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    Guest

    The survey says...

    By Guest, in Euro File,

    Maybe The Special One isn't so special after all.
    After seemingly pulling a fast one in a Champions League match last week, José Mourinho will indeed pay for appearing to instruct two of his players - Sergio Ramos and Xabi Alonso - to get themselves ejected in order to avoid missing any crucial knockout round action for Real Madrid.
    A day after the famed club got shellacked on the pitch by arch-rivals Barcelona, its manager and a handful of players had to withstand another setback, this time financially, as UEFA ruled on the incident that has had the football world talking in its aftermath.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Mourinho took the largest personal hit, a €40,000 fine plus a one-match suspension and "a probationary period of three years." Should the Portuguese gaffer not further piss off UEFA during those three years (a sucker's bet if I ever heard one), he won't face more sanctioning from the governing body.
    Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos each got hit with a €20,000 fine for their sendings-off (which will also stand), and goalkeepers Iker Casillas and Jerzy Dudek - the proverbial wire in Mourinho's game of "Champions League Telephone" - will have to pony up €10,000 and €5,000, respectively.
    The club itself was also served with a €120,000 fine.
    In an earlier column, I suggested that Mourinho, Ramos and Alonso could be hit with additional match bans, but it seems as though all three will simply miss the now-useless match against Auxerre to close out the group stage, which seemed to be the plan all along (minus the fines, of course).
    Hmmm....
    Guest

    Joseph Nane traded to Colorado

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Joseph Nane has been traded to Colorado for a third round draft pick.
    The house cleaning continues. Nane didn't factor much after Preki left and was a controversial addition to the team from the get-go. Observers at last year's draft combine were a bit baffled that Nane was invited and even more so that the Reds drafted him.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    A physical player that was more than a little raw technically, Nane did manage to show more than was expected. Still, it was clear that he wasn't really in the plans.
    The movement of a "Preki-type" player could be an indication of the type of style Jürgen Klinsmann is suggesting to TFC. Nane was a destroyer, not a possession type of player.
    His salary was $40,000.
    Guest
    There's been all sorts of kerfuffle around in the last couple of days about Robbie Keane making the dramatically nonsensical switch from Tottenham Hotspur (boo!) to the Vancouver Whitecaps (indifferent shrug). Honest – there is. Why, even the British press is in on the story.
    I can only assume that this would be met with unmitigated hoopla-ing from Whitecaps faithful – it's not everyday that a Canadian team is linked with a big-name-but-destined-to-be-moved-somewhere premier leaguer. And Robbie Keane, for all my harumpfing about him being a Spurs players, would be one heck of an addition: he's nabbed 121 goals in 332 EPL games, and is Ireland's all-time leading scorer.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The Whitecaps, of course, have made all the "oh-pish-posh" comments typical of a team that is a) trying to make people not notice they're signing someone, trying to make people not notice that they didn't really think of signing that guy but they probably should or c) make people not notice they've failed to sign the guy because he rightly thinks he's too good to play for them.
    “We haven't made any firm decisions on designated players but over the next few weeks, that's going to be at the top of our agenda as we move into the January transfer window,” the Globe and Mail tells us Whitecaps chief executive officer Paul Barber said after a news conference. “There are a lot of great players out there."
    “Robbie Keane, having worked with him for five years — fantastic player, great guy — but we've got our minds open to a very large market.”
    So it could be so much baloney, but it could be something more: Barber was, until relatively recently, an executive a Tottenham, so he'd have the inside track to Harry Rednapp's ear.
    Whether this is a good idea or a bad one is a whole other question: high-profile designated players haven't exactly lit up MLS. David Beckham, Freddie Ljungberg, Thierry Henry, Rafa Marquez all came in with much fanfare, and none had the impact their clubs would have hoped. And Tottenham insists that Keane is worth 6 million – a huge amount by MLS standards, especially for someone who's barely played this year, and hasn't been a regular since his failed move to Liverpool in 2008. The pressure would be on both Keane and the 'Caps' front office to see a big return on that investment.
    On the other hand, Keane is only 30 – relatively young for a big-time name heading to MLS – and certainly still has goals in him. That a rebuilding Aston Villa – along with Newcastle and Celtic – is interested in Keane speaks to his enduring value as a top-level player.
    In the end, if Vancouver is looking to make a splash in their inaugural MLS season, they could do a lot worse than having Keane lead the line. But, of course, this could turn out to be so much transfer gossip nonsense.
    Guest

