World Cup 2018 & 2022 bids

The fact you seem determined to blame the press for EVERYTHING is hugely disingenuous Rood. I agree about the Panorama programme, but our press cannot possibly account for the fact that the best technical bid, with the best risk assesment got 1 vote from uninvolved parties....it simply can't. It's an argument by diversion! And if it does, then that hardly says a lot about FIFA's noble motives to deliver the best WC for football and it's fans. Which ever way you look at it, they can't shoulder the main of the blame.

The fact that they overlooked Australia, Japan, South Korea and the United States to grant the 2022 tournament to Qatar more than suggests that the British media had no role in this.
 
Or simply be more involved...which can bring on a change - if that's what the FA want. But they can't expect things to change by looking in from the periphery, which is what they've historically done. I was as gutted as anyone, I was looking forward to seeing topless Brazilian women dance through Market Street in a carnival like atmosphere but heh topless fat Geordie blokes are just as good. So I'm not complaining.

How can we get more involved when FIFA are so involved in 'questionable' activity and stay clean ourselves? Needless to say the British public or media would never accept complicity in such actions.
 
I don't know, I'm wondering how far the press will go - and who will go the furthest.

It will be all reaction, fury of fans, Panoram to blame I reckon. We won't get the real inquest for a few days yet.
 
How much is there really to do in Qatar? Whether or not you are going there for the football or not, you will want to see other aspects of the country. South Africa, France, Korea/Japan. All had more than just the football to see. Not saying that Qatar doesn't have anything, but there is a reason tourism isn't exactly the most successful industry there.

Then it comes down to cultural aspects as well. Women journalists and supporters. Would they have to walk around in burkhas all day, in that heat?

Let's not forget the sights of those empty seats at the world cup in South Africa in the group stages, for nearly every game that didn't have South Africa playing. Will it be any different at Qatar 2022?

I read an interesting article this morning in the NY Times. (Pardon the use of the word soccer)

Quite a good article that - a lot of parallels can be drawn with what people are saying here in England.

You do not need to wear a burka in Qatar - it is NOT as backward as a country like Saudi Arabia. And there will be beer etc.

A place like Qatar is a relatively new nation and cant complete with the places you mention for tourism, but the whole Gulf region is progressing rapdily and they have 12 years to build up options for tourists. Nations dont usually get that long to prepare, this is the longest lead time of any WC ever which is why it is feasible to start from scratch.
 
Right, I'm watching the second test through the night in a sport where more than a slither of sanity still exists. Plus I imagine Ian Botham will have some pretty upfront things to say on matters in Zurich today.
 
Right, I'm watching the second test through the night in a sport where more than a slither of sanity still exists. Plus I imagine Ian Botham will have some pretty upfront things to say on matters in Zurich today.

Ian Botham is a moron, to be fair.
 
You'd think wouldnt you? The fact they make host nations alter laws during the duration of the tournaments shows how unaccountable they are to anybody who works with them.
They have far too much power because they have been allowed to have. They shouldn't have, they are a football (sport) governing body that is all. They should choose the WC hosts by asking for certain objectives to be met in advance and they should adhere to those objectives during the selection procedures.

We shouldn't have to be a part of FIFA either. I wouldn't want to see any of our football officials involved with them. If FIFA are corrupt then whoever is involved with them will also be expected to be just as corrupt, otherwise they will be an outsider.

I can't say that they are corrupt of course, but I can say that on the face of it they give the impression of being corrupt. Personally I don't find this acceptable.
 
The fact you seem determined to blame the press for EVERYTHING is hugely disingenuous Rood. I agree about the Panorama programme, but our press cannot possibly account for the fact that the best technical bid, with the best risk assesment got 1 vote from uninvolved parties....it simply can't. It's an argument by diversion! And if it does, then that hardly says a lot about FIFA's noble motives to deliver the best WC for football and it's fans. Which ever way you look at it, they can't shoulder the main of the blame.

I do not blame them for everything, but I am pissed off by their actions as I think they damaged our chances. It could well be that we wouldnt have got it anyway but I am damn sure we would not have come last were it not for the press.

The FA also need to take a lot of blame - that was the focus of what was being said on Newsnight.

Of course, FIFA are a sham - that goes without saying but we already know that and even if England had won the vote than that would still be the case! But in reality the choice is either to do things as they want or forget trying to host the WC.
 
What happens if there is substantial evidence uncovered that the decisions were heavily based on bribes, etc? I suppose being in Switzerland will make it difficult for anyone to investigate the members' financial records. While the Panorama was focused on old cases and incidents, it establishes a pattern of corruption amongst the leading members of FIFA. Since the English Press will definitely go all out now, it'll be interesting to see what turns up.
 
He is in ways akin to the Ian Wright of cricket, but he is far cleverer and more insightful.
 
