World Cup bid makes us truly global citizens

Columnist

By Mike Tuckerman, 29 Dec 2009 Mike Tuckerman is a Roar Expert

Tagged:: AFL, football, Les Murray, NRL, World Cup

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The Australian Socceroos' Mark Viduka kicks the ball in the Australia v Japan opening Group F match at the Soccer World Cup in Kaiserslautern, Germany, Monday, June 12, 2006. This is Australia's first World Cup finals appearance in 32 years. AAP Image/Dave Hunt

When I was in high school, I dreamed of travelling the globe. I mostly blame Les Murray for this, because his ‘World Soccer’ show became compulsory viewing of a Saturday afternoon.

Every weekend after watching the show, I’d dream of the days when I too could stand on the terraces of world football’s most famous stadia, watching the best players on the planet strut their stuff in front of packed houses.

The reality is that when I was old enough to set out for Europe, I spent most of my time watching dreadful German third division games at Fortuna Köln’s crumbling Südstadion.

Nevertheless, I always appreciated that football offered me a more worldly view than the staid suburban environment I grew up in.

So it was with a sense of excitement that I greeted the news that Australia was to bid to host the World Cup finals, although my joy was apparently not shared by those who call the NRL and AFL their sport of choice.

They argue that the cost of halting the domestic NRL and AFL seasons is too great to bother mounting a serious bid to host the World Cup, but as someone whose love of the round ball game has resulted in numerous trips abroad, I can’t help but feel that such complaints are a tad myopic.

In a country that craves international recognition, turning down the world’s biggest sporting event because it temporarily impacts on local affairs is like denying Rafael Nadal a shot at the Australian Open because hard courts don’t suit his natural game.

That is to say, not a particularly smart idea.

For a nation that has a reputation for being open-minded and cosmopolitan, it seems absurd to sabotage the chance to host the world’s most important sporting event because it impacts on local affairs.

I was at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, and I can safely say that the tournament supersedes anything this country has ever seen.

And as someone who not only hails from the rugby league heartland that is western Sydney, but who has also watched the odd game of AFL in Melbourne, that’s a statement I feel qualified to make.

The football World Cup should be right up our alley, so it’s a shame that so many cloak their views in quasi-nationalist rhetoric to claim that football is a foreign sport and that parochial interests must be protected.

They are entitled to their opinions – but so are the thousands of fans whose passion for the round ball game is not intended as a snub to domestic sports, and who support football simply because of a love for the game.

These fans might occasionally be drowned out by the din of newspaper columnists looking to protect their own self-interests, but undoubtedly they exist.

I can understand that NRL and AFL fans don’t wish to see their respective seasons interrupted by a World Cup.

But since the essence of ground-sharing means exactly that – to share – perhaps these fans can take a temporary back seat to a tournament that makes the Olympics look like a village get-together.

We’re talking about a potential $5.3 billion economic windfall – according to the boffins who come up with these figures – not to mention the hundreds of millions who tune into the tournament on TV sets across the globe.

And in a rapidly globalised world, hosting a World Cup would make us truly global citizens.

Whether that’s something the average Australian wants is another topic for debate.

But if the ethos of being Australian is to “get in and have a go,” I’d like to see the Australian government mount an open and honest bid to host the World Cup finals – regardless of whether that puts a few noses out of joint amongst the status quo.

I’m sure that NRL and AFL fans will disagree, but I don’t think I’m alone in that desire.

Follow Mike on twitter @Mike_Tuckerman

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The Crowd Says (401) | Page 1 of Comments

Yup said | December 29th 2009 @ 2:17am | Report comment

“The football World Cup should be right up our alley, so it’s a shame that so many cloak their views in quasi-nationalist rhetoric to claim that football is a foreign sport and that parochial interests must be protected.”

