FIFA dirty secrets

[damon loves JT]

People don't like us as a nation as we're arrogant.

Important to remember this. We are some way below Germany in the league table of national popularity

[john e]

People don't like us as a nation as we're arrogant.

The technical bids, the presentation etc are all well and good, the bottom line is that the other bids weren't bad enough to fail and therefore the executives voted for who they wanted. We've held the thing before whilst many countries, including Russia, haven't.

although i agree with your points, the vote was stilll rigged to get us out first,
if we had known that was the intention from the start, we could have saved a lot of money and effort

[Ger Regan]

People don't like us as a nation as we're arrogant.

Speaking as an outsider, I think that a lot of the reason why other countries (and I suppose I can only speak for Ireland on this) like to see, say, England fail at the world cup is because of the "This is our year" type of hyperbole that the press constantly churn out on the run up to such events.

Personally, I think it's not english people per se that are arrogant, it's more the press.

[damon loves JT]

Personally, I think it's not english people per se that are arrogant, it's more the press.

I am going to respond in tit-for-tat fashion by alleging that the Irish talk a load of shit

[pauliewalnuts]

It always makes me want to gag when certain sectors of the media cack on about our "best league in the world", when actually, it is nothing of the sort.

It is definitely the best marketed league in the world, but nothing like the best league. Not in terms of competitiveness or the players in it. Which of the very best players in the world play in our league? People like Ronaldo go from Man United to Real Madrid, not the other way around.

Fucked national team, clubs in debt, pathetic world cup bids, falling attendances, absurd ticket prices, wages spiralling out of control ..... our game is headed for a big fall pretty soon, and I can't help thinking the sooner the better, as what comes out of it at the other end might actually be much better than what we have now.

[Ger Regan]

I am going to respond in tit-for-tat fashion by alleging that the Irish talk a load of shit

Haha, I knew you'd pick up on that!

Of course I didn't mean your place of work, Mr. Green, sir, more the newspapers really.

Although you're spot on with the shit talking allegation.

[damon loves JT]

The idea that our bid didn't play the corruption game isn't even accurate. We just aren't very good at it.

But what angers me is the sham of this 2-for-1 bidding process. Designed to create a double-bubble of bribes and slide in *Qatar* as a world cup host with the minimum of scrutiny.

[Dave Javu]

I wonder how much Qatar had to cough up?

[Lee]

We ain't whiter than white, but Fifa do seem to have it in for English Football. With the comparative entries, only Spain-Portugal had an equivalent all round bid. This was known weeks ago by the Russians and Putin bloody knew it too.

As for Qatar. My cousin lives there. It's a bloody wasteland with one stadium. Absolute joke.

[damon loves JT]

Bollocks to bribery, blackmail is much cheaper. Rohypnol, a blood-smeared motel bedroom, a ride in a blacked-out van... cheaper than two dozen Mulberry handbags

[KevinGage]

I wonder how much Qatar had to cough up?

Very cynical deej.

Didn't you hear Blatter wax lyrical on about fair play (and a myriad of other topics) yesterday? The man is a pioneer, pushing football into uncharted territories for the good of the game.

Altruism is his motive. Well that and education. Did you hear him tell the world that Russia was a continent too at the presentation.

Really don't know what everyone is moaning about. He gave the English delegation a lovely certificate for their efforts. Best £15 million ever spent, that.

[Brend'Watkins]

The idea that our bid didn't play the corruption game isn't even accurate. We just aren't very good at it.

Not good at bidding or not good at corruption?

I think this country can be as corrupt as any if it really wanted to, it didn't get to where it is to date without a bit of corruption along the way. 

In the case of the bidding...as polished as we've been told it was perceived it obviously didn't hit the mark.  A male model and two old Etonians as figure heads.  We might have got a bit further if we actually had people on side who actually new what the fuck they were doing.

[Bosco81]

Instead of David Beckham we should have had Joey Barton going round with a cigar in his mouth "asking" for votes.

[Dave Javu]

I wonder how much Qatar had to cough up?

Very cynical deej.

There's a pun in there screaming to get out.

[Villa'Zawg]

I wonder how much Qatar had to cough up?

It would have been enough not to be sniffed at.