The Soccer Thread

[CaribbeanJoseph]

Instead of the rotation, can't host the next 2, 90% sure it's something along those lines.

 

[BigHouseUSA]

 

[CaribbeanJoseph]

Yeah, Europe has to wait two tournaments before bidding again. Leaving us with an African nation, Argentina, the US, or Mexico for '26.

Yep that's it.

 

[relaxedanderson]

Typically World Cups go Europe - Somewhere Else - Europe - Somewhere Else. I'd guess 2030 for another US bid. Spain/Portugal and England will likely be back again for 2026.

I really don't know why Belgium/Holland didn't get more play. Lovely countries, great fan atmosphere, FANTASTIC beer. If they don't want joint bids, then just outlaw them. It's like 3 hrs from Brussels/Antwerp to Amsterdam. It's TWO DAYS from Volgograd to Kaliningrad

Belgium can be a bit dull apart from the beer but when the beer is that good you don't really need to do much else.

I can't understand the antipathy towards joint bids either. All I can assume is that they don't want to give up two automatic qualification spots, but then the Netherlands are going to qualify anyway and Belgium would be a much better footballing addition to the tournament than South Africa or Qatar.

 

[relaxedanderson]

They're miffed that the US lost yet their keep going on about Australia when the US bid > Australia's anyway, do you get what I mean lol?

I get it but I think the point being made is that while the US bid was better than Australia's (and we won't include Japan or South Korea because they've just had one, greedy buggers) IF there was some pressing reason not to vote for America - such as 1994 being too recent or the fact that there is a lot of antipathy towards the sport in America as well as apathy - then Australia with its infrastructure, facilities, experience and the fact that it is a sport-mad country should have been an obvious choice.

Still, I always thought it was strange that Qatar were included in the first ever FIFA video game back in the 90s even though they were shit and nobody had ever heard of them. Shadowy Qatari cartel pulling the strings at FIFA? You heard it here first folks. :tongue:

 

[calgaryballer]

Someone had the Qatar national team updated to show

2006 - DNQ
2010 - DNQ
2014 - Will not qualify
2018 - Will not qualify
2022 - Qualified

 

[relaxedanderson]

Apparently the main export of Qatar isn't oil, it's those little plastic things you use to clear frost from the inside of your freezer.

The widespread adoption of frost-free freezers by 2020 could collapse the Qatari economy.

 

[CaribbeanJoseph]

I get it but I think the point being made is that while the US bid was better than Australia's (and we won't include Japan or South Korea because they've just had one, greedy buggers) IF there was some pressing reason not to vote for America - such as 1994 being too recent or the fact that there is a lot of antipathy towards the sport in America as well as apathy - then Australia with its infrastructure, facilities, experience and the fact that it is a sport-mad country should have been an obvious choice.

Still, I always thought it was strange that Qatar were included in the first ever FIFA video game back in the 90s even though they were shit and nobody had ever heard of them. Shadowy Qatari cartel pulling the strings at FIFA? You heard it here first folks. :tongue:

Yea I can see that, it just seems strange to keep harping on about Australia given the way the voting went.

 

[citizenerased]

I kept harping on about Australia because every single thing you were saying on their bid was 100% crap.

 

[CaribbeanJoseph]

Ok, you carry on believing that Australia was ever a contender.

 

[Goober]

You're missing the point though BH, Australia's bid just wasn't sound enough to ever be a real possibility and that's gotta fall on Australia, nothing to do with oil money as some would have you believe. This is a one off thing, Qatar is the only country that could pull something like this off, Qatar won't go bust, there econmy is continually growing, I read a great piece that explained really thoroughly why it's not an issue, I'll try and find it and link you. This was a one off opportunity to send such a massive global event to the Middle East and FIFA made the right decision (however much it was influenced by oil money) imo, it's an excellent chance for the reral world to appreciate modern arab culture and to dispel these unfortunate stereotypes that idiots like Goblinslayer have about the ME/Arabs in general. It was now or never. Have a good look at what they plan to do, it is pretty awesome.


sidenote: this PSG-Sevilla match really is outstanding, anyone else watching?

So I'm the idiot for thinking it's a bad idea to send the world cup to a country that doesn't allow alcohol, public signs of affection, or homosexuality; not to mention the way they treat women. I don't care what they say they'll change for the World Cup there will be a lot of fucking problems. It's a terrible fucking decision.

