Australia's bid for the 2018 or 2022 World Cup

[midfielder]

Finally today I leave it to a Frank Lowy article ..
God love Frank ... FFA are suing Fairfax and he has this way of telling Fairfax to fark off ... he pens an article for the TerrOR

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/fifa-has-a-chance-to-turbo-charge-the-growth-of-football-in-our-region/story-fn6e0tx4-1225962007067

Frank Lowy:
The Sunday Telegraph
November 28, 2010 12:01AM

IN the early hours of Friday morning, Australia will learn whether it has won the biggest prize in world sport - the right to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

If we win, it will do wonderful things for our country - not just for football and sport in general, but for every aspect of how we relate to the world, and especially to our region of Asia. In politics, commerce, culture and the arts, and in people-to-people contact, our relationship with the world will be changed forever.

Our strongest argument is that we can provide a unique opportunity for FIFA to "turbo-charge" the growth of football in the Asian region at precisely the moment in history when Asia takes its place as the undisputed powerhouse of the global economy.

This fact, together with our track record of hosting major events, especially the "best-ever" Olympic Games in Sydney, our first-class stadiums and our friendly and welcoming people, makes our case a compelling one. We have spared no effort in our bid and the whole country has been with us. The Prime Minister and Governor-General, state premiers, football fans and thousands of individuals have all made a personal commitment to the campaign.

This combined national effort has been one of our not-so-secret weapons. Australians are famous for their love of sport, and for pitching in to help out. We saw that at the Sydney Olympics with our wonderful volunteer army, and we see the same spirit again and again whenever natural disasters strike our community. We see it in the way our Socceroos play the game and conduct themselves as such wonderful ambassadors on the world stage.

That spirit has been the heart and soul of Australia's World Cup bid campaign. The world football community has seen that ours has truly been a bid with deep and widespread support.

We believe Australia has the strongest bid, but our rivals - the United States, Qatar, Japan and South Korea - are also confident.

Before the outcome is known, I wanted to thank all Australians for their support, and assure football fans that win or lose our game in this country will continue to thrive.

 

[midfielder]

LOL LOL he he he

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/football/qatar-bids-big-backer-warns-of-lies-meant-to-derail-campaign-20101128-18ch4.html

Qatar bid's big backer warns of 'lies' meant to derail campaign
Dan Silkstone
November 29, 2010

Zurich: Australia's rival for the 2022 World Cup, Qatar, is being attacked in a ''hidden war'', the country's FIFA vice-president and Asian football supremo, Mohammed Bin Hammam, alleges.

In an open letter to ''sons, colleagues and friends of the Qatar bid'' issued on his personal website, Bin Hammam wrote: ''I did warn you that your noble cause to host the World Cup 2022 will face some unethical resistance … You should expect more of this hidden war against your bid.''

Qatar has been attacked in recent days, explicitly in the media and behind closed doors from supporters of other bids briefing against the tiny emirate and its outlandish but well-positioned push to host the largest event in world sport.

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The United States has been leading the charge - panicked after it became clear that an apparent deal between the emirate and Spain-Portugal, fiercely denied by both sides, would deny the USA some of the very votes it had targeted.

Australia has remained mute on the subject of Qatar's bid, working hard to be seen as a credible second choice and not wanting to be part of the mud-slinging between Qatar and the US. But a string of anti-Qatar stories has been unleashed in the English press in recent days, most notably in London's Daily Mail, which is believed to have strong ties to FFA consultant Peter Hargitay. The Twittersphere has also been awash with anonymous Australian sources posting links to information about the treatment of migrant guest workers in Qatar and other negative stories.

So-called ''guest workers'' from countries such as India, Cambodia and Vietnam make up about 75 per cent of Qatar's population of 1.6 million, and their treatment, including low wages, physical abuse and restricted movement, has been frequently criticised by human rights organisations such as the Human Trafficking Project website.

Such workers would almost certainly carry out the $43 billion in stadium, transport and hotel construction needed for the Cup.

Bin Hammam said reports that he had admitted Qatar's supporters would back Spain for 2018 were ''lies meant to damage our bid''.

Regardless of where the negative publicity is coming from, the information hurting Qatar - including queries about its size and climate - is largely accurate. It should, by rights, be damaging.

The Daily Mail reported yesterday that Qatar's bid ambassador, the French Zinedine Zidane, would be paid $15 million for his public support if the bid is successful.

Other non-Qatari stars of the past, such as Holland's Ronald De Boer and Cameroon's Roger Milla, are also being paid handsomely to spruik. Few fans could name a single Qatari player.

None of this is against the rules. Qatar, ranked 113th by FIFA, has little football pedigree but a great deal of influence through Bin Hammam.

At No.20, Australia is the highest-ranked of the five nations bidding for 2022. It has the opposite problem, and has channelled its money into consultants it hopes can influence the executive committee.

Qatar, though, has few friends of the type that cannot be bought. This reporter flew to Zurich via the emirate on Qatar Airways. The in-flight magazine featured a glowing advertisement for the nation's bid, and the entertainment system forced all passengers to sit through a video of Zidane promoting it. But a conversation with a flight attendant revealed the difference was stark.

''Yes, I live in Doha,'' she said. ''It's not a good place to be. Dubai is OK; Dubai is like the opposite of Qatar. You should go there instead.''

The background static between Australia and Qatar is not all one way, however. As Oceania football bosses met on Saturday to press for their confederation vote to be reinstated after the suspension of Tahitian Reynald Temarii, Qatar was believed to be lobbying behind closed doors to prevent it. Perhaps only now the emirate is beginning to see Australia as a genuine rival that must be kept in check.

