THE ONLY JOURNEY, IS THE ONE WITHIN

On the way home tonight, I was listening to Public Service Broadcasting’s ‘Everest.’ As the last bars fade out, a voice asks: “Why should a man climb Everest?” And the same man answers: “Because it is there.”

Tariq Panja once told me: “with all the things that you’ve seen or heard, you should keep a diary, and publish a book one day.” Recent attempts by others probably mean mine would not be a best seller. By occasionally blogging, it's an outlet, to share a few stories. Today, I met someone trying to climb his Everest.

More than 16 years ago, I joined The Football Association in the first ever Customer Relations Unit. My foot in the door owed something to a lucky connection with someone I worked with previously in a Sloane Street secretarial recruitment company. And despite nervously calling myself a ‘carrot cruncher’ in the interview, Mark Sudbury still took a chance on me!
Today, I met finally, face-to-face, Jeronimo Diaz Tomic. He’s worked in football before. In Chile. In Australia. Now he wants to work for FIFA. In September, he cycled 1215km from Toulouse, in the South of France, where he lives with his wife and son. He took 25 days, via UEFA and IOC HQs, to deliver a letter and CV, expressing his dream to work in sport. On the way, he camped. Sometimes, he slept in fields. He then delivered his letter and CV to FIFA reception. Then left again. He documented his journey in an incredible video.

He found me on Twitter shortly after that trip, and we struck up a rapport. This was a guy who so badly wanted to get his foot in the door, as I did 16 years ago. I thought it deserved to be known about. So I posted a few tweets.

As his story was picked up in French media, we started to discuss the idea of him visiting FIFA. He would plan his journey, in order to find a cheap train fare. This afternoon, he finally arrived through the Zurich fog, after a journey from Toulouse, via Paris. 15 hours. Overnight. We did a mini tour of FIFA HQ. We visited the Committee room. The ‘Meditation’ room, - where visitors who need a quiet place to pray, can do so in peace – and our TV studio.

Over lunch, we tried to further nail down what would be his ‘dream job.’ Jeronimo presented me with a book. Hardback. Stunning photography. Produced and crowd-funded, by people who like me, could see something special. As we talked, he also did a bit of filming. Jeronimo explained that the bicycle he came to Zurich with in September had been sold. The drone, with which he filmed, had also been sold. Instead, he’d bought a new camera, and was testing out new ways to document his journey, in the same way he hoped in future, he may document FIFA projects.

He also had two more books he wanted to leave for the FIFA President and Secretary General. I told him I’d introduce him to a few people. Then we’d leave the books. But we got a bit bold!

After delivering one photo book to a good friend who works in the Presidential Office, we walked to the other side of the building. By then, I had the sales pitch for Jeronimo well-rehearsed. Just as I started to make my pitch to one of the SG’s team, she said: “I think we can do better than that.”

Fatma arrived. Invited us into her office. They chatted. We showed her Jeronimo’s video. And he explained why he wanted to work for FIFA. Why he’d been inspired to cycle 1215km, in the hope he might one day get to realise his dream.

The look on his face, as we chatted downstairs afterwards and hugged, was one I hope to see again. It was flushed with a happiness and, a puzzlement almost, as if the last half an hour hadn’t really happened. There have been few highlights, and many more lowlights in the last two years, but this afternoon was special. Because I met a special human being. 

Two days ago, Jeromino posted another video. He said he would not give up, until his story reached the right person. After today, I was reminded that if you find an ‘Everest’ in front of you, you could be beaten immediately. Alternatively, you can think of possible ways to conquer it. There are many cod-philosophical ways I could try to end this blog. However, one quote stands out from Mark Twain: “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” I hope we started something for Jeronimo today.

SEE YOU AT THE CROSSROADS

It has been more than a year since my last blog. The fact that this one is titled after a Blazing Squad lyric does not bode well! But bear with me.

