***Official Soccer Discussion Thread*** (7 Viewers)

[AAABatteries]

Where was I when UEFA changed the format for Euro 2016?

A year of qualifying games to narrow the field from 53 to 24, followed by a 24 team tournament with 16 teams qualifying for the knockouts. I guess it'll make everybody more money but it takes away a bit from the "anybody can win it" aspect that's made the tournament unique.

Would somebody please wake me up when Scotland is mathematically eliminated?

WAKE UP

 

[El Floppo]

Where was I when UEFA changed the format for Euro 2016?

A year of qualifying games to narrow the field from 53 to 24, followed by a 24 team tournament with 16 teams qualifying for the knockouts. I guess it'll make everybody more money but it takes away a bit from the "anybody can win it" aspect that's made the tournament unique.

Would somebody please wake me up when Scotland is mathematically eliminated?

WAKE UP

They only have to finish above three of Germany, Eire, Poland, Georgia and Gibraltar to advance to the playoffs and have been playing pretty well since Gordon Strachan took over.

release the Strachan.

Released

lol

serious question... did you find that by googling Gordon Strachan?

 

[AAABatteries]

Fantastic goal by France - Remy with the goal.

 

[AAABatteries]

I learned to not question SAF over the years. This was because he was a world-class manger with almost 50 trophies over the years and I'm just a moron on the internet with no qualifications. However, I don't know what the hell he was thinking letting Pogba go. Actually, I guess I do - he knew he could somehow take the midfield garbage he was trotting out those last 2 years and still win. Other managers don't have that deal with the devil he had so he kind of screwed Moyes and LvG on that one.

 

[gianmarco]

I learned to not question SAF over the years. This was because he was a world-class manger with almost 50 trophies over the years and I'm just a moron on the internet with no qualifications. However, I don't know what the hell he was thinking letting Pogba go. Actually, I guess I do - he knew he could somehow take the midfield garbage he was trotting out those last 2 years and still win. Other managers don't have that deal with the devil Howard Webb he had so he kind of screwed Moyes and LvG on that one.

FYP.

 

[Christo]

1 Chelsea
2 Swansea City
3 Aston Villa
4 Manchester City
5 Liverpool
6 Tottenham Hotspur
7 Arsenal
8 Southampton
9 Hull City
10 Stoke City
11 West Ham United
12 Queens Park Rangers
13 Sunderland
14
15 Leicester City
16 Newcastle United
17 Everton
18 West Bromwich Albion
19 Crystal Palace
20 Burnley

 

[roadkill1292]

I've watched more of Derby County last season than my combined NFL viewing over the past 5 years. NFL games just have no flow to them, it's a bore to watch.

Fortunately, Derby County is fun to say, especially when talking to non-footy friends. I like to throw in a Watford-bomb now and then with them, too.

I've considered myself a transfer geek the past few years, but even I was not about to sit on the couch on Labor Day to watch deadline day coverage on television. That's almost as bad as watching the NFL draft imo. Of course, I did have the ipad open while tending the grill all afternoon.

I watched this one because it was the first meaningful one for me but I probably won't make a habit of it in the future.

Rebecca did the wrap up show with the Robbie's. It ended up being on for a couple hours - it wasn't horrible.

She had some pretty sweet-ass braids too.

I imagined that I was looking at them from behind. Real closely behind.

so you wouldn't have to see her horse face, right?

Sacrilege!

 

[NewlyRetired]

I saw this on BS. This is the very first time Garber has admitted they have to fix the allocation rules to be more transparent. This offseason with the CBA is the perfect time.

=======================================

http://gothamist.com/2014/09/04/gothamist_speaks_with_mls_commissio.php

Were you surprised that the reaction of the signing of Jermaine Jones to New England was more about the method of allocation rather than that Jermaine Jones was coming to MLS?

DG: You know, nothing surprises me anymore, because our fan base gets more sophisticated and gets more deeply engaged in the inner workings of the league, like they are in other leagues. Combined with the fact that there’s more media that’s interested in the inner workings of the league. It’s to be expected. That was a situation we never faced before. We had a player that was a free agent coming into the league, coming at a salary level that put him at a different category than others, and we had two teams that desperately wanted to have him, willing to make that investment. We had no way to allocate or assign that player based on the rules that we had in the league. So we had a draw—it wasn’t a blind draw by the way—it was via Skype, and two teams participated, and I think it was a little unfair to call it a blind draw.