Oceania's wish to parachute Papua New Guinea's David Chung into an executive committee voting position was made official on Saturday. FIFA is yet to rule on whether this will be allowed.

Will it work? Bin Hammam has been able to stymie a series of Australian-supported moves in recent weeks, including an investigation into the collusion charges that FIFA later admitted constituted only the sending of two emails and an attempt to put off the 2022 vote to stop the rumoured vote trading.

''So far, with the blessings of God Almighty and those who believe in your vision, you have managed to overcome with great success, the accusations of collusion, the potential postponement of voting for 2022, the so-called challenges of weather, size and so many other things,'' Bin Hammam wrote to Qatar's backers.

 

[midfielder]

Can we do it ... have you all signed the bid page as a supporter ... http://www.australiabid.com.au/

Can you just imagine if we win... only 5 days now it's being broadcast on SBS, ABC, Fox soon 9, 10 and even 7 will join in...

I wonder what it will do for football if we win ... and will the media still support football to the extent they do now if we don't...

I am thinking of going to a live site to watch and cheer or cry and sob... I guess we have put together a huge number of press articles and at times good analyses of the voting patterns etc...

My Heart says Australia... my head says the AFL pushed it to the limit and the extra revenue coming from the US bid tip it in their favor...

But in these things I lead with my heart ... God I hope we win it...

 

[midfielder]

Every now and then a song just seems to match the moment Neil Diamond penned a great song called … ""Come Dry your Eyes”"”

I have attached the link and Lyrics at the end of this post .. well this is close to how I fee about winning the WC bid…and the youtube version of the song I choose is form the ..”" The Last Waltz”"” .. by…The Band”"”

The last waltz concert by the band … some say and many argue the best concert movie ever made… for those that don’t know…The Band … were a group and also Bob Dylan’s backing band…. they were very skillful and backed many groups and wrote a lot of stuff that others recorded… in 1976 they had there last show and many of the top artists of the day came and played … they made a movie about it … if you love music it is very good…

Thus I choose Diamonds performance of Dry your eyes at the last waltz as a kind of an end to an era or the last two and a half years of WC bidding… go Frank Hope you can pull it off… to Niel but first the Lyrics .. you gotta listen and watch to get the feeling…

Dry your eyes and take your song out, it’s a newborn afternoon.
And if you can’t recall the singer you can still recall the tune.
Dry your eyes and play it slowly like you’re marching off to war;
Sing it like you know he’d want it, like we sang it once before.
And from the center of the circle to the midst of the waiting crowd,
If it ever be forgotten sing it long and sing it loud and come dry your eyes.

And he taught us more about giving than we ever cared to know,
But we came to find the secret and we never let it go.
And it was more than being holy and it was less than being free,
And if you can’t recall the reason can you hear the people sing.
Right through the lightning and the thunder to the dark side of the moon,
To that distant falling angel that descended much too soon

http://www.lyricsfreak.com/n/neil+diamond/dry+your+eyes_20098886.html

 

[Sharpie]

Dear Midfielder

I just wanted to thank you for your links over the last couple of years. You have made it your mission to keep us informed searching all forms of media. I have thoroughly enjoyed clicking on, knowing that the latest info would be at hand.

I too cannot wait!

The average "Joe Blow" does not even know what's about to transpire come the early hours Thursday morning.

If successful, (fingers cross) it will change not only football in this country but also transport upgrades, infrastructure, security, tourism, investment in the game and A-League, TV rights, stadium upgrades, multiculturalism and our countries back pocket.

I am also hopeful that over time we will receive the recognition that we deserve through all forms of media...I did say "over time".

We are selling Australia to the World, let's hope that the World embraces us as much as we want them to.

JW - Australia's legend on the field.
FL - Australia's legend off it.

I pray that we are successful, that this will be the start of a 12 year "slow release fertilizer of football". I pray that this will ignite private and federal funding that will help ease the financial cost of our future players and their families, I pray that state and local councils acknowledge our code with more leniency to local park upgrades and funding and I pray that FL is around to enjoy what he has put into our sport and country.

BRING IT ON!

 

[cbowden9000]

Is it 2:00am on Thursday morning or Friday morning (for us - AEST)?

 

[mariners4ever]

friday morning

 

[midfielder]

Can it ever stop with hours to go the Poms attack FIFA again ... Looks like Russia for 2018 now and we seem to be slipping a little.. a report on our revenue being the lowest and location attacks...

here we go

PS thanks Sharpie

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/football/blow-to-australia-world-cup-hopes-as-bid-ranked-the-least-profitable-20101201-18fnn.html

Blow to Australia World Cup hopes as bid ranked the 'least profitable

ustralia's 2022 World Cup bid team has played down the significance of a FIFA study which ranked the country last overall in projected revenues for the tournament.

The report by management consultants McKinsey was distributed to all members of the FIFA executive committee, who will pick the hosts for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in Zurich on Thursday.

The study assessed each bid in five key revenue areas: ticketing, TV and media rights, sponsorship, hospitality, and merchandising.

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While rival 2022 bidders the United States scored 100 per cent overall, Australia trailed last with 68 per cent. Japan placed second with 73 per cent, with South Korea 71 per cent and Qatar 70 per cent.

However, Football Federation of Australia chairman Frank Lowy shrugged off suggestions that the report may have a damaging impact on the Australian bid.

"McKinsey are not voting," Lowy told journalists. "They are not the deciding factor."

"I don't want to give you a lesson in economics but I can tell you that if 2022 goes to Australia it will be very profitable, especially for FIFA.

"If you look at the growth of Asia, Japan, China, India in the last 10 years, what will happen in the next 10 years is unbelievably great in numbers of people, wealth creation, spendable dollars.

