Charting the collective celebration and intensity of a World Cup, and the importance of it, Kickback sets itself up well. The late Andrew Jennings explores that with intensity and detail with Kickback, a documentary looking to chart the scandals and kickbacks of FIFA, whose self-serving agenda pushed for World Cup celebrations in controversial countries. Stirring the pot more by analysing not just the problematic moments of FIFA but of the impact is has on good people wanting to enjoy the fundamentals of the game, Jennings’ work here is intense and necessary. It is that interest, a universal one, that was gutted, harmed and suffocated by a select few over the course of decades.
Understanding the modern problem is to head back through the annals of Jennings’ work, his coverage and his understanding of João Havelange’s commercialisation of the international game. Boiling decades of history into a comfortable ninety minutes is no small feat, but documentarians Clay Tweel and Maura Anderson is on hand to make it go down that much easier. Gary Lineker is on hand to somewhat apologise for his nationalism getting in the way of the truth, where he and a collection of Englishmen headed over to hopefully change the minds after the so-called “damaging” Panorama revelations. Damaging, in the sense that a country pushing for the truth about a world organisation would not be receiving any favours.
That is the partisan effect, although it had no real, long-term impact. Kickback is frustrating in showing that, especially at the time of its immediate release as the 2022 World Cup wages on. Voting fraud as clear as day is finally uncovered, with evidence, by Jennings and a collection of others. Fitting all that detail in is not quite possible, but a fine job is done and there are more than a handful of shocking revelations that depend on the work of Jennings. Naturally, this is beyond football, devolving into the political statements made with the purchase of PSG, and the political woes that came from a need to square up the image of a country a decade before its World Cup hosting. It is not, then, something that was not noted at the time, it is a terrible and constant experience that was known of, rather thoroughly, at the time. It makes the David Beckham poster boy piece all the stranger, especially when he was part of the outraged mob in 2010.
Parts of Kickback serve as a very touching look back at the longevity of Jennings’ work. Consistency is key and the routine nature of how frequently he looked toward the story that was always there, is incredible. Trusted sources, the hidden nature of FIFA and their powerful bribery horrors, triumph over a long-term investigation. Part of Kickback struggles with its pacing and where it hopes to focus itself, but through all that rush and intensity is a worrying understanding that FIFA was propped up by governments, businesses and individuals, home and away. Never forget the English delegation sent over to rub hands and offer apologies for the truth coming out. Kickback draws the curtain back on nationalism, and just how feverish it can get when standing in the way of the horrible truth that still continues.
