No racism? What is the Blatter with him?

FIFA President Sepp Blatter gave two interviews today in which he implied that racism is an exaggerated issue within football and that racial abuse in the heat of a game should be met with understanding by those who suffer it.

This is a stand alone issue and deserves not to be watered down by the numerous grievances one can legitimately charge against the Mafioso-like steward of world football.

Blatter's comments were yes a journalist's dream and a PR's nightmare but they really did expose the horrifying reality of just how out of touch FIFA is with the challenges facing sport and society - particularly football.

Sport reflects society in many ways and racism is still an issue in both to some extent - yes we've moved on and equal opportunities are a sign of the times - but there is still work to do.

We live in a world where 40-50% of Premiership footballers are now of ethnic origin but the number of notable black managers / coaches can be counted on one hand.

Black English players have been the victims of racial abuse in Bulgaria, Spain and Italy during the last decade - we ourselves are far from squeaky clean - England captain John Terry is currently the subject of a police investigation for discriminatory remarks after all.

Refusing to acknowledge the scale of the issues is one thing - to suggest that black athletes should accept abuse as a result of adrenaline fuelled emotion is on a whole new level of outrage.

How twisted is FIFA logic? Footballer's nowadays aren't expected to dust themselves off after a hard tackle but are allowed to roll around theatrically - but if they're racially, religiously or just homophobically abused they just shake their opponent’s hand!

Football and its governing bodies need a reality check on a number of levels. Maybe technology can improve the game, salary caps might work and the World Cup shouldn’t be won with bribes – but condoning racism?

There are no if, buts or maybes on this – it’s embarrassing.

The football league story of the decade - Wimbledon

In 2002, AFC Wimbledon became the proverbial phoenix to rise from the ashes of Wimbledon FC. After years of ground-sharing turmoil, the 'Crazy Gang' was sent on an ambitious relocation adventure to Milton Keynes which inevitably ended in catastrophe.

The much loved Wombles, who had grown out its home sweet home Plough Lane in the heart of Wimbledon Common, dissolved in 2004. A hardcore element of over 2000 fans was determined to become the Dons of their beloved local side once more. 

Having secured the sponsorship of Sports Interactive, the Wombles went into Championship Manager mode - on their own mission to re-establish Wimbledon as a South-West London local - not a far away franchise club of which MK Dons are referred to as today.

But this Phoenix took the form of a mere sparrow setting out on its first flight - a thrown together side set about competing in the Combined Counties League - a million miles away from the famous FA Cup victory of 1988. 

Wimbledon had always been the ultimate minnows - unfortunately they lost their way in a sea of sharks on their unprecedented rise to the Premier League. With their relegation in 2000 after 14 years with their heads in the clouds, the road to Wembley became the highway to hell.

AFC Wimbledon have stayed true to form in the business of defying the odds and nine years after its formation the club has soared through the non-league into the fourth tier of English football. 

The question is where do the Wombles go from here? I took a trip down to Kingsmeadow, the new capital home of Wimbledon to find out a bit more and taste the atmosphere of the ultimate underdog embarking on a potential cup upset.

The visit of League 1 Scunthorpe United was a passionate affair and the atmosphere was breathtaking throughout a cagey but entertaining 0-0 draw. It was the post-match experience which blew me away. 

A few drinks in the clubhouse to see the players interviewed and watch the England v Spain game with some fellow football lovers. As a Wolves fan it made me question my motive for being.

I ignorantly commented to one fan that the ultimate aim must be to restore Wimbledon to former glory and he replied 'No, I disagree'. Whilst the flag-wavers of the 1988 FA Cup Final still yearn for the Dons to march on Milton Keynes to put their successors to the sword - there is another, equally honest theme of this club.

Having been stripped of their club once before, these loyalists would sooner die before they see it fall into entrepreneurial hands ever again. If that means confining themselves to a life of lower league football, so be it.