"Those things are overwhelming, whatever McKinsey might say."

Australian bid officials said they had commissioned their own studies in the past which had given a different picture, he added.

"It does put a picture that is very profitable for FIFA and World Cup Australia. What we need to take into account is that we are a gateway to Asia."

Lowy said Thursday's vote would not be swung by one individual factor, whether that was the technical or financial strength of the bids, the political lobbying or Wednesday's presentations to FIFA's executive committee.

"There are many deciding factors, but I think we have a credible, good, top bid, very seriously done," he said.

"When you build a house, do you say that the bricks are more important than the roof or the foundation is more important than the bricks? Our presentation is important but it is not the only factor."

Lowy was speaking shortly after a meeting with FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

"It does make an impression," he said of the meeting. "He doesn't sit and there and just listen, he asks questions, he wants to be informed.

"He wants to be sure the award will be given to the best contender. It's a very polite discussion but you have to watch for the signs."

 

[midfielder]

This one in our favor ...

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/football/australia-parries-timezone-argument-with-cold-hard-stats-showing-asia-is-the-plum-20101130-18fg3.html

Australia parries time-zone argument with cold, hard stats showing Asia is the plum

It has long been Australia's Achilles heel, and the nation's 2022 World Cup bid rivals believe they can use it to stop its bid dead in its tracks: Australia is in the wrong time zone.

The Australian camp has not taken the repeated assertion that the resulting loss of European TV ratings and money would cripple its bid lying down.

Australia's not-so-secret weapon has been a study it commissioned from consultancy L.E.K. and accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. It is a counter-argument to die for. It has been shown and quoted, almost relentlessly, to the 23 men who will vote to award the tournament early on Friday morning, Sydney time. Hopefully they were paying attention.

The study finds that Asia's GDP will double between 2005 and 2014 and that this will create massive commercial and sponsorship opportunities for major corporations. It also finds that India's and China's burgeoning middle classes will be four times larger than that of the United States by 2020, and that there is a direct correlation between growth in a middle class and sponsorship, satellite TV subscriptions and purchasing power. By 2020 alone, it says, China will have a middle class of 700 million.

Asia provided more World Cup viewers than any other continent for Germany's 2006 World Cup - by some margin - and was already then the second-largest TV market in dollar terms (behind Europe). Imagine, Australia asks those FIFA delegates, how much further advanced this growth will be in 2022?

The next ancient prejudice to be demolished is the idea that big business, the type that screams ''major sponsor'', resides solely in Europe or the United States. The report found that 31 per cent of Fortune 500 companies - including five of the top 10 - were based in Asia.

It also shows that the global brands that constitute FIFA's major sponsors are growing much faster in Asia than anywhere else. Car maker Hyundai does 62 per cent of its business in Asia, Coca-Cola does 23 per cent (not far shy of its US sales, which account for 27 per cent), 43 per cent of Sony's business comes from Asia and Adidas does 25 per cent of its business there, more than in the US.

These figures and others in the report give Australia the factual weaponry to knock down the time-zone argument and Football Federation Australia chairman Frank Lowy signalled yesterday he will employ it.

''What we need to realise is there is no such thing as the centre of the world,'' Lowy said. ''There will be somebody always having to be up at 4 o'clock in the morning. Let's hope in 2022 it's not going to be us.''

He said the executive committee charged with maximising FIFA's World Cup golden egg had to realise the world was changing.

''The pendulum has swung … now it's the time of the part of the world where we are. Particularly in 12 years' time.''

Lowy has behind him powerful arguments with a single weakness, one Australia's rivals are now trying to exploit. If football's prosperity is to be underpinned by a massive new Chinese middle class, why not simply wait four years and give the World Cup hosting rights to China?

 

[midfielder]

The Poms claims turn out to be not quite what was through..

Scandal fatigue takes sting out of documentary's FIFA allegations

Dan Silkstone
December 1, 2010
ZURICH: In the end, it was a fizzer - if one can regard as anticlimactic allegations involving multimillion-dollar bribery levelled at some of the most powerful men in world sport.

That, though, is seemingly where we've calibrated the moral and ethical levels these days when it comes to the men of FIFA's executive committee.

For months rumours have swirled around those bidding to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Initially there was talk that the 30-minute Panorama program by veteran investigative journalist Andrew Jennings would uncover dodgy dealings within the Russian bid; more recently, in the hours before the BBC program was broadcast, that it was Qatar that would be exposed.

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It was neither. Instead, Jennings provided new evidence about old claims regarding four of the men who will vote on Friday morning, Sydney time, to award the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Three of those men - Cameroon's Issa Hayatou, Brazil's Ricardo Teixeira and Paraguay's Nicolas Leoz - were accused of accepting bribes in the 1990s when Swiss firm ISL cosied up to FIFA officials to secure the lucrative TV rights for the World Cup.

Panorama claimed to have supporting documents. The fourth man, CONCACAF president Jack Warner, was treated to a renewal of allegations from earlier this year that he sold thousands of World Cup tickets on the black market for personal gain.

Few will be surprised by such allegations, which is itself a problem FIFA must surely tackle. Public confidence in those governing the world's most popular sport is at a low and Jennings's report contained several calls from politicians for FIFA to clean up its act. In Zurich, where it has been snowing for days, a popular joke has been that it is so cold the executive committee members have their hands in their own pockets.

In the short term, however, the program appears destined to have little effect.

The response from FIFA will almost certainly be to ignore the claims, just as those subjected to them have done, declining to respond to Panorama's claims.

