Australia shown up in World Cup sideshow

Columnist

By Davidde Corran, 10 Jun 2010 Davidde Corran is a Roar Expert

Tagged:: AFL, Andrew Demetriou, football, Football World Cup, Socceroos

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AFC Congresses are boring, or at least, they usually are. Certainly, Tuesday’s was meant to be. Any assembly in which most of the agenda consists of mild changes to a governing body’s statutes and regulations is hardly going to get the blood pumping.

When that very meeting is wrapped up by the President of the Lebanese FA complaining about AFC statutes referring to “the” AFC when no one refers to “the” FIFA, you know you’re in trouble.

Yet at the AFC’s 2010 congress in Johannesburg on Tuesday, something significant did happen.

Frank Lowy, whose relationship with AFC President Mohammed Bin Hammam once seemed to know no bounds, was snubbed and Australia’s World Cup bid was shafted.

While the general consensus has been that the 2018 World Cup hosting rights would go to Europe, it was only on Tuesday that Bin Hammam officialised Asia’s support for that movement.

“I want to assure Europe on behalf of AFC that we recognise and support their desire to host the 2018 edition,” said Bin Hammam.

“It will be an open bid and everybody is free to support anyone. But our support is for Europe when it comes to 2018.

“The mood inside the FIFA Executive Committee is that Europe should host the 2018 version.”

Europe’s designs on the 2018 tournament might not be news but Asia’s support certainly was and Football Federation Australia was caught off guard.

Ben Buckley admitted as much to The World Game’s Matthew Hall on Wednesday.

“It was not a position that had been put forward to us prior to the meeting but it doesn’t change anything,” Buckley said.

“We are still confident in our position in the competition.”

About five hours after Bin Hammam’s speech to the AFC congress on Tuesday, FFA announced a press conference for the following morning. In attendance would be Lowy, Sports Minister Kate Ellis, FFA CEO Ben Buckley and the Australian High Commissioner in South Africa, Ann Harrap.

Officially the Australian press conference might have been to announce an initiative to get over 9,000 desks for African school children, but then why was there so much “Come Play” paraphernalia in all the photo opportunities?

It’s called damage control.

Australia’s bid has been slipping ever since AFL boss Andrew Demetriou took, what I consider, the low road in protecting his football code.

While Lowy might have slammed one report which placed Australia’s World Cup bid in 7th place as “a lot of nonsense”, there’s no getting away from what was another embarrassing political hit to Australia’s World Cup aspirations.

With the Socceroos World Cup opener against Germany on the horizon, lets hope it’s the last time Australia gets caught with its pants down in South Africa this year.

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The Crowd Says (63) | Page 1 of Comments

sheek said | June 10th 2010 @ 8:43am | Report comment

Call me dumb if you will, but blaming Demetriou & the AFL for scuppering the FFA hosting rights bid makes no sense to me. No sense at all.

I’m neither a Demetriou fan or hard core AFL fan, but for God’s sake, I can think of a dozen reasons why our bid would be scuttled, starting with the dirty politics of FIFA, AFC & other organisations to begin with.

The ground hire wrangling are a storm in a teacup. We haven’t even won any rights yet, for heaven’s sake. If push came to shove, the federal government would step in anyway. As if they would let Australia miss out on an opportunity like this.

No, stop blaming the AFL. We’re being done over by powerful world sporting organisations full of some of the worst (least principled) kind of people on the planet. They’re the ones we should be directing our ire towards…..

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- Beaver Fever said | June 10th 2010 @ 8:48am | Report comment
  
  Won’t happen on this board.
  
  Reply
- Redb said | June 10th 2010 @ 8:56am | Report comment
  
  Agree Sheek, it smacks of setting up the AFL as the fall guy should the bid fail to take the limelight off the corruptness and back dealing that goes on within FIFA.
  
