Former France international David Ginola launched an unlikely and almost certainly doomed bid for the FIFA presidency on Friday (January 16), assuming the role of the "fans champion" under the slogan of "rebooting football."

Ginola, who has until Jan. 29 to prove he has the backing of five football associations before his bid can be officially accepted by FIFA, is seeking the support of fans around the world to help get him on the ballot and to ultimately mount a successful election campaign.

Launching "Team Ginola", the former Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton player, 48 later this month, told reporters: "I am here today to talk about love, I am here today to ask you about passion. I am here to share some of the most powerful emotions we have experienced. That is what football means to me, you and the billions of fans spread all over the planet. Football is the joy we see in the face of our children when they kick a ball. The joy you and I get when we play the game. That is why we are so disappointed when we talk about some of the problems that are affecting football now. Problems with the way our game is being run. I think it is time we changed that, it is time to reboot football."

He added: "I want FIFA to be seen and set as an example, as an example all around the world for the people to say wow, look at FIFA, look at the president what he is doing right now is the right thing for the people because football as I said belongs to the people."

Ginola's stance might resonate with many in the wake of continual and widespread disillusionment with FIFA but it appears to be more a voice in the wind than a credible bid to run against incumbent president Sepp Blatter, standing for a fifth term, former FIFA official and another Frenchman Jerome Champagne and Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein of Jordan.

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