Megson slams FIFA
Saturday November 21 2009
Bolton manager Gary Megson has waded into the controversy surrounding the Republic of Ireland's defeat by France in a World Cup play-off by rounding on FIFA.
The former world champions were expected to qualify automatically but instead finished runners-up to Serbia in their group. And Megson believes it unjust that world football's governing body opted to seed teams like France in the play-offs.
He said: "I think that is a little bit out of order. With all due respect France have made a bit of a mess of it, not to qualify outright. Ireland, though, have been fantastic in what they did. Their reward was to be stuck in against another huge team. It was really unfair on them. Perhaps they should have been seeded."
