• Mood: annoyed
• Music: November- Tom Waits

The FA come under fire as FIFA attack England World Cup bid... but clear Qatar!

The FIFA ethics report into World Cup bid corruption is expected to blame England more than Qatar for breaching regulations when it is published on Thursday morning.
Judge Hans-Joachim Eckert’s long-awaited conclusions, after an investigation carried out by New York lawyer Michael Garcia over two years, effectively clears Qatar to host the 2022 tournament while pointing the finger of suspicion firmly at England’s 2018 bid.
This will cause consternation within the FA, who considered their campaign the most transparent of the lot, and ensure relations with the world governing body remain at rock bottom for years to come. The Russian and Australian bids are also expected to be criticised more than a Qatari campaign that has been the focus of so much controversy.got up, head this and smh

World Cup 2022: Qatar to be cleared of corruption over bid
Qatar will be cleared of corruption during the 2022 World Cup bidding process when a Fifa report is published on Thursday, BBC Sport has learned.
It was alleged that Qatar won the staging rights after Fifa officials were paid £3m to support its bid.
However, Fifa's independent ethics adjudicator, Hans Joachim Eckert, is not expected to recommend a revote.
Qatar was awarded the 2022 World Cup in 2010, beating bids from Australia, the United States, South Korea and Japan.
The decision was a surprise and eventually led to a number of corruption allegations, not just about the 2022 bidding process but also 2018.
Russia won the right to stage the 2018 tournament, beating off England, who won just two votes, as well as joint bids by Holland/Belgium and Spain/Portugal. read more here

World Cup 2018: FA braced for Fifa criticism over failed bid to host tournament

The English were eliminated in the first round of the voting in December 2010 in Zurich – despite the presence of Prince William, David Cameron and David Beckham, who lobbied ExCo members personally. Many of the key individuals involved in England’s World Cup bid, including the two chairmen of the period Lord Triesman and David Bernstein, and chief executive, Andy Anson, have long since left the organisation.

As of Wednesday night, the FA was still unclear as to the detail of the Fifa report. In private the FA says it co-operated with all Garcia’s requests for information and it is possible that some evidence could be construed as having broken bidding rules.

For legal reasons related to his status as an American citizen, Garcia did not investigate the United States bid for the 2018 tournament, nor the Russian bid for 2018.read more

the original PDF document that classified Qatar as high risk. This not the investigation. That's still private.

Picture Post International Games


Neymar scored two goals for his country last night. No big


Oscar did a sweet assist to Neymar last night. He's more of a work horse at chelsea than the flashy player he can be for his NT


I love how the Brazilian teammates just seem to get on


Mexico won, I heard? I tend to switch off during International Break hoping that our players come back uninjured. Yes, I'm an English woman, more concerned with my team's progress than my country's. Ijs


Mexicans were representing in Holland last night


Chicharito and the Dutch goal keeper who's rude and tacky


Id and names for these players, please?



I'm neutral to the Dutch team to the form of apathy, but their kits for 2014, have me wanting to buy 'em.


What, what is Agüero seeing what I'm not seeing?


I like this picture. So sue me


Still can't wrap my head around an Argentine vs Croatia friendly in England though


Angel!


OMG, can't stop laughing


croatia gave a good account of themselves last night.


I know of Mordic?


Despite the score, Iceland performed admirably, I thought. Especially for a young and unfancied team


NGL, the surnames got a sister befuddled. I know of the patronymics- but still


Is that... a fendi bag


LOL


The Belgians do a traditional walk before the game



Norwegian wunderkinder Martin Odegaard played well, but his team lost to Estonia


There's a David Luiz fan on this comm. This pic is for her. Ciao, bella X


Turan isn't here for your ish, Neymar Jr and David Luiz


I thought Nuri Şahin was German? The heck? He plays for Turkey


Brazil put on a proper show last night


Moreno and Manquillo were left off their national team, but whatever, I'm positing this picture because of dog and his bitchin' tattoo