World Cup 2018 bid

[Mike May]

A rather unsavoury outcome from what information has been gathered, of possible envelopes of the 'brown' variety being passed around to certain delegate(s), to keep the 'Brits' out, this no doubt being exacerbated even further by the Panorama programme shown earlier. No doubt in time to come the whole story of what went on behind 'closed doors' will eventually surface.

[Geoff]

I am hoping and praying in the next few weeks, months and years that FIFA will be exposed for what they are. This country has the best investigative journalists in the world and I am sure many of them are 'on the case' as we speak. Russia and Qatar, two of the richest oil states in the world, the Russian PM can't even be arsed to turn up, why not? Did he know something we didn't? The more I think about the more it stinks. I am certain it was a 'done deal' and with hope, this is the beginning of the end for the corrupt FIFA exec com.

[DOF]

I too think something wasn't quite right. FIFA don't like England ...fact!

Russia in 2018 - plastic pitches.... Cosmic

[guerrero]

Having spent most of my Managerial career BEING that England bid.ie knowing that whatever validity my efforts might have,that money and the old school tie is going to win out in the end,some of the comments on this subject hopefully reflect some of the comments I have made in the past.
I hope that makes sense,and that some of the people who don't understand where I have come from,now understand a little bit.
It's bloody frustrating!!!

[Bear Jew 2]

Gutted. Annoyed. Our bid was delivered superb but did it matter ?
The major football nation not had the World Cup since 1966, it is so wrong.
England now has to get over it, move on and learn.

We only got the 66 World Cup at the last minute because the nation who initially was to hold the event couldn't get their arses into gear (don't know who that was, someone could enlighten me!) This is how FIFA repay us, we should tell them to go to hell, oops they already are...they're off to Russia!!

Qatar was always on the cards...Zidane on their committee...Platini on FIFAs...Blatter loves the frogs...need I say more?

[Geoff]

We only got the Olympics in 48 because no other country could afford it after WW2. Do you get the feeling we are used?

[happy wanderer]

England doesn't need a world cup, but the football world would have been better off with it being here!

I simply can't see your logic here ... Why would the world be "better off" if the world cup was in England? There's no reason why a world cup in Russia won't be a roaring success with packed full stadiums ... as long as they get the entry visa situation sorted out. And of course it's down to the Russians themselves to get their stadiums built.

Personally, I didn't particularly want us to win.

.... Two years of yawn-inducing friendlies because we wouldn't have any qualifying games .... followed by a mass-hijacking of the tickets by bandwagon-jumping glory-seekers who've never been to see a proper game of football in their lives.

However, I agree with the sentiment in this thread about FIFA. If you went for a job interview and was scored as the strongest candidate but didn't get offered the job, you'd be asking some serious questions about the conduct of the interviewing panel and their procedures. As someone said, they're not anwerable to anybody - no tribunal, no nothing.

Incidentally, I can't wait for the end of the 2022 tournament. Apparently Qatar are going to dismantle their stadiums, meccano-like, and redistribute them to third world countries... That, I've gotto see!

[CHENG I SAO]

Redistribute them to third world countries
Well the way we are going we might just benefit from that

[LONG 2]

I simply can't see your logic here ... Why would the world be "better off" if the world cup was in England?

You obviously didn't hear the presentations, with the infastructure already in place in England and it being ready to host a world cup tomorrow the money (some anyway!) generated from the world cup would be re-distributed (through FIFA) to help individuals and charitable organisitations here and around the world with funding, following on from the excellent work the FA and premiership clubs already do around the world. That would be the much talked about 'legacy' that each bidding nation had to convince FIFA they would leave.
Russia's legacy will be that Russia would have a better infrastructure for their football!! And the Abramovich's of Russia will probably make a few quid aswell (more than it cost them to win the right to host the world cup no doubt!)
I agree with the boring friendlies bit though, i do prefer to have the qualification matches!

[LONG 2]

Anyway, back to spanking the Aussies No that is not a euphemism!! Come on Jimmy!

[watson]

There is only one thing lower than a Snakes belly, thats Snake excrement roughly translated means, Abramovic first class Russian £anker, good luck and good bye. I for one wont be the slightest bit interested in hoping its a success and as for the Qatar 2022 World Cup spectators will not be able to afford to stay there. It will be like the F1 grand prix played at night and no mucker there to watch accept the guys with the diamond studded aresoles.

[tips]

Despite the obvious problems over infrastructure, I am astonished more in the fact that FIFA's Executive Committee chose to host the World Cup in Russia, a country with such flippant and disgusting views towards racism in the game

[gonzo]

Incidentally, I can't wait for the end of the 2022 tournament. Apparently Qatar are going to dismantle their stadiums, meccano-like, and redistribute them to third world countries... That, I've gotto see!

Russia would have probably received a few of those as well ... should have let them have the 2026 tournament

Blatter is about as qualified to run the worlds football association as I am to run the NHS!

[LONG 2]

Blatter should be forced to resign, he stood up in front of the voting committee and reminded them what the British press had said about the corruption in FIFA just minutes before voting!! Criminal

[Fingers]

The world cup is not what it used to be. Each tournament that goes by we are dissappointed with the quality of football. In my opinion the whole set up has had its day. Players already put club above country and that mindset will only get worse as time goes on. Spain won the world cup with the Barcelona side yet in no game did they play like the other night against Madrid. The whole spectacle of a world cup is dying and the fans are preferring champions league and the Premiership, maybe Fifa are jealous of the premierships global succes.

As Geoff said we have the best investigative journalists in the world so let them do their job over the next few years and expose Fifa for what it is.

I think someone touched on it but how many racist slogans and banners do we see?
I cant see many Russians turning up to see Ghana v Cameroon.