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Tuesday Kickoff: FIFA announce reform committee; Klopp linked with Marseille; and more

FIFA headquarters

By DAN KARELL

FIFA has put together a new committee as part of their plans to reform the allegedly corrupt organization.

FIFA announced that they’ve appointed veteran Swiss lawyer François Carrard to lead the 2016 FIFA Reform Committee, which includes two representatives from each of the six FIFA confederations. Dr. Carrard was the director general for the International Olympic Committee following the Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Olympics scandal and helped the organization introduce reforms to improve the IOC’s credibility.

“It is vital for the future of global football to restore the integrity and reputation of its governing body,” Carrard said in a statement. “As the independent chairman, I am committed to delivering the necessary package of credible reforms, working with representatives from within football and wider society. To that end, I will establish an independent advisory board, made up of representatives from outside football, to support the work of the committee and provide an additional layer of independent expertise.”

CONCACAF’s representatives to the committee include Victor Montagliani, the president of the Canadian Soccer Association, and Samir Gandhi, a partner with Sidley Austin Law.

Here are some more stories to start off your Tuesday:

FREE AGENT KLOPP LINKED WITH MARSEILLE JOB

In the wake of Marcelo Bielsa’s surprising departure from Marseille, the French club has been recently linked with another big-name manager.

Jurgen Klopp has been one of the names touted by reports in France and Germany following Bielsa’s resignation, but the German manager, through his agent, was quick to shoot down any rumors that he would end his sabbatical so soon.

“It is correct that Klopp has rejected Marseille,” Klopp’s representative, Marc Kosicke, told Bild. “OM were really interested in signing him, but the time is not right yet for Jurgen to return to coaching.”

Klopp wrapped up a seven-year stay with Borussia Dortmund, resigning at the end of the 2014/2015 Bundesliga season.

QUICK KICKS

AC Milan are closing in on signing centerback Andrea Romagnoli from AS Roma. (REPORT)

Barcelona academy product Adama Traore has become the latest Spaniard to move to England, reportedly signing with Aston Villa. (REPORT)

Mathieu Valbuena has returned to France, signing a contract with Olympique Lyon after a transfer from Dynamo Moscow. (REPORT)

Bayer Leverkusen have signed Charles Aranguiz for a €13 million fee from Internacional of Brazil. (REPORT)

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What do you think of these reports? Do you see FIFA’s reform process working? What do you believe needs to be done to help improve governance? Who do you see ending up as Marseille’s next head coach?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Only FIFA would have the hubris to think anyone would put stock in a “reform committee” made up of members of the organization being reviewed … even if led by outside investigator (kinda hard to lead when you’re not being followed).

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  2. I think the reform committee’s first action should be to change their name from the “2016 Reform Committee” to the “2015 Reform Committee.”

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    • FIFA need more delegates from outside the soccer community. They would have less vested interests than those within, especially when the hard choices have to ne made.

      I would personally like to see an outside panel review the recommendations and actions of the “FIFA committee” Perhaps commissioners or chairmen of other sports leagues might be a good start. Adam Silver an attorney and, the NBA commissioner would be a good start. If you look at his CV, he has close connections with the New York US District court and a major nd very rich sports league. Other members could/should come from Government, Sports federations and groups with ties to eradicating corruption and making things more transparent.

      I know this is my pipe dream, but any “committee” that is organized and/or chosen under the auspices of FIFA is a dead end, because as good as the intentions are, any group coming from FIFA will have, at the back of its agenda, a preservation of FIFA resources, it’s capital and the submersion of facts that would expose FIFA, it’s executives and their actions from further legal scrutiny and in return it would suggest a clean, transparent FIFA reorganization that will take place over years instead of months, completed and activated by insiders, rather than independent outsiders, and will always call itself,”the best possible” solution considering the facts.

      Reply

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