For all things Fútbol...

[pumba]

Well, probably, though I don't care about politics.
The 2 things that bother me
1. the way it will hurt nature (and it definitely will)
2. why not ask people before bidding for such a huge project? well, this is a rhetorical question. batman and robin play their big boys' games

[Buzz]

Undercover Jim went shopping in Doha, Qatar with some surprising results...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VluY5SWfjSI

[beepbeep]

Thought Russia was great call for 2018.
From the BRIC countries, only India will not have a huge sporting event coming up soon... Yet (hello 2024/2026 ).

I am not happy at all the World Cup will be held in my city.

Dear, you are exactly where I was when they announced that Brazil got the 2014 WC and that my city would be one of the host cities.

I'd like to have some comfort to offer, but four years later, I'm still pretty much p*ssed off with it, as it will turn our already chaotic city even more chaotic. And the construction/remodeling aiming 2014 has just begun (why build things right away when you can procrastinate?) and I doubt it will finish on time. (and, of course, constrcuction is the least of our problems...)

Although I'm pretty sure that Russia will do better.

[let`s talk]

I am not happy at all the World Cup will be held in my city. They plan to build a stadium on an island. It is just across the Volga river in the downtown. The ecological situation will get 100 times worse. They'll ruin the island, the river will become even more durty..
Well, maybe in Western countries they do build big stadiums, or trade centers without touching nature, but here I'm afraid - the main idea will be to build and to show all sort of luxury (ala Beijing Olympics) no matter what.
The unique Sochi nature is in danger + they will build the F1 track there; so the same will be with Samara.
I prefer to have a park or a river near my city, not a stadium. IMO this will make the nation much healthier than any of the bombastic projects.
It's obvious that such events as Olys and FIFA Cups are more like a business not sport events.
Why they hell they don't ask us - people who live in Sochi, Samara, Kaliningrad - do we need all this? Looks like we should be super-grateful, but I personally am not.

You have no idea how many similar whinings were in St-Petersburg press when then-governor was building the huge, luxury and super modern New Arena (for ice-hockey Worlds), like: "we have more important needs", " social system needs that money," "we can't afford it" and of course blah-blah about nature and landscape. Luckily the construction was far from the hystorical part of the city, so whining ones couldn't play that card. Soon after the New Arena became the most frequent venue for all possible shows, pop-concerts, sport competitions, including FS Gran-Prix. I was seriously pissed when Moscow got the FS Worlds in its old fashioned rinks with dump facilities.

Don't worry. Your city will benefit a lot from the World Cup.

Congrats to Russia. A little worried about transportation since the locations are pretty far from each other. Never mind. Some matches I can skip.

[Buzz]

here is a funny football moment thanks to the Qatari football team...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQLyl...layer_embedded


Yesterday's Europa League results and Palermo is out.

Dortmund 3 - 0 Karpaty
PSG 4 - 2 Sevilla
Utrecht 3 - 3 Napoli
Rapid Wien 1 - 3 Porto
Steaua 1 - 1 Liverpool
CSKA Sofia 1 - 2 Beşiktaş
CSKA Moskva 5 - 1 Lausanne
Villarreal 3 - 0 Dinamo Zagreb
Palermo 2 - 2 Sparta Praha
Sheriff 1 - 1 AZ
PAOK 1 - 1 Club Brugge
BATE 1 - 4 Dynamo Kyiv

[Buzz]

There are now calls for the reform of FIFA and for much more transparency which I support. Here is an article supporting that view from Bleacherreport.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/5...1-vote-rigging

[Jackie Sparrow]

FIFA suck, Blatter sucks, greedy old pricks!
Qatar is a joke!

[Domshabfan]

FIFA suck, Blatter sucks, greedy old pricks!
Qatar is a joke!

As bad as FIFA are, I don't think it was time for world cup to go USA, they already had it in 1994 and clearly was very soon. Japan/Korea were the really greedy once, couldn't believe they actually bid for it in the first place. The Qatar had strong backing for the bid from other middle eastern countries as well, the region never had a world cup. As Franz Beckenbauer has suggested FIFA might move the world cup to earlier in the year.

But I simple can't understand the arrogance of some countries, that suggest it is their birthright to hold the world cup and rest of the world does not exist.

[Buzz]

As Franz Beckenbauer has suggested FIFA might move the world cup to earlier in the year.

I still do not like the idea of the WC going to Qatar but moving the tournament to earlier in the year would solve some problems. But may just create new ones because some domestic leagues may clash with an earlier start date. However we do have 12 years to sort this stuff out.

[kylet3]

India just had the Commonwealth Games which held over 7,500 athletes and officials from around the world, but given how much of a disaster the lead up was, the problems that were held during the games and athletes coming back here (one local athlete came back with Dengue fever ) and not to mention all the corruption and scandals before and after the game, I shudder to think that they host the Olympic Games anytime soon

[Domshabfan]

India just had the Commonwealth Games which held over 7,500 athletes and officials from around the world, but given how much of a disaster the lead up was, the problems that were held during the games and athletes coming back here (one local athlete came back with Dengue fever ) and not to mention all the corruption and scandals before and after the game, I shudder to think that they host the Olympic Games anytime soon

I agree with you, India is not going to get Olympics for some time, realistically they will only bid for 2028 Olympics or the once after that... football india are very unlikely to bid or to get for that matter anytime for next 40 years, you need to have a passion for that game, which is lacking in India. This would allow the country to more than double its economy(india has 9%+ GDP growth at that rate it should actually be much bigger than doubling), and allow the wealth to seep into the poor. For the record Indians got world cup cricket 2011, which for them is much bigger deal than football world cup will ever be (majority of the matches in India).

