How Hanoi has made Sepp Blatter feel the pinch

The Vietnamese Football Federation (VFF) has just been crushed by its own nations club teams. For the past decade the VFF has been charged by nearly every football club and football fan as being corrupt. Match officials have been bought and sold. Relegations are often signs of honest clubs and promotions and championships are signs of well placed bribes. This has left football a mess in Vietnam. Finally the clubs have had enough of it and all 28 revolted. Seven teams left to form a new league. The VFF panicked and called an emergency meeting to get them to come back, offering to make small concessions. When the 28 clubs came to meet with the VFF all 28 owners demanded a change and got it. The monopoly of power the VFF holds is gone. So why is Sepp Blatter shuddering?

Vietnamese football operates in a political climate that is dominated by the ruling Communist party. Revolutions like this are unheard of in this country. But, the corruption was too much for everyone to handle. If 28 teams can stand up to this kind of oppression what's stopping some of the major European federations from finally walking out and forming their own, or teaming up with UEFA? It would be terrible for the game, but worse still for Blatter. Mr. Blatter would then be forced out of power, which might be good for the game. But, this may just be wishful thinking.