Losing World Cup bid

[AmericanHistoryX]

All i wanted out of this is a new stadium out of Campbelltown. We would of been the best country. Why Qatar in that heat and where beer is illegal! Something is rotten in Zurich. I'm getting on a bit so I do hope to see the World Cup one day on Australian soil. That would be cool.

 

[system]

What a delightful waste that $45 million on the bid was regardless of whether we won the bid.

 

[Marshall_magic]

Our problem is we're in the wrong time zone, although having it go to Qatar certainly stinks. I thought the Yanks were going to get it for sure. I was optimistic but not really confident we'd get it. I'd defintely love to see the World Cup come to Australia one day, that would be amazing.

But hey, anyone else up for a trip to Russia in 2018?

 

[Bazzinator]

what makes it worse is that we only received one vote out of 22 which is simply abysmal unless something untoward was happening with the Qataris

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

Most of the "excuses" for us missing out on the bid are woeful, and easily debunked:

- Australia is in the "wrong timezone." For the football superpowers we are, but by 2022, the Asian region will almost certainly be home to well over half the worlds population, and therefore advertising and broadcasting rights will be much more lucrative in Asia than Europe or South America;
- Our infrastructure is not up to scratch: It doesn't currently meet FIFA standards (excepting the MCG,) but it wouldn't take 12 years to upgrade lighting and build a couple of purpose built stadia. Qatar doesn't even have the infrastructure built yet, their proposal was professional, but the material value is worth only the paper its printed on. The kicker is that they are going to air condition their stadia with a Carbon Neutral footprint (as a refrigeration engineer I can tell you that is total BS,) and they're going to be demountable so they can ship them to third world countries at the conclusion of the World Cup. What's the point of having a 60,000 stadium in Ethiopia if no one can afford to get in to see a bloody game?!;
- Australia is a logistical nightmare: So is Russia by comparison, but they got 2018\. Qatar is a tiny country, with 1.3million strong population, they're rated 113th in the world in football and they are a Muslim country. They will be inundated with tourists, will not have adequate room to house them, and their law system prohibits alcohol and the freedom for women to wear what they like… Good luck getting as many women there as previous World Cups.

FIFA is a corrupt band of self interested individuals who are more intent on lining their own pockets than the game they are there to promote. If Mohammed Hammam didn't abuse his position of power as Asian Football president to influence all Asian delegates to vote for Korea and Japan in the first round over Australia I'm not here. Both Australia and the United States deserved that over Qatar, but at the end of the day money talks.

Australia just got their first taste of FIFA politics. How naive we were to think we could play the game fairly and get a look in.

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

well said

 

[Marshall_magic]

The delegates who voted are either A. incredibly stupid or B. moving into new mansions as we speak. I had that gut feeling Qatar would get it, it was like a car wreck watching that announcement, you knew it would be bad, but you had to look anyway. If they are on the take (which is highly possible) they should be a little bit more subtle about it (ie not give it to a dreadful candidate. I just hope that they can produce a decent world cup, and it turns out better than we expect.

 

[Adman]

Paul Hogan and a Kangaroo. I mean seriously. I can't believe they thought of that drivel. Like that's never been done before. As soon as I saw that, I knew we were buried. And should have been, even on principal.

 

[stryker]

Firstly I'd like to say that as a proud Australian I'm a bit peeved at how comprehensibly we were beaten for the honour to stage such a massive sporting fixture. The global exposure would have been immeasureable for this country….financially it would have been awesome.

There's no doubt in my mind that this result was rigged...sure they are passionate about their soccer but there were so many negatives I'm really surprised that they were awarded the finals.

As for the sport itself....I'm not really that fussed about not having a month of soccer being the premier sport in Australia. I personally rate it behind the AFL for a mind numbingly boring show....

I guess I was a bit conflicted....I wanted the exposure and the dollars but the thought of being bombarded by the soccer crowd gave me the cold flushes lol.