The fact that they overlooked Australia, Japan, South Korea and the United States to grant the 2022 tournament to Qatar more than suggests that the British media had no role in this.

Eh? What has the 2022 vote got to do with the 2018? You are talking about 2 completley different things, I dont understand the point you are making.

The press damaged our chances for 2018 - that much is clear.
 
Two vote's for England! Doesn't it say you something?

The people who vote's are not neutral. Why should they? They will protect their interest and they know that every vote is valuable. If you want their vote then you have to give them something. Apparently some offered more then the others. This election is not about who is best. It's political and if you don't play that game you will loose.

The IOC used to be just as bad as the FIFA until all the allegations caught up with them and they had to change their ways. A vote should be made on who the would like to hold a WC, and not because of any fortune or favor the might receive. Now if Russia had the best bid, and they had the worst of the lot, then I would glad. But it's going to be a nothing of a world cup. Russians are pretty indifferent towards football. Lots of games will be again played in massive stadiums with very little crowds. It will be a mare for fans to travel from city to city and he accommodation will be poor.
What the WC needs is to bring the sparkle back in it. I think that all the other 3, the England and Holland/Belgium bids in particular, would have done that.
As for Qatar.... that's just a disgrace. The biggest issue here is the well being of the players. It will be 40-50c. Even at night. Unless you play indoors in the airco it will be impossible to keep the heat out. Madness. On the bright side, if you can afford it it will probably be great for the fans and I suspect they will manage to fill the stadiums. Which is more than can be said for Russia.
 
Quite a good article that - a lot of parallels can be drawn with what people are saying here in England.

You do not need to wear a burka in Qatar - it is NOT as backward as a country like Saudi Arabia. And there will be beer etc.

A place like Qatar is a relatively new nation and cant complete with the places you mention for tourism, but the whole Gulf region is progressing rapdily and they have 12 years to build up options for tourists. Nations dont usually get that long to prepare, this is the longest lead time of any WC ever which is why it is feasible to start from scratch.

The Burkha bit was an exaggeration. I don't think women would be allowed to dress as freely as they would had it been in Aus or England or USA etc.

I don't think the fact that it is a new country is a good enough reason for it to be allowed to host such a large event. I'd think Australia and the USA had a better chance for the 2022 WC. The way the sport has grown in that country over the last decade or so is astronomical.

FIFA should not be deciding hosts based on the potential the country has, rather it should be on the quality of the bids and amenities available.

At the end of the day, it's all really a non issue. World's ending in 2012 anyway.
 
What happens if there is substantial evidence uncovered that the decisions were heavily based on bribes, etc? I suppose being in Switzerland will make it difficult for anyone to investigate the members' financial records. While the Panorama was focused on old cases and incidents, it establishes a pattern of corruption amongst the leading members of FIFA. Since the English Press will definitely go all out now, it'll be interesting to see what turns up.
I'm curious to know why the media dredged all the old FIFA stuff up specifically before the vote. Doesn't make any sense that they would want to ruin our chances. Maybe that was just the start of things, maybe now they will follow on with more recent evidence/allegations.
 
What happens if there is substantial evidence uncovered that the decisions were heavily based on bribes, etc? I suppose being in Switzerland will make it difficult for anyone to investigate the members' financial records. While the Panorama was focused on old cases and incidents, it establishes a pattern of corruption amongst the leading members of FIFA. Since the English Press will definitely go all out now, it'll be interesting to see what turns up.

What the Panorama showed was that the old case, they had taking bribes far in excess of what was first believed or accused off (when the court case happened in 2007). Yet just because it was in Switzerland they got off with it at the time as there were no laws against bribing officials. wether the British press decides to investigate the matter further or just try and do some implosive finger pointing is yet to be seen.
 
Eh? What has the 2022 vote got to do with the 2018? You are talking about 2 completley different things, I dont understand the point you are making.

The press damaged our chances for 2018 - that much is clear.

The United States did nothing to upset FIFA, it's media did not uncover anything yet their far superior, more reliable and trustworthy bid lost out to the least capable bid which is a far bigger leap than choosing Russia over England. The fact that happened suggests that Russia would have been selected over England irrespective of what the media has or hasn't been reporting - I recall reading reports this time last year claiming that Russia was in front of everyone else in the 2018 running.
 
Or simply be more involved...which can bring on a change - if that's what the FA want. But they can't expect things to change by looking in from the periphery, which is what they've historically done. I was as gutted as anyone, I was looking forward to seeing topless Brazilian women dance through Market Street in a carnival like atmosphere but heh topless fat Geordie blokes are just as good. So I'm not complaining.

Yes true that - there have always been historical issues between the FA and FIFA, all the way back to start of the World Cup when England refused to even enter. Time for a rethink, we should be running UEFA and FIFA instead of thinking we are so good on our own.
 