Somewhere along the way, the stars which once lined the eyes of Wimbledon FC as a Premier League regular and cup-run specialists, as they do all of us football fans, blinded the sight of what is good and true about supporting a club.

What the fans did in their hour of desperation defies logic, it’s beyond belief.

No performance on the pitch can really provide more pride than the elation these men and women feel every Saturday when they go to watch their team - because it really is theirs – and as the song rang out – they just can’t get enough.

The FA confirmed today that during their stay in Krakow the England Euro 2012 squad will make a visit to Auschwitz Concentration Camp after being criticised in the past for not sampling local heritage sites.

The World Cup 2010 campaign in South Africa was marred by so many things – on and off the pitch – one of these being the failure of English players to appreciate local culture.

This sudden thirst for history does wreak a little of a PR stunt, but as a History graduate who specialised in Nazi Germany; it feels uncomfortable to hear Auschwitz associated with a piece of image management.

Over 1 million people lost their lives between 1940 and 1945 during the camp’s operational years – murder on an industrial scale was carried out in the second camp at Birkenau.

The birds genuinely do not sing over Birkenau even today – to stare straight into the abyss of humanity is not a way of keeping in touch with the people.

Sampling the local attractions should always be encouraged considering the gulf between footballers and fans – this is not the answer – it has potential to be what it is intended not to be (a PR nightmare) and have a detrimental effect on the team’s preparation.

The Holocaust is a sensitive, sensitive issue and rightly so – one image of an England player supposedly not showing interest, breaking a smile, using their phone will burn them with the press – whether in context or not.

Moreover, if the players are left alone to concentrate on what they see and hear – it will disturb them forever. However, it could unite them as a group.

If this is done properly, a lot of young minds will have their perspectives on life torn asunder in a matter of hours – they will learn something about the world and hopefully about themselves.

But the organisers of this pilgrimage are dicing with death – literally.  It takes mental preparation to enter Birkenau. As if the mountains of human hair and horror stories of Auschwitz are not enough – the second camp is the outermost end of the world.

It’s something everybody should do. With that said, it’s not to be taken lightly. This is not white-water rafting with your mates or shopping with your girlfriend.

One thing is for sure – it might serve to quell the tension we have seen on the pitch from our players in past tournaments.

A trip to Hell on Earth will show them that there is a lot more to life than winning a football match.

A Stroke of Genius

AC Milan forward Antonio Cassano, 29, has undergone heart surgery after suffering a  mini-stroke just hours after his side’s 3-2 victory in the Stadio Olimpico.

The ex-Roma striker appeared as a substitute on his return to the capital and the ischaemic stroke which followed was caused by a hole in his heart which took just under an hour to operate successfully on last night.

It was with great regret that I learned the news of Cassano’s illness, a player who has entertained those among us who appreciate a mercurial execution of vivacious skill.

It is no coincidence that the immortal Maradona was the first to express his sorrow for Casanno’s plight – the most naturally skilful player to grace the earth whose own career was hampered, diverted and almost destroyed by health problems due to his excessive lifestyle.

Cassano, like Maradona practically lost his way in Spain during his time at Real Madrid – competing for a place behind the great Ronaldo and the Spanish demagogue Raul.

His move to Sampdoria was a turning point in his complicated career – and like the legendary Argentine did during his spell at Napoli after a Catalan collision course in Barcelona, Cassano guided his new club to dizzy heights of success.

He’s a dying breed – and a scare such as this deserves recognition. The Cassano’s of this world should be extinct by now given the emphasis of pace, athleticism and brutal efficiency in the modern game.

But Darwin’s ‘Survival of the Fittest’ does not exclude magicians. Cassano and his kin may not be able to keep up with the chaotic haste football is played in nowadays – but he doesn’t need to – he makes the game keep up with him.

Players like this imaginative Italian make football games a show as well as an examination – we should cherish them.

Wish Antonio a speedy return to good health – unless you’re a Serie A defender that is.