Please tell me the soccer season is over soon. I’m sure this bloke scored an A+ in his english exam but i couldn’t give two hoots less. All this talk ok “football” on the roar is driving me nuts. I wonder whos gonna win the quasi national cup this year. What the hell is a quasi? I hope we get the soccer world cup. Then its done and over just like the olympics. Never again will we have to deal with crappy sport.

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- B.C. said | December 29th 2009 @ 10:37pm | Report comment
  
  O.K. lets have the SOCCER world cup, give the SKINNYROOS their 2 weeks of glory in front of huge crowds at home.
  
  Let Frank Lowy convince K747 to blow a mint load of money on it and rack up more debt.
  
  All we want is to be able to continue with our FOOTBALL codes of choice be they AFL or RL.
  
  It will come and go, the status quo will remain, the deluded minority think that a soccer tsunami will convert all before it, they will still be saying that in 50 years, it wont happen.
  
  But lets have the soccer world cup anway.
  
  At least we will then be “global citizens” ………………..unlike now.
  
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andrewMc said | December 29th 2009 @ 3:20am | Report comment

Good Article. I too hope that football makes us global citizens. It was only the other month that my 4 year old nephew was telling me all about Oman. He knew where is was, its captial, what language they spoke and what their religion was. And all because the Socceroos were playing Oman. I don’t think I could’ve found New Zealand when I was four!!

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Master Blaster said | December 29th 2009 @ 5:58am | Report comment

“We’re talking about a potential $5.3 billion economic windfall” – So why can’t the AFL and NRL clubs share in that by offering matches for tourists to attend while here in Australia for the WC?

The AFL and NRL are sports that are part of our national culture, moreso than soccer, and anyone coming to Australia should be allowed to avail themselves of the chance to experience these Australian sports if they wish. Isn’t that the point in hosting any international event? To showcase all of Australia? The AFL and NRL are very much part of everyday life in Australia.

No AFL or NRL fan is saying “Don’t bring the WC here” — they are objecting to soccer’s demand that the AFL and NRL must shut down.

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- Punter said | December 29th 2009 @ 7:39am | Report comment
  
  I have not heard from anyone from FIFA or the FFA that AFL or NRL needs to shut down during the FIFA WC, only NRL & AFL officials & media. However I don’t disagree they need to get together to discuss the sharing of the grounds, even Mike Gibson the old Rugby League dinosaur thinks there is plenty of time to draft up a spreadsheet or 2 to please everyone.
  The NRL & AFL are part of our national culture, no doubt about it, but like the Storm in Melbourne & Sydney Swans & Brisbane Lions & soon to be new teams in Gold Coast & Western Sydney, things can change. Football in this country in more widely followed than just the A-League & even more so at WC time. This is what most of the ardent NRL or AFL supporters don’t understand. Even though I’m a football fan, I have & would again go to RU or Cricket WCs. It’s more than sport, it’s an event & with the WC, you are talking about the biggest sporting event in the world.
  
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- Aka said | December 29th 2009 @ 9:37am | Report comment
  
  Master Blaster,
  
  AFL is a part of southern Australian culture and RL is part of northern Australian culture.
  And football, although not dominant, is also (arguably moreso) a part of our national culture.
  
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- Chuq said | December 29th 2009 @ 10:38am | Report comment
  
  “soccer’s demand that the AFL and NRL must shut down” – the non-existent (or at least, unconfirmed and unlikely going by precendents)?
  
  It looks like Andrew Demetriou only has to say something once and the anti-WC brigade latch on to it, as the perfect “excuse” – whether or not it is true.
  
  The lockout refers to major sporting events such as Wimbledon, The Ashes and Rugby internationals, and is designed to prevent massive demands on transport, accommodation, security, and so on. Domestic competitions don’t count. Major League Baseball was allowed to continue in 1994, and that is a significantly larger league than the AFL/NRL.
  
  The only “lockout” will be from the stadia used by the World Cup.
  
