Re-elected Sepp Blatter says he has surprises to improve FIFA image

Sepp Blatter

Sepp Blatter says he knows how to create a better image for FIFA and promises to unveil surprising plans on the first working day of his fifth term as president. 

Buoyant after being re-elected at the Congress of soccer's ruling body on Friday, the 79-year-old Swiss told FIFA TV he would have time to work on his plans after the "tragic events" involving officials at his organisation earlier this week.

"This gives me now the time because I was said to be responsible with what's happened. I take the responsibility and we have to build up now a better image of FIFA and I know how to do it," said Blatter.

"I cannot disclose it now but we will do it as from tomorrow morning. We have a meeting of the executive committee and they will listen to me, they will receive some information or some messages, some of them will be surprised."

Neither Blatter nor his opponent Prince Ali bin Al Hussein received the necessary two-thirds of the ballot in the first round of the election.

Blatter secured 133 votes against 73 for Prince Ali but the Jordanian then swiftly conceded.

Reflecting on a turbulent week that saw a spate of arrests of high-ranking FIFA officials amid an FBI investigation, Blatter said: "It was a very difficult Congress due to the circumstances of these events.

"I would say also kind of tragic events, Wednesday and Thursday in Zurich and all with the media in the world, what they said about FIFA."

Blatter said his address to member associations at the Congress "was spoken out of the heart" and he thought everyone would understand how serious he was in wanting to stay in the role and "to bring back this credibility". (Writing by Ian Chadband, editing by Tony Jimenez)