2022 World Cup

This just gets worse and only what's leaked out so far

40 England supporters will receive free flights and accommodation Qatar, £60 a day in spending money loaded onto a Visa card, and complimentary tickets to World Cup matches.

Qatar made the supporters sign a "code of conduct" in order to become spies, The Times reported.

The group of fans is understood to include four members of the England band, including leader John Hemmingham. They will be sat in groups and told to sing at appropriate times for the television cameras.


https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/2032...9PrfL2kdw4eoSeZ-9I8HBcyth4#Echobox=1668179991

 

If that's true Smug there's only one thing to say
Unbelievable Jeff.

 

I listened to the Football Weekly podcast last week, where they talked about the same thing being proven about groups of Welsh and Dutch fans. In addition, there's a number of academics now, largely out of America who are playing down and defending Qatar's human rights record - it doesn't take a genius to know where their funding is coming from.

Phillipe Auclair (a journalist) was very articulate about this and he appears to be one of the investigative journalists who writes for the website https://josimarfootball.com/

There's a number of investigative articles on there into various corruption and financial dodgy dealings within football, not surprisingly around Qatar, Man City, Barcelona but also very specifically about mysterious Asian gambling companies that appear to be at the forefront of unprecedented money laundering and using the Premier League to do it. Corruption is more deeply embedded into our game than even the most cynical amongst us would think.

 

Is the same Kalvin Phillips who played every game in theast euros, including the final. Is it the same one who a year ago was voted England Mens player of the year. The fella is a super player and alongside Rice England looked dominant in the middle. He is fit enough again to be in the City squad so he is one of the first names on the teamsheet for me.

 

The problem with enquiries into States is that they can easily cover things up. We all know the Saudis own Newcastle and have created the flimsiest cover stories since Oscar Pistorios. Even if Qatar are 'found guilty' of extreme corruption what possible punishment could they receive ....

... it's not like we can stone them to death is it.

 

England 10/1 looks a cracking bet to me. We are a tournament team now and know how to go to the end. Reece James is massive blow, but it means we probably see Trippier in who is a superb player, and a real set piece threat. Roll on, cant wait personally.

 

I'm not sure Phillips deserved to be in the squad, but I can completely understand why he was.

People accuse Southgate of having double standards, picking favourites etc. but then they do the same in their criticism.

Fikayo Tomori is the prime example. Some are criticising Southgate for picking Maguire based on his rubbish form, but then also criticise him for leaving someone like Tomori out who is in rubbish form. When it comes to a choice between two out of form players, Southgate will rightly pick the player who performs well for England 9 times out of 10, the player who he knows fits into the dressing room and with the squad well, the player with big game experience.

Phillips is another example. Maybe not playing much, but there's no-one standing out in the same position, Ward-Prowse is possibly the only realistic alternative and he's been very poor all season.

I argued that I'd have taken Tammy Abraham, but when I look more closely at his form this season, he doesn't deserve it.

Rightly or wrongly, a proven player gets the benefit of the doubt, based on what they've done, until someone rips their place from them and makes it impossible to be ignored.

 

Not for me. Just because he had one good tournament doesn’t mean he gets a lifetime pass to be picked for every one, He hasn’t had any game time this season so there’s no way he’s going to be up to scratch.

However, that is your opinion and you are entitled to it, so fully respect that.

 

Just watched motd and shearer seemed just a tad over defensive of Wilson being picked ahead of Toney

 

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?st...C8aA6isEtdZTHitaXKQhK3DAJl&id=100044241166708

 

All well and good, but Southgate always said you had to be fit and playing . He also used to espouse the virtues of youth over experience.

He's a different manager now, clinging to comfort blankets IMO. The prospect of Maguire and Dier facing any good forward running at them is a horror to contemplate. They were never quick, and they are both slower now.

Maybe the quarters. Maybe. But I wouldn't faint in shock if we were knocked out in the group stages.

 

Pretend fans at the pretend World Cup

These tossers obviously think they can fool everyone as if we're all as gullible as Newcastle supporters ...

... and this is just the start.

 

Are they going to give themselves false names like the Indian call centres, Barry and Dave?

 

who is this ****?

 

The problem is you have Tarkowski at Everton who has been good all season in a bad team you also have toney at Brentford playing well these are just a couple of more suggestions that may have fit the bill. I personally am not a fan of Southgate as I think he is tactically not good and makes poor in game decisions. He does however have a luxury of picking from a very talented pool of attacking players to help but his tactics are to play defensively so we will have to see where that leads us as a nation

 

It's not as if he's left Tarkowski out because he's playing in a bad team though. He's picked Pickford and Coady out of the same defence. The other defender that people say has been in good form is Dan Burn. The problem you have with these players though is that they're doing well in teams that are used to being defensively solid,playing deeper and clearing the ball first. England are a team that will have possession for the lion's share of games and have to be good on the ball. It's a totally different style of play.

Toney has a valid shout but he doesn't offer anything different, he's a pure back up for Kane. Wilson deserved the nod ahead of him and Rashford offers more. There's a case for taking Toney in addition though.

Look at all of the debates though, people are complaining over who the 25th or 26th man should be. It's very minor. It's like Sunderland fans arguing over whether Dejaku should be in the squad or we should have Jack Diamond in there instead. Sure, we can discuss it but at the end of the day, no-one wants them ahead of Clarke and if he ever gets injured, we'd all want to see Benette.

 

To be fair I only gave them as other options I am more worried about style of play as I think that we will be in a defensive set up throughout the tournament which I think will cost us in the knockout stages. And as GS has alluded to he believes that the best way to be successful in tournaments is when playing defensively

 

Unbelievable Jeff