I have little expectation from new FIFA President – Odegbami

Lagos – Segun Odegbami, a former Green Eagles players says he has little expectation from the new FIFA President, Gianni Infantino.

Gianni Infantino

 Gianni Infantino was formerly secretary of UEFA before he was elected by 270 countries to lead FIFA on Feb. 26. Odegbami had initially bided for the coveted position of FIFA presidency before jettisoning the idea later, claiming he lacked support.

 Odegbami, nicknamed “Mathematical Segun Odegbami’’ because of his dribbling, precision passes and scoring ability in his playing days, was a member of the team that won the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations. He wore 46 caps for Nigeria between 1976 and 1982.

Odegbami, who also captained Nigeria to 1980 Olympics in Moscow, is the second African to make attempt at FIFA presidency after Liberia’s Musa Bility. His bid to become the FIFA president did not materialise because he could not win the required backing of five member associations of FIFA. 

Odegbami in his reaction to the emergence of Infantino said on telephone that there was little to change in the order of world football. “I have not met him, but I have read what he said in his speech and I think they are accommodating enough for anybody expecting reforms. “What I think I am expecting is that he will perform to the level of everything he has said in his speech and if he does that, it is very good for the game. “I have little expectation because there is little wrong about the game; nothing has been wrong with the quality of world football.

 “You can notice that while the whole corruption mess was going on, it did not disturb the flow of the game. There are no problems in football,’’ he said. Odegbami noted that the problem with world football was not in the standard of the game but the administration which had little effect on the quality of the game. “Nobody will come into FIFA and make drastic changes or reforms in the game because the game is okay. “The problem is the administration, finances, the authenticity of process and fraud; these are the things that scandalise the body and not the game. “The new president has been with Sepp Blatter before and fortunately survived him, which is a lesson enough for Infantino to do things correctly this time around. 

“I think he will not mess up, but rather try to justify the confidence that 270 countries around the world have in making him the president,’’ he said. Odegbami advised football followers to wait and see an all-inclusive FIFA to bring in more people. He also said that he was not expecting FIFA to increase the quota of African nations in the World Cup but maintaining the status quo.