Fifa hold talks with Blatter

Secret talks between Fifa officials and Sepp Blatter
have taken place over his future as the president of
football's world governing body, BBC Sport has
learned.
The discussions, involving representatives from a
number of football confederations, are understood
to have started in October 2013, at the celebrations
for the English Football Association's 150th
anniversary.
Blatter has since confirmed his intention to stand in
May's presidential election and seek a fifth term of
office.
However, with the 29 January deadline looming for
candidates to declare their interest, there is
mounting concern amongst several Fifa executives
over the governing body's future direction and
leadership.
Fifa World Cup report: Sepp
Blatter says crisis is over
Speaking in Manilla earlier this month, Blatter
reaffirmed he has support from five of the six
confederations that constitute Fifa.
But BBC Sport has been told the recent crisis within
the governing body, stemming from an investigation
into alleged World Cup bidding corruption that
culminated last week in the resignation of ethics
committee investigator Michael Garcia, could yet
have far-reaching effects.
Garcia quit citing a lack of independence in Fifa's
judicial processes and his belief the organisation's
culture was beyond reform.
Speaking to BBC Sport, one source described 78-
year-old Blatter as being increasingly "weary"
following years of fire-fighting multiple scandals, a
hectic work schedule and the acrimonious fall-out
from the decision to award the next two World Cups
to Russia and Qatar.
Fifa sources have also spoken of how, in light of
recent events, a number of potential challengers are
now weighing their candidacy options.
Blatter on 2022 World Cup:
"It would really need an earthquake, extremely
important new elements, to go back on this
World Cup in Qatar."
The question being posed within Fifa circles is
whether Blatter, if he opts to stand aside ahead of
May's election, would back the candidacy of one of
the five publicly supportive confederation
presidents.
Uefa, the European confederation, remains the most
vocal critic of Blatter's desire to continue on as
president.
European football association chiefs, including FA
chairman Greg Dyke, told Blatter he should stand
aside for the good of the sport during a stormy
meeting in Sao Paulo in June.
Yet Uefa has yet to propose a candidate of its own,
with president Michel Platini ruling himself out of
the running in July.
Fifa executive committee member Prince Ali of
Jordan is understood to be one potential candidate
Uefa would consider supporting.
Sepp Blatter has led Fifa
since 1998 but his leadership
has been called into question
However, given that the Asian Football
Confederation (AFC), under the leadership of Shaikh
Salman of Bahrain, has declared strong support for
Blatter, it is thought he would struggle to secure the
necessary votes to win.
In addition, Ali is facing his own fight to remain a
Fifa executive, with AFC elections looming, and may
yet choose to focus his attention on that objective
instead.
He is not expected to announce his decision until
late January and declined to comment last week
when asked if he would stand.
With former Fifa official Jerome Champagne the
only other person to publicly state his wish to be on
the presidential ballot paper, attention amongst Fifa
insiders is starting to turn to Jeffrey Webb.
He was appointed president of Concacaf, the
football confederation for North, Central America
and the Caribbean, in 2012 in the wake a major
financial scandal involving the former Fifa vice-
presidents Chuck Blazer and Jack Warner.
Since then, he has stabilised the organisation's
finances and has led Fifa's anti-discrimination
taskforce, which has introduced tough new
sanctions for racism offences within the game.
Webb has stated he does not intend to run for the
presidency in 2015, with the expectation amongst
observers that he intends to target the 2019 poll
instead.
But as the pressure on Blatter continues to build,
and given the recent haemorrhaging of Fifa's
credibility, Webb is believed to be considering his
options.
He is thought to be undecided over whether now is
the right time to attempt to seize power.
Blatter has praised Webb in the past, lavishing
praise on his efforts to reform Caribbean football at
a Concacaf conference last year.
Shaikh Salman is another name thought to be under
discussion amongst insiders, along with Fifa
general secretary, Jerome Valcke, as candidates
Blatter could potentially accept as a successor.
With five weeks to go until the deadline for
presidential candidates to formally declare their
candidacy, it is thought Blatter's actions in
Marrakech last week, where he backed the
redacted publication of the Garcia report once
current investigations have concluded, has
provided him with sufficient political breathing
space to make it onto the list of nominees.
But the man who has led Fifa since 1998 was far
from convincing about his candidacy when asked
last week by BBC Sport if he would categorically
run.
"We will see on 1 February who are the candidates
for the election," he said.
"Probably you will see my name there because I've
been asked by a lot of national associations to do
so. But let me pass Christmas, or let's say the
fiestas at the end of the year, and give me then the
opportunity to say: 'Yes I will be present.'"
Blatter has also spoken about the "health and good
luck" he would need to stand, comments seen by
some within Fifa as a sign he may yet choose to
stand aside.
Fifa executives are also thought to fear that any
further serious allegations in the next few months
against the organisation could seriously destabilise
world football.
Reports of an FBI investigation concerning Fifa, or
the prospect of action by other foreign law
enforcement agencies, has led some to believe
there should now be an orderly transfer of power.
The possibility of the Garcia report being published
in April or May - and the conclusion of disciplinary
cases against three serving Fifa executives - is
seen by some as a potential opportunity for Blatter
to depart under the claim he instigated and
completed a thorough reform process