 

[softlaw]

So for $45 million we were only able to buy 1 vote.
We should get the people from the Australian Wheat Board to run the next bid.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

Firstly I'd like to say that as a proud Australian I'm a bit peeved at how comprehensibly we were beaten for the honour to stage such a massive sporting fixture. The global exposure would have been immeasureable for this country….financially it would have been awesome.

There's no doubt in my mind that this result was rigged...sure they are passionate about their soccer but there were so many negatives I'm really surprised that they were awarded the finals.

As for the sport itself....I'm not really that fussed about not having a month of soccer being the premier sport in Australia. I personally rate it behind the AFL for a mind numbingly boring show....

I guess I was a bit conflicted....I wanted the exposure and the dollars but the thought of being bombarded by the soccer crowd gave me the cold flushes lol.

Thats the thing though Stryker, they're not crazy about the football, they have less interest in it than Australia. If it was Iran who picked it up, I wouldn't have cared because that country goes ballistic for football and would rightly deserve it.

It all came down to money laden promises and they won it based on that. FIFA preaches bringing the game to new areas in order to expand it but apparently that is null and void when you're on the take. The NRL stood to benefit out of the World Cup also.

 

[Jazza]

Paul Hogan and a Kangaroo. I mean seriously. I can't believe they thought of that drivel. Like that's never been done before. As soon as I saw that, I knew we were buried. And should have been, even on principal.

I thought the same thing, I thought it came across as a bit lame and cliched which then made it outdated as well.
And I didnt think a Kangaroo stealing the Cup really captured anyone's hearts.

I had a feeling Qatar would get it through their money, but I wouldnt of been surprised if the Yanks or Poms got it. I wouldn't of minded so much if the poms got it because they love their football/Soccer.

But Qatar? A country that is smaller then Tassie, has never played in the World Cup and has a population a 1/4 of the size of Sydney. Something is dodgy there.

 

[Peaches]

Tat 25 minute video involving Hogan, a kangaroo and whoever and whatever else was not why we lost it, its still embarrassing though. Australians aren't like that. Why not a story like Harry Kewell with a twist. A suburban youngster kicking the ball into his garage door and fence whenever he gets home. You could have a young indigenous kid in front of Uluru if you have to, a young refugee, and all other typecasts. You could have some beach soccer if u must. Than at the end, they could all be playing together for Australia at this brand new stadium. It shows most Australians dream, a unity of different people and a legacy which apparently FIFA requires. England can feel peeved off too only getting 2 votes. USA not getting it seems ridiculous if we didn't get it. Qatar almost win it first round.

The fact that a country which is so unlike any previous bitter has won it does leave a foul taste. The country has 1.6 million people and is 1/6 the size of Tasmania. I'm sure Germany and South Africa would have at least a third of its population in tourists. No chance here. Its womans rights is ridiculously poor and is alcohol free. Almost all of its stadiums will be within 40km of each other which is against FIFAs one city, one stadium rule and gave the Aussie bid some headaches. Its weather will be 50degrees Celsius so they have air-conditioned stadiums. Great gloabal foot-print there mate. Than the stadiums will be de-constructed and sent to 3rd would countries. Like lego? Corruption is the only answer. Than to cap it off, they have never qualified for the World Cup. FIFA has to change the rules in regards to players becoming nationals because countries like Qatar would naturalise foreign players. This has now affected countries that take refugees in like Australia. There is one in particular who has no country. He came to Australia when he was 12 escaping a war-torn country (i forget the player and country). Played with the junior sides. Got scouted by one of the big European clubs (German I think, maybe Bayern Munich) and plays in their junior teams. However FIFA has now changed the rules and he can't play for Australia now even though representing at younger ages because he went to play with a big club and didn't spend 5 years here or something like that. Despite the fact he is a genuine refugee and considers himself Australian.

 

[cunno]

What a shame I was looking forward to some 'dives' to outdo those Bird usually masters and it would also be good to see some world cup refs of the same woeful standard as some of our NRL refs but not to be I wonder what we can waste more millions of dollars on, perhaps a hospital or something for the homeless.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

Tat 25 minute video involving Hogan, a kangaroo and whoever and whatever else was not why we lost it, its still embarrassing though. Australians aren't like that. Why not a story like Harry Kewell with a twist. A suburban youngster kicking the ball into his garage door and fence whenever he gets home. You could have a young indigenous kid in front of Uluru if you have to, a young refugee, and all other typecasts. You could have some beach soccer if u must. Than at the end, they could all be playing together for Australia at this brand new stadium. It shows most Australians dream, a unity of different people and a legacy which apparently FIFA requires. England can feel peeved off too only getting 2 votes. USA not getting it seems ridiculous if we didn't get it. Qatar almost win it first round.

The fact that a country which is so unlike any previous bitter has won it does leave a foul taste. The country has 1.6 million people and is 1/6 the size of Tasmania. I'm sure Germany and South Africa would have at least a third of its population in tourists. No chance here. Its womans rights is ridiculously poor and is alcohol free. Almost all of its stadiums will be within 40km of each other which is against FIFAs one city, one stadium rule and gave the Aussie bid some headaches. Its weather will be 50degrees Celsius so they have air-conditioned stadiums. Great gloabal foot-print there mate. Than the stadiums will be de-constructed and sent to 3rd would countries. Like lego? Corruption is the only answer. Than to cap it off, they have never qualified for the World Cup. FIFA has to change the rules in regards to players becoming nationals because countries like Qatar would naturalise foreign players. This has now affected countries that take refugees in like Australia. There is one in particular who has no country. He came to Australia when he was 12 escaping a war-torn country (i forget the player and country). Played with the junior sides. Got scouted by one of the big European clubs (German I think, maybe Bayern Munich) and plays in their junior teams. However FIFA has now changed the rules and he can't play for Australia now even though representing at younger ages because he went to play with a big club and didn't spend 5 years here or something like that. Despite the fact he is a genuine refugee and considers himself Australian.

I agree with your sentiments on the video Al, but while it seems cliche and tacky to us, we're not its target demographic. Like it or not, Hoges, Fosters and Kangaroos are synonymous with the Australian culture from the outside looking in.

Interesting point you make about Qatar's national side. I completely forgot about the fact that they paid a great deal of money for Brazilian, Uruguayan and African imports to move to Qatar, gain citizenship and "convert" to Islam in a vain attempt to field a competitive national side.

 

[Peaches]

While that video is an outsiders look on our culture, I don't think it is our culture. It may of been in the 1980s but not modern Australia which has many cultures intertwined. No longer should we play that dumb role which people seem to think we are. Maybe thats a reason why the tourism sector is struggling in the country.

Further on my rant, I found the following excerpt, "FIFA yesterday found no problem with the idea that satellite hubs Umm-Slal (pop 44,177), Al-Daayen (36,592) and Ul-Shamal (11,229) will be sites for not only World Cup games but national teams to stay as well." These stadiums have to have at least 45,000 seats. Where are these people going to come from to watch and stay in Qatar?

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/fifas-world-cup-decision-is-red-hot/story-fn75ik5m-1225965413612" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Bazzinator]

reports are starting to be leaked that Qatar paid the Argentinian representative / voter 80.5 million dollars to secure the vote. I wonder what would happen if more things like this come out. they should take it off Qatar and have a revote with new CLEAN members in all honesty

 

[mike]

Don't care. We are not a Soccer (football) nation and we were never in the hunt. What a surprise.

One reasonably good effort in the last World Cup does not make the world think of us as having the infrastructure to support an World Cup (not to say that is true, we could easily do it) it is just the perception of the world. This clearly shows we are not high in the thought processes of FIFA. It took us ages just to get into Oceania so I think it was pretty naive to think they would accept us staging the World Cup!