But you know, you have to live and learn by these things. We clearly need to look, as we go through our new collective bargaining agreement, to have more transparent rules. To have our fans, who are very committed to our league, understand them more. And probably be a lot more transparent about how we’re making decisions than we’ve made in the past. You can’t change midstream, because we’ve had rules in place, but we’re certainly looking, continually looking at ways that we can be more transparent. Good question."

That's a good, reasonable response from the Commish IMO -- admit the problem and work to fix it.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Interesting:

http://www.beinsports.tv/news/article/21kzzy5ahb5215h8cfp48mw7z/title/uefa-investigating-sin-bin---ferguson

 

[El Floppo]

Interesting:

http://www.beinsports.tv/news/article/21kzzy5ahb5215h8cfp48mw7z/title/uefa-investigating-sin-bin---ferguson

I've wanted this for years. How long? Does it vary like hockey? I don't know the rules for Rugby. And how long? 3 minutes is long/short enough to do some damage.

The questions is- is just for yellows? Given the time-wasting that goes on with "injuries" at the ends of games, I'm all for having a minimum amount of time a player needs to spend off the field if they get "injured". If they're actually temporarily hurt- an extra minute can't hurt. But if they're "injured", they should have to pay a price for it.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Interesting:

http://www.beinsports.tv/news/article/21kzzy5ahb5215h8cfp48mw7z/title/uefa-investigating-sin-bin---ferguson

I've wanted this for years. How long? Does it vary like hockey? I don't know the rules for Rugby. And how long? 3 minutes is long/short enough to do some damage.

The questions is- is just for yellows? Given the time-wasting that goes on with "injuries" at the ends of games, I'm all for having a minimum amount of time a player needs to spend off the field if they get "injured". If they're actually temporarily hurt- an extra minute can't hurt. But if they're "injured", they should have to pay a price for it.

If the ref transparently stopped the clock all the time-wasting stuff would go away. One of the few things MLS got right back in the day IMO. Just show an official clock.

Also love the sin bin idea, but it gets tricky if you have three or four of them. Are you really going to play 11 v 8?

 

[T Bell]

These 2-week international breaks stink.

Agree and it appears most agree with no conversation about the matches here.

It obviously came at a good time for United. With all the injuries and transfers and horrible start to the season.

Wembley was half-full yesterday, so it seems like most of England agrees.

I assume it's a post-World Cup hangover. Seems kind of hard to really get jacked up for International football when we are 2 years away from another big competition.

Personally I don't know what's happened to me. I was reading an article on Rodgers and Balotelli this morning, and I am actually annoyed and mad that there are no EPL games this weekend. Then I realized it is NFL opening weekend. While I'm still a huge NFL fan...my 25 year old self would never believe that in the future I'd be depressed about no Premier League on KICKOFF WEEKEND!!!

It's English football, so Wembley was most assuredly half empty.

 

[T Bell]

These 2-week international breaks stink.

Agree and it appears most agree with no conversation about the matches here.

It obviously came at a good time for United. With all the injuries and transfers and horrible start to the season.

Wembley was half-full yesterday, so it seems like most of England agrees.

I assume it's a post-World Cup hangover. Seems kind of hard to really get jacked up for International football when we are 2 years away from another big competition.

Personally I don't know what's happened to me. I was reading an article on Rodgers and Balotelli this morning, and I am actually annoyed and mad that there are no EPL games this weekend. Then I realized it is NFL opening weekend. While I'm still a huge NFL fan...my 25 year old self would never believe that in the future I'd be depressed about no Premier League on KICKOFF WEEKEND!!!

The NFL bores me anymore. It's 3 hour games, but only :60 of game time and maybe :15 of actual game action. Think about those proportions for a moment.

 

[GoFishTN]

These 2-week international breaks stink.

Agree and it appears most agree with no conversation about the matches here.

It obviously came at a good time for United. With all the injuries and transfers and horrible start to the season.

Wembley was half-full yesterday, so it seems like most of England agrees.

