p.shilton Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 [size=3] Premier League - Premier League chief: foreigners stole football [/size] [size=3] Premier League chairman Sir Dave Richards has accused FIFA and UEFA of "stealing football" from the English at a debate on the sport's new frontiers.[/size] [size=3]"England gave the world football. It gave the best legacy anyone could give. We gave them the game," said Richards.Speaking at a conference in Qatar, Richards (pictured, middle) launched a seemingly xenophobic rant in front of a shocked audience, whom he repeatedly told that[url=http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/england/index.html]England still "owns the game".[/size] [size=3]"For 50 years, we owned the game … We were the governance of the game. We wrote the rules, designed the pitches and everything else.[/size] [size=3]“England gave the world football. It gave the best legacy anyone could give. We gave them the game.[/size] [size=3]"Then, 50 years later, some guy came along and said you’re liars and they actually stole it. It was called FIFA. Fifty years later, another gang came along called UEFA and stole a bit more."[/size] [size=3]When FIFA Vice President Prince Ali Bin Hussein of Jordan put it to Richards that China also had a claim to inventing football, he reacted angrily, saying:[/size] [size=3]“It started in Sheffield 150 years ago. We started the game and wrote the rules and took it the world. The Chinese may say they own it but the British own it and we gave it to the rest of the world.”[/size] [size=3]Richards is also an FA board member, and was part of England's 2018 [url=http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/world-cup/]World Cup bid team until November 2009.[/size] [size=3]His comments represent a major embarrassment for the English game, particularly in light of accusations of cultural arrogance that dogged the country's failed 2006 and 2018 World Cup bids.[/size] [size=3]The Premier League was quick to disassociate itself from the remarks, telling AP: "Sir Dave is attending the conference in a private and personal capacity and his comments in no way reflect the views of the Premier League."[/size] [size=3]Richards also urged the sale of alcoholic drinks at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where the Islamic country's laws restrict the availability of alcohol.[/size] [size=3]He said: "In our country and in [url=http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/germany/index.html]Germany, we have a culture. We call it, 'We would like to go for a pint', and that pint is a pint of beer.[/size] [size=3]"It is our culture as much as your culture [in Qatar] is not drinking. There has to be a happy medium.[/size] [size=3]"If you don't do something about it, you are starting to bury your head in the sand a little bit because it needs addressing.[/size] [size=3]"You might be better off saying don't come. But a World Cup without England, Germany, the Dutch, Danes and Scandinavians. It's unthinkable."[/size] [size=3]A farcical episode was completed when Richards slipped into a swimming pool at a post-conference function and had to be rescued by [url=http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/bolton-wanderers/]Bolton Wanderers chairman Phil Gartside.[/size] [size=3]Eurosport[/size] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p.shilton Posted March 14, 2012 Author Share Posted March 14, 2012 I love the last line about the swimming pool- hic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-JW- Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 [size=3]A farcical episode was completed when Richards slipped into a swimming pool at a post-conference function and had to be rescued by [url=http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/bolton-wanderers/]Bolton Wanderers chairman Phil Gartside.[/size] This should go in the favourite text/quotes thread. Hilarious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CumbrianRam Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 I will piss myself when Bolton get relegated (it will happen this seaon or next) funny to see how Phil Gartisde reacts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p.shilton Posted March 14, 2012 Author Share Posted March 14, 2012 I will piss myself when Bolton get relegated (it will happen this seaon or next) funny to see how Phil Gartisde reacts! He could always take over from the Hoff in Baywatch, seems to have the lifeguard thing nailed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duracell Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 [size=3]Richards also urged the sale of alcoholic drinks at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where the Islamic country's laws restrict the availability of alcohol.[/size] [size=3]He said: "In our country and in [url=http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/germany/index.html]Germany, we have a culture. We call it, 'We would like to go for a pint', and that pint is a pint of beer.[/size] [size=3]"It is our culture as much as your culture [in Qatar] is not drinking. There has to be a happy medium.[/size] [size=3]"If you don't do something about it, you are starting to bury your head in the sand a little bit because it needs addressing.[/size] [size=3]"You might be better off saying don't come. But a World Cup without England, Germany, the Dutch, Danes and Scandinavians. It's unthinkable."[/size] What. An. Arse. Basically, the sub-text of that is "our culture is more important than yours, we're going to come to your country and ignore your religious beliefs because we fancy a piss up". When Middle Eastern teams go to foreign countries to play matches, they don't try and force the stadiums there to stop serving alcohol. Why do we have a right to do that when the roles are reversed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p.shilton Posted March 14, 2012 Author Share Posted March 14, 2012 What. An. Arse. Basically, the sub-text of that is "our culture is more important than yours, we're going to come to your country and ignore your religious beliefs because we fancy a piss up". When Middle Eastern teams go to foreign countries to play matches, they don't try and force the stadiums there to stop serving alcohol. Why do we have a right to do that when the roles are reversed? It has its roots in colonialism I'm afraid- too used to getting our own way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CumbrianRam Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Dave Richards who helped ruin Sheffield Wednesday, went to take a up a job at the Premier League when Wednesday were in massive relegation battle & financial troubles, despite being a so called "fan" of the club and to top it off he presented Man Utd the Premiership trophy with a big smile on the day Sheff Weds were relegated from it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackNwhites Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Sounds like a BNP rant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Teale Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I think some of us after the world cup mess would agree with bits of it. How has a bloke from Switzerland got to run football? How have we only ever hosted 1 world cup? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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