The president of football’s global governing body, Sepp Blatter, has taken aim at FIFA’s critics.

Speaking the day after his re-election as president, Blatter denied he was involved in corruption and accused the media of exaggerating the crisis.

• Top FIFA officials arrested in Zurich
• FFA reviewing FIFA corruption
• Rotten to the core: why did we deal with FIFA?

Seven FIFA officials and associates were arrested in Switzerland in connection to a bribery scandal being investigated by US, Swiss and other law enforcement agencies, plunging FIFA into the worst crisis in its 111-year history.

The officials have been accused of bribery, racketeering and money-laundering involving tens of millions of dollars since 1991.

But Blatter, 79, said people should remember US allegations against the officials have yet to be proven true, adding efforts to unseat him were down to “English media and the American movement” because of their failed World Cup bids.

“No one is going to tell me that it was a simple coincidence, this American attack two days before the elections of FIFA. It doesn’t smell good,” he told Swiss television.

Blatter also said he was “shocked” at the way FIFA was targeted by American authorities, and condemned US attorney general Loretta Lynch.

“Of course I am shocked. I would never as FIFA president make comments about another organisation without being certain of what has happened,” he said.

Nine current and former FIFA officials have been indicted for racketeering, conspiracy and corruption.

Facing a barrage of hostile questions from the media, Blatter repeatedly denied it was time for him to step down and said he was still the best man to lead the organisation.

He said he was confident he could “steer the ship of FIFA in to calmer waters”, adding FIFA’s executive committee had vowed to rebuild its reputation.

“I’ve seen the results of the congress yesterday. The congress, they are of the opinion that I am still the man to go into this problem and to solve these problems,” Blatter said.

“This tempest, this storm, whose effects are still being felt – it’s no longer a storm – its less strong at the moment.

“Today in the executive committee we decided what was needed was unity and solidarity to go forward and work.”

On questions over the possibility of his own arrest, Blatter said: “I have no concerns. I especially have no concerns about my person.”