Two weeks until the World Cup

[benjii]

Anyone give a shit?

What a load of rubbish.

[AlexLaw76]

Interesting one.  Not many World Cups ago, it was suggested that a winter World Cup would suit. the premier league based players / England player better, as it was suggested that those playing in England / England players are burnt out when a summer World Cups comes around.

 

However......

[Wade Garrett]

Couldn’t give a toss.  
 

FIFA delegate receivers of the Qatar brown envelopes - hang your heads in shame.

Thousands of poor migrant workers have died building the stadiums (don’t listen to the bullshit Qatari stats ).  The rest have been treated like slaves.

Still don’t worry lads.  As long as Harry wears a rainbow armband ( how brave ), everything will be alright.

[benjii]

22 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Interesting one.  Not many World Cups ago, it was suggested that a winter World Cup would suit. the premier league based players / England player better, as it was suggested that those playing in England / England players are burnt out when a summer World Cups comes around.

 

However......

That's a sports science / performance consideration. May very well be true. Remains to be seen.

But that's not the World Cup. The World Cup is the fan experience, the mingling, the colour, the inhibition, the build up. Summer evenings, beer gardens, BBQ and the match, the gap between football seasons. Anticipation etc.

This is shite.

[SNSUN]

It's a farce. I'm not against hot climate World Cups but there are dozens of nations who have done more for football (or had more interest in football like most African nations for example) that should have deserved it before the big money of Qatar got it's hands on it. I don't like a winter WC but if they are going to have one I do think it should have been done in, say, January when people are pretty depressed post-Christmas and there's fuck all happening otherwise. I missed not sitting in a pub garden in the sunshine getting my WC fix this summer. Shame on all those that agreed to it in 2010.

 

All that said... I've got 2 weeks leave from the 20th so can actually watch a large chunk of group games, which I rarely get a chance to, so I'm quite excited on a personal level.

[whelk]

1 hour ago, benjii said:

Anyone give a shit?

What a load of rubbish.

I think I am going to get annoyed at myself getting sucked in when it starts but a fucking disgrace these bastards being awarded it. Then making disposable migrants work in 45 degrees til they die is beyond contempt. 
Would have loved a few European countries to have boycotted the thing. Actually agree with what Klopp was saying about expectations of players being unfair. They are not the problem it’s these fucking corrupt associations.

Edited 5 November, 2022 by whelk

[whelk]

And what the fuck are Iran doing in it!

[JRM]

30 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

Couldn’t give a toss.  
 

FIFA delegate receivers of the Qatar brown envelopes - hang your heads in shame.

Thousands of poor migrant workers have died building the stadiums (don’t listen to the bullshit Qatari stats ).  The rest have been treated like slaves.

Still don’t worry lads.  As long as Harry wears a rainbow armband ( how brave ), everything will be alright.

This made me laugh, Qatar certainly knows how to bribe people 

 

[Wurzel]

As a kid (and even a young man) the WC Wall Chart would already be up and I'd be getting more excited every day it got nearer. For 4 weeks my social life would be arranged around the fixtures

Today, many years on, I'm not even sure without checking who England have in their group, let alone all the qualifiers, and certainly unaware of the dates of our fixtures. For a multitude of reasons this just doesn't seem a "real" WC.

I'm against it on footballing, political, humanitarian and prejudice reasons, yet no doubt like all tournaments when it starts I shall get sucked in and still be watching the first few games - I can't see how not watching a free to air programme forms any kind of relevant protest - but I'm already thinking it's going to need something extra special to keep me interested after the first few days.

 

 

[trousers]

I'm more worried about the thread title being horribly out of date in a few days time

[egg]

It's bollocks. Winter for a start. Interrupting seasons. Players playing in crazy heat. Not a football country as host.

Then the deeper issue of the obvious corruption to stage it. Horrific treatment of workers, and massive loss of life. Their human rights record. The anti LGBT stuff. The properly shite fan experience.

