FIFA 2014 World Cup all-purpose thread

[IthacaMatt]

I don't think it will be the USA honestly if Qatar is stripped Australia makes more sense it keeps it in the Asian federation region and guarantees CONCACAF 2026 with a joint Mexico/USA or Canada/USA host job.
The Aussies were a 2022 contender when Qatar bought the election.

I heard somewhere it would be joint with Canada.

 

[IthacaMatt]

China will get the World Cup in 2026 if they are anything close to ready to host. FIFA is dying to give them the tourney. Huge market. Big money. Football-crazy population and the WC has never been there before. If Brazil and SA can manage the infrastructure requirements, there's no way China is coming up short.

We're looking at Russia in 2018, Qatar in 2022 and China in 2026. After that, FIFA is going to be under pressure from the old guard to bring it back to western Europe since it will have been 20 years since the tourney was played on the Continent.

That means it's 2030 before the US can realistically expect to win hosting rights. The Dome and/or its replacement might be too old. Australia gets shafted in all this. In a just world, Qatar is striped of 2022, but it will never happen. FIFA and a lot of other people don't want people asking more questions than is necessary about how it won the bid. No way they are going to set off a feeding frenzy by changing their minds now.

There's no way Qatar will keep 2022. You can't play in the summer heat. It will be 110 degrees in the early evening and 120 during the day. People will die trying to play sports in that heat. And the European countries will not put all of their leagues on hold for a month during January to let the World Cup take place. Too much TV money involved.

 

[IthacaMatt]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_soccer_stadiums_in_Australia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Australian_Football_League_grounds
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cricket_grounds_by_capacity

I can see scheduleing conflicts but presume it could be sorted similar to how MSG handles it. Can't imagine retrofits taking quite that time if being needed at all. I'm thinking England w/ Wembley. Looks like India already have 12 facilities with 45k and up capacities.

Actually, you only really need 8 venues - 1 for each group. But in any event, the US has like 50 outdoor stadiums with grass that hold more than 50-60,000 people with great infrastructure already in place.

 

[IthacaMatt]

England could do it no problem. The Brits may be bad at winning in sports but no one is better at putting on a sporting event. They have all the infrastructure -- doubly so if they roped in ROI, NI, Scotland and Wales in a combined GB bid. The problem is FIFA hates the guys who run English football and visa versa. Plus, everyone is terrified of a hooligan problem. Shame because it would be a first-rate host nation. So, yeah, the US are the only ones who could step in on short notice.

Their highways do not compete with ours. Yes, they have the stadiums and the fan support, but travel in England isn't trouble free.

 

[cmr27]

There's no way Qatar will keep 2022. You can't play in the summer heat. It will be 110 degrees in the early evening and 120 during the day. People will die trying to play sports in that heat. And the European countries will not put all of their leagues on hold for a month during January to let the World Cup take place. Too much TV money involved.

You are making too much sense.

 

[cmr27]

That's one of the great things about soccer. Fans sing a lot during the games, and use songs and chants to make fun of players and coaches. They can be very witty.

My all-time favorite is a chant from Celtic fans. After Rangers goalkeeper Andy Goram was diagnosed with schizophrenia, they chanted "There's only two Andy Gorams/ There's only two Andy Gorams," which is a take-off on the "There's only one chant..." that fans use to serenade superstars pretty much every week in the Premiership.

 

[longislandcuse]

That's one of the great things about soccer. Fans sing a lot during the games, and use songs and chants to make fun of players and coaches. They can be very witty.

I love that part of it but legit, that song contained 2 sentences and went on for the entire second half lol. Maybe diversify your songs a littleeee bit?

 

[Alsacs]

What was so vicious about what the British press reported? Almost everyone connected to the Qatari bid was on the take and the FIFA top brass have been milking their positions for perks and backhanders for years. Totally agree England has no chance.

http://www.englandworldcup.com/failed-world-cup-bid
England to Russia because 1. Putin bought the vote and 2. England's press really pissed off the FIFA executive committee. Only getting 2 of 22 votes was a joke as England had the best or at worst 2nd best bid.

 

[Noexcuse]

I love that part of it but legit, that song contained 2 sentences and went on for the entire second half lol. Maybe diversify your songs a littleeee bit?

