World Cup 2018 Bid

[STFC_Gazza]

Not sure if there is a thread.

I notice the amount of fuck ups going on about our bid. FIFA must be licking their lips seeing us fuck up our bid single handedly without any competition really. Typical egos and bullshit getting in the way really of the Premier League big boys (apart from Brizzle who think they are prem) and Franchise

[Barry Scott]

The Handbags thing is just cringe worthy. There's not many places that could handle a world cup as easily as us, yet there's not many governing bodys in the world more incompetent. To say they couldn't organise a piss up in brewery would be quite fitting.

[Spencer_White]

I didnt see anyone slagging it off too much until Karen Brady slagged it off today in the name of unity.

The only really bad thing has been the handbag gives to the wives, and I wonder who came up with that?

[Ardiles]

Can you imagine fans, teams, media from far off countries travelling half way round the world for the World Cup and then having to play their games in Milton fucking Keynes?  Give me strength.  The place leaves me utterly cold...a 1960s planning accident that no one saw fit to put right.  Plastic and concrete do not age well, so try building an entire town out of them and 20 years later you're left with a dilapidated shit heap.

[leefer]

Can you imagine fans, teams, media from far off countries travelling half way round the world for the World Cup and then having to play their games in Milton fucking Keynes?  Give me strength.  The place leaves me utterly cold...a 1960s planning accident that no one saw fit to put right.  Plastic and concrete do not age well, so try building an entire town out of them and 20 years later you're left with a dilapidated shit heap.

Youve never been to Wembley then!

[jonny72]

I'm a bit concerned by the way the grounds are spread out around the country, as there aren't any south of the M4 other than Plymouth (who have most likely got fuck all chance of being selected) and there are far too many in the north. Its a pity the FA couldn't have worked something out to ensure Southampton were one of the grounds.

Also a bit concerning is the number of grounds that haven't been built yet, or need major work. We go on about having some of the best grounds in the world, so why the fuck aren't they all built and ready to go? Plus the chances of Everton and Liverpool having new grounds are pretty remote at the moment.

[leefer]

http://www.francisfrith.com/milton-keynes/

But i know what you mean Ardiles....incidently the Francis Frith collection on this link is a good site if you like old stuff.
Must be the only place in the collection to have bleeding Argos as its main pic!

[Ardiles]

Just the once...May 1993.  Marvellous day.  Stadium was a dilapidated shit heap though!

[Doore]

That's a fair point jonny, but if you look at the top end of English football, the two main hubs are the north (particularly the north-west) and London, so its not really a surprise that the spread reflects that.  Apart from Soton as you mentioned, where else could the South and South West be represented?  This might, also, just give Plymouth and Bristol a fighting chance.

[Bogus Dave]

Also a bit concerning is the number of grounds that haven't been built yet, or need major work. We go on about having some of the best grounds in the world, so why the fuck aren't they all built and ready to go?

Thats the norm for pretty much all world cup bids. Germanys allianz arena didn't open untill 2005

This is quite a good article on the matters
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/mattslater/2009/11/time_to_play_englands_2018_tru.html

[herthab]

Did South Africa have any stadia fit for purpose prior to them being selected for next years WC?

Lets face it, no one likes us!

[pauld]

I didnt see anyone slagging it off too much until Karen Brady slagged it off today in the name of unity.

Seriously? The broadsheets' sports pages have been laughing their socks off at what a shambles it is for months. That's why they did the reshuffle, which was then torpedoed below the waterline by Dave Richards flouncing out

[jonny72]

Thats the norm for pretty much all world cup bids. Germanys allianz arena didn't open untill 2005

I know its the norm, but for years we've gone on about having (some of, if not) the best football stadium in the world. Then we go for the World Cup and realise we're going to have to build new stadium and refurbish others.

Sure we've got a half dozen or so world class stadiums, but with all the money in the game and the popularity of the Premier League shouldn't we be going a lot better than that? We could do with encouraging, or forcing, Premier League clubs to spend some of their income on ground improvements and getting more bums on seats.

[reeves4england]

I know its the norm, but for years we've gone on about having (some of, if not) the best football stadium in the world. Then we go for the World Cup and realise we're going to have to build new stadium and refurbish others.

Sure we've got a half dozen or so world class stadiums, but with all the money in the game and the popularity of the Premier League shouldn't we be going a lot better than that? We could do with encouraging, or forcing, Premier League clubs to spend some of their income on ground improvements and getting more bums on seats.

Why? The only reason some of these clubs might have to improve their grounds would be if they were to host World Cup football. Why should teams like Hull, Leeds or Sheffield Wednesday chuck cash they don't have at stadium expansion otherwise?
As for teams in the Premier League, clubs like Everton and Liverpool ARE chucking money at new stadiums regardless of whether or not we host the World Cup.

[Power to people]

The In fighting is quite comical, I don't think it will have a bearing on being selected, the thing that will stop us from being selected is not being prepared to offer back handers to certain fifa exec members to sweeten the deal