I've always been excited about world cups, but not this one. It's shouldn't be happening there, or at this time year. 

It's bollocks. 

[Dorchester Saint]

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/32461/12737790/qatar-world-cup-fifa-writes-to-teams-and-says-focus-on-the-football-not-ideological-or-political-battle-that-exists

 

LOL!!! You couldn’t make this shit up!! 

[CB Fry]

Hardly the biggest issue with the whole thing but it's a real shame that an entire generation of kids - say 12 year olds now - don't get a proper world cup summer.

I was 12 nearly 13 for for Italia 90 and it made a huge impression on me.

[benjii]

17 minutes ago, egg said:

It's bollocks. Winter for a start. Interrupting seasons. Players playing in crazy heat. Not a football country as host.

Then the deeper issue of the obvious corruption to stage it. Horrific treatment of workers, and massive loss of life. Their human rights record. The anti LGBT stuff. The properly shite fan experience.

I've always been excited about world cups, but not this one. It's shouldn't be happening there, or at this time year. 

It's bollocks. 

To be fair, it's not going to be crazy heat. It's low 30s during the day and 20s in the evening and temperatures will drop during the tournament. It's cooler than a summer World Cup would be in a lot of places.

[Saint Fan CaM]

I retired this year and one of the first benefits I realised was going to be possible was watching as many of the daytime games as I wanted. Since being a kid I’ve always liked the big ceremony of the World Cup and the chance to see how the likes of Brazil are playing compared to our players. However, the excitement for this coming tournament has been significantly subdued largely due to the controversy surrounding it. I’ll still be watching a good number of games though because I can!

Like so many things for those of us of a certain age, the now doesn’t seem to match up to the expectations of the ‘glorious’ past. Back in the 60’s-80’s life’s experience’s had some substance, rather than the corrupt, superficial, fake news, throw-away society we live in now. Rant over…I need some caffeine!

[JRM]

42 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

Hardly the biggest issue with the whole thing but it's a real shame that an entire generation of kids - say 12 year olds now - don't get a proper world cup summer.

I was 12 nearly 13 for for Italia 90 and it made a huge impression on me.

Completely agree I was 9, Italia 90 the music the warm weather, I loved watching the games in the evening then heading into school to recreate the goals next morning, had a Complete ring binder collection thing that had to be bought in parts for weeks building up to World Cup,  it was also at the end of 89/90 season when watching Saints had been brilliant as well but all felt magic. 

 

Edited 5 November, 2022 by JRM

[whelk]

1 hour ago, JRM said:

This made me laugh, Qatar certainly knows how to bribe people 

 

Are they going to be singing ‘There’s only one fucking Allah, one fucking allah’?

[whelk]

Just now, JRM said:

Completely agree I was 9, Italia 90 the music the warm weather, I loved watching the games in the evening then heading into school to recreate the goals next morning, had a Complete ring binder collection thing that had to be bought in parts for weeks building up to World Cup,  it was also at the end of 89/90 season when watching Saints had been brilliant as well but all felt magic. 

 

Don’t forget you didn’t have the internet. Childhoods can never be the same when everything is filmed and shared.

[JRM]

2 minutes ago, whelk said:

Are they going to be singing ‘There’s only one fucking Allah, one fucking allah’?

Would be funny if they pan over to England section and they're just singing Qatar is a shithole I wanna go home 

[AlexLaw76]

1 hour ago, benjii said:

That's a sports science / performance consideration. May very well be true. Remains to be seen.

But that's not the World Cup. The World Cup is the fan experience, the mingling, the colour, the inhibition, the build up. Summer evenings, beer gardens, BBQ and the match, the gap between football seasons. Anticipation etc.

This is shite.

True that

[Suhari]

Could not give a fuck about it.

Which is a shame.