This morning I flew back to Zurich, after my second week-long spell in Jordan during the last month. If you didn't know, Jordan hosted the FIFA U17 Women's World Cup. It involved 16 teams, who played 32 matches between 30 September and 21 October. Last night, Korea DPR beat Japan on penalties, to win the fifth edition of the tournament.

These games were not shown too widely on TV. We tried our best to connect fans via FIFA's Social Media channels, and our website. Away from Zurich, and the launch of the new FIFA Vision, the staff who worked as professionally as ever in Jordan were a little out of sight, out of mind. After all "it's only an U17 Women's World Cup." But was it?

At the beginning of this month, I clocked up my eighth year at FIFA. I would be lying if I said that in the last couple of years, the thought of leaving FIFA had not crossed my mind. I was at a real crossroads. Sometimes, the negativity swirling around got too much. I care. Care about my work. Care about trying to change something, however small. And I believe, despite the endless stream of lurid global newspaper articles, there are people I work with, who also work bloody hard to try and make a difference.

The FIFA U17 Women's World Cup in Jordan was a first. The first FIFA women's competition in the Middle East. It was the first international tournament Jordan had ever hosted. And, due to the host team's participation, it would be the first FIFA tournament where any active female player had worn a 'headscarf', to be able to play elite football.

Jordan (to quote Wikipedia) "is is an Arab kingdom in Western Asia, on the East Bank of the Jordan River. Jordan is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the east and south, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north, Israel, Palestine and the Dead Sea to the west and the Red Sea in its extreme south-west. Jordan is strategically located at the crossroads of Asia, Africa and Europe."

If Jordan is located at a geographical crossroads, many would argue that since 2015, FIFA itself has been at a crossroads. The view of many - some very well informed, others far less so - was that FIFA as an organisation was rotten to its core. And therefore, by association, that also meant me. My colleagues. And anyone else who worked there.

In recent years i've tried to use Twitter as an outlet to try to tell people (as much as I could, based on what I knew), the difference between 'perception and reality.' Often I would be criticised. On one occasion, a former mentor kindly DMd me to tell me perhaps I should take a break. He suggested maybe I was "trying too hard. That people didn't want to listen." The clear message was that people had made their minds up. And I was wasting my time. He of course had a valid point. But my point, was that on a day-to-day basis, life in Zurich was different. Very different. Beyond the opulent reception, were two floors of offices. And sat among those for example, were a very small group, working on the development of women's football.

After last night's game and the trophy lift, I wanted to sample the last bit of atmosphere. As I walked towards the light at the end of the player's tunnel, players from both teams walked past me. North Korean girls giggled, medals hanging round their necks. Some were in tears. Then, as I got nearer the field, the Japan team started to walk past me en masse. Every single player was in tears. One, who brought up the rear, was crying in an utterly uncontrollable way. Indelible images. The tournament mattered. It really mattered.

So, after this very circuitous build-up, I just wanted to tell you a few things that colleagues of mine did in Jordan. That shows this tournament mattered to them too. And it may help a few of you change your mind about FIFA. Maybe.

All these projects fall under the bracket 'legacy.' That word, especially to a group of British Sports News journalists, whose work I admire greatly, has long been overused related to sports events. But in Jordan, tangible things were done, that went way beyond just re-painting a few walls, or screwing in some new seats.

FIFA discussed how this could be done with the LOC from Day 1. Colleagues like Tatjana, Rebecca, Mayi, Arijana and Honey and Sego. There's not many of them. Every Monday, for months, a group sat together in Zurich, and brainstormed ideas. I was one of them too. Brainstorming is the easy part. But, could something tangible be delivered? The LOC, guided by FIFA decided that 75% of all staff who would deliver the tournament, would be women. Who would be educated. Trained. And be able to do this kind of work again. People like former player Farah Al-Badarneh, who oversaw all stadium work.

FIFA Live Your Goals festivals were organised across the tournament with the Jordan FA. The aim: simply to introduce more young girls to football. Hopefully, many would continue to play recreationally. Whilst others may become part of a player pyramid, and go on to play for their country.