If they care, they are doing a good job of hiding it. While Oceania's Reynald Temarii and African member Amos Adamu were suspended after the Sunday Times undercover sting, it appears extremely unlikely such a fate will befall any of the four voting members targeted in last night's program. Any such action, though, would probably benefit Australia's cause. Hayatou, Teixera and Leoz are all considered possible Qatar supporters and Warner is likely to vote for the US bid.

Football Federation Australia chairman Frank Lowy predicted no action would arise from the program. ''It will cause great debate but it's not gospel,'' he said.

''And I don't think FIFA will take it as gospel in my opinion. We are all prepared for the second of December … I don't think it's a possibility that because of the Panorama disclosure there will be a change to the date or the decision.''

England's media went into immediate self-analysis. Most pundits argued the program had not uncovered sufficiently juicy or new material to warrant the harm done to England's bid as FIFA pronounces itself unimpressed by Fleet Street intrusion. A significant minority, though, wondered what more was needed than documentary evidence that three executive committee members had taken illegal bribes.

The story alleged that the three had received illegal payments from ISL. It said Leoz had pocketed $US600,000, Hayatou $US20,000 and Teixera had been involved with a front company in Liechtenstein that received $US9.5 million.

Such accusations are more serious even than the recorded admissions that ensnared committee members Reynald Temarii and Amos Adamu last month. But these claims came barely 48 hours before this week's vote and FIFA would be unleashing chaos were it to move against the three men.

 

[midfielder]

Good summary from the Roar..

http://www.theroar.com.au/2010/12/01/the-key-questions-on-the-2022-world-cup-vote/

The key questions on the 2022 World Cup vote

Let’s be honest, none of us have any idea what’s going to happen in the early hours of Friday morning our time in Zurich. FIFA politics and the agendas which accompany the delegates’ votes makes it near impossible to come up with a certain prediction for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosting decisions.

But these are some of the key questions that we need to ask as D-day approaches, to try and make sense of FIFA’s options:

Can Australia win it?
We have a good shot. Ignoring the political agendas of the voting committee, the fact that Australia has never hosted a World Cup – the only country not to do so in the 2022 race apart from Qatar – holds us in good stead. And, as opposed to Qatar, we will be considered a safer, more reliable bet.

FIFA’s recent record of World Cup hosting suggests expanding into foreign markets for the good of the game is important – see South Africa 2006, Japan-South Korea 2002, and USA 1994.

The FIFA technical report was kind to Australia; we have the reputation of being able to host major events, with the 2000 Sydney Olympics fresh in the memory bank; we offer an exotic location in a hospitable country; share the same time-zone as the critical Asian market; and FIFA will be keen on giving the struggling domestic game a shot in the arm.

We are genuine contenders, especially if Japan and South Korea are knocked out early and the doubts around Qatar prove fatal. The key will be…

Will Australia survive the first cut?
FIFA’s voting process is simple: The 22-man (23 if Oceania gets its vote back) committee votes on their preferred bid, with the lowest scoring country eliminated at each round until there are just two left.

With the Asian vote set to be split by the four Asian bids, could Australia be the unlucky one left with the fewest votes and eliminated at the first round? It’s possible.

We are unlikely to get many (if any) votes from the four Asian representatives. The South Korean, Qatari (AFC President Mohamed Bin Hammam) and Japanese delegates will naturally vote for their own countries.

Remember, Australia is the only 2022 bidder without a representative on the committee. Australia, in theory, is already down one vote on their rivals – and that one vote could be critical in such a tight race.

With question marks around Oceania’s vote, following the corruption scandal, Australia lost a likely ally and another vote.

We need the goodwill of the likes of Sepp Blatter, Franz Beckenbauer, Michel Platini and co to get the necessary votes to progress.

Get past the first round and anything can happen, particularly if the Asian challengers fall by the wayside and Australia regains the Asian votes. But getting past that first round could be a big task in itself.

Is Qatar a genuine contender?
Favourites to land the 2022 World Cup according to some bookmakers, Qatar’s political influence seems to be overriding the obvious weaknesses of its bid – close proximity of stadiums to one another, heat, alcohol etc.

Qatar’s bid was criticised by FIFA’s technical committee for those reasons, but they appear to have some serious political weight behind them; fuelled by the riches from its oil reserves, which it has used to aggressively promote its bid and win favour with voting delegates with a series of promotional activities and joint ventures with, unsurprisingly, countries with voting representatives.

The allegations of collusion with Spain over voting for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments only showed how shrewd Qatar has been with its bid. And don’t forget they have Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President and Qatar’s own Mohamed Bin Hammam in their corner.

The FIFA voting delegates will be rightly criticised for ignoring the findings of their own report if they award Qatar the tournament. Their bid is arguably the weakest of the 2022 lot in terms of suitability, with same labeling it a fantasy to think they are capable of hosting the tournament (speaking of fantasy, check out their proposed stadia), but don’t be surprised if they are in the reckoning come the final vote.

Do South Korea and Japan stand a chance?
Co-hosts in 2002, South Korea and Japan are vying for sole staging rights just two decades later. But both will be hurt by that fact in this vote. With the vote being held only eight years after that World Cup, it’ll be hard for FIFA delegates to justify a vote for Japan and South Korea, no matter how impressive their bid.

Also, South Korea may be hurt by the increased tensions between them and their northern neighbours, North Korea, with the latest developments coming at arguably the worst time – on the brink of the vote.

They are rightly ranked as outsiders, but, as we’ve seen, the real danger for Australia is Japan and South Korea stealing votes in the early rounds.

