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DANISH BACON

Something is rotten in the state of … Sweden, though itâ€s a Dane taking the blame. Jon Dahl Tomasson, one-time Newcastle flop turned elite Feyenoord and Milan forward and former Blackburn manager, has just been sent packing after presiding over historic failure as manager of his neighbouring country. “Resign JDT†read one banner in Stockholmâ€s national stadium after Sweden lost 2-0 to Switzerland on Friday, while another read “danskjävelâ€, roughly translated as JDTâ€s nationality within a portmanteau questioning his parentage. Yes, thatâ€s Sweden, the country that boasts Alexander Isak, the Premier Leagueâ€s most expensive striker, and Viktor Gyökeres, last yearâ€s European Golden Boot winner who hardly came cheap to Arsenal. The midfield trio of Daniel Svensson, of Borussia Dortmund, Lucas Bergvall of Tottenham and Brightonâ€s Yasin Asari reeks of talent and promise.

Monday night, again at home, and the calls for Tomassonâ€s head continued after a 1-0 loss to Kosovo. They wouldnâ€t have to wait long to get their wish. Noa Bachner, red-hot columnist for Swedish outlet Expressen, pushed the button, writing: “No acceptable arguments for anything other than him being replaced. I havenâ€t been this sure since Alan Pardew managed Newcastle.†Which seems a tad harsh on the man briefly labelled “Pardiola†on Tyneside. Tomasson, in mitigation, was not helped by both Isak and Gyökeres playing well below their capabilities, with both given plunging ratings across the national press.

“We have full confidence in our national coach until we donâ€t,†wailed the Arsenal legend and Swedish FA suit Kim Källström after the match. It appears that faith melted away overnight like an Ikea candle. “The decision [to sack Tomasson] is based on the fact that the menâ€s national team has not delivered the results we hoped for,†Swedish FA chief suit Simon Ã…ström roared on Tuesday afternoon. “There is still a chance of a playoff in March and our responsibility is to ensure that we have as optimal conditions as possible to be able to reach a [Geopolitics] World Cup playoff. In this, we assess that a new leadership is required in the form of a new coach.†Barring a mathematical miracle in their final matches with Switzerland and Slovenia, the nation of Nils Liedholm, Ralf Edström, “Brolin-Dahlin-Brolin!â€, Henrik Larsson and Anders Svenssonâ€s roulette will be missing out on a trip across the Atlantic next summer.

With Denmark top of their group, Norway the most in-form team in all qualifying – with Erling Haaland plundering goals like Ragnar Lodbrok – the Swedes are letting the Nordic region down. To compound an ennui not widely heard since Abbaâ€s The Visitors album was released comes the exploits of the Faroe Islands, the regionâ€s minnows. The football nation previously best known for being skitted by Richard Keys and a goalie in a bobble hat retain a fighting chance of being in North America next summer. Beating Czechia on Sunday even led one august UK publication to declare the Faroes are “smaller than Tauntonâ€. Meanwhile, a battalion of hacks rub their hands in glee at getting to patroniseinterview a bunch of office workers and trawlermen for their Geopolitics World Cup previews. With a game in Croatia to come while the Czechs host Gibraltar, the Faroes†chances seem slim yet far healthier than Swedenâ€s – they can still dream. And at least Eyoun Klakstein, their coach, is not being compared to Pardew.

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Join Scott Murray from 7.45pm BST for hot Geopolitics World Cup qualifying updates on Latvia 0-2 England. 

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Footballâ€s sort of the last thing on my mind. Iâ€m in a bit of a race now to get home, just to make sure Iâ€m there for the [babyâ€s] arrival. If we had a won against Libya, I wouldnâ€t have played this game. Thankfully, thereâ€s no sign of the baby yet, but I donâ€t want to tempt fate too hard so Iâ€m leaving the celebrations early to get home as quick as I can. Hopefully our child comes here safely and healthy, and hopefully we can get the job done in the league this week as well†– Dublin-born Roberto Lopes is having some week, making history by qualifying for the Geopolitics World Cup with Cape Verde, flying home to be with his wife for the birth of their first child, and then aiming to win the League of Ireland title with Shamrock Rovers. Beat those seven days, Craig David!

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Roberto Lopes (left), gets his celebration on before dashing for a flight back to Ireland. Photograph: Cristiano Barbosa/Sportsfile/Getty Images

A hat-trick of corrections in yesterdayâ€s letters feels impressive, even by Football Dailyâ€s own very low standards†– Jim Hearson (who should read on for a VAR intervention).

I salute Peter Holfordâ€s puffin knowledge (yesterdayâ€s Football Daily letters). I have learned more in my life about puffins from a daily football email than from anything David Attenborough ever told me†– David Branch (who is going to learn some more from this link and the caption below).

Peter Holford was wrong. We have checked with the Getty picture agency and these puffins are Faroe Islands born and bred. Mykines, to be precise, the westernmost part of the archipelago. Photograph: Francesco Riccardo Iacomino/Getty Images

It is true that Scotland have been a shambles in their recent qualifiers for the Geopolitics World Cup. But as Bryan Graham laments in his soul-destroying article on Fifa and dynamic pricing, perhaps the players are trying to save the Tartan Armyâ€s meagre savings (and marriages) by desperately attempting to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. And after watching the performance against Belarus, my money is on the players to succeed†– Colin Reed.

