Blatter’s successor shouldn’t be European – GFA

The Ghana Football Association president wants Africans to kick against a European successor to Sepp Blatter

Ghana Football Association president Kwesi Nyantakyi claims that a candidate from Europe for Fifa presidency would not serve the interest of African football.

Incumbent Sepp Blatter announced his resignation on Tuesday, which sparked joy across Europe but disappointment in Africa, following the Swiss strong ties with the Confederation of African Football, Caf.

Nyantakyi feels it would be difficult have another European Fifa chief with same high vision for the development of African football.

“I don’t think a candidate from Europe can have enough votes from Africa and Asia to become the next Fifa president,” he told Joy FM.

“The reforms being put forward by Europe is only meant to serve their interest and will kill football in Africa.

“For instance, they made a request to the Fifa Executive Committee to play friendly matches only amongst themselves.

“They are also increasingly restricting the number of African players in their leagues where in fact African players have played integral roles in making them attractive.

“These reforms were of course not accepted and so you can see clearly attempts being made by Europe to make them more powerful by crippling the other blocks,” he said.

Outgoing Blatter remains very popular in Africa and Asia mainly for his reforms that increasingly levelled the playing field in terms of decision making and profit sharing at Fifa as opposed to the desire of the Europe block to have a majority say due to their superior resources.