CANDID CAMERON; FIFA must watch the video nasties.

The jelly-legged fatcats who run world football have allowed lousy cheats to infiltrate the World Cup.

Stupidly, officials regularly reject the help of TV to boot them out.

Yet it's on the box that ordinary people see the yobbish fouling and double-dealing.

Jim Farry says the cowardly cheating of so-called professionals is an insidious threat to the framework of our game.

The words are maybe a trifle high-falutin' but the SFA chief executive is right.

Something must be done. But, despite a plea by Craig Brown, the game isn't ready for stop-start TV checks.

Imagine halting tomorrow's grand final at the Stade de France to get a second opinion on a debatable penalty claim with the score level minutes from the end.

There might well be a riot. Jimmy Hill would surely blow a gasket.

Harnessing TV in this way hasn't even been mentioned among the high and mighty of FIFA while in France.

They have talked about cameras on crossbars to check line-balls. Line checks are overdue, too, and could easily be carried out, although there has been no need for it - yet - in France.

But why should FIFA not look at match videos? Referees do it routinely with the match inspector.

Justice later is better than never. The ref's performance is assessed in his presence. Why not the troublesome players along with their managers?

The world doesn't want jersey-pullers, trippers, fakers, divers, con men and ref-baiters.

Millions saw Everton's Croat star Slaven Bilic fall, rubbing his forehead as if expecting a bullet hole. He had blatantly hauled Laurent Blanc's jersey. The Frenchman reacted instinctively by caressing Bilic's chin.

The gesture wouldn't have burst a soapy bubble but Blanc's hand was raised so he walked.

The real villain, Bilic, played on as if nothing had happened but 10- man France won the semi-final tie so there was some justice.

Bilic should have been punished on TV evidence. He got away with it and so have others like Arsenal's Dennis Bergkamp.

He stamped on Yugoslavia's Simisa Mihajlovic and had the good grace to say he should have been red-carded.

If the disciplinary committee had looked at TV the Dutchman wouldn't have played in the semi-final.

Holland knew this but didn't do a damned thing. Think of the kudos if they had made an example of Bergkamp by dropping him.

Countries and clubs must play a part.

In America four years ago FIFA suspended Italy's Mauro Tassotti. He was banned from eight internationals for an off- the-ball nose job on Spain's Luis Enrique which the ref didn't see.

The suspension virtually ended his cap career.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter approved, although he was then only the general secretary. He now wants the disciplinary committee to look at videos routinely but they won't unless an incident was behind the ref's back.

Blatter says he'll speak to his committee sharply about the future.

Farry is extremely concerned about a backlash affecting domestic games.

He said: "The game is football. Let's get back to playing with the feet and cut out jersey- pulling, flailing elbows and dangerous lunges.

"At the International Board in March, George Cumming and myself warned about deliberately trailing arms and legs.

"We said this should be brought to the attention of refs world-wide and we're seeing plenty of it in France. Some things have really threatened players' onfield safety.

"The danger about TV is that my office could resemble a video hire shop on Mondays if clubs were allowed to try to reverse decisions.

"Still, I thought FIFA acted correctly over Tassotti, so by inference I'm saying they weren't right about Bergkamp."

Quote of the Week - Alan Hansen after France qualified for the final: "We'll get no sleep in Paris tonight."

Ally McCoist: "Hopefully!"

SO Tom Lehman thinks Colin Montgomerie needs a change of image to woo the Yanks. Rubbish.

Montgomerie might well start a row in an empty room, but he is what he is. I'll simply ask when the hell he's going to win a big one.

The Open next week, maybe?

WE all have the choice tomorrow of watching the World Cup Final on either BBC or ITV.

I plump for the Beeb because there's less chance of any reference to England.

You know, crowing about how well they would have done had they made the final.

If you ask me, Brazil or France would slaughter England. At least Scotland only lost 2-1 to Brazil in the opener.

ANTHEMS before World Cup matches have added a bit of extra emotion.

The most rousing is La Marseillaise. Wee Bixente Lizarazu and Didier Deschamps, on recent pre- game form, will have French fans at high-doh tomorrow.

Sadly, Flower of Scotland has long gone. Colin Hendry sang it lustily but Jim Leighton was moodily silent. I wonder why.

I HOPE Craig Brown was misunderstood about Everton striker Duncan Ferguson.

The Scotland boss is quoted as saying he'll ask him to change his mind about snubbing Scotland.

Don't do it, Craig. Ferguson opted out of the international scene and no one should need to be persuaded to play for his (or her) country.

Anyway, Ferguson appeared in seven internationals and didn't score once.