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  - Punter said | December 29th 2009 @ 11:33am | Report comment
    
    I don’t think the truth is what these guys want. They want to hold onto to this us aagainst them mentality & tell the FFA & FIFA where to go.
    So if FIFA decides against giving the WC to Australia, it will give them the satisfaction of thinking their sport told FIFA where to go. It’s called small man mentality.
    
    Like I said I’m a football person but would have no issues with any sport holding their WCs in Australia & in Cricket & Rugbys cases I would even attend, because it would be a world event.
    
    Reply
    - Australian Football said | January 1st 2010 @ 10:20am | Report comment
      
      Punter,
      I agree with you … no one in the Football family complained about the AFL International Cup in Australia, the RU WC or the RL WC or any other WC of any sport … but when we want to hold the most important WC of any sport … Oh no, it will be the end of Australia as we know it … If that was true; then it would be about time it was done to bring us up speed with the rest of the world..
      
      ~~~~~~~
      KB
      
      Reply
  - Jeb said | December 30th 2009 @ 10:00am | Report comment
    
    so melbourne suburb vs melbourne suburb isn’t a major sporting event then? you’re kidding.
    
    Reply
agga78 said | December 29th 2009 @ 7:04am | Report comment

Master Blaster Rugby league is English not Australian, as for AFL it’s huge in most parts of Australia except for two of the three biggest States in Australia, Qld and NSW (see TV ratings for these states to confirm lack of interest).

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- Master Blaster said | December 29th 2009 @ 7:49am | Report comment
  
  Rugby league was born in England, but ask any Englishman which country has been running the game for the past 50 years and they will say Australia.
  
  All the major rule changes have come from here, it is played here, and Australia has the code’s #1 competition and #1 international team since the 1970s.
  
  By your logic soccer isn’ the world game, it is an English game played by the world.
  
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  - Mr cheese said | December 29th 2009 @ 9:43am | Report comment
    
    You may ( or may not ) be interested to learn that we in England do not call football “the world game”.
    
    I think it’s fair to say that football was codified ( whatever that verb means ) in England and played in many different countries around the world.
    
    As for RL: if you asked “any Englishman” which country has been running that sport, many of them would say “What is Rugby League ?”.
    
    Reply
amused said | December 29th 2009 @ 7:08am | Report comment

I believe the author of the article got his economic numbers wrong.

it’s actually $530 billion and 50 million jobs created. here in australia.

i/e numbers like that are bandied around and are a complete load of rubbish. believe me, i studied economics at uni, work in the financial markets and can safely say you can create any numbers you want for any purpose.

perhaps michael pascoe’s column on it sheds some interesting light on this “bids” true cost
http://www.smh.com.au/business/beware-the-coming-soccer-circus-20091214-krcb.html

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- Mushi said | December 29th 2009 @ 7:45am | Report comment
  
  I Also would love to see where the 5.3 billion economic windfall (maybe it’s 5.3billion pesos)?
  
  There is an article in the AFR based on portions of the leaked report that has the net benefits at A$345m, which is based on a A$1.6bn boost in “brand Australia”. (substantially larger than the boost projected, but never realised, for the Olympics)
  
  Now ask any investor wether they would stake their money on a project where the positive outcome is entirely reliant on a large intangible that has been valued by experts hired by the sellers, and remains unable to be verified because the sellers refuse to make the document public?
  
  Will such an event raise the global profile, undoubtedly yes (though 1.6bn seems more than excessive for a country that already has a large tourism industry)
  
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Vince said | December 29th 2009 @ 7:19am | Report comment

AFL is genuinely worried due to the war for talent as Sam Newman said on the AFL Footy Show about 10 years ago that the World Cup in Australia (by the way it is the only one that doesn’t have a “sport” at the front of it because it is the original) would be harmful as every boy for years leading up to it would want to take up the sport to try and make the National Team.
Football is already the no 1 sport for participation nation wide but in Victoria, the home of AFL (it really hasn’t gone much further than SA and WA to be honest, the rest are just outposts to symbolise a “National” competition), football has over 22% of 5-14 year old boys and AFL 13% playing.
The issue is down to the use of multi-purpose stadiums that exist in Australia.
Football is played in the Summer to make access to grounds possible and to be more in line with overseas competitions – hence why the World Cup would be held in Winter if it makes it to Australia.