Is the USA too tempting for FIFA?
The USA bid has made all the right noises: Political heavyweights such as Bill Clinton backing the bid; a string of world-class stadiums more than satisfying FIFA’s requirements (in terms of infrastructure, the USA can’t be beaten); and Major League Soccer (MLS) seemingly caving to Blatter’s demands to align its season schedule with the international calendar.

USA 1994 remains the most successful World Cup in history, and Americans continue to show their interest in the world game with huge ratings from the 2010 World Cup, not to mention the fact that Americans were second only to South Africans in terms of ticket sales.

But the domestic game could still use a boost that another World Cup would provide, particularly as the MLS expands and builds a second tier.

The USA matters to FIFA. It’s, arguably, the world game’s final frontier and the chance to go back and solidify the success of 1994 World Cup will be so tempting for the governing body.

Only the fact that they last hosted in 1994 will hurt them, but even then they would have had longer to wait than rivals Japan and South Korea. And compared to Qatar and Australia, America is strategically more important for the game’s development and economic growth, with a kinder time zone for Europe’s highly valued television audience (much kinder than Australia).

They should be considered favourites for 2022.

Does China 2026 come into the calculations?
No confederation can host consecutive World Cups, according to FIFA regulations. That ruling, along with FIFA’s desire to not keep the tournament away from Europe for too long, will haunt the four Asian bids.

China 2026 is looming in the background, and if the USA represents a hugely important market for FIFA, just imagine what they think of China – a global economic powerhouse who is a sleeping giant in football terms.

Will this come into FIFA’s consideration? China’s bid is still at a relatively early stage, but FIFA will be playing close attention to it and depending on what’s being discussed in FIFA headquarters, it could be playing on the delegates’ minds.

FIFA must surely be thinking that USA 2022 and China 2026 – consecutive World Cups in the world’s two economic and political superpowers – sounds pretty good.

How will Australia react to victory/defeat?
Make no mistake; the World Cup will be an economic and cultural boom for Australia.

PricewaterhouseCoopers, the international consultancy firm, predicts a $5.3bn boost to Australian GDP, along with the creation of 74,000 jobs.

If we get it, there will be an outpouring of emotion and relief – certainly within the football community, with the prospect of an Australian World Cup 12 years down the track sure to give the domestic game a huge shot in the arm, accompanied by a huge investment in the sport from various quarters.

If Qatar wins, we will ask why a country with no football history and adjudged by FIFA’s own technical committee to be far from suitable for a World Cup beat us out.

If Japan, South Korea or the USA win, we will ask why they deserve a second World Cup when we haven’t had the pleasure of one. Economic considerations will be adjudged to be more important than taking the game to a new frontier, if we lose.

Also, we must ask the pertinent question of whether Australia really cares about the decision. For us football fans, it’s a huge moment that ranks alongside THAT penalty shootout of November 2005.

But the Cup bid has been conspicuous by its failure to grasp mainstream Australian attention. Many will not even know Australia is bidding for a World Cup, considering how little advertising and marketing there has been within Australia.

Will there be the same sort of elation that accompanied Sydney’s win back in 1993? It’s hard to tell right now.

Hopefully I’m wrong and wider Australia cares.

We shall see in the early hours of Friday morning. Hopefully it’s elation and not disappointment.

 

[midfielder]

IMO Australians best Football writer Tony Tannous pens another good article...

Good read this one ....

http://www.theroar.com.au/2010/12/01/wc-win-would-be-icing-on-the-cake/

World Cup win would be icing on the cake


The thing about a game of football – 22 players on the pitch, two managers, a referee and his or her two assistants – is that, for the trained eye, you can get a decent enough read on it. The thing about Friday’s morning’s game, being played out in Zurich by 22 or more players, is that it’s just about impossible to get a read, even to those right in the mix.

Listening to the Frank Lowy, as we have done across numerous interviews over the past few weeks, the thing that resonates is his own lack of absolute faith in the system that surrounds him.

He says that the FIFA Executive Committee members tell him they like Australia, that they are friends of Australia, that they will vote for Australia, but then suggests they are likely to be saying the same things elsewhere.

It speaks to the machinations with the corridors of FIFA.

Who knows?

If one had to take a read on Lowy’s body-language over the past few weeks, you would say we’ve run a great, long race, but that we’ve faded a slight bit in the home straight.

Not that there’s any doubt that Lowy and his bid team have stayed the distance.

It’s just that others appear to be coming home strong, particular Qatar, who are reported to be making all the noise.

Money just might have the last say. Should we really be surprised if that’s the case?

Lowy knows a thing or three about that subject, but it is his love of football and Australia, and unifying the two, that has been driving him throughout this project.

He looks a tired man and those closest to him would likely admit he has aged more in the past couple of years than in the five or six before that. Looking at him from afar, the bid looks to have taken a toll.

Perhaps his biggest blow came at home, around the middle of the year, when the AFL and its leader, Andrew Demetriou, played hard-ball over grounds, schedules and whatever else he could think of.

For a country that needed to show FIFA that the whole nation was behind the bid, it wasn’t the greatest look.

Demetriou did anything but Come Play. It was more like complain.

If Lowy isn’t able to pull off his biggest win yet, it won’t be without trying. Indeed, Australia, and particularly its football followers, should be indebted to him, regardless of the outcome.

If there is one thing he has re-iterated throughout, it’s the message that the world’s showpiece is safe in our hands. Why would you risk it elsewhere, he has argued, hoping that, when push comes to shove, and others start to fall, that message will resonate more and more.

But it is a message also being espoused by the United States, who, like Qatar, also have the dollars.

Ultimately, it could be a battle between the dollars of Qatar, the sense of Australia and the dollars and sense of the USA.

