Africa_v_Europe

[Black_Ned]

Beckenbauer - World Cup dream is over ..

The announcement yesterday that a deal has been struck between South Africa and Brazil for reciprocal support for the African bid for the 2006 World Cup and for the South American bid in four years' time has angered Franz Beckenbauer.

"That deal is offensive," he complained.

"It is horse-trading and means that we have probably lost the bid."

Beckenbauer had acted as ambassador for his country's bid and Germany, along with South Africa, are ahead of England and Morocco in the running to host the tournament.

Former South African president Nelson Mandela revealed on Tuesday that he was telephoning two nations to ask for their support when FIFA vote on Thursday, but he refused to name the countries.

However, South African bid chief Danny Jordaan maintained that he would campaign right up until the deadline. "South Africa's 2006 campaign is taking nothing for granted and will continue to press its case until the very last moment," he said.

 

[Mark]

Shearer, yer really not that bright are ya?!

England not a part of Europe?!! Get real man.
Q) Do you realise where England and the rest of the UK would be if it wasn't for the EU?
A) A poxy little island of the coast that's where.
What is about people like you? So wound up in your English pride you can't see the facts in front of your nose. England is shafted mate. Whatever glorious past you dream of is just that. The past!!

And as far as the WC bid goes you may as well dream on about that too!! Your fans once again proved that they are animals so who in their right minds would give your nation a chance to host it. You crack me up man, you really do!!!

 

[Neutral]

Mark,
there is a distinction between the majority of harmless England fans, and the minority of English holigans.

btw - I think Polish Power's predicition might not be too far off the mark.

 

[Kewell the Jewell]

Give the world cup to Australia!!!!

well at least let us in it!!
meaning give us direct qualification to it!

 

[Black_Ned]

Charlton refuses to concede

Sir Bobby Charlton, along with campaign director Alec McGivan, is due to address the 24-man FIFA executive in Zurich tonight as England make their final presentation before tomorrow's vote to decide who has won the contest to stage the 2006 World Cup.

Although England’s bid seems to have fallen well behind Germany and favourites South Africa, Charlton has vowed to campaign to the bitter end.

"If we had withdrawn I would have felt so ashamed that it would have lasted with me forever," said the former England captain. "I am not being foolish, but if we lose tomorrow then it will pass, but it is out of the question that we would withdraw.

"With the amount of work that thousands of people have put in with regard to our bid, it is not something we would even want to consider. It is not the British way."

The English team were in talks with CONCACAF president Carlos Warner last night with the aim of winning last-minute support and Charlton is optimistic of securing their crucial backing.

"We are a long way from being dead," he claimed. "We speak to lots of people and get different opinions. Things change by the minute, and I am still convinced that we are very much in this race."

 

[a_shearer]

Mark, I HATE the European Union because they are federalist SOCIALISTS.

They hate the United Kingdom. They always have. I refuse to let them pollute the UK's economy with their worthless currency and politics.

This policy of isolation that THEY have instigated reflects on UEFA.

 

[Luis Figo]

Hey a_shearer what the heck are you, the english version of Hitler??. And they accuse the French of being chauvinists.

 

[Zidane]

You crazy english think you are so hot. There are so many reasons the world cup should go to south africa and so many reason why England should not get it.
So to all you english people out there who are sure england will get it let me say one thing, YOU WON'T. Now stop denying and face reality. Your great football days are over and never to be seen again, you didn't happen to see euro 2000 did you? That is england of the present. England should switch to something like water polo. See you in South Africa (i'm not from SA by the way.)

 

[a_shearer]

I might aswell ask you if you were Stalin?

The EU is an awful idea. So is single currency. So is globalisation.

It will de-stabalise the British economny and force us to correct the financial mistakes of the Germans, French, Greeks, Italians.....so on and so on.

 

[a_shearer]

Does anyone here have any good reasons why it shouldn't go to England?

Apart from your xenophobic ravings?

We have better facilities, better police, all in a football mad country.

Plus, we have only hosted ONCE.

 

[TeKNoS]

No, but Carlos Warner,the president of the former CONCACAF does:

Warner says England should have withdrawn

LONDON, July 3 (Reuters) - North and Central America (CONCACAF) soccer president Carlos Warner said on Monday he believed England's bid for the 2006 World Cup finals is doomed to failure.
England's 2006 campaign team are still confident of gaining the three CONCACAF votes but it would appear that it will be too little too late.

Speaking on BBC radio Warner said the bid was irreparably damaged. ``I don't think England will be there beyond the first round if Morocco is out -- if Morocco is in they may go beyond the first round but no further,'' he said.

``I have a soft spot for England and I have tried to ask them to withdraw to save them from humiliation.

``It's quite likely I will vote for England in the first round. The English bid is good, the presentation is good. Unfortunately they have been the victims of a series of misfortunes.

``In the last month the English bid has nose-dived to a level where I don't think they will be able to recover. Until the end of May I think the English bid was doing extremely well, but in the last month or so things have taken a dramatic turn for the worse and that has caused some serious damage.''

DRUNKEN HOOLIGANS

Images of drunken English hooligans fighting in Brussels and Charleroi before and after the Euro 2000 clash with Germany scarred what was otherwise a successful tournament. The British government was afterwards criticised by UEFA for failing to stop troublemakers attending the match.

``They should have pulled out, it would have brought them back into the bosom of European football,'' added Warner. ``Let's face it England has been on the periphery of European football politics for a long while.

``If England had withdrawn they would have given the world a signal of magnamity and win back some friends in Europe. It would also have helped them bid for it again in four years.