  Why the heck is the AFC bloke backing Europe!!! I hear Bin Hammam will be FIFA president one day and that he supports Qatar in 2022. No surprise then that he backs Europe for 2018.
  
  Reply
  - whiskeymac said | June 10th 2010 @ 9:13am | Report comment
    
    tis a pity there’s no ICAC type function overseer for the AFC and FIFA just as its a pity (from my persepctive, which wld be different if was an AFL chairman no doubt) Demeteriou took the stance he did. Bin Hammam’s obvious politiking is on behalf of Qatar first, the region second. as a president for the region its an obvious conflict of interest that needs to be resolved.
    
    if Oz fails completely in both bids, and to be honest most if not all thought and believed the 2018 bid was always going to Europe as it was always said to be (so are the FFA really caught short by this news flash?) what wld be the fall out?
    egg on face reports or valiant underdog attempts in the media?
    
    Reply
    - Victer said | June 10th 2010 @ 3:39pm | Report comment
      
      I don’t know if its a shoe in. Because there is one thing FIFA must understand and that’s if it goes to USA again, it won’t be there for a very very long time. You have essentially used all your ammo on the USA in a very short space of time. They will not be justified having it there a third time and if it doesn’t work in capturing the USA’s attention as I suspect will be the case, FIFA will have egg on their faces. You could be right but it all depends of how committed FIFA is by adopting the olympic method and bringing the world cup to different places.
      
      Reply
- Michael C said | June 10th 2010 @ 2:34pm | Report comment
  
  agreed – - Sheek/Redb,
  
  just amazed the Michael Lynch article in Fairfax about this issue didn’t even mention the AFL…..oh, hang on, I just looked at theAge, let me check the SMH,
  
  ….nuh!!, not there either. Okay…..credits to Lynchie!!
  
  shame Davidde couldn’t resist.
  
  whiskeymac -
  
  Frank Lowy has learned a lesson that many political statesmen need to – - it’s no good focussing on foreign affairs at the expense of the home front.
  
  Reply
  - Davidde Corran said | June 11th 2010 @ 2:54am | Report comment
    
    Michael C, this is an opinion piece and my opinion on Demetriou’s tactics was relevant to that part of the article. Yet it was only one line amongst many. I wouldn’t get too hung up over it.
    
    Reply
whiskeymac said | June 10th 2010 @ 9:04am | Report comment

“the dirty politics of FIFA, AFC & other organisations to begin with.” yeah i agree although the AFL’s stance in the matter sticks out like a fifth column for many, and certainly is a factor, the bigger issue was always how to schmooze and grease the right palms in the AFC and FIFA.

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Tom said | June 10th 2010 @ 9:27am | Report comment

This is a truly bizarre move by the AFC. I’ve never heard of a confederation throwing their support behind a rival confederation’s bid six months before the vote.

You have to wonder what the political movements were for this to happen. I wonder if Qatar, Japan and Korea’s bids have been pushing for this.

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- ItsCalledFootball said | June 10th 2010 @ 9:54am | Report comment
  
  Even more bizarre is that the AFC president makes decisions on behalf of his member nations without even consulting anyone in his confederation.
  
  Personal positioning and political manouvering.
  Are we really part of the Asian Confederation?
  
  If we don’t win the 2018 bid it will probably go to England and I couldn’t think of a nicer footballing holiday – it will be even better than Gernmany 06.
  
  Reply
drew777 said | June 10th 2010 @ 9:32am | Report comment

I doubt that there is any corruption on Fifa. Think about it; Fifa comprises of every different confederation. If any of those confederations were conspiring together, being corrupt as you say, the one/s that are being conspired against will speak out. If even one confederation or nation said that Fifa was corrupt and they were being treated unjustly then there would be uproar and a full blown commission. Why wouldn’t they keep their mouth shut? Because if they were being treated unjustly then they already have nothing to lose as no one is going to get kicked from Fifa.