    BBC Panorama: FIFA's Dirty Secrets

    By Guest, in Euro File,

    Andrew Jennings' famous report on the inner workings of FIFA's bid process (and the alleged corruption that accompanies it), in full.
    It may not stay online for too long, so give it a watch while you can.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjlZw9NGSlU&feature=player_embedded

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wQy4eT4M9I&feature=related
    Thoughts?
    Guest
    The nominations for 2010 Canadian players of the year have been announced, with some surefire contenders and a few surprises.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Men's national team
    Nana Attakora (Toronto FC)
    Adrian Cann (Toronto FC)
    Dwayne DeRosario (Toronto FC)
    Atiba Hutchinson (PSV Eindhoven)
    Simeon Jackson (Norwich City FC)
    Will Johnson (Real Salt Lake)
    Josh Simpson (Vestel Maniaspor)
    Adam Straith (Energie Cottbus)
    Now, you might expect me to instantly pick Simeon Jackson to repeat. True, I do love the guy, and it's great to see a Canadian potting a few goals in the Championship. In another year, he may be right up there. But as he battles to cement his place in the Canaries' starting XI, there are two other performers who can't be ignored.
    Simpson has been an absolute revelation in Turkey, scoring goals at his leisure (while picking up his first tally for Canada in September). And again, in another year, he might be the runaway favourite.
    But this award must go to Atiba Hutchinson. He was player of the year in the Danish Superliga for his time at FC Copenhagen, before moving to the Netherlands and becoming a regular contributor for the top team in the Eredivisie. He's also been a loyal and solid soldier for the national team, as always.
    DeRo, unquestionably, will receive a lot of votes for his contributions at Toronto FC. Christ, he might even win. But his impact on the national team has been negligible, and while I love the league, MLS is not the Eredivisie. Not even close. This has to be Hutch's award.
    Women's national team
    Josee Belanger (Amiral de Quebec)
    Jonelle Filigno (Rutgers University)
    Kaylyn Kyle (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)
    Diana Matheson (Lillestrom SK Kvinner)
    Marie-Eve Nault (Ottawa Fury)
    Sophie Schmidt (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)
    Christine Sinclair (unattached, formerly FC Gold Pride)
    Melissa Tancredi (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)
    It's probably not possible to pick Sinclair without seeming like you're just going with the "obvious" choice. But really, how can you vote against her? A nominee for World Player of the Year, she potted eight goals in the World Cup qualifying tournament, and bagged a WPS Championship (before her team folded, that is). Not to mention, she provided a moment that I hope will live on in Canadian soccer lore: scoring a decisive penalty and then shushing a rowdy Mexican crowd.
    But a few other performances deserve kudos as well. Matheson has experienced a renaissance under head coach Carolina Morace. The team's new emphasis on possession has allowed Matheson (with her vision and pugnacity) to shine -- not to mention, she scored one of the biggest goals of her career (she doesn't have many) against New Zealand in Canada's 1-0 victory in the Cyprus Cup championship game.
    Jonelle Filigno has been in the system for a while, and though she's not the squad's top player in 2010, it's certainly been a breakthrough year. Her speed and tenacity earned her a reputation as a true "super sub", and at just 20 years of age, this isn't the last time we'll see her name in discussion for Canadian player of the year. Speaking of youngsters, 22-year-old Kaylyn Kyle also emerged as a key element in the midfield of Morace's revamped team.
    Canadian U-20 Player of the Year
    On the male side, we've got Ethan Gage and Russell Teibert (Whitecaps system), Ashtone Morgan and Nicholas Lindsay (Toronto FC Academy) and two youngsters playing in Germany: Janeil Hoilett (Junior Junior?) and Julian Latendresse-Levesque. From what I've seen of Lindsay, I really like his potential... but specifically to annoy a certain 'Caps fan, I'm going to pick Gage.
    On the female side, you've got Filigno along with a pair of American university students (Vanessa Legault-Cordisco and Rachel Melhado) and a pair of Quebec products (Frederique Paradis and Amelia Pietrangelo). With no disrespect meant to other contenders, I think Filigno's the runaway choice here.
    More deets over at the CSA's website. The winners in these four categories (as well as U-17 Players of the Year) will be announced during the week of December 13-17, based on voting by media and coaches.
    I've had my say. What do you folks think?
    Guest
    Samedi dernier, la Fédération de Soccer du Québec a annoncé que 2011 serait une année majeure dans l'histoire du soccer en annonçant les grandes lignes de la programmation entourant le centenaire du soccer québécois.
    Oui, oui, le centenaire. Comme dans 100 ans de soccer au Québec.
    C'est difficile à croire, mais le 12 avril 1911, le soccer voyait le jour au Québec. Ce jour-là, Frank Calder (oui, le même qui a présidé au sein de la NHL) annonçait la création du Province of Quebec Football – Association (PQFA). Dès ses premières années, la PQFA contenait 26 clubs répartis dans les ligues junior, intermédiaire et senior.
