The FIFA Presidential candidate, beaten comprehensively last year by a man who would stand down only a few days after being re-elected as the corrupt empire he had built began to crumble around him, became the first of the five runners for the top job at world football’s governing body to publicly criticise Shaikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa for his alleged role in the torture of Bahraini athletes back in 2011.

“That person didn't protect or stick up for his players at that time,” Prince Ali said when questioned about the allegations - which the Shaikh has consistently and vehemently denied - that have overshadowed the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President’s campaign to date.

“It’s a simple, basic fact of the matter.”

What’s even simpler is Prince Ali’s motive. His campaign has withered on the vine, along with fellow no-hopers Jérôme Champagne and Tokyo Sexwale. It was clear he needed to make a statement of intent. Shaikh Salman just happened to be his target.

The claims that the Shaikh was complicit in the torture of athletes in his native Bahrain, protesting against the Government need not be true to be damaging. Even Prince Ali, despite not being the most astute of politicians, understands that.

Prince Ali's attack ignored the fact that Shaikh Salman has denied the allegations on many occasions. He has said in interviews he can offer us a “one million per cent” guarantee that he was not involved in anything of the sort of stuff he has been accused of. 

The corruption train within world football’s governing body shows no clear sign of slowing down. The 12-year suspension handed to Jérôme Valcke, Blatter’s closest ally and trusted fixer for many years in his role as secretary general, is proof the net is closing in on the crooks.

Prince Ali has presented himself as the face for change; the perfect man to lead FIFA out of the dark and into the light. He has, however, showed few signs that he can really save an organisation that appears to be beyond help.

Before his attack on Shaikh Salman, his most memorable contribution to the campaign has been trying to persuade Domenico Scala, the chairman of FIFA's Audit and Compliance Committee, to stand down purely because he was born in the same country as UEFA secretary general and fellow candidate Gianni Infantino.

Infantino has emerged as the strongest rival to Shaikh Salman, even if he does appear to lack the standing in the game that a FIFA President ought to have.

So what can we expect in the build-up to judgement day on February 26? More of the same, no doubt, which should come as a concern to all of those who have genuine affection for the "beautiful" game. We all want to see a reformed, changed FIFA, yet it is difficult to argue that we are any closer to achieving this as things stand.