No World Cup Yet

The slightly good thing about being ill, not working Monday to Friday and being snowed in enough to make you not want to go out is good old Television and, more to the point, the announcement of the FIFA World Cup hosts for 2018 and 2022.

I was flicking on and off the coverage from EuroSport, SkySports News and BBC 2 but wasn't really bothered about the announcement at 3:30pm today.

I've been trying to raise feelings for holding the Olympics and I'd nod and smile if you ask me if it's good but secretly I'm not too passionate either way.

Anyway, England were up against Russia, Spain and Portugal and Holland and Belgium. The Telegraph has how the voting went down, with England only getting two votes, meaning first round elimination - that's even worse than on the pitch ;)

And we had a lot of people over there to support us didn't we? Prince William, David Beckham, Boris Johnson, Alan Shearer, a whole host of other ministers and David Cameron (who flew to Zurich, back for PM's questions, then back to Zurich again...)

In the end, the winner was Russia. I am sure people will debate the politics, such as the Panorama programme / Sunday Times and the legitimacy of FIFA officials but what's done is done and after all this is only a game.

Sure, it would have done a lot for the host cities and surrounding economies but we have had it once, albeit in 1966, while Russia haven't. We may have the facilities already, give or take, and Russia may not but that seems to be the way the FIFA members are voting doesn't it?

The last World Cup in South Africa, the next in Brazil (if they can get it ready in time) and 2018 in Russia.

Now, onto where I spent a majority of 2009. Australia. They were bidding for the 2022 World Cup with United States, Qatar, Japan and South Korea.

I think countries that have already held the World Cup in recent history should be out if other contenders are not absolutely hapless. So bye bye USA and Japan and South Korea. (Even if 2002 was a joint bid that still counts in my tinted glasses).

But Australia were eliminated in the first round with ONE VOTE as Qatar won the right to host the 2022 tournament. I can get my head around England being unsuccessful, but Australia losing out to Qatar?! And USA just missing out, poor that.

I know next to nothing about Qatar, except it will be the first Middle East country to host a World Cup, so don't rely on my opinions here read some of the potential problems and solutions in this BBC report or in this opinion piece of Duncan White's from the Telegraph.

Let's see how it matches up from what I have read about Qatar to seen in Australia.

1) Facilities - Plenty of time for this to be changed but Australia gets this round currently. Qatar say they will spend £4bn on facilities, including nine new stadiums. Australia has (off the top of my head) Etihad stadium, Sydney Olympic Park, MCG, SCG, WACA and the Gabba.

2) Temperature - We saw in South Africa when it was a bit toasty how slow the game was and (ultimately) boring for us spectators. Qatar can reach 50 degrees around the time the games will be held- I spent a short time in 40 degrees which was hot enough! But it is more Spring coming into summer in the land Down Under. Qatar say stadiums will be climate-controlled - I'll sit on the fence to see how that works.

3) Influx of people - Football fans going to the Middle East. Maybe a bit of paranoia but in a relatively closed Islamic nation? You can do your own adding up on that one. Australia hosts the Ashes and has had the Olympics which is closer than Qatar has come to this level of foreigners invading for a month or so.

Things like hotels and transport can be done in the 12 years they have so there is no point picking straws on those topics. It is good to see countries getting a chance, South Africa pulled it off but whether Brazil, Russia and Qatar will remains to be seen.

So, my two favoured countries have missed out. I'm not going to sulk as it's only a game and all those non-footy heads in England and Australia will be delighted as the media coverage would have been everywhere all the time, so they get to relax for at least a few more years.

In summary, with the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the 2010 in South Africa and after England got 100 per cent from a report by management consultants McKinsey given to FIFA, it wasn't the best technical bid they were after. It was either the noble thing of giving other countries and continents a chance or giving their pockets a payday.