The fans are more organized on their home pitch. They have a multitude of chants and songs that they bring out during the course of the game depending on who they are playing.

And say what you will about President Jimmy Carter, but when he went to London in '78 or so he opened his speech with "Ha'way me Lads" and brought down the house.

 

[Alsacs]

BTW how tough will the next match be on Jurgen Klinsmann coaching against his home country. We as Americans would have our media hammering a coach if they coached against the USA if they were an American citizen. Klinsmann really had to hate drawing Germany in the WC because of that. The friendly last year was that a nothing game to Germany and them rewarding lower players with friendlies in the USA while their stars recovered from the Champions League final. Germany did the USA a favor with that friendly celebrating 100 years of US soccer. We beat the Germany B- team 4-3 so our guys will have a little confidence which is why need to get at least 1 point against Portugal this Sunday.

 

[Noexcuse]

BTW how tough will the next match be on Jurgen Klinsmann coaching against his home country. We as Americans would have our media hammering a coach if they coached against the USA if they were an American citizen. Klinsmann really had to hate drawing Germany in the WC because of that. The friendly last year was that a nothing game to Germany and them rewarding lower players with friendlies in the USA while their stars recovered from the Champions League final. Germany did the USA a favor with that friendly celebrating 100 years of US soccer. We beat the Germany B- team 4-3 so our guys will have a little confidence which is why need to get at least 1 point against Portugal this Sunday.

I think FIFA loves these little jokes despite the "fairness" of the draw.

 

[ImperialOrange]

So today we will learn how good Costa Rica are and/or if Italy are the real deal.

 

[Noexcuse]

So today we will learn how good Costa Rica are and/or if Italy are the real deal.

England need Italy. And Italy need England with something to play for on Tuesday. This group could still end up a 3 way tie with the top 2 advancing on goal differential.

 

[SUfanNC]

I think FIFA loves these little jokes despite the "fairness" of the draw.

It's like the NCAA tournament. Always a story line.

 

[Alsacs]

England needs what the USA has happen at the 2009 Confederations Cup in South Africa. We lost to Italy and Brasil and Italy lost to Egypt and the USA needed to beat Egypt and Italy lose to Brasil and make up a 6 goal differential. The USA beat Egypt 3-0 and Brasil beat Italy 3-0 and the USA got thru and beat Spain the next match and went up 2-0 on Brasil in the Final before giving up 3 second goals and losing in its only Men's Final in a FIFA world event.

 

[CanadianSU]

Clearly one sided refs in the Costa Rica Italy game...

 

[ImperialOrange]

England needs what the USA has happen at the 2009 Confederations Cup in South Africa. We lost to Italy and Brasil and Italy lost to Egypt and the USA needed to beat Egypt and Italy lose to Brasil and make up a 6 goal differential. The USA beat Egypt 3-0 and Brasil beat Italy 3-0 and the USA got thru and beat Spain the next match and went up 2-0 on Brasil in the Final before giving up 3 second goals and losing in its only Men's Final in a FIFA world event.

I kind of feel like this CR-Italy game might draw

 

[CanadianSU]

BRUTAL BIAS REFS

 

[ImperialOrange]

CR just got jobbed bad. Clear PK not called

 

[CanadianSU]

Teams from Russian, Ukraine, Greece and Turkey are usually cannon fodder in the Group stages of Champions League. LA Galaxy a year or so ago probably could compete with some of those teams. Maybe not Shaktar Donetsk with their handful of young Brazilians every year, but most of the rest of them. When I talk about a league, it's about more than just its best team. It's the depth of talent throughout the league, how many of their young players are being bought by the Big Four European league teams.

While I agree with you, Comparing NA soccer to European soccer is like comparing The NHL to the European leagues. Top European teams from the domestic leagues don't exactly fold that often either. Yes Galaxy a few years ago could have competed very well in the CL.

 

[PeteCalvin]

Whoever's turn it is to watch Forza today, keep him away from sharp objects. I know it's only 1-0, and it's only halftime, but still. These Ticos have grit and can make this stand up.

 

[CanadianSU]

AYE MY TEAM!

 

[Upstate]

 

[ImperialOrange]

Following teams are now officially eliminated:

Cameroon
Australia
Spain
England

 

[SUfanNC]

Would love to add Portugal to that list