Andrew Jennings calls for revolution to oust Sunil Gulati

Investigative reporter Andrew Jennings called for a revolution to oust Sunil Gulati and Dan Flynn. Gulati, the US Soccer Federation President, and Flynn, USSF CEO, face accusations of corruption.

Jennings, who spoke in front of the US Senate panel hearing last Wednesday on the issue of corruption in international soccer, was interviewed on Soccer Morning this morning.

“There’s got to be a revolution in US soccer against the leadership of US Soccer, recalling Mr. Gulati and sending him back to Columbia University to teach Economics, sending Mr Flynn into retirement and getting a whole new organization,” said Jennings. “Let’s get Flynn and the current directors out because they’re doing nothing for the reputation of America and the management of American [soccer].”

The USSF has been under criticism for its deafening silence regarding what it knew about the corruption that Chuck Blazer and CONCACAF conducted from its headquarters in New York City.

“Senator Moran had said earlier that if US Soccer [Federation] didn’t know [about the corruption going on in the US under Chuck Blazer], then goodness gracious me, they’re not fit for purpose. And if they did know, there would have been a prison ban along with the rest of them.”

A revolution to oust Sunil Gulati

Gulati was invited to attend the US Senate panel hearing, but declined the invitation and sent Flynn instead. During the hearing in Washington DC, Jennings asked the sub-committee, “Where’s Sunil? Where is he?….It rather undermines the whole process I think.”

During the interview with Jason Davis on the Soccer Morning show, Jennings added:

“I’m going to guess why Sunil Gulati wasn’t there [at the US Senate panel hearing] because he doesn’t want to answer any questions about the wonderful lifestyle he has and his dreams that he has any power at FIFA by staying with the Sepp Blatter way of doing things.

“I think it’s an absolute disgrace that when a reputable Senate sub-committee decides to have a hearing on how US Soccer is relating to the corrupt FIFA, he doesn’t turn up. Instead, he sends his bag carrier Dan Flynn, [and was asked] does American soccer recognize what a bunch of criminals there are running FIFA? And he didn’t know.

“When [Dan Flynn] started saying that ‘we knew nothing about corruption at CONCACAF,’ everybody else did,” said Jennings during today’s interview. “I was writing stories about Jack Warner, then president of CONCACAF, back in 2002 about his ticket rackets at that World Cup. Then again in 2006, then again in 2010. There was every kind of corruption going on then, and a lot of it was discovered and made public. And for Mr. Flynn to say that he didn’t know and never heard anything until the FBI investigation made their arrests in Zurich [is a disgrace].

“It’s just not acceptable for a man to be earning $650,000 a year and know nothing. It’s quite disgraceful.”

SEE MORE — The reaction from US Soccer media to US Senate hearing on corruption in soccer.

Jennings continued,

“I think there’s going to be a completely new fan-responsive leadership at US Soccer. People who say ‘I don’t mind traveling in the economy seats where the fans are. I don’t want to be in the posh seats in the front with the free champagne. I don’t want to go to Zurich and meet Sepp Blatter.’

“If you can have a non-violent revolution inside US Soccer, you’ll find the allies from Australia, New Zealand, and Western Europe will agree with getting out of Zurich.

“America could play a fantastic role by getting rid of Gulati and Dan Flynn. And anybody who wants to support them, off they go. Go away. We reform the organization and that could be the end.”