126 replies to this topic

[faster]

Qatar has no right to host to begin with, it is utter lunacy for them to have won in the first place. The country has 1.5 million people and is smaller than Connecticut. It is unbelievable that Qatar won and only an idiot would think this didn't happen without some well greased hands.

Edited by Faster, 20 May 2011 - 02:20 PM.

[baron-pierreIV]

It is up to the TOP 30 football nations AND some sponsors to make some noise next month for this issue to move along.

Frankly, I'd love to see a very divided and drama-filled FIFA convention next month!!

Edited by baron-pierreIV, 20 May 2011 - 01:42 PM.

[Athensfan]

Soaring_Higher, on 20 May 2011 - 12:55 PM, said:

I personally do not want it to be retracted from Qatar even if corruption led to their selection. I think it would do harm for perceptions in the Middle East more than anything, and I wouldn't want the USA to look as though they "took it away".

Amen to that! In the EXTREMELY unlikely event that 2022 is taken away from Qatar, I don't think it should come to the U.S.A. Too much of a hot potato now.

[baron-pierreIV]

Athensfan, on 20 May 2011 - 06:45 PM, said:

Amen to that! In the EXTREMELY unlikely event that 2022 is taken away from Qatar, I don't think it should come to the U.S.A. Too much of a hot potato now.

WWell, FIFA can always give Qatar a bye in the event 2022 is taken away from them. There's always a solution to these things.

BTW, why isn't there a 3rd alternative to Blatter and that Hassan guy in the presidency contest? Only 1 guy has the guts to cchallenge Blatter? What a bunch of sheep world football officialsdom is.

[thatsnotmypuppy]

Sydney Morning Herald

Our retarded sports minister thinks Australia has a slim chance at getting 2022. I am pretty certain that a great swath of Australian tax payers (me included) do not want it if it was offered. The whole fuckked up 1 vote we got first time around has proven how insignificant we are to FIFA. No thanks. The national side is doing OK and I am more than happy to head overseas to see the Cup.

Ohhh - I am becoming a NIMBY!!!

My next question is - how much did Russia pay for 2018?

Edited by thatsnotmypuppy, 21 May 2011 - 04:48 AM.

[Lord David]

^^^ I'd rather try for an Olympics (I know most would disagree) than a retry of the 2022 WC or even attempt at the 2026 WC. This comes due to the fact that we'd have a greater chance at an Olympics, we'd have minimal problems with timing the games (even if held in Melbourne it would only mean minor alterations to the AFL season, which would end in August (scrapping the pre-season tournament or moving it to early February), allowing for the Olympics to start early September (similar alterations to the AFL season occurred for the 2000 Olympics).

I'm sure if we start bidding for major sporting events, an Olympics will be the way to go in the near future, even if a WC would be beneficial to the whole nation.

[Rols O'Bertilsson]

Lord David, on 21 May 2011 - 09:51 AM, said:

^^^ I'd rather try for an Olympics (I know most would disagree) than a retry of the 2022 WC or even attempt at the 2026 WC. This comes due to the fact that we'd have a greater chance at an Olympics, we'd have minimal problems with timing the games (even if held in Melbourne it would only mean minor alterations to the AFL season, which would end in August (scrapping the pre-season tournament or moving it to early February), allowing for the Olympics to start early September (similar alterations to the AFL season occurred for the 2000 Olympics).

I'm sure if we start bidding for major sporting events, an Olympics will be the way to go in the near future, even if a WC would be beneficial to the whole nation.

I know you're desperate for Melbourne to host again, and soon, but I really have to strongly disagree that we would have a stronger chance to land the Olympics. I really believe it's an almost impossible task for anywhere in Australia to win an Olympic bid in the short term. There's just no compelling reason to come again to Oz so soon (especially to a repeat hoster)with the likes of Durban, Paris, Germany, Rome, Japan, Istanbul, Toronto etc etc ad nauseum waiting in their chances. Whereas, with the WC we along with China are about the best chances for a hosting the next time a slot opens for Asia. That said, I doubt there'd be much appetite for us even to bid for that right now.

