It’s now almost eight weeks since the Sport Minister’s own deadline to her taskforce that all the stadium details for the World Cup bid be worked out with the various levels of government and the relevant sporting bodies.
It’s also three weeks since the head of the FFA announced that we were ready to finalise those very same details and that all relevant parties were now in agreement. That the date of that announcement was April 1 may or may not be significant.
It would be incorrect to think that there has been inaction on the government side.
For weeks now, there has been furious negotiating and bargaining over a kitty that is well into the billions of dollars.
We’ve seen claim and counter claim, public misgivings aired, back downs, claw backs, setbacks, with Federal and State public officials burning the midnight oil in an attempt to resolve a litany of intractable issues.
Yes, the Prime Minister is on the verge of nutting out a deal with the State Governments to put into effect his much vaunted plan for national health reform.
But here is the rub: the taskforce involved in organising the World Cup bid is in the same department as the one that’s been in meltdown over the last few weeks on this major issue which is bound to frame the forthcoming election.
Ask any Health official where the World Cup bid sits in relation to the health reform question, and they are bound to give you a quizzical look.
Not because the order of priority is obvious, but because they are unlikely to have any idea that there is such a taskforce lurking in the depths of their department.
This goes back to the obvious question I raised from the moment the taskforce was announced: if the Prime Minister was truly interested in the World Cup bid as a high priority, needing cooperation from all States, Territories and national sporting bodies, why did he not create the taskforce in his own department, which is generally geared towards running with the Prime Minister’s priorities (and banging heads together when the need arises)?
With the May deadline now hurtling towards us, I think we have our answer.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
It was a story on AM this morning. In relation to the compensation question, the ABC interviewer mentioned that that could come to "tens, if not hundreds of millions of dollars". The spokesman responded that it will need to be worked ou with the Governemnt and the FFA at the time.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
The AFL has just formally signed off on the WC bid: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/football-codes-sign-off-to-back-world-cup-bid/story-e6frf9jf-1225864223903
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Sam Can I truly be accused of despising anyone? Let us not spoil this very special moment with negative thoughts.
Sam
Guest
The irony is that you are exactly like the people that you so very much despise.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
As we approach the end game, let me take this opportunity to say to all and sundry that this has been a lot of fun. It would appear that we have done our bit, small as it is, in saving the Australian taxpayer from being saddled with additional billions in debt, and for that, future generations will forever be thankful. Your work here will never be forgotten. Whatever happens from hereon in, it's win win (for the AFL).
Mister Football
Roar Guru
This article didn't appear online, but it might be of interest to everyone: Herald-Sun, Tuesday, May 4 2010 Page 16 Walker steps in over MCG battle Michael Warner Powerbroker Ron Walker has become embroiled in the bitter brawl between the AFL and Football Federation Australia over soccer's World Cup bid. Mr Walker confirmed he had been asked to join negotiations over use of the MCG for soccer's two-pronged 2018-22 grab for glory. With just 10 days to go until Australia's World Cup bid must be lodged with FIFA, the sport's international governing body, the AFL is yet to sign off on the release of the stadium. "I'm representing Melbourne as a member of the board (FFA) - and I'm doing my best," Mr Walker said. "There are negotiations going on. (Soccer chief) Frank Lowy and the Premier (John Brumby) are involved and also myself to try and settle it. And I'm confident that good sense will prevail in the interests of sport." A senior FFA figure claimed on Friday the AFL wanted $100 million in compensation to give up the MCG - a figure the league flatly denies. More likely, the dispute centres on a failure by Australians soccer chiefs to give a written assurance to the AFL that it can run an uniterrupted season in conjunction with the World Cup. The FFA is believed to be reluctant to seek such a guarantee from FIFA for fear it will play into the hands of rival international bidders. Thr Rudd Government has poured $43 million of taxpayers money into the event bid, due for submission on May 14.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
I can see Fos is at it again getting stuck into the AFL for where the bid is at, as if they, somehow, are responsible for the bid. A re-writing of history is set to begin. There's just one statistic people need to be aware of to know why the WC bid is likely to fail. This year's AFL membership has surpassed 600,000 for the first time ever. That's triple the amount of memberships of the three other codes combined - combined!! If you want to blame someone, blame your fellow Australian for consistently putting their money where their mouths are - as they have done now for 151 years.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
It's exactly nine weeks since Ellis promised that the taskforce would have had all the stadium deals negotiated and the bid book written.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Anyone seen this yet: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/australian-world-cup-bid-yet-to-secure-rights-to-host-games-at-mcg/story-e6frf7jo-1225860393924 On 442, a few "ex" AFL fans are saying how they now hate the AFL, this is what I have had to say abou that: Yeh, yeh - over 600,000 members signed up this year (and still rising). That's triple what the other three codes have in total. Let me repeat that. That's triple what the other three codes have in total. In Australia, there's Australian Football, and then there's the rest. This bid was a non goer from the start - I've tried to exlain to you guys over and over why it was never going to get up. Through all the derision, antipathy and slander, I've actually been spot on in everything I have said about the bid. 100% spot on. The fault lies squarely with Lowy. He honestly thought he could make it fly - but on what basis did he think that? Where were the foundations for a bid? The truth is that this was Lowy's double or nothing bet to make something of the A-League. He almost succeeded in hoodwinking the Governemnt to channel billions of taxpayer dollars directly to soccer. Part of the grand plan was disrupt the AFL as much as possible by taking away its two prime assets for half the footy season. He's been found out big time now. No WC bid, and the A-League is basically stuck in an NSL cycle in perpetuity. The double or nothing bet has been lost.
