FIFA's UK seat up for election

An election in February will determine who will win the FIFA seat to represent Britain.

FA chairman Geoff Thompson, Scottish FA president John McBeth, Irish FA president Jim Boyce and president of the Football Association of Wales, Peter Rees, have been nominated for the position.

The home nations have its own FIFA vice-presidential position, which is protected in the rules of world football's governing body.

David Will, a Scottish lawyer, has held that seat for 17 years but will step down in May.

With England expected to bid for the 2018 World Cup, Thompson would be able to influence FIFA's executive committee, which decides who will host the competition.

Since an Englishman has not held the seat for 47 years, the FA feels it is time for one to hold the position.

Northern Ireland's Harry Cavan held the seat for 30 years before Will, but Boyce maintained all four home nations agreed that the seat should be given to the best candidate and not by a rotation basis.

"It would be an honour if I was given the position, if the British associations feel I would be the best man for the job," said Boyce.

Thompson, a UEFA vice-president, and Boyce, head of UEFA's youth and amateur football committee and a member of FIFA's disciplinary committee, have the international experience that Rees and McBeth lack.

Rees was nominated because the FAW have never had the seat and the Scottish FA put up its own man simply to avoid the position of being kingmakers.

Each home nation gets one vote but a new system may have to be developed to avoid a four-way stalemate.

Source: euFootball.BIZ © Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved.