Blatter's bravado leaves him on verge of fifth term

"If two other countries had emerged from the envelope, I think we would not have these problems today"

So there you have it. In Sepp Blatter's assessment of Fifa's problems - the corruption and bribery scandals, the arrests of top officials - the whole sorry lot is down to sour grapes, nothing else.

The implication being that the US was so sore at losing out to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup, it is motivated to bringing down Fifa's leadership.

In a speech on the morning of a day he hopes will see him re-elected as President, he also questioned the timing of the arrests of seven Fifa officials - three days before the vote.

His speech was full of metaphors and mixed messages.

Most nonsensical among them his assertion that "...the president of Fifa is responsible for everything."

Then moments later, adding: "We cannot constantly supervise everyone in football....you cannot ask everyone to behave ethically."

It takes some bravado to deliver lines like that - but then that's one characteristic Blatter has never been short of.

Remember, this is a man who said he definitely wouldn't be standing today, and lo and behold he's on the verge of a fifth term.

European football might not want him, but the majority of the rest of the world does.

Very soon that support will drift into the ballot box and return him to power.

That is when the fun will start and UEFA's resolve will be tested.

Michel Platini made many veiled threats yesterday - before too long it will be time for him to prove they weren't empty.