Sadly, I can’t see a mutiny against FIFA happening

FIFA have ignored the big European leagues in switching the Qatar World Cup to the winter.

By doing so, they have left themselves open to mutiny.

Unfortunately, I just can’t see it happening because no national association will take the risk.

I would love nothing more than to see the SFA and the FA to stick two fingers up to FIFA over this.

It’s the response football’s governing body deserves after treating the European leagues with such open contempt.

But would anybody else follow suit? Would Spain, Germany, France or Italy do the same?

I just can’t see it, and more’s the pity. And the last thing the FA in particular needs is to be out on a limb against FIFA.

Those in charge of the global game already hate England for the scrutiny the British media has put them under, and because the FA have gone against Sepp Blatter on a number of occasions.

Less than a year ago, FA chairman Greg Dyke went so far as to brand FIFA a “suspect organisation”, and claimed its reputation would remain in the gutter until Blatter steps down as President.

That sort of thing isn’t taken kindly in Zurich.

FIFA’s Swiss headquarters is a building where it appears deals are brokered under the table, such as the US TV rights for the 2026 World Cup being handed to Rupert Murdoch’s Fox network without ever going out to tender.

That sort of business practice requires close relationships, trust and complicity.

The FA don’t work that way with FIFA, and rightly so.

But walking away from the World Cup would take their fractious relationship with football’s power brokers to a whole new level.

It would leave them isolated on the world stage. England can’t afford that.

Unfortunately, the European leagues are just going to have to swallow it.

All of the disruption, all of the implications for broadcast deals, all of the possible repercussions. These are the price clubs and leagues will have to pay for FIFA’s incompetence.

To be fair to the Qatari organisers, they have been thrust into the middle of an absolute disaster zone.

These problems have nothing to do with them.

FIFA, on the other hand, have made yet another balls-up.

I only hope that it’s the last Sepp Blatter gets to conduct.