Dutch football assoc. wants "Kofi Annan-type" to lead FIFA

KNVB director Bert van Oostveen thinks that the only way to really reform FIFA is for Sepp Blatter to step down and to be replaced by a non-football-man. He believes that the current UEFA president Michel Platini is the leading candidate to succeed Blatter, but he would rather see a "Kofi Annan-type" fill the position.

"Statutorily this can't be done at this point yet, but you should note that when it is someone from football itself, it often becomes a traditional tribal fight", Van Oostveen said to NOS. "Then it is the European versus the African versus the Asian versus the South American."

The KNVB director wants to avoid this by appointing someone not related to football itself - give someone the between four and six year task of reforming FIFA from his or her knowledge. There is not much chance of this happening, as a candidate for presidency has to be active with a union for a number of years. "But I think the only salvation is to make the management credible and change the system. Because if you do not change the system, then everything will stay as it is." Van Oostveen said.