    Et la première Coupe du Québec ? En 1912, le club Sons of England battait le Royal Rovers en finale 1-0 pour remporter la première édition de ce tournoi.
    Bref, le président Dino Madonis a offert plus de détails sur cette année centenaire lors de l'émission Oranges at Halftime animée par Noel Butler (Team 990). Durant l'année 2011, il y aura plusieurs festivités à l'échelle provinciale, nationale et internationale. De plus, il a également mentionné qu'un tournoi international aurait lieu ici même au Québec et dans lequel des clubs européens et sud-américains prendraient part. Le tout sera organisé avec l'Impact et on parle d'un mini-tournoi (2 matchs par équipe) qui se jouerait au stade Saputo (ou probablement au stade Olympique).
    On ne se le cachera pas. C'est difficile de croire qu'on est déjà rendu à 100 ans de soccer au Québec. Mais parfois, il faut savoir retourner dans le temps et respecter tout l'héritage laissé par nos prédécesseurs.
    Je vous suggère de lire quelques faits intéressants de l'histoire du soccer : Le communiqué de la FSQ
    2011 et 2012 seront de très belles années pour le soccer québécois
    Guest
    Imagine the scene. Sepp Blatter steps up to the microphone sometime Thursday. Across America soccer fans hold their breath. It’s come down to this – Australia versus the United States on the final ballot.
    “The host of the 2022 World Cup is (pause for effect) The Uni...”
    The rest is lost in a wave of noise. Don Garber can be seen hugging Bill Clinton. Grown men are crying. Only premium members can access BigSoccer. The dream has become a reality. The World Cup is coming back to North America.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] You can imagine that there will be a lot of screams of joy here in Canada as well if the United States wins the bid. Not only does the geography make a trip to the event seem more than possible, but on the surface it seems like an American World Cup would benefit Canada in more tangible ways than just good vacation ideas.
    Would it though? Clearly, a USA World Cup wouldn’t hurt the game here and it’s OK to want the US to win for selfish I-wanna-go-to-it reasons, but is there evidence that the benefits are that significant.
    Let’s examine them.
    The biggest argument for Canadian benefit is that an American World Cup will make MLS stronger and a stronger MLS makes for a stronger Canadian game. That’s true to a point. With three teams in MLS, Canada does have a stake, clearly. However, recent changes in the Canadian quota rules indicate that Canada is a business partner, more than a soccer partner.
    It is true that an increase in soccer revenues could allow for the Canadian teams to spend more on players, which, in turn could increase the overall popularity of the sport here. It all adds up.
    But would having the World Cup in the United States help MLS though? It’s not as clear an answer as many think. It seems like it would have to, but that said it’s hard to articulate how. The sport already has a good degree of visibility. It’s not 1975 anymore. Americans know what soccer is and they have decided what they think about it. And many think that they like the EPL more than MLS. Would having a big tournament 12 years from now really make that much difference – particularity for the next eight years or so? It’s not clear.
    Another argument that comes up when people talk about Canada getting a trickle-up (as in up north) benefit from the World Cup is an increase in media coverage. Many Canadian sports fans only get their information from American media sources. If those sources wake up to the sport then those Canadians will be exposed to soccer. They might then realize that it’s being played in Canada.
    There is, sadly, truth to this as well, but again the true affect isn’t likely to kick in for another eight years.
    The last argument that gets made is that having the USA in the World Cup could, in theory, make it easier for the Canadian team to actually qualify. CONCACAF could get an extra spot.
    Just as soon as Canada demonstrates that it can consistently finish in the top five in qualifying, we can start to take that argument seriously.
    Is it possible that Canada might be negatively affected by a USA win?
    Yes, but only if you believe in the possibility of Canada undertaking its own bid one day. A USA bid would take that off the table until at least 2034, probably later. Although many people dismiss the possibility of a Canadian bid, it’s not that farfetched. FIFA likes to go into virgin countries as a legacy and Canada is a rich nation that could afford to host a first class tournament. Yes, we lack the stadiums. Now. That can be fixed.
    A pipedream isn’t enough of a reason for a Canadian to cheer against the US bid. The benefits to Canada are overstated, but not without some truth. However, if another country's name is read out Thursday the CSA should seriously think about the possibilities of a 2026 or 2030 bid.
    For too long this country has relied on others to get by in the sport. Hosting a World Cup is an outlandish idea for a country the size of Canada, but so is hosting an Olympics and we’ve done that three times.
    Related:
    The Big Bid 1: Why the Americans are going down
    Guest