A seminar was set up to bring senior representatives from other Middle Eastern countries together. To share ideas. To review potential and future women’s football development in West Asia. Strategic planning, promotion, youth and league development.

As the tournament got nearer, discussions during the summer turned towards refugees. Jordan had seen its population swell by more than 1.5million refugees from Syria over the last 4-5 years. And some of them lived in a huge camp, called Al Zataari. Discussions lasted for weeks. Our worry was that anything we tried to do, would be viewed cynically. Cheap PR. That we (FIFA) "didn't mean it."


In the end, after some incredibly complex negotiations, something was approved. Some of the colleagues named above organised the logistics. And one of our VJs was allowed to film it. What she saw, haunted her. A colleague from a anice Swiss family, suddenly face-to-face with the daily realities of a refugee camp. Another colleague, who became the first captain of the female Palestinian national team, had a different perspective. She knows what it's like to cling onto hope. Footballs and t-shirts were dispatched. A football festival was organised. The FIFA U17 Women's World Cup trophy was taken to the camp. And for just a few hours, a range of agencies came together, to do something amazing. My VJ colleague came home 3 days later and edited this video. I don't think she stopped crying the whole time.

In fact, no-one who was involved could get the experience, or the images out of their minds. So a new round of discussions started in Zurich. Some of the young girls had asked if it would be possible to watch a game, once the tournament got underway. The problem, is that once you are in a refugee camp, it's incredibly difficult to get permission to leave. Remarkably, once again, some of my colleagues performed a minor miracle. And 250 young children were invited to Jordan's - their adopted country - first game. Some of the girls who were involved in the original festival came.

As news arrived that the girls' bus had got to the stadium, my VJ colleague suddenly reached into a rucksack. She had brought a small teddy bear for one girl in particular. Some colouring pencils. A colouring book with Swiss alpine scenes. Some chocolate for her mum. And a small mini football with a Swiss flag embossed on it, for her brother. Just writing this brings tears to my eyes. Again. Because I know just how much this young girl had got under her skin. Into her brain. Before the game, we spoke to some of the girls. We made another short video. And as they left, we all sat in a small office. And agreed that although it wasn't much, we had done something. The day before I flew home, I read The Sun wanted to fire Gary Lineker for his views on refugees. Hmmm.

As the tournament progressed, so more and more events were organised. A regional coaching workshop with 16 Middle Eastern females. Another Live Your Goals festival. And at the wrap-up press conference, a video was shown which displayed many more areas of legacy that the tournament had helped deliver. The Bronze medal match was refereed by a woman from Ethiopia. One of the Assistant Referees for the Final, was from India.

In less than a month, the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup will be played in Papua New Guinea. Preparations have not always been straightforward. But again, legacy has been a key element in discussions, to try and ensure that however the home team fare - and like Jordan, the odds are heavily stacked against them, in their own FIFA women's tournament debut - PNG will leave it's own legacy. And already, more women, are being trained, to deliver key roles, crucial to the tournament's success.

The sun has now set on Jordan. In 2018, the country will host the AFC Women's Asian Cup. It's no coincidence that Moya Dodd - who has done wonders for women's football, and women in FIFA the last 18 months - was an integral member of the AFC committee. She knows there are stadia in Jordan now ready. Training sites ready, the majority FIFA approved Football Turf pitches (aka astroturf), that can survive Jordan's incredibly dry climate, and chronic water shortage. She knows, that a genuine legacy has been created.

FIFA was at a crossroads. In many people's opinions, it is still there. The future will not be straightforward. The past will continue to raise its head, as we saw only this week, with the latest pleas in the US. But, the next time someone mentions FIFA, and you jump to add the word 'corruption', 'mafia' or something similar, maybe, just maybe, this blog may help you to understand that there is another side of the organisation. It's less well known. Never going to make back page headlines or the 10 o'clock news. But it's real. I'm very proud to be a small part of it, when we can deliver something like this. And I hope, this will be the type of story we can tell more and more in future.