[whelk]

1 hour ago, CB Fry said:

Hardly the biggest issue with the whole thing but it's a real shame that an entire generation of kids - say 12 year olds now - don't get a proper world cup summer.

I was 12 nearly 13 for for Italia 90 and it made a huge impression on me.

Italia90 best tournament in my lifetime. I expect someone will say how fortunate etc. but not been repeated since IMO

[Badger]

1 hour ago, CB Fry said:

Hardly the biggest issue with the whole thing but it's a real shame that an entire generation of kids - say 12 year olds now - don't get a proper world cup summer.

I was 12 nearly 13 for for Italia 90 and it made a huge impression on me.

Interesting point.

Mexico 1970 for me. There was something monumental about it which left us in awe.

But things were obviously different , black and white tv (fairly grainy pictures at time as I recall), and part of the fascination was that it was being shown live from across the world. Now taken for granted.
 

Perhaps one of the big differences was that we held up the national team and manager as heroes, and we didn’t let the inter-club rivalry get in the way of it (or maybe I was too young to do so).

Edited 5 November, 2022 by Badger

[Spoonman]

I’ve zero enthusiasm for it, but will probably get drawn in, I mean who doesn’t like tournament football. The problem is FIFA, they are a fucking toxic organisation, and it saddens me that this rabble, who couldn’t give two shits about workers/fans/players, call the shots on the game we all love. 

[CB Fry]

52 minutes ago, JRM said:

Completely agree I was 9, Italia 90 the music the warm weather, I loved watching the games in the evening then heading into school to recreate the goals next morning, had a Complete ring binder collection thing that had to be bought in parts for weeks building up to World Cup,  it was also at the end of 89/90 season when watching Saints had been brilliant as well but all felt magic. 

 

Officially in our house my brother owned that Orbis World Cup binder/sticker book but we both loved it. Absolutely brilliant- we found ours amongst a load of other old crap at our Mum's last summer and its still great.

[Pamplemousse]

Obviously it's ludicrous that it is in Qatar but I am looking forward to it

[obelisk]

Won't be watching the corrupt circus.

[alehouseboys]

39 minutes ago, Badger said:

Mexico 1970 for me.

Although I was around for '66 I can't remember anything about it other than what I've seen on TV. 1970 was the first I was aware of and seemed so exotic, coming from the other side of the world, as you say, grainy pictures and commentary that sounded like it was coming down the telephone.

But 1974 was the best for me (the famous Cruyff turn replicated/attempted by so many of us kids the following weekend in matches), I can still name so many of the players from the big teams, even some of the lesser nations! Haiti and Zaire getting tonked, 30-yard screamers, gutted England never made it.

Loved them all up to the '90 but (after being shit early on) that semi-final defeat remains one of my most painful moments in football.

Like the FA Cup years earlier, the 'magic' began to weaken after Italia'90 and then Mexico. I will be staunchly England during Qatar but, other than being able to watch a bit of live football on cold dark days, has about as much appeal as the League Cup at the moment.

[AlexLaw76]

The Mystique and the Magic of the world cup was all about 1990 for me.  In Italy, the theme tune, the drama, Roger Milla, Diego Maradona, Gazza etc

[alehouseboys]

4 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

The Mystique and the Magic of the world cup was all about 1990 for me.  In Italy, the theme tune, the drama, Roger Milla, Diego Maradona, Gazza etc

Every time I hear Nessun Dorma it still stirs the emotions both joy and pain.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

If it's FIFA corruption, then any tournament for decades could have been avoided.

If it's corruption on the part of the host nation, there's probably not a host nation you couldn't have pointed to right from the start.

If it's horrendous foreign policy that dictates entry, there wouldn't be many countries turning up.

If it's dehumanising working conditions, lack of health and safety and many other practices, step forward any number of sponsors and all the attending countries who were happy to turn a blind eye, over the decades.

