Jordan coach Ray Wilkins "is convinced Prince Ali bin Al Hussein is the right man to clean up FIFA's tarnished image and the former England captain will be hoping the royal can reciprocate his support in a similarly tough battle," according to Patrick Johnston of REUTERS. Ali, a football fan and advocate of transparency, "wants to become the first Asian head of FIFA and put forward plans to stand against Jerome Champagne and incumbent Sepp Blatter in May elections" last week. Wilkins: "I've been involved with Prince Ali now for five months, an upstanding young man, I've got to say a really, really nice young man. I support him. It's about time Blatter was challenged and I think everybody in world football is quite pleased that someone is now going to stand up and challenge this guy" (REUTERS, 1/11). FOX SPORTS reported Champagne has admitted "he is not sure he will be able to get the five nominations required to be able to stand against" Blatter. A candidate needs to get five nominations from the 209 FIFA members "to be able to stand for the presidency and, while Blatter and Prince Ali are both certain to pass that mark, Champagne admitted he may struggle to make it into the race" (FOX SPORTS, 1/9). CAYMAN COMPASS' Ron Shillingford reported CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb "is strenuously denying that he wants to be the next FIFA president" and insists he will not challenge Blatter at the next elections in a few months. Webb insists that the CONCACAF presidency -- which he took over nearly three years ago -- "is his prime focus, though he conceded that his many admirers believe he would be a good FIFA president" (CAYMAN COMPASS, 1/12).