 

[citizenerased]

Ok, you carry on believing that Australia was ever a contender.

I was more referring to your claims that all the big stadiums in Australia are somehow all owned by the AFL (They only really hold true power over Docklands, they are the MCC's bitch when it comes to the MCG), that somehow AFL were holding it all hostage (They sorted that out on May 9th, it was nothing more then a money grab by the AFL and NRL in the first place) and that somehow the entire Australia Media were trying to scuper the bid.

And lol at Australia never being a chance. It was going to be a two horse race between America and Australia before Qatar started bribing everyone towards the end when their actual bid was getting savaged for the joke it was/still is.

In the FIFA cash report which pretty ranked how well a tournament in each country would do financially, Qatar got a 70% to Australias 68%, this factored in the money from TV rights, so the timezone issue is overblown. Not to mention that Australia would've blown Qatar away when it came to the technical aspects of the bid rankings.

Australia were also the bookies favourite as recently as the 27th, ahead of Qatar, behind America.

 

[Archer]

A WORLD CUP in racist Russia? All the very best. Strong stuff, but ask Peter Odemwingie how he feels about Russia putting on a party meant to unite fans from every nation.

He is the Nigeria striker who was targeted by racist taunts when he played for Lokomotiv Moscow. When he left for West Brom, Lokomotiv fans unfurled a banner with a banana on it saying: “Thanks West Brom.”

I wonder what Man City striker Jo thinks about a World Cup in Russia? Jo suffered horrendous abuse in Moscow when he played for Lokomotiv’s rivals CSKA. And what of former Zenit boss Dick Advocaat, who said in 2008: “The fans don’t like black players.” The head of Russia’s 2018 bid, Alexei Sorokin, denies there is a problem. This is him explaining the Odemwingie incident: “There is nothing racial in it.. In Russia ‘to get a banana’ means ‘to fail a test somewhere’.”

So how come Spartak Moscow were fined £13,000 in 2007 over a “Monkey go home” banner aimed at Brazilian striker Welliton?

Football Against Racism in Europe is working to change attitudes in Poland and Ukraine ahead of Euro 2012. FARE now have a much bigger job on their hands.

I’d love to say I am optimistic about their chances. Sadly, that is just not the case

Has any black player EVER had ANYTHING nice to say about Russia after leaving their league?

Oh and shame on the FA for wasting 15million on a bid that could never have won with Blatter in charge :smh:

 

[relaxedanderson]

Has any black player EVER had ANYTHING nice to say about Russia after leaving their league?

Oh and shame on the FA for wasting 15million on a bid that could never have won with Blatter in charge :smh:

I'm no England fan but even I can see that Blatter and Platini at UEFA have got some sort of pathetic anti-England agenda going on. They publicly hammer English clubs and the national team for any sort of indiscretion, however rare, while willfully ignoring exactly the same problems that are endemic in other countries.

If someone made a monkey noise in a match between Droylsden and Blyth Spartans then they'd jump all over it to show how rotten English football is but watch their silence after a Brazil vs Cameroon match at the World Cup turns into a car crash.

In every possible way the English bid was by far the best of everything on show yesterday and should have won by a mile, even though that would have meant I'd have to suffer through eight years of "football's coming home" hell.

As a friend of mine said on Facebook yesterday, "It appears the World Cup voting process is now on a par, in terms of credibility, with that of Eurovision."

 

[CaribbeanJoseph]

So I'm the idiot for thinking it's a bad idea to send the world cup to a country that doesn't allow alcohol, public signs of affection, or homosexuality; not to mention the way they treat women. I don't care what they say they'll change for the World Cup there will be a lot of fucking problems. It's a terrible fucking decision.

Yes it's a global competition and should be hosted all over the world, not just europe or countries acceptable to the western world. I like my drink just as much as anybody and strongly support equality and gay rights, I disagree with aspects of their culture just as much as you do but just because their culture is different from ours it doesn't mean it's wrong, they think the exact same about our culture.

 

[CaribbeanJoseph]

So I'm the idiot for thinking it's a bad idea to send the world cup to a country that doesn't allow alcohol, public signs of affection, or homosexuality; not to mention the way they treat women. I don't care what they say they'll change for the World Cup there will be a lot of fucking problems. It's a terrible fucking decision.

Yes it's a global competition and should be hosted all over the world, not just europe or countries acceptable to the western world. I like my drink just as much as anybody and strongly support equality and gay rights, I disagree with aspects of their culture just as much as you do but just because their culture is different from ours it doesn't mean it's wrong, they think the exact same about our culture.