If it's LGBTQ+ rights, where no one should host a tournament where it's criminalised, then that would have ruled out the first in Uruguay (decriminalised 1934) and England (decriminalised 1967) for a start. Not that long ago.

All very depressing. But certainly not a case of shrugging shoulders and letting it pass.

FIFA have indicated that future tournaments will be looking at rights as part of the process. Probably with a sigh of relief that they've gotten away with such large scale corruption. They've a lot more to get rid of too.

Hopefully, there will be loads of exposure to the practices of all involved.

Hopefully, it will be incredibly uncomfortable for them all and that it continues long afterwards. That should include the facilitating sponsors and broadcasters.

You never know, as the teams line up, they'll all turn to each other with rainbow armbands and give each other a LGBTQ+ supporting kiss.

I've no plans to watch much of it. But I didn't have plans to watch the Euros this year, and really enjoyed nearly all of it. I generally enjoyed the Euro 2020, the year before, having got drawn in. There have been tournaments, that have mostly passed me by. If I catch the early ones, then it builds momentum/ becomes a habit and I'll see more.

2 hours ago, CB Fry said:

Hardly the biggest issue with the whole thing but it's a real shame that an entire generation of kids - say 12 year olds now - don't get a proper world cup summer.

I was 12 nearly 13 for for Italia 90 and it made a huge impression on me.

A summer of making a world cup planner, getting all the squad details, and the felt tips for completing it. Along with a Panini album and recreating the matches in the park between games. A little bubble of football heaven.

 

[Hodgey]

Agree - Italia 90 was the peak, when you genuinely saw new players and tactics, the point when some traditional whipping boys gave teams a bloody nose, and just before it became about cash and corruption.

As for this circus, my hope is that we have reached the bottom. There is no build up to this, November/December is when everyone is working their arses off to close the year / save to buy presents / Christmas shopping etc - not many can find time to watch daily football. 
And I also think it’s a negative for England. Most of their players are out of form or spent time warming arses on bench / playing out of position (Chilwell, Shaw, Sancho, Rashford, Maguire, Stones, Henderson, White, Foden, Grealish, Phillips etc).

 

[S-Clarke]

I keep forgetting it's coming round, which probably says it all. 

It won't fit right in the winter. As someone said above, the WC isn't all about watching football, it's the warm evenings in fan parks or beer gardens etc. This is going to be watched during damp, cold days with light drizzle and with it being dark post 4pm. It just won't feel the same because of that and it's probably why I'm not too 'up' for it.

I guess that might change when it kicks off in anger, but the whole Qatar WC thing has never sat right with me.

Edited 5 November, 2022 by S-Clarke

[JRM]

1 hour ago, CB Fry said:

Officially in our house my brother owned that Orbis World Cup binder/sticker book but we both loved it. Absolutely brilliant- we found ours amongst a load of other old crap at our Mum's last summer and its still great.

Worth a fortune if it's complete, the tournament had such an impact years later I had a go at seeing a game at each host venue, managed Rome, San Siro, Della Alpi,  Florence, Bologna (probably my favourite) Napoli, Genoa, Verona but never got round to the rest. Most of the stadiums still exactly as they were in 1990. 

[Roo1976]

3 hours ago, whelk said:

And what the fuck are Iran doing in it!

Likewise Belarus in the euros!!!!...they opened the border for Russia to steam roll through.

[Raging Bull]

3 hours ago, CB Fry said:

Hardly the biggest issue with the whole thing but it's a real shame that an entire generation of kids - say 12 year olds now - don't get a proper world cup summer.

I was 12 nearly 13 for for Italia 90 and it made a huge impression on me.

Mexico 86 was the first World Cup I remember (we’re basically the same age), watching Maradona both cheat and single handedly destroy teams on his own. That and the earthquake on the lead up to the competition. 

I agree that it’s a shame it’s not in the summer, but in all honesty, when it all kicks off I’m going to be glued to it. 

Argentina for the win in my opinion. 