Thanks for reading (and apologies if you made it this far). I'll maybe see you at the next crossroads.
Alex

A DAY IN THE LIFE

I read the news today, oh boy. How's the mood at FIFA at the moment? 

A question i've been asked a few times over weekend & today.

On Friday, I passed a BBC journalist on my way home, whom i've known a long time. He asked me this. Then said: "We know the majority of people at FIFA are normal, just going about their daily jobs, doing positive work." It's true. 

So, what was FIFA like today? My first 'event' started at 9.30am. I spent 90 minutes there. And it stayed with me all day. Approximately 16 women gathered in a meeting room. On Friday, it was the media working room. Today, it was where 16 mentors met, who are taking part in the first ever FIFA Female Leadership Development Programme.

My job was easy. To sit at the back of the room, take a few photos, and post some tweets on our @FIFAWWC Twitter account. 

I arrived. And then something weird happened. Wonderfully weird! The mentors were asked by the external company organising the #FIFAFLDP , to get into small groups. An ice-breaker, to re-introduce themselves to each other. They were then asked what they hoped to get out of the forthcoming week. How were they feeling? Suddenly, two women linked arms, and started to sing. "When you're smiling, when you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you." 

I looked around. I wanted what they'd had in their coffee! Then the room laughed. "Why did you choose to sing?" they were asked. "Because we're really happy to be a part of this programme. To pass on our experience. To hopefully help encourage more women to pursue their goals and dreams of progressing their careers in football." 

Sounds cheesy doesn't it? But it was 100% genuine. And it was infectious. And this was a programme organised by FIFA. You know...that company in the news all the time. 

Over the weekend I read an article by Philippe Auclair. It went over all the recent news. But somewhere in the middle, it made an unfashionable point. That hammering FIFA has become such a special sport in itself, that to acknowledge publicly it does anything good, is to invite ridicule. To invite accusations of being a FIFA stooge. And so on.

Mentors on this FIFA Female Leadership Development Programme include former international players. Coaches: Hope Powell; Hesterine de Reus; Heidi Store. Two current ExCo members. The MLS Director of Social Media. A former board member of Galatasaray. And someone who has received the MBE for their services to women's football in England. 

One of those women had her story explained to the group today by Moya Dodd. Moya, as some people may know, is a former Australian international footballer. She's a Lawyer. And she is also currently making her voice heard in and around FIFA, demanding the current Reform Taskforce take seriously, a target of 30 per cent for women’s participation on boards and committees and in senior management roles. You can read more here.

The woman Moya introduced, is a South-African called Fran Hilton Smith. I've met her a few times. Apparently, she plays in South Africa's top jazz band. And. Her story is amazing. 

She was a teacher for 20 years. During apatheid, she ran football courses for white, and black children. Together. And she spread her love of the game, as Moya explained "more or less, from the back of her car." Then, something happened. She was invited to become a FIFA Instructor. She got a FIFA tracksuit. And that tracksuit suddenly opened some serious doors. Yes....a tracksuit. 

Since then, she currently serves as the South African FA Technical Director. She founded South Africa's High Performance Centre for Girls hosted by the University of Pretoria. And she has been acknowledged by the SA State Presidential Award for the development of women's football in South Africa. Today, she was just bloody happy to be among people like her. People who had fought. Battled. Never listened to those who told her: "You can't do that." And now she believes that these women, together with FIFA, can mentor 35 young women from all around the world, and hopefully help them blaze a similar trail to her.

To be fair, some media today asked about this programme. Hopefully more will want to find out about it over the rest of the week too. If you want to read more about the programme, you can. And here.

In this ramble, I mentioned earlier, an article by Philippe Auclair. In his article, he didn't try to sugarcoat things. But there is one passage that stood out. As I could have written it...but not as well. 

"Those who pray for a complete meltdown of FIFA do not know what they wish for......Like it or not, it is indispensable for FIFA to survive. My conviction is that it can, as long as we move away from the current default position (outrage, and little else) and seek ways to revitalize an organization that has done a lot of good over the past three decades."