    Hamilton stadium headache

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    If you've been following the saga of the Hamilton stadium, you'll know that it's not been an easy battle. A tug-of-war between the ownership of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and various levels of government has left everyone confused and frustrated.
    What should have been simple -- here's some money, build yourself a stadium -- has turned into a mess that might not find resolution. The city is now working on a February deadline and there is a new proposal on the table that seems to be progressing, but nothing is for sure yet.
    That uncertainty has lead the Pan/Am organizers to reach out to other municipalities to see if there is interest in building a stadium that could house soccer at the event.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Two suburban cities have stepped up to offer themselves as plan B.
    Both Mississauga (immediately west of Toronto) and Markham (immediately north-east of Toronto) say they could host a 6,000 seat stadium. Although neither has indicated what they would do with the stadium after the games are over, it is promising that a new soccer facility is going to get built in the region somewhere.
    Sadly, it doesn't seem like a stadium that size would work in the NASL. However, it would still benefit the spot in the region. A PDL or CSL club(s) could make good use of it. And, if ownership stepped forward, the dream of a D2 team in the region might not be completely dead (although it's a long-shot - maybe if Dino Rossi wins the lotto).
    The best chance for a GTA D2 team remains in Hamilton and the only chance of that is if stadium plan B doesn't happen.
    Guest

    Damn teamsters

    By Guest, in It's Called Football,

    Those who have been following this show for a while know that I occasionally get called away on union business last minute, forcing us to re-schedule a show - unfortunately this is one of those nights.
    We'll have a full show on Wednesday and we'll be releasing a couple more Interview Onlys this week.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The last Interview Only set the internets abuzz when NASL CEO Aaron Davidson gave this compelling interview. You can read the Coles Notes version over here if you're sans headphones.
    Also, please check out our now abbreviated schedule for December to find out when you can listen live next.
    Guest