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Timmypig said | December 29th 2009 @ 7:22am | Report comment

Mike as a rusted on rugby nut, albeit one who also enjoys football, rugby league, American football & Aussie Rules, I say “BRING IT ON!” But I don’t for one minute believe the ‘rivers of gold’ arguments, nor do I think the ‘putting us on the map’ argument holds any weight.

When the the winner was ‘SYDDEY’ and we hosted the greatest Olympics of all, did that not ‘put us on the map’? Becoming overnight experts on class 5A in the Left Handed Ball Scratching (under 65 kg), and quite liking the chances of that young bloke from Paraguay …. well …. the case for exposing us to the world, and the world to us starts wearing thin. We still had mandatory detention and Cronulla Riots; I’d argue that hosting the Olympics made no difference, other than creating at great expense the worst stadium I’ve ever been to.

Hosting the World Cup won’t have any upsides for other sports, really. Infrastructure spending is something that the government should be either doing or actively sponsoring anyway, regardless of any World Cup bid. It may even be that spending on infrastructure for the World Cup diverts infrastructure spending on ports, freight rail, electricity generation and distribution, etc, which are the REAL big ticket infrastructure items.

So, are there ANY arguments in favour of hosting the World Cup? Yep, there’s one overriding argument…. IT’S REALLY REALLY COOL. How much fun will it be to go to a stadium with 59997 other lunatics and cheer yourself hoarse to Belgium v Costa Rica or Cameroon v North Korea?

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Hazey the Bear said | December 29th 2009 @ 7:24am | Report comment

So Mike,

By your standards, any country that has not bid/hosted a World Cup is not a “global citizen”?

Riiigggghhht….

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football said | December 29th 2009 @ 7:26am | Report comment

Pascoe makes the assumption that tourists wont come, citeing the Syd Olympics as an example. Pascoe also fails to compare the different tourist numbers between the Athens Olympics & the German WC.
Numbers can tell the story you want especially if like Pascoe your assumptions are flawed or if you refer to specific sectors & the impact on those sectors.
Amused the numbers can also tell the real story & the real economic impact or dont you live by your P&L in the FINANCIAL MARKETS & daily price revaluations.
Lets get serious & not refer to flawed articles makeing flawed assumptions.

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- Kurt said | December 29th 2009 @ 7:44am | Report comment
  
  No worries footy. Refer us to a non-flawed article written by an economist that claims the WC will deliver massive economic benefits. Just one.
  
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  - Mushi said | December 29th 2009 @ 7:57am | Report comment
    
    Wow don’t ask him to back up his statement kurt.
    
    Suggesting that the result will be more akin to Germany than the Sydney Olympics omits distance, season and capacity issues which Germany didn’t face.
    
    How about this if Football Australia is so adamant that this will work out then how about they pay out all the costs, rather than the tax payer, and the government can reimburse them as these locked in stone 1.6bn of benefits come in?
    
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football said | December 29th 2009 @ 7:40am | Report comment

Timmypig
I can refer to my Rugby WC experience going to Canberra to watch the Italy Wales game, meeting Italian tourists who followed the team to Australia & discussing Rugby participation rates in Italy.A great night had by all & yes they dropped a bit of cash in Cenberra.

Vince
Being involved in Rep 14 year old football I can also refer to the hundreds of kids who are turned away from the sport because we dont have the ability to accomodate in terms of elite coaching & environments. Under 14 PYL trials 120 kids turn up 15 get selected, SYL 100 turned up 15 are selected, the leftovers go to division 1, who can only accomodate 15. This leaves the others to park football or leave the sport. The other codes on the other hand are begging kids to play.

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