Sepp Blatter excludes Abedi Pele from football task force

Published on: 15 April 2011

Ghana legend Abedi Pele has been left out of Sepp Blatter’s task force made of ex-players to look at ways of brightening up the game.

The three-time African Player of Year is a darling boy of the president of the world governing body, having helped him to win the seat over ten years ago.

But Blatter has shocked Abedi by naming Zambia’s Kalusha Bwalya ahead of the Ghanaian legend in a team made of 22 ex-players.

Having served the Swiss national diligently, it was expected that Abedi would have been the African to be named for this important group but Blatter opted Kalusha.

Pele, Bobby Charlton and former Brazil captain Cafu will join the FIFA task force also aimed at improving refereeing in time for the 2014 World Cup.

The group it would start work on May 10 under the leadership of former West Germany captain and coach Franz Beckenbauer.

Other former players involved include Frenchman Christian Karembeu, Zambia's Kalusha Bwalya and Spain's Fernando Hierro.

The group will provide a first report to the FIFA Congress in June next year.

The group was set up as a response by FIFA to the drab, defensive football, especially in the group stage, and the controversial refereeing decisions which marred last year's World Cup in South Africa.

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