``To get back to the centre of world football in the short term they will have to overcome the animosity that now exists for them in Europe. The English government will have to show that they can deal with the hooligans.''

His comments are the latest in a series of of blows to the English campaign, which now appear to be lagging behind those of Germany and South Africa

FIFA's technical inspection team last week ranked England's facilities as inferior to both Germany's and South Africa's.

Warner also said that England's early departure from Euro 2000 following two dismal defeats at the hands of Portugal and Romania had done nothing to enhance their bid.

``They will have to improve the level of their play on the field and that doesn't seem possible in the next four years until the era of the present players is over.''

Alec McGiven, the director of England's 2006 bid, responding to Warner's comments on the BBC agreed that events at Euro 2000 had left them facing an uphill battle.

``None of us have hidden from the fact that after the problems in Euro 2000 we have suffered a major setback, the question is can we recover from that. But I'm the first to admit that hooliganism has damaged not just this bid but the reputation of English football right around the world.''

``It's worth remembering that CONCACAF have three votes not just Carlos Warner's and that they will probably vote as a group. I find it encouraging that he appears to be indicating that the CONCACAF votes will be with us on Thursday for the first round.''

 

[Zidane]

a shearer here is a good reason.
it's africa's turn to host. North America had it then Europe then Asia and now Africa. Then the one after goes to South America. that 's the way it should be.
Plus england had it and europe has had it a lot now give someone else a turn give a continent a turn.
Plus another reason are hooligans. there would be too many in england. Even if you say SA has a higher crime rate the hooligans are seem to be more signifigant to the comitee, remeber how everyone was saying euro 2000 how england chances were bad now because of what happened.
Those, to me are the two main reaons, plus WC was just in France. To the English i say wait until 2014 at the earliest.

 

[a_shearer]

Iraq and Iran have never hosted. How about giving it to them? Or maybe Cuba? How about Kashmir?

Giving it to South Africa ISN'T SAFE! They don't have the facilities to deal with the hooligans.

Just because you have a problem with Europe doesn't mean you should throw away the World Cup to a nation that can't handle it.

The World Cup would be safer and more enjoyable in England.

 

[Drinky UKSN]

No, a_shearer, you're right. South Africa won't be able to host the competition, having never hosted a big tournament like this before. The superbly handled Rugby World Cup of 1995 was held in a completely different country. The African Nations Cup has never been successfully held in South Africa. Teams travelling to South Africa flee in terror from the massive armed gangs on the streets and...

Enough of your white propaganda. England DO have the best stadia and facilities. However, South Africa ALSO have good stadia, good facilities, good infrastructure - more than enough to host a World Cup. Germany's bid is also a fine one. England have lost this bid because of their lack of UEFA support and the behaviour of fans (which would not be an issue in the championships). Germany have lost this bid due to their lack of campaigning outside of UEFA - they have not done enough to get CONCACAF's votes, and the votes of those who will vote for England and then change after England get knocked out of the voting. And to steal a phrase from the England bid, South Africa are ready, South Africa are right. Its time to spread football's biggest carnival into Africa.

 

[a_shearer]

White propoganda MY ASS! Any argument dealing with Africa and suddenly this becomes about racism! God, I hate you PC liberals.

This is not about which country is just "good". This is about which country is the BEST. England has all the best facilities and stadia. We are a superior choice. Its so SAD that we have to give Africa a World Cup just to be politically correct. They aren't ready to host a football tournament.

However, like you pointed out, they CAN successfully host a Rugby tournament because they have a nation of RUGBY fans. They are a rugby power. But you must admit that the World Cup will attract more fans than the Rugby World Cup! South Africa (the nation with one of the highest murder rate and THE highest rape rate in the world) can't physically handle it.

And BTW Zidane, I SPECIFICALLY brought up Iraq and Iran because they are also un-stable nations. Do you really want a World Cup to go to a third world nation?

 

[Drinky UKSN]

LOL

White propaganda is a term coined during WWII for material that is used blatently to promote one sides point of view. Black propaganda was material that purported to be from one side but was from another, eg. Allied leaflets were written in German and dropped over Germany. Your own prejudices came out there by assuming it was a racist issue...

 

[Stefan]

Hello,

I think this should be a decision PRO SOCCER and not PRO where the wc wasn't yet.

Germany <b>wants</b> to host the worldcup 2006. We have also great stadiums. Almost every club of the bundesliga is currently building a new arena.

Anyway, Southafrica would be a good host, too. But I think, when Germany 2006 will get WC2006, all the south africans will say some senseless racist comments. And that's really unfair. The best location should host the WC2006 and that's in my opinion Germany.

Stefan

 

[Zidane]

A_shearer wahatar e you talking about then. of course no one wants a WC in a third world country, that would be stupid. They just don't have what it takes. But why are you talking about third world nations. If you think South Africa is a third world country you are badly mistaken. Your just a typical Brit who knows just make assumtions based on hardly any fact.
All signs point to South Africa. It's the only logical choice. They have everything they need, stadia, infrastructure everything. And their people love football too. Don't go saying that england should get it because they like football more. That's nonsense. Do you think USA is football crazy or Japan or even South Korea. Get real man.

 

[Drinky UKSN]

Come on Stefan - Compare Bundesliga stadia like-for-like with Premiership venues and then tell me which are best. Theres no question which is the best country - England - but politics have prevailed.

 

[a_shearer]

Perhaps the term 'white-propoganda' wasn't the best choice of words eh Drinky?