Kick in the teeth

WHAT do San Marino, Bhutan and the Cook Islands have that Gibraltar doesn’t?… FIFA membership!

In the latest leg on his journey to ruin world football, FIFA president Sepp Blatter announced that Gibraltar would not be able to join FIFA – and therefore play at the World Cup – despite being recognised by European footballing body UEFA.

With 209 member countries already registered with the world footballing body, Blatter’s reason that ‘FIFA does not recognise Gibraltar as an independent country’ seems like bureaucratic nonsense – especially in light of FIFA’s recent laissez faire attitude.

Maybe a loosening of the purse strings and a brown envelope in the right direction would help Gibraltar’s cause.