    Live Blog: El Clásico

    By Guest, in Euro File,

    I'll be live blogging the Barcelona vs. Real Madrid match today at 3pm.
    If this goes well and is popular enough, I'll do more of these in the future. If no one shows up, well hey at least I get to watch a spectacular game of football.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    <iframe src="http://www.coveritlive.com/index2.php/option=com_altcaster/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=b4daf07cbc/height=550/width=470" scrolling="no" height="550px" width="470px" frameBorder ="0" allowTransparency="true" ><a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=b4daf07cbc" >El Clasico: Barcelona vs. Real Madrid</a></iframe>
    POST-MATCH UPDATE: Here's the highlights for those of you who missed it, or those of you who just want to re-live the domination...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnsIVKhz1hU&feature=player_embedded
    Guest
    Death, taxes and crappy draws for Canadian teams. Such is the assuredness of life. It wasn't quite the worst possible group that Canada could have drawn today, but it came damn close.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Group A ( The Group of Maybe Death)
    Germany (World No. 2)
    France (No. 8)
    Nigeria (No. 27)
    Canada (No. 9)
    Nigeria is likely tougher than the ranking would indicate and Germany should really be ranked No. 1 now ahead of the Americans. It very likely will come down to the Canada - France game and, as the rankings indicate, it will be a tight one.
    Interestingly for Canadian fans, the Canucks will play Germany to kick-off the tournament. So, that's kind of cool even if we are playing the role of Washington Generals.
    The other groups are:
    Group B (AKA - The Powder-puff Group)
    Japan (No. 5)
    England (No. 10)
    Mexico (No. 22)
    New Zealand (No. 23)
    Group C (the Group of Death-ish)
    USA (No. 1)
    North Korea (No. 6)
    Sweden (No. 4)
    Colombia (No. 32)
    Group D (The Group of Brazil and the rest)
    Brazil (No. 3)
    Australia (No. 12)
    Equatorial Guinea (No. 62)
    Norway (No. 7)
    Mexico did well to get the win against the USA but most people have selective memory when it comes to handicapping the Mexicans. Group B should be a cakewalk for the English (the 2018 bid team can only hope for half the fortune they got today - it's the best draw in the tournament) and Japan. New Zealand is here for experience.
    The Americans' group lacks the top to bottom strength of Group A (Colombia will be a walk), but that top three is very tricky. Based on the USA's qualifying experience, I wouldn't be all that confident if I were the Americans. Regardless a better team than Canada or France is going to miss out from Group C.
    Group D is a little bland. Brazil is the class, Equatorial Guinea will provide storylines but not much else and Norway and Australia are two programs going the wrong way.
    One positive a Canadian might take away from the draw is that if they do finish second in the group they will likely draw one of England or Japan in the quarters. That's a winnable game and a semi-final berth is likely the best-case dream performance for the Canucks anyway.
    Guest
    Later today Canada could find African upstarts Equatorial Guinea in their group for next summer's Women's World Cup. Tiny and oil rich the country has advanced quickly through the ranks of women's football by employing legal but ethically questionable methods of developing a squad. Namely, it's poached the best players from surrounding countries with the promise of cash.
    There has long been a fear of a Middle Eastern oil state fielding a bunch of Brazilians in the World Cup and many of the strict cap-tying rules in place are, at least in theory, there to prevent that sort of team buying. However, in the women's game things are a little less organized. Thus, smaller countries looking for some football glory might be tempted to be ethically flexible in their interpretation of the spirit of the game.
    In Equatorial Guinea's case they might have taken things a step too far. Above is striker Salimata Simpore. She has been accused of, well, being a he. Photos can lie, of course, but it is difficult to look at the above shot and not wonder.
    Also accused of being male is Genoveva Anonma.
    The Nigerian Football Federation has made an official complaint to CAF. The organization has not yet to respond, but past history tells us that it's not likely to do much. Gender is way too touchy an issue for sports organizations to tackle.
    What are we going to do? Pull down their pants before the match. Hardy har har.
    The integrity of the competition demands that these charges are taken seriously and that something is put in place moving forward to ensure that these types of questions aren't asked again. That's what would be fair to both the athletes competing against Simpore and to Simpore herself. If she is legit she should not be subjected to these type of rumours.
    And if he isn't, then he should never be heard of again.
    Guest

