If everyone who opposed this World Cup boycotted all connection to it, there would be very low audiences, low visits to the country, low advertising revenue etc etc. This is what makes a difference. anyone who believes their own actions are not important add to the problem. ‘Inertia creeps’ (massive attack).
FIFA is not fit for purpose, the structure as it is at present will always end up with decisions like this because small nations in Africa and the like have the same voting power as the heavyweights in world football, and are much more easily bought, apart from Platini of cause.
48 hours to go and alcohol is banned - I wonder if that's front page in other countiies - cant see Iran getting exercised as much as the UK tabloids
The advertising and sponsorship revenue was guaranteed a long time ago, it wouldn't change now even if nobody watches it, at least not for this World Cup. Though they should obviously never been allowed to host it and the whole thing is already turning into a bit of a farce, once the football starts, I suspect most people will still watch it.
The fact Qatari officials are having to hire South Asian migrant workers in Qatar to pose as fans of European and South American countries shows how little interest genuine fans have for this tournament.
As Dixon of Dock Green almost said "Good night all" instead of "Evening all" Edit: Apologies to TwoWrights, hadn't seen your earlier post as you got in first.
From a fan perspective Qatar was always going to be a non starter. It’s just a bad bad choice all round.
So shock horror newspaper headlines about booze don't really natter if no genuine fans are there anyway. Migrant workers who are there already can't afford to buy the booze anyway
"If everyone who opposed this World Cup boycotted all connection to it"....There wouldn't be one,full stop.
We'll see what happens when the football actually starts but currently the excitement level in the country seems to be reaching slight sniffle rather than fever pitch. No meaningless warm up games to whet the appetite, no optimistic and slightly unhinged supporters making their way to the host country by somewhat unconventional means, no irritating media hype such as catchy but cringyworthy songs or third rate comedians desperately trying to enhance their floundering careers by surfing the waves of Planet Footy. Anyway, even if we win - which we won't - it'll ruin one of my favourite chants: Two World Wars and two World Cups, (One of which came at the cost of selling our souls to Mammon) Doo dah, Doo dah.
It’s very much damp squib. Having grown up well away from Hull, and close friends supporting such a variation of clubs, England has always been the highlight of the football calendar for most of us where we can get together and get behind the same team. This time it’s just ‘meh’. As if it’s a friendly/exhibition tournament. Everything about it just feels wrong and nobody is excited about it. Case in point everyone would be looking to take the day off after an evening World Cup game, nobody is taking Monday off, with a “I’ll try and catch bits on my phone at work” attitude.
I was actually going to ask the question about how England's Towns,City's and Villages are preparing for this,obviously it's impossible for me to gauge up North. There are usually thousands of flags and banners hanging from people's Windows and cars in England,any evidence of that?
I've just heard the remake of Three Lions... And now I know that football is at an end. For ****s sake.
No England flags out yet and no one wearing that awful shirt, it's going to be a low key start and retro shirts only.
No, not in Hull. Not even for the RL World Cup, in this, the capital of rugby league. Isn't the final of such this weekend between the winners, Australia and the country who England beat 80-0 in an earlier round, but knocked mighty England out in the semi's? Who mentioned Mickey Mouse?
Nothing at all, my local is usually decked out, beer garden rearranged to accommodate a large standing crowd around a big projector screen with a pop up bar outside (obviously the wrong time of year for that) but that’s the kind of effort they put in to England tournaments. This year? “All World Cup games shown live here” chalked on the little blackboard outside the door.