 

[relaxedanderson]

Yes it's a global competition and should be hosted all over the world, not just europe or countries acceptable to the western world. I like my drink just as much as anybody and strongly support equality and gay rights, I disagree with aspects of their culture just as much as you do but just because their culture is different from ours it doesn't mean it's wrong, they think the exact same about our culture.

I'd have to disagree with you there. Persecuting someone for their sexuality is wrong regardless of 'culture'. Female circumcision and burning people as witches is the culture in some parts of Africa and stoning women for adultery is the culture in some Middle Eastern countries. 'Culture' is a piss-poor excuse for treating innocent people like shit.

Another issue, speaking of culture, have the Qataris given any indication that they are going to go against theirs and make sure that all the people that are going to build these air-conditioned, collapsible stadia are paid and treated well?

http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2007/82807.htm

 

[CaribbeanJoseph]

100% agree RA but people need to respect that people do things differently and that's their way of life, it's arrogant and small minded to think that our way is the only way.


edit: and to be frank, the majority of Americans are gonna be irrational about this

double edit: if people wanna start going down that road, there's a plethora of reason the US shouldn't host it, what about Australia's treatment of Aborigines, etc

 

[mgoblue2290]

100% agree RA but people need to respect that people do things differently and that's their way of life, it's arrogant and small minded to think that our way is the only way.


edit: and to be frank, the majority of Americans are gonna be irrational about this

double edit: if people wanna start going down that road, there's a plethora of reason the US shouldn't host it, what about Australia's treatment of Aborigines, etc

You are damn right I'm not going to agree with you on this. It is not small minded to think what another culture does is wrong. I strongly disagree with cultural relativism and the thinking behind it. The repression and genuine evil that occurs in a lot of countries around the world is ridiculous. It is an excuse to just hide behind culture and say an outsider wouldn't understand. They know what they're doing is wrong and so does everyone else.

I'm not saying the American way is the only way. But our culture and I guess even our morals are way better then a lot countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

 

[calgaryballer]

100% agree RA but people need to respect that people do things differently and that's their way of life, it's arrogant and small minded to think that our way is the only way.


edit: and to be frank, the majority of Americans are gonna be irrational about this

double edit: if people wanna start going down that road, there's a plethora of reason the US shouldn't host it, what about Australia's treatment of Aborigines, etc

You are damn right I'm not going to agree with you on this. It is not small minded to think what another culture does is wrong. I strongly disagree with cultural relativism and the thinking behind it. The repression and genuine evil that occurs in a lot of countries around the world is ridiculous. It is an excuse to just hide behind culture and say an outsider wouldn't understand. They know what they're doing is wrong and so does everyone else.

I'm not saying the American way is the only way. But our culture and I guess even our morals are way better then a lot countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

The World Cup is supposed to be an inclusive place. FIFA doesn't run initiatives like 'Kick Racism Out' just so they can go to a country in which women are oppressed and gays are vilified. The Middle East is not a place where people from all corners of the world will be able to feel comfortable going. What happens if Israel should somehow come out of their WC qualifying group? While the two countries are peaceful, Qatar has been quite vocal in their support for Hamas and has a ban on Israeli citizens entering their country

Caribbean, I think you are being facetious by comparing Qatar to the treatment of Aboriginees in Australia or Native Americans in the US. While that was/is a terrible thing, most governments and citizens of those countries recognize that wrong doing and have taken steps to apologize. Whether those steps are far enough (Native Americans in America still feel marginalized) it is not an outright ban on a type of expression.

Sure, Qatar will 'change' their rules for that one month period. But that will be like China hiding all their poor people when they hosted the Olympics. Problems aren't being solved, they are being hidden from the Western world. Like GoBlue, different cultures are to be cherished and enjoyed. As someone who has been to 30+ countries so far in my life, there is really no way I would want to travel to Qatar with my fiance. It can only pale in comparison to the time I had in Germany for WC06 and Austria for Euro08. Why? Because I didn't have to check my beer at a designated drinking zone. I didn't have to make sure my fiance is fully covered in 50+ celsius temperatures.

I can't wait for the fan reports to come back from this WC. I am planning on going to WC2014, and I'd like to go to WC2018. I just don't really see anyway that I find going to Qatar to be a worthwhile experience.