    Truth

    By Guest, in Onward Soccer,

    Imagine if everyone woke up this morning, and told everybody else – the truth.
    Complete. Unvarnished. All of it.
    Every office worker, cab driver, banker, head of state. Every street sweeper, teacher, patient, priest. Every faded seventies rock star, little kid in nursery school, soccer player, former president. Every pilot, hair dresser, jockey, lunch truck driver.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    On the first day, the effects – I believe – would be devastating.
    Jobs would be lost, relationships shattered, buildings would burn and at least a few wars would break out. Economies would shudder, and absolutely every last human soul on the planet would have his or her world view alarmingly jarred.
    And then … well, things would suddenly start to get better. With all that stuckness and deception thrown bare for the rubbish it is, people and groups and nations and whatever’s left would quietly start to claim their space, their rights – their share.
    This would be a very bad day to be a dictator. Not a good day to be in charge of anything, really, given the sheer amount of double-speak and deception that holds up just about any human institution you would care to name.
    In its own way, it would be every bit as disruptive as if the energy grid crashed, or the bank system failed. But somewhere, in the disillusionment and seemingly hopeless chaos, a strong and startling message would begin to emerge.
    “I know what’s going on – and everybody knows what’s going on with me.”
    Truth is dangerous, yes. But an absence of truth? Just take a moment and try to imagine how deep that really goes.
    So – allow me to tie this to world soccer:
    The ugly shadow of truth will fall across England’s 2018 World Cup-hosting bid later today.
    The influential BBC television news program Panorama is going after FIFA corruption. Journalist Andrew Jennings – a persistent thorn in the side of both FIFA godfather Sepp Blatter and CONCACAF tin-pot Jack Warner – will be dealing truthbolts from the electronic mountain-top.
    And, verily, the fear is upon the land, because in only three days, FIFA will decide whether to anoint England with soccer biggest, ripest, juiciest multi-mega-billion-pound plum.
    A sharp debate has broken out, not only about corruption at the highest levels of the beautiful game, but also about … timing.
    “If Blatter’s guilty, he’ll still be guilty next week,” the argument essentially runs. “Let’s not go carving a turkey that isn’t even on the table yet.”
    If you do that, of course, and England gets the dance, and FIFA is corrupt, England will have clearly benefitted from FIFA’s corruption. But if the program airs, and Blatter goes old-testament on the English FA, a huge and shining opportunity – both sporting and economic – will have been lost.
    But in the larger world, the time of caution is coming quickly to an end. At the speed of light and all around the world, we have entered the time of “truth.”
    “Truth” in quotation marks, because not all “truth” is true. Anyone with a computer can send any old malarkey winging all across anywhere if a way can be found to have it go “viral.”
    False viral messages are very effective. In politics, they can even got you elected. Put out the “truth” that Obama’s a socialist or most of a city’s budget is being chewed up by a gobble-crazy gravy train, and significant numbers of voters can effortlessly be swayed.
    The biggest cause of this, I’m coming to feel, is that real truth isn’t enough of a habit. When truth doesn’t matter, “truth” can rule the day.
    For that reason – fully acknowledging the risk to England – there couldn’t be a more perfect time for Andrew Jennings to saddle up his soccer-apocalypse horse.
    Throw a thousand carbon arc lamps on Blatter, right before he hands out World Cup hosting duties for both 2018 and 2022. Can’t be more of a main plotline in FIFA HQ than these two decisions. Whatever corruption may be bubbling away out there comes to a rolling boil this Thursday.
    You could even argue this could help England, given how Blatter would look if he slammed the door on the self-same nation that just slammed him.
    The caution in this, of course, is that we don’t yet know what Jennings has got. There was plenty in his disturbingly brilliant 2006 book Foul! The Secret World of FIFA: Bribes, Vote-Rigging and Ticket Scandals.
    The top three headlines on his transparencyinsport.org website this morning are “FIFA wars flare again: Will Asia unseat Blatter?”, “FIFA’s 10 Commandments: Does Sepp Blatter obey them?” and “Blatter & the Serial Murderer,” linking Our Sepp to former Liberian strongman and humanitarian Charles Taylor.
    Today’s Panorama is not going to be a warm-fuzzy endorsement of Blattermania.
    Truth can be ugly – and the consequences appalling. But we need it, and with every passing day of misinformation and chaos, we need it more and more urgently.
    Corruption is a world problem, and soccer is a world game. What happens in any smaller world may yet help us all in the larger one.
    I’m very intrigued to see Jennings play his hand. Blatter’s response – whatever form it takes – will be deeply instructive.
    Onward!
    Guest
    If you are going to look for a logical evaluation of the 2018/22 bids that is free of bias you could do worse than Simon Kuper. The Soccernomics author broke down the bids and explained some of the logic that the exco group will use in making their decision.
    “Only the purest of Exco members – Michel Platini, for instance – will vote strictly on quality of bid and the prospect of new markets. Others will be swayed by more political, but equally legitimate, concerns. Most Exco members want something for their votes: often, a vote for their own country”
    It’s next to impossible to guess all the motivations and influences of the “24 old men” that hold the ability to crush the dreams of millions. However, that won’t stop us from trying.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] The 2018 bid seems a little easier to handicap than the 2022 one. It seems like a pretty clear two way race between England, the safe bid, and Russia, the sexy legacy bid. Spain and Portugal are alive, but barely. Forget the Dutch/Belgium bid if you haven’t already.
    When you are talking about a voting format that relies so heavily on the the whims of a few, the ability to make friends matters. It’s here that England suffers. Consider that and the (totally justifiable) actions of the British press and it becomes increasingly difficult to see how England wins. That’s a shame because an English World Cup has the potential of being something very special.
    Russia seems like it offers the exco folks the chance to go into a “new” area and an ability to do what it takes to win these things – it isn’t the days of the CCCP any longer but it doesn’t seem likely that a documentary ripping FIFA will appear on Russian TV tonight.
    Most people reading here are more interested in the 2022 bid. With the United States looking to bring the party back, fans on both sides of the border are looking at this as the best chance to see a World Cup in their “backyard” during their lifetime. With rumours swirling that FIFA wants to go to China in ’26 (and the assumption that if they do they’ll be in Europe for ’30) it would be a long time before the USA could bid again.
    Many in the US are looking at the Qatar bid with fear. It gets a lot of attention and is intriguing on several levels. Outside of the US, however, the more serious threat is thought to be Australia. The Aussies are also safe – they bill themselves as the “no worries” World Cup – and offer FIFA that whole legacy thing. The USA has hosted. Australia has not. The biggest strike against the Aussies is that they are in Asia (football wise, I didn’t fail geography) and China might be flexing its muscles behind the scenes.
    The blunt truth is that the Aussies have less enemies than the United States. The exco members might be influenced by what they think might be put in front of them for 2026, but that won’t be the primary concern.
    The other thing in Australia’s side is that for all their g’day mate no worries appearances, the Aussies are ruthless bidders for big events (see – Olympics, Sydney 2000). The slippery mores of FIFA bidding is not something that will concern them too much.
    As we’ve seen in recent Olympic bidding, it’s tough for the US to win these things. Although the USA bid is clearly the best for 2022 (as England is the best for 2018), that might not be enough.
    Since the process started my opinion has gone from a feeling that the USA was a slam-dunk, to a point now where I’ll be surprised if it wins.
    My picks?
    Russia 2018
    Australia 2022
    There is no way that FIFA is going to let Europe wait 12 years between World Cups again, so 2026 will be in Europe and 2030 could end up being a showdown between two superpowers – the USA and China.
    As to what all this might mean to Canada, you’ll read that in part 2 of 3 of The Big Bid tomorrow.
    Guest

