Qatar 2022?

[SLAMMED]

Yes

[TBM]

do they really?

Is it a trick question?

Or were the supporters cardboard cut-outs in South Africa?

[papereyes]

Platini now saying 2022 World Cup could be held across the gulf region and not just in Qatar

As I mentioned before, if so does that mean all the gulf states will qualify automatically as hosts?

Platini's quote in the papers today was along the lines of it'll be hosted by Qatar but staged around the gulf. And also, its 12 years, who'll remember who said what in 12 years time?

[Wax Jacket]

WRT to the players they'll get the rules sorted out in time so as to give anybody who's desperate to play for Qatar enough time to qualify through residency. Expect a lot of Brazilians in the home team.

[Hoop Blah]

WRT to the players they'll get the rules sorted out in time so as to give anybody who's desperate to play for Qatar enough time to qualify through residency. Expect a lot of Brazilians in the home team.

That's a good point. Brazillians and Africans too I bet. It'll be like one big Arsenal Academy out there but without these players playing a decent standard of football they should struggle to develop a strong enough side (I'm assuming they'll have to live in Qatar for a couple of years or something and not be able to play elsewhere too easily).

I'd expect them to be a bit like North Korea at the last World Cup in that regard. Lots of time to prepare but just without the competitive edge of a weaker European or South American team.

The whole decision just looks more of a joke as they unravel the implications though.

[prostak]

So you think they can't turn the heads of young Brazilians and other non-Qatari kids, regardless of ability or chances of representing their 'home' nation, with bags of cash? Premier League, Bundesliga and international sides will jump at the chance to earn a nice fee while expanding their markets, too, so there will be plenty of games against top opposition. It could be the death of whatever ounce of Corinthian spirit remains in the international game.

[papereyes]

They've been doing it already though. Its just its hard to persuade someone to play for, say, Qatar when they don't qualify for major tournaments. Qatar have about three or four 'naturalised' players. I was watching a brief bit of the Asian Cup and they had some chap called Fabio Cesar Montezine in the squad.

[Hoop Blah]

So you think they can't turn the heads of young Brazilians and other non-Qatari kids, regardless of ability or chances of representing their 'home' nation, with bags of cash? Premier League, Bundesliga and international sides will jump at the chance to earn a nice fee while expanding their markets, too, so there will be plenty of games against top opposition. It could be the death of whatever ounce of Corinthian spirit remains in the international game.

They can turn their heads yes. Can they build a decent side out of that talent? I very much doubt it.

Playing friendlies against top league or international sides now and again is miles away from playing competitive football and I'm assuming that to be nationalised and eligable for Qatar they'll have to live there for quite some time and therefore be out of top flight football whilst doing so.

[TBM]

Asian football chief Mohamed Bin Hammam has ruled out moving the 2022 World Cup in Qatar from summer to winter or sharing matches around the Gulf region.

Fifa has said a request from the Qatar Football Association is needed for date changes to be discussed, which Bin Hammam has insisted will not happen.

He also dismissed any chance of a "Gulf World Cup", as suggested by the Uefa president Michel Platini this week.

"We're not interested. Qatar can stand alone and organise by itself," he said.

"We are very happy and we are promising the world that we are going to organise an amazing World Cup in June and July," the Asia Football Confederation president, who is from Qatar, added.

[Royal With Cheese]

Asian football chief Mohamed Bin Hammam has ruled out moving the 2022 World Cup in Qatar from summer to winter or sharing matches around the Gulf region.

Fifa has said a request from the Qatar Football Association is needed for date changes to be discussed, which Bin Hammam has insisted will not happen.

He also dismissed any chance of a "Gulf World Cup", as suggested by the Uefa president Michel Platini this week.

"We're not interested. Qatar can stand alone and organise by itself," he said.

"We are very happy and we are promising the world that we are going to organise an amazing World Cup in June and July," the Asia Football Confederation president, who is from Qatar, added.

Fair play to him. Fcuk off FIFA.

[PieEater]

I wondered about the relevance of the quote from some chap is Asia until I read the last 3 words of the article.

[Y21_Royal]

It's brilliant that UEFA and FIFA have no idea what to do with WC22. They're throwing all these ridiculous ideas around and Qataris have, quite rightly told them where to go. They gave them to WC on the basis of it being in the summer and in Qatar, if either of those factors is a problem now, you'd think someone might have brought it up before the decision.

But then we all know that those kind of practicalities have no place in a WC bid

[Hoop Blah]

I hadn't realised the head of the Asian federation was Mr Qatar. I guess that's another reason why they managed to secure someof the votes.

Fair play to them for standing on their own two feet, but now we're back to the horrible idea of the tournament being played in oven like conditions.

[TBM]

I hadn't realised the head of the Asian federation was Mr Qatar. I guess that's another reason why they managed to secure someof the votes.

Fair play to them for standing on their own two feet, but now we're back to the horrible idea of the tournament being played in oven like conditions.

If its all air conditioned then it shouldn't really be a problem, should it?

[cmonurz]

I hadn't realised the head of the Asian federation was Mr Qatar. I guess that's another reason why they managed to secure someof the votes.

Fair play to them for standing on their own two feet, but now we're back to the horrible idea of the tournament being played in oven like conditions.

If its all air conditioned then it shouldn't really be a problem, should it?

Unless you are going to build the entire World Cup in a Truman Show-style bubble, players and fans will be subjected to the heat. It's not just about matchday and training sessions. Also have to consider players being couped up in hotels unable to go out anywhere.

[Y21_Royal]

I hadn't realised the head of the Asian federation was Mr Qatar. I guess that's another reason why they managed to secure someof the votes.

Fair play to them for standing on their own two feet, but now we're back to the horrible idea of the tournament being played in oven like conditions.

Isn't one of the theory's that Bin Hamman was going to stand against Blatter for the FIFA presidency and the WC was used to buy him off?

I read somewhere that with the stadium air conditioning that it'll be fine so long as there's no wind...

[prostak]

I'm assuming that to be nationalised and eligable for Qatar they'll have to live there for quite some time and therefore be out of top flight football whilst doing so.

Who do you think determines whether or not they're eligible for Qatari passports?

[TBM]

I hadn't realised the head of the Asian federation was Mr Qatar. I guess that's another reason why they managed to secure someof the votes.

Fair play to them for standing on their own two feet, but now we're back to the horrible idea of the tournament being played in oven like conditions.

If its all air conditioned then it shouldn't really be a problem, should it?

Unless you are going to build the entire World Cup in a Truman Show-style bubble, players and fans will be subjected to the heat. It's not just about matchday and training sessions. Also have to consider players being couped up in hotels unable to go out anywhere.

Its only 3-4 weeks and most of the places in the country will be air-conditioned.....if the training ground and stadiums are air conditioned then thats the players sorted as the other times will be spend in their hotel rooms, they are not there on holiday.

[Wax Jacket]

it's a hell of a lot of a/c that's needed. having been to Saudi in May I can confirm that the heat is brutal, no other word for it

[frimmers3]

i still contend that the "world cup" is a busted flush.no mystery or romance lingers with regard to a once great red letter day in the football calendar.