Six Week mid-season break 22/23

[sheblue]

Here's an idea. Let's have the world Cup every 20 years.
Much better than 2.

[carl_feedthegoat]

I think the next World Cup should be in N Korea , play it on the many labour fields they have over there .

[Im_Spartacus]

Why would anyone want to go to Qatar to watch a football match ? and stay in a place where you cannot go to a bar for a drink? and stay there for weeks on end doing sod all except building sandcastles on the beach - like in Southport , because the sea is to far away to go for a swim ?

I vaguely remember the 6 months I lived there, I barely sobered up. Are you sure you're not getting confused with Saudi Arabia?

Aside from the bullshit and crookedness behind the awarding of the World Cup, whats done is done (and attitude blatter was no doubt counting on). But having been involved in a fair bit of the planning for this one, the Qataris (or more realistically they people the Qataris pay for to do the planning), are putting together some really interesting plans. The way they are approaching staffing the tournament is innovative. They intend to pay for free travel and lodgings for nationals of all the developing nations who qualify, give them tickets for all their country's games, and pay them a daily rate for staffing the tournament.

So there's a great chance there will be some cracking atmosphere in the games which may have usually been underrepresented by their support, and I suppose this has a chance to sway some of the games.

[Bear60]

Getting sick of football. To the point of just walking away forever.

I know how you feel I went to watch Shrewsbury Town v Cambridge United the other week and enjoyed it . Maybe take a look at some of the lower league teams near you.

[zuricity]

Why would anyone want to go to Qatar to watch a football match ? and stay in a place where you cannot go to a bar for a drink? and stay there for weeks on end doing sod all except building sandcastles on the beach - like in Southport , because the sea is to far away to go for a swim ?

I vaguely remember the 6 months I lived there, I barely sobered up. Are you sure you're not getting confused with Saudi Arabia?

Aside from the bullshit and crookedness behind the awarding of the World Cup, whats done is done (and attitude blatter was no doubt counting on). But having been involved in a fair bit of the planning for this one, the Qataris (or more realistically they people the Qataris pay for to do the planning), are putting together some really interesting plans. The way they are approaching staffing the tournament is innovative. They intend to pay for free travel and lodgings for nationals of all the developing nations who qualify, give them tickets for all their country's games, and pay them a daily rate for staffing the tournament.

So there's a great chance there will be some cracking atmosphere in the games which may have usually been underrepresented by their support, and I suppose this has a chance to sway some of the games.

My mistake, i thought they were as serious about alcohol as the Saudis !

[stevefromdonny]

Why would anyone want to go to Qatar to watch a football match ? and stay in a place where you cannot go to a bar for a drink? and stay there for weeks on end doing sod all except building sandcastles on the beach - like in Southport , because the sea is to far away to go for a swim ?

I vaguely remember the 6 months I lived there, I barely sobered up. Are you sure you're not getting confused with Saudi Arabia?

Aside from the bullshit and crookedness behind the awarding of the World Cup, whats done is done (and attitude blatter was no doubt counting on). But having been involved in a fair bit of the planning for this one, the Qataris (or more realistically they people the Qataris pay for to do the planning), are putting together some really interesting plans. The way they are approaching staffing the tournament is innovative. They intend to pay for free travel and lodgings for nationals of all the developing nations who qualify, give them tickets for all their country's games, and pay them a daily rate for staffing the tournament.

So there's a great chance there will be some cracking atmosphere in the games which may have usually been underrepresented by their support, and I suppose this has a chance to sway some of the games.

My mistake, i thought they were as serious about alcohol as the Saudis !

there will be fan zones where you can have a drink and of course hotels but you wont be allowed to drink from a can on the streets

[zuricity]

^^^^^^
Don't think i'll be going - they can stuff the Carlsberg.

[zuricity]

So i guess next season will start earlier , all cups and Champions League QR will have to be finished before November.

[BlueinBosnia]

But having been involved in a fair bit of the planning for this one, the Qataris (or more realistically they people the Qataris pay for to do the planning), are putting together some really interesting plans. The way they are approaching staffing the tournament is innovative. They intend to pay for free travel and lodgings for nationals of all the developing nations who qualify, give them tickets for all their country's games, and pay them a daily rate for staffing the tournament.

So there's a great chance there will be some cracking atmosphere in the games which may have usually been underrepresented by their support, and I suppose this has a chance to sway some of the games.

What interested me the most was that some of the stadiums were intended to be recycled/donated afterwards to developing nations. I think in the early stages one was being earmarked for Kenya, but I never saw anything about an actual, concrete plan. It will be interesting to see how these will be awarded after the WC, and if FIFA will be involved, or if they will be used in Qatar's own 'soft diplomacy' (and possibly China's soft diplomacy, considering they own pretty much all the infrastructure that would be used to haul the stadiums to many developing nations).

[john68]

It really is as simple as following the money.

As the Premier League became a magnet for investment generating huge amounts of income and the G14 formed it's cartel, set up to protect their income channels and maximise their profits, the rest of the World looked on. The Football men who had ruled the football roost in the committee rooms of the footbal institution started to be replaced by financiers, bankers and wankers and those whose sole aim was to generate more, more and even more money. Agents and compliant managers and even players were used as the lubricant to oil the wheels, and the media licked its lips and joined the party.

We fans were relegated from being fans to being customers, fed titbits to convince us that little had changed and they conned us into still hanging on to the dream that we were still important to the new monoliths and they still loved us as much as we continued to love them.

PLaters ceased to be players, they became assets to be used in excess, overpaid and overplayed, some to the point of almost physical destruction. Domestic seasons,followed by International competions, interspersed with International weekends left many without proper rest and recovery but those who now owned the game knew there was always another generation of dreamy ambitious kids to replace them. And I'm certain somewhere there was a role for substances to be played to help ensure the product was kept up to standard.

Whatever role Blatter, hiscohorts,Platini and his cohorts played in all this, there was a new generation ready to replace them, just as bad but with shiny new untainted reputations.....And so we have it.

Football was sold as sexy, America started to be unlocked, FiFa,UeFA and the other global institutions had the power of governance and the power to increase their portfolios. And increase their portfolios they have.
City are a great window into thecurrent player situation. FiFA says play and the global football industry is forced to jump on the shove. Belgium fucked up Vinnie, whilst the still lauded him as he limped back to the Etihad. KDB, Grealish and Foden missing from the City squad because FiFA clicked their fingers orwas it licked their fingers to count their wads.

Football is being fucked up the arse.

[nottsblue]

Spuds down to ten men and losing to some side called Mura. A side with Delli Ali, Kane, Ndombele and other first team squad players with no kids at all. Be piss funny if the rags get Poch and Conte fucks off out of the Lane to go to PSG barely a month after joining.

He must look at his squad and despair what he has to work with. Mourinho properly fucked up the morale there