'Will Platini play the horrid little politician and do nothing?'

Michel Platini, the Uefa president, has told the FA that he will support a European bid for the 2018 World Cup only if the nomination is not split. This means that the first step for any campaign is to persuade Russia, Spain and the Low Countries to pull out. Tricky.

Platini, the former Juventus and France midfield player, could, of course, use his power for good. He could sift through the various propositions, look at logistics and cost to the economy of that country, consider the needs of competitors and fans, and employ his expertise to make a recommendation to Fifa, where he has the ear of Sepp Blatter, the president.