Currently, and understandably, the 'what happens to FIFA next', is of huge interest news-wise because of events that have been exhaustingly documented. But what about the future? 

When some people, including Politicians - and others aboard an ever-growing in popularity bandwagon - hop off to jump back on their soapboxes, please remember, that the organisation has done a lot of good things. Continues to do a lot of good things. And has 'normal' people, who are desperately trying to still continue to do those good things. 

And that is equally the challenge of whoever will follow next. There's a big world out there. And hopefully, FIFA can continue to turn them on to football too.

So.....that was my day today. Oh yes. And there was a staff meeting. But you know that!

Thanks for reading.
Alex

CONTEXT IS EVERYTHING

I’ve never done this before. I doubt I will again. But after a week which veered from the normal, to the seriously abnormal, I wanted to try to write something. To those who know me well, unsurprisingly, that ‘something’ has become rather long. A ramble! 

Six years, and one month ago, I made the journey from London to Zurich with my family, to start a new stage in my career. A free transfer from The Football Association, to FIFA. Or, as one close friend suggested: moving from the frying pan, into the fire.

I worked at The FA for eight years, joining on the first day of Euro 2000. Portugal and Luis Figo ruined Day 1. My first role, for around 15 months, was in the newly set up Customer Relations Unit. At the time, the three of us shared an office with the Bid team for ‘England 2006.’

During the first month, we watched as the team came and went, traveled around the world, and kept our fingers crossed that maybe we too in future, could be involved with the hosting of a World Cup. It didn’t happen. I still have a coffee cup with the England 2006 logo on it, a reminder of what could have been. The World Cup went to Germany instead. The reasons why were well documented at the time. Mainly forgotten now.

For eight years, I was proud to work for the Governing Body of English football. I was heavily involved in trying to promote the fledging work of the ‘National Game Division’, trying to get to grips with the shocking under-investment in grassroots football. I drove around the country, working with County FA’s, helping to establish (or re-establish) relationships with local media. These were organisations now challenged with housing young staff who wore tracksuits (not suits), were in many cases half the age (or more) of the Chief Executive, and were out in their local communities every day. It was a massive culture change from just collecting disciplinary fines from Sunday Pub teams. I’ve never met a more committed group of individuals than people like Kelly Simmons and Les Howie who drove this overhaul.

I also worked heavily in promoting women's football, heading Comms on Euro 2005 in England, whilst doubling as press officer. This continued into the China 2007 Women's World Cup, and concluded the night England qualified for Euro 2009 in (Bobby!) Zamora, Spain. Not everyone inside the organisation was supportive. But those of us involved did the best we could.

Of course, grassroots football, nor women's football sells newspapers. What did, and still does, is scandal. During my time, I watched a succession of Communications Directors come and go. At one point, articles and cartoons appeared in papers saying working at The FA 'must be like being in the Benny Hill Show': randy old men, chasing pretty young secretaries. Context? 

I’ll always remember leaving the office on a Friday night as one Comms Director was waiting for a story to break over the weekend. He was a family man, who also cared hugely for his team. He was already hurting. I popped my head around the door of his office and said, on default mode: “Have a good weekend.” He looked at me, and then burst out laughing, as did everyone else still there, at the ridiculousness of what I’d just said. He was exonerated. 

But the stigma, and the headlines affected everyone; that The FA really MUST be like this. For the people in the National Game Division, it hurt more. Why do the papers (and therefore public) care more about this they asked, than the work they are doing, up and down the country every week, trying to make football in England better. Easy to answer. Harder to fix.

Over 14 years on, The FA is still regularly bashed, sometimes, as it was back then, fairly. But it’s always very easy to criticise from the outside. Much harder when you are trying to run, or work inside an organisation with multiple stakeholders, that all have different views, opinions, and levels of self-interest. 
Which brings me onto FIFA.