If anything, i think it could be counter-productive for Melbourne to launch a premature bid. It would likely face a lot of scrutiny and scepticism down here and when/if they lose, face a tonne of criticism, and probably set back Melbourne's chances for a repeat attempt for a while after. Id suspect that a losing Melbourne bid in the next decade or so would result in either Australia staying out totally for a longer time afterwards, or open the doors for the likes of Brisbane or even Perth to insist on trying their luck. Melbourne would be better placed, IMO, to sit steady, stay out of the fray, keep up with maintaining and upgrading its excellent sporting and infrastructural facilities, and when the time is right, say from the 2050s on, be ready to pounce.

[spectator12]

doubtful... qatar deserves a chance, and soccer will never be big in US

[thatsnotmypuppy]

Sir Rols, on 22 May 2011 - 06:29 PM, said:

I know you're desperate for Melbourne to host again, and soon, but I really have to strongly disagree that we would have a stronger chance to land the Olympics. I really believe it's an almost impossible task for anywhere in Australia to win an Olympic bid in the short term. There's just no compelling reason to come again to Oz so soon (especially to a repeat hoster)with the likes of Durban, Paris, Germany, Rome, Japan, Istanbul, Toronto etc etc ad nauseum waiting in their chances. Whereas, with the WC we along with China are about the best chances for a hosting the next time a slot opens for Asia. That said, I doubt there'd be much appetite for us even to bid for that right now.

If anything, i think it could be counter-productive for Melbourne to launch a premature bid. It would likely face a lot of scrutiny and scepticism down here and when/if they lose, face a tonne of criticism, and probably set back Melbourne's chances for a repeat attempt for a while after. Id suspect that a losing Melbourne bid in the next decade or so would result in either Australia staying out totally for a longer time afterwards, or open the doors for the likes of Brisbane or even Perth to insist on trying their luck. Melbourne would be better placed, IMO, to sit steady, stay out of the fray, keep up with maintaining and upgrading its excellent sporting and infrastructural facilities, and when the time is right, say from the 2050s on, be ready to pounce.

I see your point but also predict a Melbourne/Brisbane bid for 2024/2028.

Compelling reason or not the continuing spiralling costs have obviously killed off many aspirant bids. In the case of Melbourne if the costs keep getting out of control the IOC may very well opt for a "low cost" Games - not a cheap Games, just one with minimal construction needed. Australia could play the Asia card since the only likely bidders from the region are China (Shanghai will have a tilt within the next decade), Japan (unlikely to be awarded the Games anytime soon despite Tokyo's new "the Games will help revitalise the country" theme) and Korea (PC2018 dependent). Regardless of other members hopes Malaysia, Singapore, India and The Philippines are not getting a Games anytime soon either. The Middle East could host without really causing too many issues for Europe or Asia.

The continual low turnouts for the A League and less than stellar national team home fixtures need to be looked into prior to any WC bid.

The bottom line is Australia will remain an AFL/rugby stronghold as soccer is so poorly managed here.

So while a Melbourne/Brisbane bid is a long shot it is not a futile exercise.

[Rols O'Bertilsson]

Puppy, nothwithstanding the political will here to mount a bid - and the way politics is polarising here these days, any suggestion of a bid would become a political football - do you really think an Oz bid in the 2020s, whoever it is - Melbourne, Brisbane, Hobart(!?!) - stands a rat's chance of winning an IOC vote? I could perhaps see a bit of logic in starting some preliminary bids and investigations from the 2030s, but I just can't see us getting taken seriously any earlier.

Personally, i think our best campaign chances in the halls of Lausanne would be for Coatesy to start building the numbers and support with an eye to succeeding Bach (or whoever else steps into Rogge's shoes in 2013).