I assume it's a post-World Cup hangover. Seems kind of hard to really get jacked up for International football when we are 2 years away from another big competition.

Personally I don't know what's happened to me. I was reading an article on Rodgers and Balotelli this morning, and I am actually annoyed and mad that there are no EPL games this weekend. Then I realized it is NFL opening weekend. While I'm still a huge NFL fan...my 25 year old self would never believe that in the future I'd be depressed about no Premier League on KICKOFF WEEKEND!!!

The NFL bores me anymore. It's 3 hour games, but only :60 of game time and maybe :15 of actual game action. Think about those proportions for a moment.

Have to watch it on the Red Zone. I can't handle a full game.

 

[roadkill1292]

I'm so lazy I don't want to play fantasy anything anymore.

Four FF leagues this year.

Goodness, I would not have thought this of you. Any random thoughts of when you might hang 'em up?

These 2-week international breaks stink.

Agree and it appears most agree with no conversation about the matches here.

It obviously came at a good time for United. With all the injuries and transfers and horrible start to the season.

Wembley was half-full yesterday, so it seems like most of England agrees.

I assume it's a post-World Cup hangover. Seems kind of hard to really get jacked up for International football when we are 2 years away from another big competition.

Personally I don't know what's happened to me. I was reading an article on Rodgers and Balotelli this morning, and I am actually annoyed and mad that there are no EPL games this weekend. Then I realized it is NFL opening weekend. While I'm still a huge NFL fan...my 25 year old self would never believe that in the future I'd be depressed about no Premier League on KICKOFF WEEKEND!!!

The NFL bores me anymore. It's 3 hour games, but only :60 of game time and maybe :15 of actual game action. Think about those proportions for a moment.

During commercials of the movie I was watching last night I would click over to one of the football games to get a scoring update. I lost exact count but I'm pretty sure I hit on commercials twice as often as I hit on game. At one point I think it was five look-ins in a row that landed on commercials. You've got to pretty much turn a switch off in your brain for that not to bother you.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Real Madrid announced 2013-14 revenues of €604m (£480m), topping Barcelona's record €530m announced in July. This doesn't include player transactions from this past window. Chelsea's revenue from 13-14 was approx. £300m, a club record.

 

[El Floppo]

So that mention of the Gol! Trilogy reminded me of that I keep seeing one Bus-stop poster with some kind of Univsion TV show on it... and it appears that the protagonist is a pro soccer player by day, Spy by ... whenever.

Must see?

 

[Eephus]

So that mention of the Gol! Trilogy reminded me of that I keep seeing one Bus-stop poster with some kind of Univsion TV show on it... and it appears that the protagonist is a pro soccer player by day, Spy by ... whenever.

Must see?

The name is blank, James blank

 

[El Floppo]

So that mention of the Gol! Trilogy reminded me of that I keep seeing one Bus-stop poster with some kind of Univsion TV show on it... and it appears that the protagonist is a pro soccer player by day, Spy by ... whenever.

Must see?

The name is blank, James blank

Univision..

Blanco, James (hummus) Blanco

eta:

or... Nil, Hummus, Nil

 

[NewlyRetired]

Two big MLS expansion items in the news

1) Kevin Nagle, majority owner of the Sacramento Kings, has just purchased a controlling share to become the majority owner of Sacramento Republic FC. This is a huge step towards moving Republic to be an MLS franchise

2) In the opposite end of the good news spectrum it appears the Vegas bid may be on life support as the Las Vegas council delayed the first soccer stadium vote as it seems they do not have enough support on the comittee to pass it.

 

[NewlyRetired]

So that mention of the Gol! Trilogy reminded me of that I keep seeing one Bus-stop poster with some kind of Univsion TV show on it... and it appears that the protagonist is a pro soccer player by day, Spy by ... whenever.

Must see?

The name is blank, James blank

Univision..

Blanco, James (hummus) Blanco

eta:

or... Nil, Hummus, Nil

The name of the show is called Matador and stars Alfred Molina. It is not a Spanish language show, it is in English.

The channel carrying it is a new one called El Rey which was started in very late 2013 by Robert Rodriguez. It is not on many systems yet. The channel targets English speaking Latinos.

