World Cup 2018

[pink_triangle]

If the games had been good, everyone would be saying the South Africa WC was amazing. And the fact the games were shit has nothing to do with where it was played.

[ampersand]

Perhaps a joint UK bid next time like the rugby World Cup in 1990?

[llcoolphil]

tongue in cheek i know, but someone seriously suggested that on facebook. hampden is the only one currently useable (cos i don't believe we should be entertaining the use of rubgy stadia in edinburgh)

and say they upgrade/rebuild stadia in aberdeen and edinburgh, is it really going to strengthen a bid. fair enough it will sound more appealing than plymouth and milton keynes, but wouldn't matter a bit.

[Ed209]

FIFA would hate a UK bid. They get pissed off that we play as four separate nations anyway, then we all turn up wanting a joint world cup? No chance.

[ampersand]

It'd give Scotland a chance at playing in the world cup finals again without the bit that always lets them down - qualifying.

[Kowalski]

you'd also need the same amount of money as Qatar.

[Kowalski]

we're just waiting for one worth going to. this russian shindig may be the one!

[rexclark]

FIFA would hate a UK bid. They get pissed off that we play as four separate nations anyway, then we all turn up wanting a joint world cup? No chance.

[Cardboard Box City]

I really do find the decision to hold the tournament in Russia bewildering in light of the racist nature of Russian football and elsewhere in the country where the majority of people from ethnic minorities in major cities live in fear of violent attacks.

[with regard to the conviction of Artur Ryno and Pavel Skachevsky who led a skinhead gang that murdered at least 20 people]

To most Westerners living here, Russian attitudes to race seem, at best, old-fashioned. Racist remarks are far more socially acceptable than they might be elsewhere.

The incidence of racial violence shows the violent, extreme, side of that: the Moscow Human Rights Bureau - a non-governmental organisation - says that 74 people were killed, and 340 injured, in racist attacks in Russia last year.

[rexclark]

Aye. You could finally get your hole!

[ampersand]

Clearly, if anything it would be a Scotland and Ireland bid and it failed miserably for Euro 2008. Scotland only has about 3 decent grounds and I'm not even sure they'd all pass. Ibrox and Hampden perhaps but Celtic Park is awful.

The point is obviously a UK bid would never happen and even if it did the large majority of games would be in England anyway.

[Ed209]

FIFA showed with spain that their say no to racism campaign is infact, say no to racism unless your FIFA in which case you turn a blind eye

[Ed209]

the point is, i'm 99% sure that it's one stadium per city, so ibrox and parkhead don't come into it.

and even if we did redo edinburgh, aberdeen, dundee etc stadia, how awful will it be having dundee utd v st mirren in a 40,000 seater with 6,000 fans there.

[Cardboard Box City]

What the hell is going to happen to Qatar's brand new stadia when the world cup is over?

[lost]

What the hell is going to happen to Qatar's brand new stadia when the world cup is over?

[Kowalski]

the point is, i'm 99% sure that it's one stadium per city, so ibrox and parkhead don't come into it.

and even if we did redo edinburgh, aberdeen, dundee etc stadia, how awful will it be having dundee utd v st mirren in a 40,000 seater with 6,000 fans there.

[ampersand]

Nah, the English bid were talking about using Wembley, Emirates and the new Spurs ground.

[Cardboard Box City]

i think it should be one per city anyway.

[Snufflebutt]

the people can go watch homosexuals being flogged in them.

[parTy animal]

Is it just me or does one of Qatar's proposed stadiums look like a large windbreak that you'd find on a beach

we're just waiting for one worth going to. this russian shindig may be the one!

[Cardboard Box City]

Who in god's name has been putting sensical words in Graham Taylor's mouth? Surely there must have been a misquote:

Former England manager Graham Taylor also dismissed criticism of the media and said nothing about Fifa surprised him any more.

"I'm just surprised that we're surprised," he said. "Fifa is an organisation that doesn't have to answer to anyone. What did we expect?

"Fifa for me is full of people who say 'yes' to your face and 'no' behind your back. Their reputation has not changed over many years.

"England have had little or no influence. We are considered to be arrogant and know-alls."

He also defended the English media, whose investigations into Fifa have been cited by some people as one of the reasons for the bid's failure.

"I'm not one of those blaming Panorama or the Sunday Times - this has been going on for years," he said.

"I just have a feeling that perhaps, just perhaps, it might now be time... they really need looking into, they should really be investigated - and of course our journalists are very good at that."

Taylor also criticised the decision to give the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, adding on BBC Radio 4's PM programme: "It really is surprising. Where is the heart and soul of football in Qatar? And yet that decision has been made."

[Ed209]

Who in god's name has been putting sensical words in Graham Taylor's mouth? Surely there must have been a misquote:

[Cardboard Box City]

I hope I'm proved wrong, but I really think the Qatar world cup is going to be a stale, souless corporate binge.

[Cardboard Box City]

This is from an Aussie news article:

=====================================

FIFA'S choice of Qatar for the 2022 World Cup will undoubtedly expand soccer's reach - but is it a smart choice for the fans? Here's news.com.au's quick cheat sheet on Qatar.

- The small Arab state will be the first Middle Eastern World Cup host. Qatar's slick bid appealed for Fifa to take "a bold gamble" and bring the World Cup to a region that is beginning to emerge as world player in global sport.

- Qatar has never qualified for a World Cup finals, has few stadiums and has little footballing glory to its name. Some wag edited the national side's Wikipedia page to say: "2006 Did Not Qualify; 2010 Did Not Qualify; 2014 Will Not Qualify; 2018 Will Not Qualify; 2022 Qualified." Needlessly to say this was quickly changed.

- Qatar's bid chief executive, Hassan al-Thawadi, says that "heat is not and will not be an issue" but many beg to differ. The Qataris say they have developed carbon cooling systems to keep down temperatures in stadiums but Fifa's technical report on the bid said that there was a "potential health risk" because of the heat, which reaches up to 47C during summer.

- Qatar's size is just 4416 square miles, about a fifth of the size of Tasmania, so traveling between games won't be a problem. The population is 1.7 million.

- Qatar's victory will be seen as a personal triumph for Mohammed Bin Hammam, Fifa executive member and president of the Asia Football Confederation. He is the favourite to succeed Fifa chief Sepp Blatter.

- The Qatar bid was also embroiled in allegations of collusion after reports that it had entered an illicit vote-swapping pact with the Spanish-Portuguese bid, which this morning was beaten by Russia for the right to host the 2018 World Cup.

- We advise you to exercise a high degree of caution in Qatar because of the threat of terrorist attack against Western interests. Terrorists have demonstrated the intent and capability to conduct attacks throughout the Arabian Peninsula at places frequented by Westerners, such as commercial and public areas. Further attacks may be planned and could occur in Qatar.

- Homosexual acts are illegal. Penalties include lengthy jail sentence, corporal punishment and/or deportation.

- Penalties for drug offences include long prison sentences.

- Drinking alcohol outside licensed premises are illegal. Penalties include detention, substantial fine, prison sentence and deportation.

- The penalty for drunkenness and defamation may include corporal punishment if the offenders are Muslims.

- Taking photographs of local people, particularly women, without permission and where there has been no previous contact, is illegal and can lead to arrest or fines.

- Men and women should dress modestly with clothing covering the shoulders and knees.

- Australia does not have an Embassy or Consulate in Qatar.

===================================

[pink_triangle]

I would rather australia over quatar, however not sure I agree that quatar cant hold a good tournament. Football fans are fickle and I can guarantee in 12 years time when the world cup starts and the massive hype takes over, the country will enjoy the tournament.