The fact that AFL had such a big part was that the bid needed stadiums, and with uncertainty around whether Aus could provide said stadiums was a massive factor because as we all found out with South Africa’s bid, they had to build stadiums which were still being completed only a few weeks ago, AND Fifa had to give them money to complete it. So Fifa are naturally wary now of whether or not to give the WC to a nation who does not already have the required infrastructure. That is why USA and England are surging ahead – they could host it tomorrow if they were given it.

It is more than coincidence that our bid was 2nd before the whole debacle with the AFL, and then after that if fell to 7th.

If you take a look at our bid; we have the stadiums, we have the know how (2000 Olympics), we are a team on the rise and we are in Asia (a region whom is having a huge push toward hosting a WC in the near future). We have all the components necessary to win it but our mismanagement and poor dealing with the AFL for example is what cost us.

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- AndyRoo said | June 10th 2010 @ 9:52am | Report comment
  
  I think it’s more to do with our confederation than the AFL. Asia is putting up 4 bids and I bet theirs a feeling that Australia is jumping the q by putting in a good bid now……. the fact that no one in the rest of the world seems excited about Korea,Japan and Qatar doesn’t seem to matter to the AFC.
  
  Bin Hammam wants one bid from the AFC and the whole confederation behind a single bid would be much stronger but it’s Qatar or bust as far he’s concerned.
  
  Reply
  - punter said | June 10th 2010 @ 10:21am | Report comment
    
    AndyRoo, I agree with you. This has alot more to do with our confederation than with the AFL.
    Sure the AFL didn’t want to play ball & I’m not sure why we should’ve expected them too. However, I do find it ironic as their approach to the Football WC totally contradicts their stance on their encroachment on RL/Football heartland of Western Sydney. Stealing a line from above, Sydney is not ready for a 2nd AFL side, maybe that may change in the future.
    However, I think Australia’s chances would live or die by the confederation getting behind 1 bid & then it’s FIFAs decision between Asia or US.
    
    Reply
    - AndyRoo said | June 10th 2010 @ 10:26am | Report comment
      
      Demetriou did us no favors by going public with what should have been handled behind closed doors.
      
      That said it’s a very small issue in the scheme of things given their is an MOU signed now. Some bubbles back in Feb 10 or whenever it was that were solved shouldn’t be a story in December 2010.
      
      Reply
      - Australian Football said | June 10th 2010 @ 11:46am | Report comment
        
        Bollocks you can lay the blame on Demetriou and his demands that crucified the WC bid.
        
        Reply
        
        AndyRoo said | June 10th 2010 @ 12:44pm | Report comment
        
        Totally 100% disagree and I beleive we are still the best bid.
        
        The stadiums we need are all signed up and the bid is compliant. So what if their were some robust negotiations it’s all signed up for now and our bid is very strong, it just shows where actually crossing the I and dotting the t’s with our preparations. Their were no protests in the street and other codes are prepared to move 90 games to accommodate the World Cup! Nothing of the sort is happening in America (has anyone asked them to clarify if MLB will change it’s schedule one iota?).
        
        To allow other nations to indicate this is a reason not to give us a world cup is rubbish….I’m pretty disappointed that Australia’s football media even gives such an idea oxygen instead of focusing on the positives of our bid. I know it’s a bad look for Aussie journalists too attack the huge flaws in other countries bids (USA’s stadiums are pretty much all NFL venues, Qatar would be the least fun world cup ever and Korea and Japan would be soulless affairs) but this flaccid surrender of our chances really irks me and Australia needs to show some grit.
        
        We just let the Treisman remarks go through to keeper, and when the Korean chief was asked why they should get the world cup responded with “it would cost us less money than last time”.
        No mention of this in the Aussie media, no tough questions yet we give the remarks from Qatar sponsored World Insider huge credence.
        
        Qatars bid is a joke….any person who treats it as anything other than a high farce is given their bid undeserved credibility. They should be laughed at whenever their bid is mentioned but no…the Aussie media and fans are all to willing to “woe is us, Qatar bid is looking good”.
        
