Keitho

Interesting article alleging bribery by Qatar........ http://offthebench.nbcsports.com/2010/12/14/jonathan-alter-qatar-may-have-paid-10-mil-for-each-fifa-vote/

Excellent post Eusebius. I posted regularly on this forum, as a fan, who saves a little every month to go to the world cup every 4 years. My opinions are formed by my experience as a fan, and what I feel would be the best host for supporters who travel to the Finals. World cup finals draws were always watched avidly, hoping you were drawn to play in Rome or Florence for their history, New York or Boston for the bars, or Tokyo for something crazy. In 2022 if I bother..... ? its gonna be Doha in 45 degrees or....... 30 km from Doha in 43 degrees..... I'm already apathetic. Recent finals like 2006 and 2010 were driven by the desire to make it to the finals simply because of the host. My now wife wanted to go to Africa in 2004, that was swiftly dismissed and replaced by a backpacking trip to South America, because the Africa trip was planned already. I assured her "the World cup is on in South Africa in 6 years". There was always SOMETHING to look forward to when a world cup was announced. In fact it decided holidays for years in advance Qatar offers NOTHING to the travelling fan. Nothing for those like me, who like to travel to several cities on each trip. My experiences include; Italia 90 (Palermo, Cagliari, Genoa, Rome). France 98 (Paris, Nantes, Monpelier) Germany 06 (Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Kaiserslautern, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Nurenberg). Fans like me who like to hang out with fans from wherever; Jamaican reggae boys in Paris (what a day that was !!) Croats in Berlin, Moroccans in Nantes. The list goes on and on Maybe I'm wrong, but in my opinion Qatar simply wont attract travelling fans. Certainly not the 60000 swedes who travelled to Berlin. Nor will it have anything like the 1 million germans at the fanfest at the Brandenburg gate. Or the 2 million Korean locals on the streets in Seoul. The Qatar world cup will be a circus. All the talk will be "Look at the fancy stadiums" (soon to be dismantled), "It's 50 degrees outside but only 20 degrees inside", "A world cup in the desert ! Wow! ". Fans locked away from local eyes, for fear they are seen having 'one too many', (or even one!!) I'm sure it will look good on TV though, which is where I'll be watching, almost certainly.

I fail to see what is 'neat' about giving the World cup to a country that doesnt allow women to drive, flogs homosexuals, and doesnt allow people to drink alcohol (except in special 'fanzones'). A country with severely limited press freedom, that pays foreign 'guest' workers a pittance. There is nothing 'neat' about having 12 stadiums in what is essentially an area the size of a large city. This world cup will leave ZERO legacy. I dont but the rubbish that stadiums will be shipped off to other parts of the world whatsoever. A dreadful decision by a dreadful corrupt organisation. I have been to 5 World cups, I wont be in a hurry to go to number 6.....

Qatar wins the 2022 bid. Men with more money than sense used to buy football clubs. Now they buy World Cups. The Abramovichification of football continues......

Thats a non starter, but good in theory. FIFA will not allow teams to have the very real advantage of playing three group games in the same city. This will allow teams to have a 'home' stadium in effect, and would eliminate the need to change hotels, travel to the next city etc and generally allow these teams to be more settled. No chance. Not even Sepp would go for this.