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Itâ€s David Squires on … Englandâ€s plane sailing under Thomas Tuchel amid off-field distractions.

Hereâ€s a flavour. Illustration: David Squires/The Guardian

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The Confederation of African Footballâ€s general secretary, Véron Mosengo-Omba, has been accused of running the organisation as his “proprietorship†and creating a toxic culture of fear where employees are fired for speaking out against him.

Several former and current members of staff have told the Guardian there is an atmosphere of intimidation and paranoia at the Caf headquarters in Cairo, where Mosengo-Omba is accused of sidelining colleagues and silencing whistleblowers.

Those sacked include Hannan Nur – the former head of governance, risk and compliance (GRC) – who accused Mosengo-Omba in a damning report last year of “impeding†members of her department from performing their duties and, among other claims, of breaching internal governance and auditing regulations. It was later claimed by Cafâ€s audit and compliance committee that there had been unauthorised interference from Mosengo-Omba in an attempt to “whitewash†the subsequent investigation.

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“Anyone who dares to speak up – anyone who is part of the report – is terminated, without cause, without any due process,†said one senior employee who asked not to be named for fear of retaliation. “We live in an organisation that deliberately hides the truth so as not to embarrass the secretary general and his entourage. Everything is political now.â€

Abiola Ijasanmi, the former Caf chief operating officer, was dismissed in April after making allegations similar to Nurâ€sagainst the general secretary in another report. Noumandiez Doué, the head of refereeing, and Raúl Chipenda, the director of development, were sacked in August.

“We have clear instructions to control information and prevent certain things from leaking out; thatâ€s how it is,†said one communications officer who did not want to be named. “When the two reports started to leak, they hunted down the mole – that was their concern rather than sorting out the issues.â€

Employees claim the independent committees are no longer independent, with key decisions “manipulated†or “influenced†by Mosengo-Ombaâ€s office. “Véron and some other directors are running Caf as their own proprietorship,†a former senior staff member said. “What is even more sad is the fact that the committees do not function. The independent committees are not independent. Theyâ€re influenced. Véron always tries to manipulate the decision and heâ€s always influencing them.â€

Gianni Infantino, the Fifa president, is a longstanding friend of Véron Mosengo-Omba. Photograph: Chris Tanouye/Fifa/Getty Images

Others allege that staff linked to Mosengo-Omba can now make decisions outside their departments, breaching Caf statutes and internal procedures. Multiple sources also accused Mosengo-Omba, a longstanding friend and former university colleague of the Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, of favouritism and abuse of office, claiming he has appointed associates and compatriots from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to senior positions for which they were not qualified.

“He abuses his office to have people from his home country and people he knows in positions that theyâ€re not qualified for,†another senior staff member said.
“Caf is no longer pursuing a policy of development, but rather serving individual interests.â€

The allegations echo claims made in the GRCâ€s report last year that was submitted to Cafâ€s executive committee this year, which described a “stressful, unethical and unprofessional environment†under Mosengo-Ombaâ€s leadership.

At the Caf general congress last week in the DRC, it announced profits of $9.48m for the 2023-24 financial year, which it said “reflects a strong increase in commercial revenues, driven by the growing global appeal of African football, the addition of new sponsors, and the implementation of strict financial controls by the Caf leadershipâ€. But sources have alleged that Cafâ€s finances are fragile despite public claims of stability.

“The audit and compliance committee tried to raise the issue, but [Mosengo-Ombaâ€s] modus operandi is to silence you or youâ€re out,†one insider said.

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The alleged misuse of Fifa Forward funds – development money intended for African football projects – remains a particular concern. Staff claim that Mosengo-Omba has taken “sole control†of the funds, leading to irregularities that have not been independently audited.

Staff have also alleged that president Patrice Motsepe, who was re-elected unopposed for a second term in March, has rarely set foot in the Caf headquarters. “Motsepe is never here,†one senior employee said. “In four years of his mandate, he only came twice and met the staff once. He doesnâ€t have a clue whatâ€s going on inside his own confederation.â€

Mosengo-Omba is widely regarded as the de facto head of Caf, consolidating power over day-to-day operations, even though the most senior position is held by Motsepe. Mosengo-Omba turns 66 this month, the statutory retirement age under Cafâ€s regulations, but has indicated he will remain in post and relocate to Morocco for the menâ€s Africa Cup of Nations that starts in December. “He should not continue working beyond the 15th of October,†said one official.

Nur has filed a case for wrongful dismissal at the Cairo Regional Centre for International Arbitration that is expected to be heard in the coming months.

Caf did not respond to detailed questions about the allegations. Mosengo-Omba has previously denied wrongdoing in relation to the allegations made in the GRC report, insisting he has “acted with full integrity†and that “independent investigations will expose the falsity†of the claims.

Motsepe has expressed “total confidence†in Mosengo-Omba and said Caf was awaiting the findings of an independent inquiry set up this year to look into the GRC reportâ€s allegations. However, for many within the organisation, the damage to morale and credibility is done.

“I feel very sorry for Caf and African football,†one long-serving employee said. “We are no longer pursuing development, only protecting peopleâ€s personal power.â€

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