 

[QuizGuy66]

Looking forward to Sepp Blatter's divine innocence declared once and for all

http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2014/09/05/that-report-on-fifas-world-cup-bribery-scandal-you-wont-see-it/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs

-QG

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Too bad we're not doing the shirtless avatar thing anymore. I'm fanning myself like Blanche DuBois over here.

http://screamer.deadspin.com/arsenal-players-speak-out-against-homophobia-with-sexy-1631063984/+marchman

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Looking forward to Sepp Blatter's divine innocence declared once and for all

I believe the word you're looking for is 'infallibility'.

 

[Jaysus]

Dong-##### Lee scored 2 goals for South Korea today in case anyone is keeping track at home.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Dong-#### Lee scored 2 goals for South Korea today in case anyone is keeping track at home.

TAKE IT EASY.

 

[shader]

Sturridge hurt on duty for England....not sure how long he's out.

:(

 

[Sammy3469]

Too bad we're not doing the shirtless avatar thing anymore. I'm fanning myself like Blanche DuBois over here.

http://screamer.deadspin.com/arsenal-players-speak-out-against-homophobia-with-sexy-1631063984/+marchman

Who said you had to quit?

 

[Good Posting Judge]

4 yo just declared herself a Pool supporter.

 

[Slapdash]

4 yo just declared herself a Pool supporter.

TPW...

 

[The Gator]

4 yo just declared herself a Pool supporter.

 

[Slapdash]

I'm so lazy I don't want to play fantasy anything anymore.

Four FF leagues this year.

Goodness, I would not have thought this of you. Any random thoughts of when you might hang 'em up?

The 4th one was incidental due to an additional work league starting up. Also did a start-up dynasty draft this summer, so would anticipate being with that for a while... May shave off another local league next year.

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

4 yo just declared herself a Pool supporter.

She knows You'll Never Walk Alone isn't from Frozen, right?

 

[The Gator]

Sturridge hurt on duty for England....not sure how long he's out.

:(

Stupid ####### Hodge..played all Liverpool players 90 and it's especially stupid in Studge's case. He always gets ####ed up when playing for England.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

RAWK Meltdown @RAWK_Meltdown · 2h
I swear Hodgson always plays our players for the whole games as playback for us getting rid of him here.

• ReplyReplied to 0 times
• RetweetRetweeted 26 times26
• FavoriteFavorited 5 times5
• More

RAWK Meltdown @RAWK_Meltdown · 2h
(Sturridge injured on England duty) ...its a setback due to Roy Hodgeson who is a bigger c*nt than Hitler and Bin Laden combined.

• ReplyReplied to 0 times
• RetweetRetweeted 59 times59
• FavoriteFavorited 10 times10
• More

RAWK Meltdown @RAWK_Meltdown · 5h
(Sturridge injured on England duty) Time for him to retire from international duty.

• ReplyReplied to 0 times
• RetweetRetweeted 22 times22
• FavoriteFavorited 10 times10
• More

RAWK Meltdown @RAWK_Meltdown · 5h
(Sturridge injured on England duty) If that owl-faced #### has him anywhere near the pitch I'll be ####### raging.

• ReplyReplied to 0 times
• RetweetRetweeted 8 times8
• FavoriteFavorited 4 times4
• More

RAWK Meltdown @RAWK_Meltdown · 5h
(Sturridge injured on England duty) He's fine. Hes faking it, even he knows its a pointless game.

• ReplyReplied to 0 times
• RetweetRetweeted 8 times8
• FavoriteFavorited 2 times2
• More

RAWK Meltdown @RAWK_Meltdown · 5h
(Sturridge injured on England duty) Even if it had nothing to do with Roy, he's still to blame.

• ReplyReplied to 0 times
• RetweetRetweeted 21 times21
• FavoriteFavorited 5 times5
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RAWK Meltdown @RAWK_Meltdown · 5h
(Sturridge injured on England duty) If Hodgson plays him again I will be livid. Owl face c*nt

• ReplyReplied to 0 times
• RetweetRetweeted 9 times9
• FavoriteFavorited 2 times2
• More

RAWK Meltdown @RAWK_Meltdown · 5h
(Sturridge injured on England duty) Roy Hodgson can #### off, ******* owly c*nt.

