[MK Chris]

It wouldn't have been very much cost at all would it though? Aren't they upgrading some stadia for the Olympics anyway?

[Yudster]

Hosting the Olympics is going to be quite enough in terms of annoyance, inconvenience, disruption and cost - we certainly didn't need the World Cup too! Thank you Birmingham and Villa fans!

It was just Birmingham fans.

I thought it was, but I didn't want them to get all the credit.

[Yudster]

Quite. And lets be completely honest here, we aren't the most hospitable nation in the world are we? We don't love tourists, or visitors, we just don't make good hosts! Maybe the Olympisc will prove me wrong on this, but I think we are the kind of place people feel they ought to go to rather than really actually WANT to go to. We are a miserable bunch.

Just for the record though - having seen the various bids, how can anyone look at the result and keep a straight face though? FIFA might as well have said "don;t bother spending the money on the campaigning and the presentations, because we really won't take a blind bit of notice of them......" I can't remember if it was Chris or Dave this morning who pointed out that this is the 21st century where we are used to officials having some accountability, and being required to explain their decisions - why are FIFA apparently exempt from this? Such autonomous power is a bad thing in the hands of almost anyone, let alone someone like Sep Blatter. Thank goodness its only football he's responsible for and not anything really important.

[bmstinton93]

I think we should boycott the World Cup now. Our country is probably the one that watches it the most and if we refused to even show it then I presume that Fifa could stand lo lose a fair bit of money.

[Yudster]

Oh I would like that!

[bmstinton93]

Oh I would like that!

Tbh I can't see us ever winning any time soon anyway so what would we lose?

[Yudster]

I don't care if we win or lose. I like football, but international football is rubbish, and the world cup that we just had was full of some of the most boring football ever played in a compressed time period wasn't it? Really dire. It would be great to be able to ignore it.

[bmstinton93]

They should make a decent Club World Cup. There is one as United were in it when they won the champions league but it was rubbish. But then again most of the teams would probably be from Europe as I am not sure how good the clubs are in other continents.

[Johnny 1989]

I don't care if we win or lose. I like football, but international football is rubbish, and the world cup that we just had was full of some of the most boring football ever played in a compressed time period wasn't it? Really dire. It would be great to be able to ignore it.

Absolutely I'd rather watch the Premiership or Championship anyday & find the FA Cup & League Cup far more interesting tournaments than the World Cup anyway, at least you get giant killers in the two English Tournaments that make it more interesting (considering how poor West Ham have been doing who'd expect them to beat Man Utd 4-0) & I always look forward to seeing who will be coming up to the Premier League each year (hoping QPR come up, one of the Welsh teams, for a change, and there's a few near the top this year that haven't been in the Premier League for quite some time (Leeds Utd, Nottingham Forest & Coventry City).

I don't mind the Euro cup although I don't remember much about the last one, although we were missing from that one

[Bonanzoid]

I can see why England are disappointed to not get the World Cup, but are all these theories of corruption actually valid or just borne out of spite and jealousy? I actually don't know.

As for this, I'm glad Boris cancelled but what really gets me is why are rich people offered things like this free at all? They're minted! It's outrageous. Rich and famous people always get free accommodation,food etc, it actually sickens me.

[Gaspode_The_Wonder_Dog]

The Football World Cup actually makes a massive profit (unlike most Olympics) and allows a whole country to be involved with the teams playing in various regions. I can't say I care either way whether its in this country but if all the stink from the voting means that FIFA is changed and Blatter is sent out on his arse then that can only be a good thing.

Oh and it wasn't only Birmingham fans - the Villa fans threw a flare and were throwing seats. Neither side comes out of it looking well.

[bmstinton93]

I dont understand why the Birmingham fans had need to react like that? They won the match and it was at their own ground so why would they want to destroy it by ripping up seats and throwing flares?!

[dimtimjim]

Our country is probably the one that watches it the most

Erm..... No we aren't.... Our nation is tiny compared to many football loving nations.

[dimtimjim]

as I am not sure how good the clubs are in other continents.

Look i'm sorry mate, I don't mean to be picking on you this morning, but you don't seem to have thought out these responses very well...... Coudl I please highlight Brazil and Argentina, two of the biggest and best footballing nations on this planet?!!!

[bmstinton93]

No as actually Brazil and Argentina's international teams are good but they dont have the money to compete at club status as any good players that they grow will get shipped off to Europe. If your so clever name at least 5 decent clubs from either of these countries. And also it proves how bad they are at club level compared to Europeans when man united got to the club world cup a few years ago where they played against teams that had won their continent's version of the champions league and they were no better than about a league 2 team. And also yes our country is small but we created football and i think you'll find that we are one of the main watchers of football when it comes to the world cup and also that our tv companies probably plough a lot of money into it.

[dimtimjim]

Oh, I don't disagree at all with what you are saying about the level of their club teams, but we are commenting on a National competition here. They both have QUALITY National sides and have MASSES more people watching the sport on TV than we do.

And don't start getting pissy with comments like 'you're so smart'. I never claimed to be smart and this an internet forum, I am allowed to a) disagree and b) voice alternate opinions. I did apologise and state it wasn't personal, don't you make it so. Wind ya neck in.

[bmstinton93]

I highly doubt that there are more TV viewers of the World Cup in Brazil than in the UK.

[Gaspode_The_Wonder_Dog]

Ohh I can win some money here. First:

Santos
Corinthians
Sao Paulo
Vasco De Gama
Flamengo

River Plate
Boca Juniors
Independiente
Newell's Old Boys
Racing

"The largest single market contributor was China, which accounted for 3.98 billion viewers, followed by Brazil, Vietnam and Germany"

http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/marketing ... vdata.html

You realise that Brazil is about two and a half times bigger in terms of population than the UK?

[Gaspode_The_Wonder_Dog]

I dont understand why the Birmingham fans had need to react like that? They won the match and it was at their own ground so why would they want to destroy it by ripping up seats and throwing flares?!

It was the Villa fans brought the flare and threw the seats. The Birmingham fans were just being morons and gloating over a cup win.

[dimtimjim]

Ohh I can win some money here. First:

Santos
Corinthians
Sao Paulo
Vasco De Gama
Flamengo

River Plate
Boca Juniors
Independiente
Newell's Old Boys
Racing

"The largest single market contributor was China, which accounted for 3.98 billion viewers, followed by Brazil, Vietnam and Germany"

http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/marketing ... vdata.html

You realise that Brazil is about two and a half times bigger in terms of population than the UK?

BOOM!!!! Nice one Gaspode, you have just shot straight to the top of my like list, just above Yuddles and Off-bob!!!

I knew I was right and the UK wouldn't be the largest world cup viewer (given our tiny comparative population), I just couldn't be arsed to research it for argumentative purposes!!

**does the 'I was right' dance**

[DevilsDuck]

Nice one Gaspode, you have just shot straight to the top of my like list, just above Yuddles and Off-bob!!!

[dimtimjim]

Ha!! I knew that post was coming, as soon as I clicked 'submit' I knew I had left someone out....

Sorry big man, inexcusable error on my behalf, I shall try to redeem myself!

[DevilsDuck]

oh no......its over......you hear me.......OVER!

[dimtimjim]

You'll miss me....!

[DevilsDuck]

Who said that? Obviously someone who I can afford to miss.....