[ally_uk]

Couldn't give a damm about it to be honest. 

Premier league football is also becoming tiresome. The gulf in wallets and expenditure ahem I mean skill and talent between clubs is becoming ridiculous. 

Sooner the Oil clubs form another league the better in all honesty. 

Football has lost the spark 

[Saint Keef]

I'll probably be at home singing quietly to myself, to the tune of Sweet Caroline....

SWEET QATARLINE (Da Da Da)

YOUR CORRUPTION TAKES THE PISS

I FEEL INCLINED (Da Da Da)

TO GIVE YOUR TOURNAMENT A MISS

(Repeat ad nauseam)

[skintsaint]

Even the official mascot is shit.

 

[Turkish]

3 hours ago, whelk said:

Are they going to be singing ‘There’s only one fucking Allah, one fucking allah’?

MLG will be there going round to the Qataries telling them that Allah is a false deity that there is no evidence exists. 

[JRM]

9 minutes ago, skintsaint said:

Even the official mascot is shit.

 

It's a ghost?! Representing the dead labourers? 

Edited 5 November, 2022 by JRM

[Turkish]

Another vote for Italia 90. Magical world cup. The fact it was in Italy with games played in Iconic cities and stadiums, a decent England team, Serie A was the top league in the world at the time, the fact that English clubs were banned in Europe at the time so rarely saw foreign players with not much football on TV in those days. The world cup was really something to look forward to. The earliest one i can remember was Mexico 86 but being only 9 kick off times late meant that being 13 with the world cup in Europe and being football mad meant i think i must have barely missed a game that was on TV and as others have said recreating those moments the next day. 

[whelk]

3 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Another vote for Italia 90. Magical world cup. The fact it was in Italy with games played in Iconic cities and stadiums, a decent England team, Serie A was the top league in the world at the time, the fact that English clubs were banned in Europe at the time so rarely saw foreign players with not much football on TV in those days. The world cup was really something to look forward to. The earliest one i can remember was Mexico 86 but being only 9 kick off times late meant that being 13 with the world cup in Europe and being football mad meant i think i must have barely missed a game that was on TV and as others have said recreating those moments the next day. 

We went to all the knock out games. Unforgettable experience and last tournament where games were easily available and decently priced. Arguably Gazza’s tears initiated PL based on  popularity and interest was wider than just blokes. 

Documentary series on CH4 at mo about Italia 90. Different times and had to have your wits about you but more raw than the PL sanitised experience. Resonated when they said going to football was about avoiding getting your head kicked in.

[nta786]

2 hours ago, obelisk said:

Won't be watching the corrupt circus.

I said this too last year but as we edge closer I know I will end up watching the majority of it as background filler during work or something. 

A lot of bars/pubs where I live are fully sold out for England screenings, so I’m sure demand is there across the UK, and many colleagues I know have taken half days around when England play and the morning after.

I just hope the break works in Saints’ favour and we come back re-energised to turn our form around. 

Also if England do go deep into the tournament it might just brighten the mood in these darker, colder nights.

[revolution saint]

Think for most people their favourite world cup is the first one they really remember and got into as a kid so for me it's the '82 World Cup.  I was 10 and remember being totally consumed by all of it (which was good as England were a bit shit). The Brazil side was awesome - Zico, Socrates, Falcao etc just brilliant to watch.  I loved their game against Italy and Rossi's hattrick.  The West Germany v France semi is one the best games I've seen for drama and Schumacher's "foul" on Battiston was horrific.  Even the final was good and I've yet to see a celebration as good as Tardelli.

Loved Italia '90 too and by then it was as much about the social side as it was about the football.

I suspect I'll get into the WC this year a bit more once it gets started but got zero interest at the moment.  Don't know when England are playing or who against.  Whole thing is corrupt as hell and stinks.

Edited 5 November, 2022 by revolution saint

[Badger]

1 hour ago, skintsaint said:

Even the official mascot is shit.

