Politics and sport should never mix, but now we will have no choice
Politics and sport should never mix, is the old saying.
But while I'd suggest that most football fans in this country were more occupied with the looming events of the weekend than the Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty on Saturday morning, the repercussions of that "Yes" vote are set to change the face of football.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter's enthusiasm for the "six plus five" rule restricting the number of foreign players allowed in every club side has been belittled and attacked, not least by the Premier League .
Blatter, however, has simply carried on, picking up support for the idea from governments across Europe, insistent that his plan will indeed come to fruition.
And the Irish vote, which will see the Treaty ratified by the last two stand-out nations, Poland and the Czech Republic, by the end of October, opens the door for Blatter's proposals to be enacted - and also kill off the idea of a European Super League.
Under the terms of the Treaty, the "specificity of sport" - in effect giving sports governing bodies the right to bring in rules and regulations that would otherwise be contrary to EU employment laws - will be enshrined in statute.
FIFA, along with the International Olympic Committee, the International Rugby Board and the European Basketball Union will press the EU to implement Article 165 of the Treaty as soon as possible, with their demand that the principle of promotion and relegation be given a legal basis - killing off the idea of an invite-only Super League of the big clubs - as well as allowing six plus five to become a formal requirement for clubs.
While there could still be legal challenges - and you can rest assured the Premier League will help fund them - Blatter appears to hold the ace cards in the argument.
One area the FIFA President could intervene too is over the broadcasting of World Cup qualifying games in future, after the FA's legal impotence over the non-availability of Saturday's game against Ukraine was confirmed .
The FA is not to blame for the situation - surely ITV, fixated by the X Factor but which sells itself as the place to watch England, should have actually tried to buy the rights? - but it is something that must be rectified.
Maybe the politicians can get involved in this one as well. Former FA executive director David Davies is currently heading an inquiry into which sporting events should be available to all on terrestrial television . England World Cup qualifiers come into the "must see" category. Over to you, David.
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