The voting is both political and tactical so if there was a consensus that England shouldn't get it (a consensus that could well have been arrived at partly or wholly based on the press stuff) then getting England out in the first round is the best way to go because as bids are eliminated voters are usually less tied to their second or third choices and the technical strengths of each bid can become more important.

All speculation of course.
 
Eh? What has the 2022 vote got to do with the 2018? You are talking about 2 completley different things, I dont understand the point you are making.

The press damaged our chances for 2018 - that much is clear.

His point is about the wider agenda of FIFA (and Blatter)...that England were never in with a shot because the bidding process was never about who was the best or most suitable host, and Qatar proved that. That five of the last six World Cups have not gone to the bidder with the best bid, but to the bidder that FIFA thinks is worthy in a political sense basically shows up the whole nonsense of voting or bidding in the first place. The World Cup is no longer for the bulk of the fans and the players of the game that made it so huge, it's a travelling equal opportunities drive..5 out of the 6 Rood. That's far too many. It's a quarter of a century of World Cups not played in their opportune environments.
 
Has anyone seen advance pages of tomorrows newspapers yet?

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England's World Cup 2018 humiliation: two votes won, and one of them Geoff Thompson - Telegraph
 
The US could host the World Cup tomorrow if it had to. There are no stadiums, hotels, or training facilities to build. The public transit system would be able to handle the influx of people with no problem along with the airports. I'm not sure how Qatar was nearly as prepared to host the World Cup as the US, Japan, or even Australia are given that we have, you know, actual stadiums built.

Oh yeah, I forgot America were in that bid...

Still barring the USA (who I think hosted it too recently to get it now) are the others really ready? Look at 2002 and japan were joint with Korea, if in not mistaken the final was played in Seoul was it not? This would suggest they're not ready yet.

As was mentioned a few pages back (I think) there appear to be delays ahead of brazil, lack of infrastructure and the stadium which is hosting the opening ceremony as yet hasn't seen a spade in the ground, maybe the likes of England and the USA are being kept in reserve for then.
 
What happens if there is substantial evidence uncovered that the decisions were heavily based on bribes, etc? I suppose being in Switzerland will make it difficult for anyone to investigate the members' financial records. While the Panorama was focused on old cases and incidents, it establishes a pattern of corruption amongst the leading members of FIFA. Since the English Press will definitely go all out now, it'll be interesting to see what turns up.

How on earth can the FIFA be trusted to do a fair vote?

The BBC have been stating for quite a while now that something is wrong. The Panorama programme was about the sort of organisation the FIFA is. If it was any other organisation the whole executive board would have been suspended long ago. In fact if you or I would carry out such fraud we would go to jail. Yet the reaction of the general public is "get real, they've always been like and it's part of life".

I get this feeling that the British press know far far more then they are presenting at the moment.
Also, there's a certain Rupert who's been eager to get involved the TV money but he keeps being shut out. You can be rest assured that the Dirty Digger will be a digging.
 
No runs for two wickets in the first over of the second test - England cricket having a good day just as well.
 
The United States did nothing to upset FIFA, it's media did not uncover anything yet their far superior, more reliable and trustworthy bid lost out to the least capable bid which is a far bigger leap than choosing Russia over England. The fact that happened suggests that Russia would have been selected over England irrespective of what the media has or hasn't been reporting - I recall reading reports this time last year claiming that Russia was in front of everyone else in the 2018 running.

I watched all the presentations and the USA bid was the worst one of the lot - bland and boring with no USP at all. The fact that Japan/Korea/USA have hosted recently must have counted against them as well.
The Qatari bid has come from nowhere but for me it was straight between Qatar and Oz - I do think questions need to be asked about why Oz only got one vote, like England I think they obviously have few friends within FIFA.

Is it really too much to accept that the bids from Russia and Qatar were actually pretty damn good?
As you note, the Russian bid was thought to be strong and neck and neck with ours all the way along. And I fully believe we would have gone into the final voting with a fighting chance had it not been for the press ruining our chances.
 
Good to see that the UK press have taken it well.
 
to be strong and neck and neck with ours all the way along. And I fully believe we would have gone into the final voting with a fighting chance had it not been for the press ruining our chances.

I never said it was good, I said choosing Russia over England was not as big a leap as choosing Qatar over the United States, Japan, South Korea and Australia.
 
I thought the Sun would trump it for balls out embarrassing raging xenophobe mode but credit to the Mirror, they've pulled it out of the bag late on. Tikaboo son.
 
As was mentioned a few pages back (I think) there appear to be delays ahead of brazil, lack of infrastructure and the stadium which is hosting the opening ceremony as yet hasn't seen a spade in the ground, maybe the likes of England and the USA are being kept in reserve for then.

I remember there were reports that England was in mind as an alternative host for 2010 if South Africa were unable to host beside Germany - one of the rules is that the previous host has to be a standby option if the next host has to pull out.