Either way, Lowy and his crew have given it a fair crack, and Australia has undoubtedly made a favourable impression on the powers that be in Zurich.

The fact we are even in the mix is a story worth celebrating, but if Australia can survive till the last ballot, and somehow summon the 11 or 12 votes it needs, it will, to borrow a Lowy line, “be the icing on the cake.”

 

[midfielder]

Finally another article from the Roar .. looking at the future of Australian sport should we win..

http://www.theroar.com.au/2010/11/30/a-pivotal-moment-in-a-rich-history/

Friday’s decision pivotal to sport’s future in Australia

You can’t escape it can you? It’s a testament to the significance of Friday’s vote on who will host the 2022 World Cup that everywhere you look, it’s being discussed.

Even those who don’t normally write about the world game, have been giving their two cents worth over the last few days.

For me the anticipation started well over a week ago when conversations with others within the Australian football community started to regularly descend into a dissection of the bidding process and Australia’s chances. Since then, things have only gathered momentum.

In the early hours of yesterday morning as I drove home from a long overnight shift covering European football at SBS’ Sydney studios, I couldn’t stop thinking about what I will find myself going through after the final vote is cast by the FIFA executive committee.

It’s maddening, and for me, the next few days probably can’t go fast enough.

My concern is not because I think Australia can’t win or that failure will doom the game in this country, but because I see Friday’s decision as one of the most important moments thus far in the history of Australian football (the Crawford report remains the pinnacle as it is the catalyst for all that has come after it).

From my perspective it’s quite simple. The game in Australia will take one of two distinct paths once 12 men in Zurich finally manage to cast the same vote later this week.

If Australia is awarded the rights to host the 2022 World Cup, a huge boost to the game’s profile in this country will come along with it.

It won’t all be easy sailing for Football Federation Australia though and no matter what the final decision, there is still so much work left to be done at all levels of the game.

It’s a challenge that won’t be helped by an increase in hostilities between the different sporting codes as the fight for greater market share heats up.

Then we come to the other path Australia could take. The one that will leave a sinking feeling in the pits of countless stomachs across the country.

Part of the reason I’m so anxious about this decision is because, like everyone else in the football community, it will directly affect me, the game I’ve dedicated myself to and my career.

Of course football will go on in Australia, but I see a “football recession” in the game’s future if things don’t pan out in Zurich.

Like pruning a tree, cutting back some sections of the game may be necessary to help it gradually grow in the future and the football media will be hit hard.

While I’ll try to put this out of my mind, I suspect the next few days will be spent ruminating on the permutations of this possible outcome.

So while I could tell you the whispers I’ve heard about who’s vote is going where, or make a bold predictions about what I think will happen in Zurich on Friday, this is my reality.

Like many others, a large part of my mind will be wondering what the future holds for me as the 22 (or now possibly 23) executive committee members cast their votes.

Meanwhile there are already comforting sounds coming out of the Australian camp that plans are being formed for both eventualities.

News Limited writer David Davutovic tweeted that FFA chief executive Frank Lowy had told him, “Life will go on, the development of football in Australia will go on… With the bid in our pocket it would be a lot better.”

It’s pragmatic and honest from Lowy and while over the last few years I’ve had many doubts and concerns over the bid, I’m putting all that aside for the rest of this week.

My fingers are crossed, my hopes are high and I’m preparing myself for the worse.

But that’s ok.

After having sat through Iran ‘97, watched corrupt football administrators exploit the game throughout the 90s and still been able to enjoy the successes that have followed, I know we’ll be all right either way.

In the end Friday’s vote will be another part of the rich fabric of Australian football’s history. I just might be a little depressed for a few days after is all.

 

[pjennings]

One of the more balanced pieces I have seen.

Jamie Trecker from FoxSoccer.com.
Below, we examine each bid, ranked in the order we feel they will fall, choosing as our favorites Russia and the USA to host 2018 and 2022, respectively.

2022 ( USA, Australia, Qatar, South Korea, Japan) | Back to 2018

UNITED STATES

WHY: American soccer clout has grown exponentially since they hosted the 1994 World Cup, and two successive Women’s World Cups. America is now the world’s league consumer of soccer on television, and its corporate sponsors and broadcasters pay the lion’s share of the revenues that global soccer receives.

Locally, while MLS is not yet a world-class league in terms of talent or attention, it is a steady gainer, and is the lone successful major sports league start-up since the merger of the AFL and NFL. In the incredibly competitive and money-rich world of American sport, that’s darn impressive. A Cup would surely help this league climb over the top.

Last, but most important: A USA World Cup will make everyone very rich. No country can charge the ticket prices the USA can, nor is their any country on earth with the immigrant base to ensure that every team -- no matter how obscure -- will get rousing "home" support. The bid committee expects a repeat of 1994 in terms of enthusiasm and financial windfall -- and most neutrals would likely agree with them.

PROS: World-class facilities, guaranteed sellouts, top-tier ticket pricing, and bales of money to be made. Arguably the USA are the world leaders in terms of experience when it comes to hosting world sporting events. In fact, the USA are often the “Plan B” for major sporting events as the number of high-quality stadiums across the nation available on a moment’s notice are the envy of the sporting world.

CONS: Lots of folks just don’t like Americans, and some with good reason. The latest elections probably didn’t help this bid as they fuel concerns about possible economic cuts. Some stadiums have public transport problems, and the hot summer weather has been raised as a concern.

ODDS: 80%. The USA are considered the bookies’ favorite.