 

BBC or ITV theme sorted:

Casper is back, Casper is back, hello… 

[Winnersaint]

My first memory was of 66. For me Mexico 70 was the eye opener. There was a telly in our form room at secondary school and one of the teachers would show the highlights programme during lunch break. I remember it being packed in there. England v Romania was our opener. Kick off was in the middle of the night IIRC possibly 1am. Remember Keith Newton at right back getting an absolute kicking time after time from the Romanian left back as he overlapped repeatedly down the right.  Then there was Brazil. Should have been the final before we beat Czechoslovakia with an Allan Clarke pen. I don't remember much about the final group game but all of them ended 1-0.

And then England got knocked out. Remember as a 12 year old really struggling to get my head around that. Looking back, I suppose Sir Alf recognised Bobby Charlton's importance to the team and took him off to save him for the semi-final at 2 up. I mean Colin Bell was by no means a shabby player but Charlton had kept Beckenbauer occupied. Once he was off Beckenbauer had licence to go forward. 

It was afternoon game and remember watching it in disbelief as the second half unfolded. Bonetti letting in one under his body and Seeler's freak header. I think the Germans bought on Grabowski who stretched us down the right which lead to the final header back across goal and Gerd Muller on his own in the six yard box, with The Cat no chance to save it. Its funny how games imprint themselves on your memory.

On a Saints related note would have been good to see Micky Channon in a WC but failing to qualify in 74 and 78 meant that was never to be. Also Ossie, obviously then with Chelsea, made two appearances as sub in group games. 

[The Cat]

First one I properly remember is Mexico 86 which was probably my favourite due to me being 10 and massively overexcited with the opportunity to watch loads of football on live TV and seeing players I'd only heard of before.

I have vague memories of 82 and watching it on a tiny TV while we were on holiday in Spain.

Found I've become less fussed about World Cups over the years, maybe that's due to football fatigue and having the ability to watch so much of it throughout the year compared to when I was younger. Will no doubt watch some of it but by means will I prioritise it over other stuff I have on.

I'm sure there will be a lot of people working from home a bit extra so they can have it on while working.

[cloggy saint]

47 minutes ago, revolution saint said:

Think for most people their favourite world cup is the first one they really remember and got into as a kid so for me it's the '82 World Cup.  I was 10 and remember being totally consumed by all of it (which was good as England were a bit shit). The Brazil side was awesome - Zico, Socrates, Falcao etc just brilliant to watch.  I loved their game against Italy and Rossi's hattrick.  The West Germany v France semi is one the best games I've seen for drama and Schumacher's "foul" on Battiston was horrific.  Even the final was good and I've yet to see a celebration as good as Tardelli.

Loved Italia '90 too and by then it was as much about the social side as it was about the football.

I suspect I'll get into the WC this year a bit more once it gets started but got zero interest at the moment.  Don't know when England are playing or who against.  Whole thing is corrupt as hell and stinks.

'82 is probably my favourite despite '78 being my first. Not really true or fair to say England were a bit shit. We were knocked out undefeated and were without arguably our 2 best players in Brooking and Keegan until the final game against Spain where Keegan came agonisingly close to winning it.

[sadoldgit]

I started getting into football properly in 1966 so was lucky enough to watch England win the first World Cup competition I had seen and Saints were promoted that season too. It’s been pretty much an anticlimax ever since! Losing to Germany after being 2-0 up in 1970 was an incredible downer. I remember my younger brother in tears. There have been so many more disappointments over the years, the draw with Poland when we could have scored a hatful, the dreaded Hand of God goal that never was, the penalty shoot out failures, I guess it just wears you down. Not sure what to do this time round. Like others I am not remotely excited about it but as I will be home most of the time I expect I will watch some games. It’s such a shame that it just seems to sum up the professional game nowadays, it’s just about the money and not the glory of taking part in the biggest competition on the planet any more.