        Sorry AF I am going to withhold your Australia 2022 tickets for now until you prepare a 1000 word article on how Qatar (i.e. Brazil and Nigeria’s F team) getting a spot in the world cup by hosting it could embarrass the AFC and reduce the amount of qualifying spots we get in future world cups.
        
        If anyone else wants to write an article on how Qatar’s lack of Qatari’s in their team undermines the specialness of International football feel free.
        
        Australian Football said | June 10th 2010 @ 1:18pm | Report comment
        
        I can’t write what I feel as the mods deleted my first lengthy comment this morning. In short; I believe it was because of Demetriou and Buckley that our stadia only received a “fail 4 rating” worse then Qatar who have not even completed their stadia proposal. I wrote that the out side Football authorities or assessors have seen our WC bid dominated by the code AFL. They have seen the animosity and what has transpired in Australia—and they are not stupid as the AFL believe they are. Our bid sunk from 2nd to 7th before Mohammed Bin Hammam made his statement..
        
        AndyRoo said | June 10th 2010 @ 2:12pm | Report comment
        
        AF
        
        Most of our stadiums are actually built (proof demand is their), they will be used and many of them have hosted football matches allready. They are not relying on some unproven technology (green air conditioning!!!)
        
        Nth Qld, Suncorp, Canberra, Newcastle, Blacktown, SFS, Adelaide Oval will or have hosted A league matches.
        
        Qatar not a single 45k stadium in place at this stage…… the USA only one stadium in their bid which is used for MLS.
        
        The ranking change from 4th to 7th is from World Football Insider who are sponsered by Qatar hence why non existent stadia is seemingly higher rated than ours……
        They have 0 credibility.
        
        The AFL story has nothing on the above because it’s all been signed off and won’t effect the actual hosting of the World Cup one bit. The story would have had a life span of 2 days at most but Football fans keep bringing it up. It’s Lowy and Buckley and the football media that keep giving this petty issue oxygen
        
        Michael C said | June 10th 2010 @ 2:51pm | Report comment
        
        AndyRoo -
        
        completely agreed.
        
        Is there any chance some people actually reading what AndyRoo says??…..it’s very, very balanced.
        
        AndyRoo said | June 10th 2010 @ 3:03pm | Report comment
        
        Careful MC or you will end up like Pim (betrayed after it all goes pear shaped).
        
        I am very supportive now because the dreams still alive but if it crashes and burns their every chance I will recant all previous testimony.
  - Towser said | June 10th 2010 @ 3:45pm | Report comment
    
    Nothing to do with this article (& agree regarding the AFL business as nonsense) but the FFA are as in the bid process bound by FIFA’s decisions as are the AFC on such matters.
    FIFA approved the Phoenix to stay in the A-League for another 6 years last Monday,therefore the AFC can have no gripe with the FFA on this.
    
    http://www.smh.com.au/sport/a-league/fifa-fix-for-phoenix-20100608-xtq9.html
    
    Reply
    - AA said | June 10th 2010 @ 3:54pm | Report comment
      
      Bin Hamman stil won’t allow the Phoenix access to the Asian Champs League, he can control that. FIFA’s deal for the Phoenix is A-League only.
      
      Reply
- Harvey the Scouser said | June 10th 2010 @ 9:55am | Report comment
  
  drew
  you doubt there’s corruption in FIFA?
  are ye having a laugh?
  
  Reply
  - drew777 said | June 14th 2010 @ 7:01am | Report comment
    
    prove it?
    
    Reply
- True Tah said | June 10th 2010 @ 10:06am | Report comment
  
  drew
  
  have you ever heard of a bloke called Jack Warner???
  
  Who knows, India may well end up hosting the FIFA World Cup before Australia, if Blatter and Warner get into bed with the blokes running the Indian Premier League cricket tournament.
  