    El Clásico: A Tale of two superstars

    By Guest, in Euro File,

    Today, the footballing world will only have eyes for one game: El Clásico, Barcelona vs. Real Madrid.
    And most of those eyes will be focused squarely on two men; the undeniable leaders of their respective sides, and - in my humble opinion - numbers 1 and 1A in the never-ending “best player in the world” debate.
    Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are in the midst of an epic battle to the top of the soccer heap, both leading their sides to supremacy on the pitch through unrivaled mastery of their craft.
    The two superstars really are a reflection of their respective teams.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Messi is the pint-sized magician who epitomizes all that is synonymous with Barcelona football. The Catalan side discovered the Argentine when he was still a child, and - like many of Barca’s current stars - they invested heavily into his development (both soccer-wise and medical). Messi’s journey to the top was a struggle from the get-go, with special medical treatments needed simply to reach his listed height of 5’7” (which is generous, to say the least).
    Barcelona’s loyalty to Messi paid off, and now the 2009 FIFA World Player of the Year heads up a side filled with players who grew up in the famed youth system of the Catalan club. The undeniable philosophy of the club is on display through players such as Xavi, Iniesta, Piqué, Puyol, Busquets, Pedro, and even goalkeeper Victor Valdés.
    Real Madrid, on the other hand, loves to buy its way to success, and Cristiano Ronaldo is the crown jewel in a treasure trove of stars purchased from all over the globe. Tall, athletic, handsome, and gifted with a lethal shot, CR7 is the yin to Messi’s yang. Where Messi is the artist who excels in spite of his obvious physical limitations, Ronaldo embraces his natural attributes and utilizes every last ounce of them.
    Ronaldo’s combination of power, speed, and athleticism have enabled him to rise to heights only dreamed of by most footballers, even including most of his own teammates. Surrounded by a sterling supporting cast of players such as Özil, Kaká, Higuain, Sergio Ramos, Arbeloa, Benzema, and di Maria, Ronaldo heads up a dream team of Galacticos, all executing the vision of manager José Mourinho.
    Ronaldo and Messi are the figureheads of the two most powerful club sides in Spain (and arguably, the entire world), but apart from that, they are also engaged in a personal battle that has set the soccer world on fire. Over the past couple of months, they been playing a game of “anything you can do, I can do better.” If Messi scores a brace, Ronaldo will score a hat-trick. If Ronaldo sets up four goals for his side, Messi will set up five.
    The result has been domination by the two undisputed powerhouse clubs of La Liga, and a highly anticipated showdown between soccer’s two reigning kings.
    I can hardly wait.
    Of course, given the unreal levels of anticipation for this match, it’ll likely be a low-scoring, highly-defensive affair. Murphy’s Law, and all that.
    I’m calling for home-field advantage to win out, with Barcelona edging their rivals 2-1. Both FCB goals by Messi, of course.
    How do you see this game going?
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