Michael C
Roar Guru
Farqwar - you first para is effectively made redundant by the second para. It's not the AFL's issue that the Swan St stadium is NOT able to WC proof the city. Not the AFL's concern at all. The AFL would be far more accomodating if like the RUWC that total exclusion (inc 4 weeks prior to first kick off) were not the demand. At any rate - re Victoria, please don't let the Govt out of your sights - - the Swan St stadium is their baby, they decided to whack that fancy roof on and they still claimed it'd be expanded for any future world cup bid (Tim Pallis May 2009!!!).
Michael C
Roar Guru
Phil E Buster - your Demetriou quote is being taken entirely out of context. (a bit like what Stan Lazaridis did in his article of about Dec 13). In early Dec 2009, Demetriou stated that "IF" the MCG were out of action for 16 wks or more, and especially "IF" both the MCG and Docklands were out of action - - then it would ....as you say, probably mean a cancellation of the season. (I have mulitple links to provide proof if you wish) What's wrong with that?? He NEVER stated outright opposition to a WC bid and has ALWAYS stated in principle support. The 'scaremongering' went 2 ways - I have the links to illustrate how the Fairfax soccer media started it in Oct 2009 before anyone with an AFL hat on got involved.
Farqwar
Guest
I'm not from Melbourne and I personally wouldn't care if games went elsewhere, NZ even, instead. But I'm sure there are plenty of people in Melbourne who dont care about AFL and would love to watch World Cup games. But the AFL seems to speak on behalf of everyone in Victoria, yes I know they are just protecting their interests but if the FFA has agreed to compensate them, cant they just work around it for what will be a once in a lifetime event, without having to remind everyone of its social dominance at the same time? But to try and make out that the "soccer people"are being unreasonable is just weird. This whole thing could have been avoided if the Swan Street Stadium was built to accommadate 45 000. A rectangular stadium, for soccer or Rugbies, should never have been seen as competition to an oval Stadium. I'm sure AFL is a good game and is no doubt an integral part of the Victorian culture but to have it dominate the culture so much is just a bit creepy.
punter
Guest
Geez, Mister Football, if only your CEO, Demetriou, was as confident as you about the failed WC bid, then we wouldn't have had to get the biggest 'smell the fear' comment, 'The AFL would probably have to cancel their whole season due to the Football WC'.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
That's spot on. When people talk about the WC representing some sort of windfall for Australia, and stadiums in particular, they're talking through their hat. It's a windfall for FIFA because absolutely everything is subsidised and guaranteed by the taxpayer to the tune of billions upon billions of dollars. To have 3 or 4 world cup games at Etihad over the space of 3 to 5 weeks would represent nothing to the Etihad management, in fact, it would represent a significant loss in earnings compared to business as usual. I was amazed that so many failed to read between the lines when Collins said he wanted to host WC games (as long as he could continue hosting AFL games), in other words, he was never, ever going to host WC games - not in a million years.
Phil E Buster
Guest
I'll let you in on a secret - that's because most of the people who follow football are fans of the sport not fans of administration, accounting or politics. I'm sure you find that hard to understand.
crazy horse
Guest
I dont agree with that, i think you will find that they will make more money out of football (AFL) than football (soccer).
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Well, here we are very close to May, and I don't see too many people clamouring for the bid proposal (England and the US have had theirs publicly available for months).
Eamonn Flanagan
Guest
Think you'll find Etihad realised they couldn't produce a pitch good enough for football, A-League or World Cup, hence their exclusion from the bid. CEO Ian Collins has been trying for four years with Victory but realised he just have the staff capable of producing a quality football pitch. Rather than be embarrassed internationally Etihad clung to the AFL agreement. Can't see any sports fans diasgreeing on this one. Collins and co have produced dire pitches for a supposedly top sports venue all summer long.
Phil E Buster
Guest
Your top AFL man Demetriou was afraid the AFL would probably have to cancel their season due to the football world cup. That fear was publicly transmitted in the media and infected some blinkered AFL fanboys like yourself, who continue in your pitiful and lonely attempts to derail Australia's bid. This despite the inescapable fact that the majority of Victorians - never mind the rest of Australia - would prefer to see the AFL season cancelled if it meant Australia will host the football world cup, as numerous polls have shown.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
You're not running the "smell the fear" line again? Mahony uses the word "overreaching" above, and that's precisely what the FFA has done. Not just doing the bid when we have zero infrastructure, but then becoming so emboldened by their own sense of importance, that they honestly thought the sheer majesty of FIFA's very name would be sufficient to force the hand of Government to appropriate AFL assets for a whole season, the plans at the time would have taken the MCG out of action for up to 20 weeks and Etihad for 10 weeks. From that point on, the AFL has been well within its rights to do everything in its power to stymie the bid - and no one should believe a certain person when he says "we don't need the AFL". I'm pretty confident Buckley would have known that neither idea had a snowball's chance in hell of flying, so why were they ever on the agenda? One person, and one person only is responsible, and the word "overreaching" comes to mind.