Rauball vs. Blatter

The president of the German Football League (DFL), Reinhard Rauball, has told domestic football magazine "kicker" that he has urged FIFA boss Sepp Blatter to quit his post over controversy surrounding the 2022 Qatar World Cup bid.

"In contrast to others who just do it via the media, I rung up Mr Blatter personally recently and asked him to resign," Rauball told the magazine on Monday. "I can't be accused of holding myself back on this issue."

"But the decision by the FIFA executive committee in favor of Qatar is not made by Mr Blatter alone - 22 people are entitled to vote," he added.

Questioned about his earlier suggestion that Europe's football governing body, UEFA, should leave FIFA if transparency is not shown on the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, Rauball explained to "kicker" on Monday that this was just "one of many options." Rauball, like other European football bosses, wants a report into corruption surrounding the two World Cup bids, prepared by lawyer Michael Garcia, to be made public.

Niersbach as potential replacement?

The 67-year-old football functionary, who also serves as club president at Borussia Dortmund, also used the interview to suggest German Football Association (DFB) president Wolfgang Niersbach to replace Blatter. Rauball said that Niersbach could provide "solutions" inside the FIFA executive committee.

"The league representatives to the DFB committee would all vote for Niersbach as a candidate," Rauball said. "I am sure that there will be no other opinion in the DFB committee either."

Niersbach has not yet commented on Rauball's suggestion, but he has also gone on record recently pushing for a public release of Garcia's report if FIFA regulations allow it.

al/se (dpa, SID, kicker)