributing profits evenly to each country no matter what size.
Voting was also done the same way – St.Kitts has as much power as Germany.
It’s how he stayed in power.
So, as long as the next president keeps the same policy (which would be very smart), nobody will care about Blatter being gone. The lower level execs don’t care who’s sliding them the money under the door, they will set up their system again – Sepp can’t bend over anymore anyway.
The new people in power will be greatly appreciative toward the United States for their chance to do a better job of being corrupt without noticing.
We will probably get the 2022 World Cup instead of Qatar and all the calls in tournaments you want.
to quote the legend…
maaaa tko to moze? tko to moze?! Davor Suker samo!
USA! USA! USA!
I need to put the end of Rocky IV on, stat!
Platini, Prince Ali, and Luis Figo are top candidates now.
Platini and UEFA are next then it’ll trickle down to the smaller leagues. But you’re right. God bless America and the FBI. It will be America’s greatest contribution to the game. Now, who will replace him?
God Bless America
God Bless the FBI
I guess this also means the US will have shitty calls by the ref at every World Cup for the next 50 years.
Now, only if they could come to Cro and clean up the game?