Ode to the beautiful game... (Soccer)

[Lara]

Talk of a Cooler World Cup Heats Up

at Qatar ever being selected.

 

[Buzz]

I believe that was the plan all along. To sell Qatar the WC and then move the tournament to winter. Consequences be damned.

 

[Buzz]

Blatter admits to Skysports that awarding to tournament to Qatar may have been mistake but still wants a winter games to correct that mistake. I say reopen the bidding.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/...made-mistake-in-awarding-qatar-2022-world-cup

 

[NeilJLeonard]

Final result USA 2-0 Mexico. Wish I could have watched!

Dos a cero. It's more than just a score....

NJL

 

[Buzz]

Some sad news, Cape Verde has been disqualified from WC qualifying for using an ineligible player. Apparently a defenceman was suspended for four games instead of the usual one and they used him without double checking. Really too bad. But this means Tunisia, which is without a coach because their last one quit, was handed a 3-0 victory and is back in.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/13/sports/soccer/cape-verde-disqualified-from-world-cup-playoffs.html

 

[Buzz]

On a lighter note; Afghanistan won the SAFF cup beating India 2-0. In Afghanistan this victory is a HUGE deal because they beat a country with 40 times the population. Congratulations to them but it was India...
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/13/w...8.nytimes.com/pages/sports/soccer/index.jsonp

 

[Buzz]

A nice read aout the US making the WC and about footie in the US in general.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/09/13/3623586/michelle-kaufman-world-cup-expectations.html

 

[Buzz]

I want a Fellaini wig too!

 

[Buzz]

USSF president Sunil Gulati intends to get the vote on moving 2022 WC moved to winter postponed for a while. Doubt he will succeed but very glad he intends to try.

 

[Buzz]

Ronaldo has agree to a new contract Real Madrid despite rumours off a possible return to Man U. He will be making about $14.25m per year.

 

[Buzz]

The leaders so far at HT are; Man U, B. Munich, Real M., Benfica, København, and the rest are draws.

http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/season=2014/matches/bymonth/index.html

 

[Buzz]

Oh dear... Come on boys! Get your act together! What on earth was the last few minutes all about?!

 

[Buzz]

That's more like it! Thanks you Mr. Van Persie!

 

[Buzz]

Never doubted 'em for a moment!

 

[Buzz]

Bad news for Bob Bradley and Eqypt. They have drawn Ghana in the final stage of CAF WC qualifying. It is a great match up but my money is on Ghana.

 

[Buzz]

All that needs to be said about this week's CL matches is that the usual suspects, except Chelsea, seems to be cruising. No upsets this time around. Maybe next time.

 

[Buzz]

UEFA executive committee has agreed to move the 2022 WC to winter. According to the BBC they account for 10 out of FIFA's 22 committee votes. They do want it in January/February so it does not disrupt the CL, but that will bring it into conflict with the Winter Olympics.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24160879

 

[NeilJLeonard]

UEFA executive committee has agreed to move the 2022 WC to winter. According to the BBC they account for 10 out of FIFA's 22 committee votes. They do want it in January/February so it does not disrupt the CL, but that will bring it into conflict with the Winter Olympics.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24160879

Stupidity.

NJL

 

[Buzz]

Still say that dang eagle looks German. LOL

 

[Buzz]

FIFA’s president, Joseph Blatter, admitted in an interview with German newspaper Die Zeit that they have learned there was surely political pressure from different European nations in the election of Qatar as the host nation for the 2022 World Cup.

“European heads of governments advised voting FIFA members to vote for Qatar because of the wide financial interests linked with that country”, said Blatter to the German daily.

FIFA and it's entire structure is so rotten it stinks and threatens the prestige of the WC and the beautiful game itself.

http://www.voxxi.com/blatter-admits-rotten-qatar-world-cup/#ixzz2fcl4E2bz

 

[Buzz]

Platini has admitted voting for Qatar and lobbying for the move to winter, but has insisted that a much scrutinised meeting with the then French president Nicolas Sarkozy, the now Emir of Qatar and the Qatar prime minister did not result in pressure being put on him. "I knew Sarkozy wanted the people from Qatar to buy PSG

So it wasn't just corrupt FIFA officials responsible for this farce. Just in case anyone is wondering, Paris St. Germain is owned by Qatar Investments who have been spending lavishly on buying new talent for the club.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/sep/20/michel-platini-politics-qatar-2022-world-cup

 

[Buzz]

Qatar's absolute monarchy, run by the fabulously rich and extraordinarily secretive Al Thani clan, no more keeps health and safety statistics than it allows free elections. The Trade Union Confederation has had to count the corpses the hard way. It found that 83 Indians have died so far this year. The Gulf statelet was also the graveyard for 119 Nepalese construction workers. With 202 migrants from other countries dying over the same nine months, Ms Burrow is able to say with confidence there is at least one death for every day of the year. The body count can only rise now that Qatar has announced that it will take on 500,000 more migrants, mainly from the Indian subcontinent, to build the stadiums, hotels and roads for 2022.

There have been numerous articles about the conditions migrant workers in gulf states like Qatar must endure but few ever notices.

It is not just poor construction workers who suffer. One might expect that Fifa would have been concerned about the fate of foreign footballers working under kafala contracts. Abdeslam Ouaddou, who once played for Fulham, has warned players not to go near Qatar. Speaking from experience – he played for Qatar SC in the Qatari domestic league – he said that if a player is injured or his form drops, the club can break his contract. If the player goes to lawyers, the club (as "sponsor") can refuse to let him leave the country until he drops his case.

Ouaddou got out of Qatar after much tortuous negotiation. But French player Zahir Belounis, a former captain of the team Al-Jaish, is trapped in the country with his family and hasn't been paid for two years. When he went to the international press, he was threatened with defamation proceedings.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/sep/21/qatar-human-rights-sport-cohen

 

[Buzz]

Oyyyyy We're been hammered by Man City.

 

[Wiery]

Oyyyyy We're been hammered by Man City.

Yup. ManU really got spanked. Ouch!

Did the announcers say why Van Persie was left off the roster?

 

[Buzz]

I believe it was due to injury. But that was a rather nice free kick from Rooney. LOL

 

[Wiery]

I believe it was due to injury. But that was a rather nice free kick from Rooney. LOL

Thank you!

 

[KHenry14]

Oyyyyy We're been hammered by Man City.

It was a big time butt kicking. And it looks like Fellaini is lost out there in a United kit. He was just terrible

 

[4rkidz]

Yup. ManU really got spanked. Ouch!

But my team also lost and no longer at the top (LFC)

 

[alexikeguchi]

But my team also lost and no longer at the top (LFC)

And for the first time in forever, my team (Arsenal) is in first! Ozil was an epic signing, Ramsey has come back from severe injury to reach his potential, and the offense is balanced rather than just Van Persie. There finally seems to be enough depth that they can get through their hectic schedule even with the inevitable smaller injuries and suspensions. Defense could still use a little strengthening, but so far they have been able to meet the challenge. I just love the fluidity of their play and hope they can finally achieve some results that will put the criticism to rest.

 

[Lara]

Giroud's injury a week or two ago was minor right? I know there was concern about there not being enough backup at Arsenal if he went down. But it was the early match last Sunday so I missed if he was there.

I really need to pick a team of my own eventually.