AUSTRALIA

WHY: Australia are the new soccer heavyweights in the Asian region (they used to be part of the far weaker Oceania,) and are looking to cement their already glittering worldwide reputation as sporting powers. Australia has extensive experience in hosting major sporting events: In fact, the World Cup is the only tournament the Aussies have never staged.
Australia argues that given the success of the A-League and the Socceroos, that it is time for them to stage the Cup on the only continent yet to stage the event. They point to their proximity to the emerging Asian middle class thanks to the tech boom and the growing clout of China, and feel they can sell out every game. Finally, their government is fully behind their bid, and prepared to back it with massive financial guarantees.

PROS: World-class facilities, immense passion and sporting knowledge; an emerging soccer league and an unquestioned ability to stage big events.

CONS: Australia is far away from many places, and transport is an issue. World broadcasters will have a say on where the Cup is staged. That’s small stuff; this is a very solid bid.

ODDS: 75% The Aussies are considered a close second.

QATAR

WHY: Qatar, immensely wealthy from enormous natural gas reserves, is attempting to become the first Middle Eastern state to host a World Cup. Some might think it would be best if Qatar actually qualified for one first, but that’s beside the point as far as the bidders are concerned. They are presenting their nation as an historic opportunity for FIFA to embrace the Arab and Muslim world, and in turn, are expected to open their society up to the West.

In theory, it is nothing short of audacious, and could have the same sociological impact on their country and region that the co-hosting of the 2002 Cup had on South Korea.

PROS: Bales and bales of cash, and a willingness to shovel it where they feel it needs to go. One of their most striking proposals is to air condition every stadium, shielding it from the brutal summer heat. It’s never been done, but most feel that if Qatar says they can do it, they can.

CONS: Where to begin? There are serious security risks in part due to the close proximity of the stadiums and games. Also, you cannot air-condition an entire country. FIFA has serious concerns over the summer heat and the health and welfare of not only the teams and the VIPs (heaven forbid!) but the lumpen fans as well. Nonetheless, given Qatar’s willingness to ladle out the money, this is anything but a dark-horse bid.
Were the climate a bit different, this might be a compromise shoo-in.

SOUTH KOREA

WHY: South Korea is bidding to host the World Cup in an effort to cement their place as the leaders in Asian football. They co-hosted the tournament with Japan in 2002 in an uneasy compromise that resulted in a memorable spectacle, and lots off off-field tensions between the historically antagonistic nations. That experience soured many in FIFA on the wisdom of having two countries co-host a tournament again.

PROS: Cash is not a problem as South Korea is willing to spend whatever it takes to get a Cup. Great facilities, superb transportation and an excellent infrastructure. The population is ardent about soccer, and one of the great moments at the modern World Cup was seeing the entire nation erupt as their team reached the semifinals.

CONS: Lodging is a concern: When Korea co-hosted the 2002 World Cup, the euphemistically named “love hotels” (exactly what you think they are) were turned over for the fans. Some of you might enjoy this little bit of sleaze, but many didn’t. A bigger question is their increasingly violent and erratic neighbor to the north, making security a major concern. Finally: Weren’t we just here? Twenty years is too soon.

ODDS: 10%. No chance.

JAPAN

WHY: Japan is third-best in soccer in Asia, and would like to be number one. The J-League is arguably the best in the region, and a World Cup would help deliver a massive kick in terms of attention and sponsorship. Also, many in Japan feel they were cheated out of the 2002 World Cup. In their view, they were forced to co-host the tournament with Korea, a nation they historically have had poor relations with. Japan’s hyper-modernity is a selling point.

PROS: Gorgeous facilities, great transport, unswerving dedication to detail. Japan is a hyper-modern nation with a passionate soccer fan base and the unquestioned ability to pull off a major event.

CONS: Japan isn’t cheap, and while FIFA doesn’t often think of the fans, that’s going to be a factor. Also: Weren’t we just here? Again, twenty years is too soon.

ODDS: 5% Even less chance.

http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/worldcup/story/usa-world-cup-2022-bid-the-world-cup-seeks-a-new-home

 

[midfielder]

Frank Speaks about our chance and issues over the last few days including that Oceania cannot get their vote.

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/video/359706/Lowy-states-Australia's-case

 

[midfielder]

As mentioned above Oceania cannot get to vote..

PS Curious very good and balanced article from the US you posted...

http://www.worldfootballinsider.com/Story.aspx?id=33944


Australia 2022 Bid on Brink as Temarii Holds On

December 1, 2010 Temarii was suspended for a year after falling victim to a British newspaper sting (Getty) (WFI) Australia's World Cup bid is in real jeopardy after suspended OFC President Reynald Temarii confirmed that he is continuing with his bid to clear his name, thus ending the possibility of Oceania having a say in tomorrow's vote to host the 2018 and 2022 finals.

Temarii is currently suspended from football for one year after allegations made by him in a Sunday Times sting in October, and his right to vote on the fate of the 2018 and 2022 tournament was removed.

The OFC vote was the one nailed on vote the Australian bid - the only candidate without its own Exco member - could rely upon. Australian media suggests that the bid strategy is reliant on getting past the first two rounds of voting and relying on second votes to overcome bid favourites the USA and Qatar.

It is understood that Temarii had agreed to back the Spain-Portugal bid in the first round of 2018 voting, although England were targeting his mooted replacement David Chung.

On Monday FIFA confirmed to INSIDER in a statement that Chung could take Temarii's place if due process was followed - namely that Temarii formally accepted his suspension.

"Any pending process must have been finalised and the relevant decision must have become final and binding," said FIFA.

Reuters reports Temarii released a statement through his lawyer that says that he had decided to fight on with his appeal.

"On November 18, 2010, the FIFA Ethics Committee cleared me of all corruption charges but decided my suspension for one year beginning on October 20, 2010, for charges whose nature and grounds I still do not know.

