World Cup 2014 Brasil

(02-07-2014 22:29 )bytor Wrote:  Can this thread keep on track about the World Cup 2014 Brasil please. It appears to have become devoted to how popular sport is in the USA. Perhaps set up a seperate thread for anyone interested in that sort of stuff.

no world cup on, nothing to talk about

(02-07-2014 20:35 )hugh_g_rection Wrote:  There's a real possibility that there are more active participants playing football over in the states than there are in England.

More than a real possibility.

The FA claim that over 4 million people play football in England. The US Soccer Federation claim there are 24.5 million players in the US.

At least we lead the world in the number of clubs with 40,000 football clubs registered with the FA, compared to 5,000 in the US. Even Brazil only has 29,000 clubs.

Why did someone run on to the pitch in the Belgium-USA match? What did he want?

Attention, his 15 minutes of fame probably

(03-07-2014 01:34 )Yours Truly Wrote:  Why did someone run on to the pitch in the Belgium-USA match? What did he want?

What were his Opta stats?

(03-07-2014 14:15 )circles_o_o_o Wrote:  What were his Opta stats?

That it was his 2nd offence, as the same man invaded the pitch during one of the semi-finals in the 2010 World Cup.

So, FIFA are encouraging the USA to apply to stage the 2026 World Cup, they must have received their backhanders already.

(03-07-2014 14:29 )thescientist Wrote:  they must have received their backhanders already.

The voting process for 2026 hasn't been established yet, so nobody would know who to backhand anyway.

The real reason the FIFA official in question was trying to encourage the USA into bidding is that the USA have previously said that they had withdrawn their interest and wouldn't be bidding again under the current rules.

The France v Germany Q/F will be the first World Cup game between the two teams since Spain 1982. 1982 is Widely remembered for the Schumacher foul on Battiston which has been regarded as one of the most unprovoked and unpunished fouls in the history of the competition. In the Daily Mail today it comments that Battiston today still suffers from broken teeth and cracked vertebrae which were sustained in the incident.

(03-07-2014 15:02 )William H Bonney Wrote:  

(03-07-2014 14:29 )thescientist Wrote:  they must have received their backhanders already.

The voting process for 2026 hasn't been established yet, so nobody would know who to backhand anyway.

The real reason the FIFA official in question was trying to encourage the USA into bidding is that the USA have previously said that they had withdrawn their interest and wouldn't be bidding again under the current rules.

I think the English FA has said something similar and, indeed, has already withdrawn its application to stage the Women's World Cup in a few years time.

There is probably so much anti-English sentiment within FIFA that they probably don't care too much about that. But any event staged in the US is so lucrative in sponsorship and TV rights that FIFA will have to take notice of any American refusal to bid for future events.

I hope that the Americans stick to their guns and press for change, irrespective of how much encouragement -- including any winks and nods -- that they get from FIFA. I personally think that Qatar is currently taking a lot of flack for what is actually a FIFA problem. It is FIFA that is rotten to the core -- with a culture of patronage and moral ambiguity so deeply ingrained that bidding nations can't be blamed for not knowing where the line is and how far it can be crossed. And when some country like Qatar really does go overboard, there is no one left on the 'high road' or morally empowered to 'cast the first stone' because -- let's face it -- everyone technically cheated a little bit. The Qataris just did it better, with more resources, more hunger and -- eventually -- with a more successful outcome.

I blame FIFA for all of it, not Qatar. So let's hope that the fear of losing future bids from particularly lucrative markets will force a bit of badly needed reform.