Yesterday, among many other comments, a journalist who I've long held a high regard for (despite his love for Weymouth Football Club!), sent me a couple of tweets.

1. How you can keep defending that FIFA cesspit is beyond me.
2. Think sometimes those within FIFA live in some power and money-fuelled bubble and behave as if unaccountable to opinion and law.

I don’t believe or agree with the impressions of the aforementioned journalist. I don't think this is accurate or are fair. And I replied so yesterday.

What happened back on 2 December 2010 has been documented enough. The fall-out still continues today. I was briefly in the centre of Zurich that lunchtime, caught up with a few journalists from England for lunch, and then went home for the decision. I sat with my then 7 month old son on the sofa, watched Sky News, and hoped that when he was a bit older, I’d be able to take him to a World Cup in England.

Three hours after the decision, I flew to Dubai, for the Club World Cup. I was so disappointed. For the people who worked on the bid (many I'd got to know, or had worked with previously), and all those that did not win, I could imagine how how they felt. And I can still understand the resentment now, even though I don’t agree with some of the quotes I’ve seen this week.

In the build up to the 2018/2022 announcements (and since), numerous senior Committee members (who were appointed to FIFA by their Federation or Confederation, not chosen by FIFA), have since been removed from post, or left before investigations could continue.

At the press conference at the 2013 FIFA Congress, Mark Pieth said the progress of the reform process of the last couple of years in the intervening period had been spectacular. I was at the press conference, and wrote that piece. He said: "As we sit here today, there have been some very clear achievements. There are still some challenges ahead but this is a process of self-regulation, and it takes time.”

Those words are still very true today. The stories this week are understandably unfathomable, and unpalatable to many people. But the entire organisation, of over 300 employees is tarred with the same brush, just as back in the day at The FA. Context. It's often been lacking.

Since I joined FIFA, I have been to countries I never dreamed I would visit, growing up in Yeovil, Somerset. I went on a helicopter inspection of Abu Dhabi prior to the first Club World Cup (much to my Dad’s annoyance, who worked for over 30 years at Westland Helicopters and never flew in one once), tweeted through a big earthquake in Tokyo, where a 55-story hotel felt like it was made of paper, and been part of a team at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, that engaged 1 billion football fans on its digital platforms. Yes. One BILLION.

In six years and one month though, I’ve never seen the 'corruption' that seems to be felt is everyday; commonplace. Whether people want to accept it or not, and whether it fits their perception or preferred narrative, FIFA has changed. Honestly. 

FIFA’s Code of Ethics does now provide an opportunity for individuals (part of the ‘football community’), wherever they may be, to be dealt with, if they break the rules (like again this week in Oceania), or are found guilty of whatever charge it may be.

What happens in the future, remains to be seen. I’m passionate about football, love my current job as FIFA Social Media Manager, and believe that one of my next challenges is to better understand, and then implement, a fan engagement strategy for FIFA. We now have over 80 million followers on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Youtube. How can I/we do better for those fans?

I have friends and colleagues who work in different departments who are committed to developing football around the world; supporting NGOs as part of our CSR work; organise taster courses/provide footballs for young girls to play football for the first time. There are many others, like the team I’ve been working with over the last two weeks (about to launch a multimedia Public Health campaign, featuring international footballers, to help continue to raise awareness about Ebola). One thing they are not? Corrupt.

At the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, one journalist, after a drink or two, asked me: “How can you get out of bed in the morning and look at yourself in the mirror?” The irony, he later admitted was that he worked for a newspaper found guilty of phone hacking. Context is everything. Do all reporters deserve to be tarred with the same brush, because of the actions of a few? It doesn't sometimes feel that 'context' is foremost in the mind, when certain things are said/written about where I work.

‘Context is everything’ was a phrase I saw this morning in response to a tweet today. Another way to describe current events, would be to paraphrase the title of a rather well-selling book: There is black, white, and 50 shades of grey.
Thanks for reading....if you made it this far.

Alex