  Reply
  - drew777 said | June 14th 2010 @ 7:07am | Report comment
    
    You are referring to when he tried to screw over the Trinidad and Tobago national side in regard to player payments? Hardly FIFA corruption as he was attempting to keep more money to T&T football than give it to the squad.
    
    Reply
- Australian Football said | June 10th 2010 @ 10:10am | Report comment
  
  drew777,
  I agree with you—a good comment..
  
  Reply
Towser said | June 10th 2010 @ 9:41am | Report comment

The logistics of hosting a World Cup in June/July were well known by the FFA. They submitted there bid. Nuff said.
Nobody who has followed the game at the top can be suprised by MBH’s moves. After all he wants Sepps job so hes in training.
As I have stated previously, the main reason we will struggle is because the AFC did not back one bid for either 2018 or 2022.
Now it seems 2018 is out.MBH could do anything.
The decision will be in December thats the only fact that is predictable,because FIFA & the AFC certainly are not

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- Harvey the Scouser said | June 10th 2010 @ 9:51am | Report comment
  
  lets not forget that Bin Hammam has already backed one Asian bid for 2022
  I’m pretty sure I know which one he’ll be putting forward
  
  Reply
Towser said | June 10th 2010 @ 10:22am | Report comment

RE FIFA & the USA as mentioned by Redb previously.

Football in the USA is making genuine progress. Its a no brainer that FIFA wants football to grow commercially there. You just have to look at the revenue/wages of leagues/players in their domestic leagues to see that if you get a larger slice of the USA’s moneypot you become more powerful on the world stage.
The spin offs for a country that potrays its culture more than any other through films etc are potentially enormous.
Those who mock that the USA’s playing numbers at Junior level mean nothing are very wrong.
Check out kids shows from the USA that go around the world. Sure they potray American sports but more & more are showing kids either real ones or cartoon characters playing “Soccer”.
KIds everywhere around the globe are seeing this.
FIFA knows that growth in the USA means free plugs for football across the planet.
OF course it cant be seen to be obviously bias,but hey its FIFA.

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Joe FC said | June 10th 2010 @ 2:10pm | Report comment

FIFA are entirely uninterested in the words and deeds of the AFL hierarchy. They’re only interested in what the Bid Book says we can do. Only Bin Hammam can truly know the intent behind those remarks. The FFA are responsible for their own actions not his, they’ve got nothing to be embarrassed about.

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sheek said | June 10th 2010 @ 3:00pm | Report comment

Unfortunately, I don’t think Qatar have experienced any ‘Tiananmen Square’ incidents lately, that might tip the bid in our favour…..

Also, Andrew Demetriou must wield such enormous power even he isn’t aware of. He should run for prime minister, no make that the first emperor of Australia…..

Sorry….. very, very, very, very cynical of me……….

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Towser said | June 10th 2010 @ 3:27pm | Report comment

All I can say is if its in Qatar apart from the fact that all the stadiums will need to be co-joined due to lack of space,the rumour that they will be built underground & fully air conditioned better be true. Because the temperatures in June/July are more conducive to holding the world egg frying on a car bonnet World cup than football. June average high 41degrees C Low 27. July average high 41 degrees Low 29.
See climate in link below.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qatar

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cruyff turn said | June 10th 2010 @ 3:34pm | Report comment

The decision by Bin Hammam to get behind a European bid for 2018 changes nothing IMO.

Right from the beginning, it was inconceivable that the WC would be away from Europe for three successive tournaments – even MBH knows there is a greater chance of an Asian bid winning 2022 than 2018 – so why should we feel surprised or let down?

I’ve said all along that bidding for both Cups signals to the world that we’re fair dinkum about hosting the event. It was a strategic measure to show we’re not afraid to bid against Europe, even though the odds are stacked against us. Lowy may say publicly that Australia’s “in it to win it” for 2018 (of course he would), but I’m sure the realist in him says Europe will get the first one.

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