[theshrew]

But I simple can't understand the arrogance of some countries, that suggest it is their birthright to hold the world cup and rest of the world does not exist.

Well, I simple can’t understand the arrogance of some countries that believe they deserve to host World Cups just because there’s never been one in that place before. If these countries love football that much, why don’t they bother to build elite stadiums before they bid for the World Cup?
And FIFA’s hypocrisy is appalling. If FIFA knew that they wanted a new country to host the World Cup, why didn't they come out with that from the beginning and save several nations a lot of time and money?

[Buzz]

Chelsea seems to be in trouble and is currently in 3rd place. Arsenal is 1st with Man U 2nd and Chelsea 3rd. Chelsea have sputtered the last few games and there are rumours that Abramovich is firing a lot of behind the scenes staff. Lots of intrige so far for the EPL plus the new transfer season starts soon enough.

1. Arsenal
2. Manchester United
3. Chelsea
4. Manchester City
5. Tottenham Hotspurs
6. Bolton Wonderers...
12. Liverpool

[Buzz]

Liverpool fortunes continues to improve as they beat Aston Villa 3-0 today and moved up to 8th place on the EPL table.

[Beefcake]

But I simple can't understand the arrogance of some countries, that suggest it is their birthright to hold the world cup and rest of the world does not exist.

Wow, your insight is simply astounding! Yes, oh yes, so right! It has absolutely nothing to do with the hundreds of factors working together to comprise the best possible bid for the best possible World Cup. These countries are resting on "birthright" claims, but their JIG IS UP!

Thank you thank you thank you. Death to this arrogance you've so keenly sniffed out and exposed!

[Domshabfan]

Wow, your insight is simply astounding! Yes, oh yes, so right! It has absolutely nothing to do with the hundreds of factors working together to comprise the best possible bid for the best possible World Cup. These countries are resting on "birthright" claims, but their JIG IS UP!

Thank you thank you thank you. Death to this arrogance you've so keenly sniffed out and exposed!

Some of these problems were self created don't blame others...
To begin with Lord Treisman saga, so they were starting with negative campaign.

On top of that, it is England that is claiming the birthright to host the cup, not Russia or Qatar. First your media created a feeling that you were the favorite and then claim that you were robbed in Zurich. They claimed that their future King, PM and Hollywood star/Football player's charm offensive was enough to win the bid, started reading too much into why Putin did not go to Zurich ?, why this makes british case stronger etc, etc. Also remember it is your(for all the Brits and certain commonwealth countries) future King(I am not an Aussie) and your PM, not for rest of the world's. If FIFA official are corrupt, they will be punished, moaning for not getting it after hyping chances of you bid. Unfortunately there is too much self love going on British media, you don't release rest of the world may not think the way you think. Now the media talk about racism in Russia, unfortunately Britain has the biggest Neo-nazi party in Europe called BNP, and on top of that new menace called English Defence League (EDL).

England talked about the fact that they are ready to host the world cup now as the positive point, Russia talked about rejuvenating parts of their country, sounds similar to want Britain talked during 2012 Olympics. Do you think London 2012 Olympics would have been awarded the games without development plans for east end of the city. That was the selling point, isn't it?

Ok, I will also remind you Newham and Stratford is not safest place in England. I am sure if that place was in some other country British media will write about the safety record of the city for next two years. (I know Newham, it is not really safe. I like England when I lived there, only thing hated was their narrow point of view on certain subjects).

[Squibble]

On top of that, it is England that is claiming the birthright to host the cup, not Russia or Qatar. First your media....

Um, Domshabsfan, Beefcake is as American as apple pie!

I'm not even sure that there are any Brits who follow the soccer threads on FSU. From what I can tell, the Brits here are more interested in figure skating.

[let`s talk]

Qatar!

They paid Zidane 3mil for being their face kick and then 12 mil after the winning as a host country of 2022 WC.

All these talks about changing the time of the WC from summer into winter, is just a journalists' speculations or it's serious? Qatar originally promised to build a bunch of "closed" staduims with super air-conditioning. It will make football to be practically an indoor game, which is funny. So, now some mass media is fishing if the WC 2022 will be moved from 50 degree summer into winter time. They will have to change all national chanpionships' schedules. But they have 12 years to figure it out.

As for Russia, the win as a host country of 2018 WC can be a good push to finally cancel visa-entrance between Russian and the countries of the Shengen Area.

[Domshabfan]

Um, Domshabsfan, Beefcake is as American as apple pie!

I'm not even sure that there are any Brits who follow the soccer threads on FSU. From what I can tell, the Brits here are more interested in figure skating.

I sort of knew that but wasn't sure, but my anger was at british media. I usually like Guardian newspaper but even they seems to have fallen into that trap.

[Buzz]

I cannot believe that there are growing calls for the WC in 2022 to be moved up to January or Feburary to avoid the 100+ degree tempreture in Qatar. Why on earth did they give the tournament to that country in the first place?! The only change I want to see made is the tournament taken away if Qatar cannot keep it promises and not change the date of the WC and sooooo many domestic leagues to accommodate them.