German football legend Franz Beckenbauer says he was astonished Australia were eliminated from the first round of voting to host the 2022 World Cup.
Australia’s bid received just one vote from FIFA’s 22-man executive committee, with many believing Beckenbauer was the sole supporter.
And although he refused to say who he voted for in Zurich, that theory was enhanced on Saturday with Beckenbauer admitting he was lost for words by Qatar getting the nod.
“What astonishes me is that Australia was eliminated in the first round of voting, just like England (for 2018), but I am sure Russia will be an excellent host in 2018),” Beckenbauer told Bild newspaper.
He also suggested that the 2022 event be held in January to avoid the searing summer heat in the Gulf country, believing it would be wrong to stage the event in the traditional close-season period of June/July.
“We need to consider this solution of January and February when in Qatar the temperatures are around a pleasant 25 degrees,” he said.
“Why would that not be acceptable? The schedules for the big European leagues are due to be changed in 2012 and that would mean the impact would be less.
“Also it would be a viable alternative to the huge expenses involved in setting up air-conditioning for the stadiums and the fan zones.”
Beckenbauer intends to step down from FIFA’s executive committee in March for family reasons.
Redb
Roar Guru
"“We need to consider this solution of January and February when in Qatar the temperatures are around a pleasant 25 degrees" So will the EPL in particular agree to having their season interrupted?
mahony
Guest
What garbage, nearly every world of it. People who are not great fans of football get the importance of the World Cup in their guts. The dissapointment of many reflects this.
mahony
Guest
I agree - we lost the politics fair and simple (or maybe not 'fair' - but politics rarely is)...
mahony
Guest
It was him or the President - I am sure of it.....
Koops
Roar Rookie
It attracts huge interest from sports fans in general, because it was a massive fail, it attracts sports fans in general because many fans of other football codes were wary/sceptical of the real reasons for the FFA having the WC here, it attracts fans comments because it was seen as a way for Australian football fans to get better stadiums. it attracted fans because of the way the FFA attempted to run roughshod over the AFL. Please note, That the West Coast Eagles have around 28,000 fans on a waiting list to get a seat/membership at Subiaco, if a couple of games of soccer were going to see them get a seat, then plenty of people were interested.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
To have one of the most respected men in World Football continue to publicly endorses our bid is further evidence of the high standard of the Australian WC2022 bid. So, when one of Australia's most prominent football illiterates - News Ltd "journalist", Rebecca Wilson - denigrates the work done by Frank Lowy and the team at the FFA, to me, it is further evidence of the ignorance that continues to pervade the print media in Australia. PS: And, yet again, a news story about football attracts huge interest from the Anti-Football League brigade. This would never have occurred 6 years ago - more evidence of a major cultural shift in Australian sport.
Roger Rational
Guest
Nonsense. He's as sly as any of them and has been in cahoots with the Russians for ages.
Titus
Guest
Well they would probably play up until the tournament begins and then take a 4 week break. Availability of stadiums would of course be an issue but could easily be worked around, not a big issue.
mds1970
Roar Guru
It's a WORLD CUP. The WORLD CUP is huge. How could a supporter of a European league be so insular bogan as to not support a shut down for 2 months of one season so a country can have a once in a lifetime opportunity to host a World Cup? lol.
slickwilly
Guest
will be interesting to see whether his recommendation for a jan wc gains traction - will be even more interesting to gauge the reaction of cashed up euro leagues having to halt their competition for anywhere upwards of 8-plus weeks to accommodate the shift - wonder how the local soccer brethren will interpret that
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
Qatar didn't raise it either, they waited until after they got the cup and Fifa were locked in before telling them what they would "really" do.
betamax
Roar Guru
It wouldn't surprise me if Beckenbauer was our only vote. I met him a couple of times while I was working in Germany a few years ago(name-dropping is a curse, I know), and not only is he a true gent, he is a genuine fan of Australia. He quizzed me at length about Australia and the state of Australian football. He has done more for football in Germany than anyone, and is treated as a god in that country, and rightly so. I suspect he might be the only one amongst the FIFA rabble that genuinely have the interests of football at heart. Viva la Kaiser!
UK Steve
Guest
Forgetmenot, you are right. Seems like another stuff up by the Aussie bid by not raising it. Can't they do anything right?
Forgetmenot
Guest
Schedules to be changed in 2012? Surely the Australian bid would have benefited a lot from this announcement.