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Qatar World Cup


SantosHalper

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Looks like a bit of a sh*tstorm is brewing here. Will the 2022 WC be played in the summer or winter? Will it even be held in Qatar? 

 

Premier League head honcho Richard Scudamore said recently that it couldn't be moved to the winter, because this would cause severe disrption to many major leagues, especially in Europe, because the calander would have to be radically changed three years before the tournament.

 

If he got his way, and he may not, then we'd be having a WC in 50 defree heat. This is simply way too hot. Qatar have promised to have air conditioning in the stadiums, but still...

 

Now Greg Dyke (FA chairman) has weighed in, and says it needs to move to winter. Obviously there's huge disagreement over this.

 

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/aug/09/greg-dyke-fa-premier-league-qatar

 

The most interesting thing about this is how FIFA and Blatter are going to play this. Blatter has made some noises that he wants it moved to either winter or, more drastically, another country entirely. Apparently, if the tournament moved, it'd go to the US, or possibly Australia. 

 

What game Blatter is playing at here can only be guessed at, but there's an interesting political aspect to this. Blatter and Michel Platini famously don't get on, and Platini may challenge Blatter for the FIFA presidency next time round. It's well known that Platini was heavily involved in the Qatar take-over of PSG (Sarkozy too), and his son was implicated in a minor scandal because he's employed as a lawyer to people connected to the Qatar bid for PSG. So if Qatar lose the WC, then Platini will get seriously burned and his credibility will take a major hit, threatening his bid for the FIFA presidency in a few years.

 

Another point -- Qatar isn't getting involved in football for benign reasons. The take-overs of Manchester City and PSG and the WC bid are part of a concerted campaign to raise the profile of the country. Why? Here's one possible answer...

 

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/jul/30/manchester-city-human-rights-accusations

 

You know, the more I think about it, the more I realise that the whole of football is completely ******. What a cesspit it's become.

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You know, the more I think about it, the more I realise that the whole of football is completely ******. What a cesspit it's become.

 

I couldn't agree more, people of a certain age (around 50 and over) have seen the best of the game in my opinion. It's certainly not the game I became obsessed with as a youngster.

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Got mixed feelings about this.

 

On the one hand I think its a disgrace that a country like Qatar got the World Cup in the first place & clearly the heat is going to ruin it for fans & players alike. That's not even taking into account the draconian laws of the country itself - i.e. no alcohol, their medieval views on homosexuality & women...its hardly going to be a festival of fun there. I'm relishing FIFA squirming to try & justify it/reschedule it particularly as we all know that they didn't award it to Qatar on merit.

 

That said, I'm looking forward to the potential carnage a winter World Cup would cause the Premier League & the Champions League. I'm sick of the endless self-promotion of both & its amusing seeing Scudamore bluster as he realises his precious competition isn't actually that important compared to the World Cup.

 

The endgame I reckon is a massive club v country fight for supremacy as a winter World Cup would see endless litigation from all sides - UEFA, FIFA & Qatar. Its all about cash at the end of the day. I think it'll stay in Qatar & stay as a summer World Cup.

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Remember the season Manchester United went to Brazil for some tinpot competition to sweeten The FA's bid to host a World Cup ?

 

They were vilified for missing the third round of The FA Cup that season. What will happen to the third & fourth round of the competition in 2022 ?

 

Will clubs be vilified for not entering due to international call-ups ? Or will teams with players on international duty just be represented by their reserve teams ?

 

It's unworkable and inconvenient but hey, money talks so everybody will just have to rearrange their season to fit around it and frankly it stinks.

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I wonder if an enforced break for this tournament will give ammunition to the winter break brigade. After all, if the season can be disrupted for a tournament why can't it be disrupted for adverse weather or some other excuse.

 

I am against a winter break personally and think any outfield player wearing gloves etc should be yellow carded and branded a sissy.  ;)

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We all saw this as a shambles and unworkable, when it was announced, the only ones who were 'blind' to it were those voting for it,who were blinded by money and the promise of all those lovely vip perks....... 

I reckon Seppict Blatter always thought he could work his 'dark magic' (how else did he ever get re-elected ? ) over the worlds football authorities and move it..... as for Greg Dykes supporting it, hmmmm 

How these people are at the head of football, i will never understand, ever ! I fookin hate politics  :ph34r:

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Fookin shambles. Might aswell play it in Afghanistan

 

It's going to screw your guys chances of a seventh European Cup, isn't it Dawny? 

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