"Since then, I am waiting for a reasoned decision in order to exercise my right to appeal.

"Despite pressures and issues at stake for the OFC, I decided not to waive this fundamental right to restore my honour, dignity and integrity following the calumnious accusations I suffered from the Sunday Times."

On Sunday Australia's bid leader Frank Lowy said he believed that Oceania would be allowed to vote but later dampened expectations, saying the matter was out of his team's control.

Temarii's decision comes at the end of a bad 24 hours for the Australian bid. A report by the consultancy McKinsey ranked them bottom for commercial revenue from 2022 bid candidates and they again came second last in INSIDER Bid Power Index from the pool of 2022 hopefuls. The defensive mood in the Australia camp was epitomised by the decision to bar virtually all non-Australian media from a press briefing in Zurich on Tuesday.

 

[midfielder]

Phillip Noyce who prepared our final presentation is a little nervous...

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/news/1034161/Noyce-feeling-the-pressure


Noyce feeling the pressure


Acclaimed director Phillip Noyce isn't used to putting on a large-scale production for 22 people, but he was happy to make an exception.

Noyce is used to ordering around some of Hollywood's biggest names such as Angelina Jolie and Harrison Ford, and directing films costing tens of millions of dollars.

However, he was really feeling the pressure this week in his efforts to piece together Australia's final pitch to FIFA powerbrokers for the 2022 World Cup on Wednesday (2pm local time, midnight AEDT) in Zurich.

"A lot of pressure, a lot of pressure," he said.

"Strange to make a film for an audience of 22 but hopefully it will lead to millions of people being able to share the experience of watching the World Cup in Australia."

The director of such movies as Dead Calm, Patriot Games and Rabbit-Proof Fence gave few details about the crucial performance.

He said the daughter of famous Aboriginal activist and football player Charlie Perkins, Rachel Perkins, had a hand in the production while award-winning brother and sister folk duo, Angus and Julia Stone were involved in the musical side.

The half-hour show had a decent audience, make no mistake about that.

Some 80 nations are believed to be taking live footage.

It is just that it is only the voting FIFA executive members that matter.

Hugh Jackman, Cathy Freeman and Ian Thorpe's involvements have already been confirmed in the 30-minute show.

"I will just say that we have some very unexpected appearances in these movies and the names you have mentioned are just the beginning," he said.

Noyce said if the bid aided Australia's cause in winning Thursday's (Friday morning AEDT) vote that it would be up there with his highest achievements.

"As a supporter of football and someone that enjoyed the ascent of the Socceroos it would be I suppose the achievement of a lifetime," he said.

"I love football."

 

[midfielder]

From Frank...

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/news/1034073/Lowy:-Time-is-right-for-Australia


Lowy: Time is right for Australia

Frank Lowy has urged FIFA to shake off its Euro-centric shackles and accept adverse time differences that would stem from holding the World Cup in Australia.

With the nation's bid for the 2022 tournament to be decided on Thursday (Friday morning AEDT) in Zurich, the inspiration behind Australia's campaign said that European movers and shakers had to recognise the Asian region's growing influence in the world.

:: Watch the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup host announcement LIVE from Zurich at 1.55am on Friday 3 December 3 on SBS ONE and online at www.sbs.com.au/theworldgame

One of the few negatives in Australia's campaign has been concerns surrounding the loss of television revenue because of inconvenient times for the lucrative European and North American markets.

Lowy felt such fears were unwarranted as Australia attempt to outflank its rivals by winning over FIFA delegates in the remaining hours before the vote.

"I think we need to recognise there is no such thing as the centre of the world," Lowy said.

"Someone always has to be up at four o'clock in the morning, let's hope that it is not going to be us.

"I know it is overplayed and that Europeans play it very hard but we must recognise that the world has changed.

"The pendulum has swung a long time ago, from Europe to the Americas to Asia and the Asia-Pacific and now it is the turn of that part of the world and that is where we are.

"People use that as an inconvenient time to watch but wherever you are, even if you are in Paris or Los Angeles that is eight hours time difference."

Some nine of the members of FIFA's normally 24-man executive committee hail from Europe.

There will be 22 or 23 officials with voting rights this week, depending on whether Oceania will be allowed to cast a vote following the one-year suspension of Reynald Temarii.

FIFA has taken its flagship event, from which it generates most of its money, to frontier regions in recent decades with tournaments in the USA (1994), South Korea and Japan (2002) and South Africa (2010).

The venture to South Korea and Japan is the precedent for a World Cup being held in a time zone similar to that of Australia.

If Australia does miss out this time, it could be decades before the nation is in such a strong position again so close to voting.

Only Qatar and the USA are viewed as serious threats in the battle to put on the 2022 tournament.

"If you don't succeed for whatever reason, it is not going to be easy for next time because there is also a rotation," Lowy said.

"That all depends on whether Asia gets it or some other continent gets it.

"There are so many permutations about these things, of course (if) Asia gets it and not us, we would have to wait at least another two World Cups."

Not that he had thought long and hard about the possibility of defeat.

"I don't like plan Bs, I don't like them, I don't make them," he said.

Lowy said he had no idea how the voting would play out.

"We are adding up every day four or five times, adding a name, taking a name off and vice versa and everybody probably does the same thing," he said.

 

[midfielder]

Both SBS via the TWG site and FIFA are streaming the 30 minute presentation developed by Phillip Noyce at 11:55 tonight ... wonders aloud why SBS are not showing it live on SBS TV...

 

[adz]

It's live on Fox Sports News and www.foxsports.com.au - I think the website will be showing the other presentations as well.