• ReplyReplied to 0 times
• RetweetRetweeted 8 times8
• FavoriteFavorited 5 times5
• More

 

[Eephus]

RAWK Meltdown @RAWK_Meltdown · 2h

I swear Hodgson always plays our players for the whole games as playback for us getting rid of him here.

• ReplyReplied to 0 times
• RetweetRetweeted 26 times26
• FavoriteFavorited 5 times5
• More
  

RAWK Meltdown @RAWK_Meltdown · 2h(Sturridge injured on England duty) ...its a setback due to Roy Hodgeson who is a bigger c*nt than Hitler and Bin Laden combined.

• ReplyReplied to 0 times
• RetweetRetweeted 59 times59
• FavoriteFavorited 10 times10
• More
  

RAWK Meltdown @RAWK_Meltdown · 5h(Sturridge injured on England duty) Time for him to retire from international duty.

• ReplyReplied to 0 times
• RetweetRetweeted 22 times22
• FavoriteFavorited 10 times10
• More
  

RAWK Meltdown @RAWK_Meltdown · 5h(Sturridge injured on England duty) If that owl-faced #### has him anywhere near the pitch I'll be ####### raging.

• ReplyReplied to 0 times
• RetweetRetweeted 8 times8
• FavoriteFavorited 4 times4
• More
  

RAWK Meltdown @RAWK_Meltdown · 5h(Sturridge injured on England duty) He's fine. Hes faking it, even he knows its a pointless game.

• ReplyReplied to 0 times
• RetweetRetweeted 8 times8
• FavoriteFavorited 2 times2
• More
  

RAWK Meltdown @RAWK_Meltdown · 5h(Sturridge injured on England duty) Even if it had nothing to do with Roy, he's still to blame.

• ReplyReplied to 0 times
• RetweetRetweeted 21 times21
• FavoriteFavorited 5 times5
• More
  

RAWK Meltdown @RAWK_Meltdown · 5h(Sturridge injured on England duty) If Hodgson plays him again I will be livid. Owl face c*nt

• ReplyReplied to 0 times
• RetweetRetweeted 9 times9
• FavoriteFavorited 2 times2
• More
  

RAWK Meltdown @RAWK_Meltdown · 5h(Sturridge injured on England duty) Roy Hodgson can #### off, ******* owly c*nt.

• ReplyReplied to 0 times
• RetweetRetweeted 8 times8
• FavoriteFavorited 5 times5
• More
  

You know Diego Costa has been pulled out of the Spain lineup with another hamstring problem

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Owl face c*nt

Looks like we have a new phrase to teach Truck's four year old.

 

[AAABatteries]

Too bad we're not doing the shirtless avatar thing anymore. I'm fanning myself like Blanche DuBois over here.

http://screamer.deadspin.com/arsenal-players-speak-out-against-homophobia-with-sexy-1631063984/+marchman

"I can't change that I'm gorgeous."

 

[AAABatteries]

4 yo just declared herself a Pool supporter.

Maybe just really in favor of swimming.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

You know Diego Costa has been pulled out of the Spain lineup with another hamstring problem

Best news I've heard all week.

 

[GoFishTN]

RAWK Meltdown @RAWK_Meltdown · 2h
I swear Hodgson always plays our players for the whole games as playback for us getting rid of him here.

• ReplyReplied to 0 times
• RetweetRetweeted 26 times26
• FavoriteFavorited 5 times5
• More

RAWK Meltdown @RAWK_Meltdown · 2h
(Sturridge injured on England duty) ...its a setback due to Roy Hodgeson who is a bigger c*nt than Hitler and Bin Laden combined.

• ReplyReplied to 0 times
• RetweetRetweeted 59 times59
• FavoriteFavorited 10 times10
• More

RAWK Meltdown @RAWK_Meltdown · 5h
(Sturridge injured on England duty) Time for him to retire from international duty.

• ReplyReplied to 0 times
• RetweetRetweeted 22 times22
• FavoriteFavorited 10 times10
• More

RAWK Meltdown @RAWK_Meltdown · 5h
(Sturridge injured on England duty) If that owl-faced #### has him anywhere near the pitch I'll be ####### raging.

• ReplyReplied to 0 times
• RetweetRetweeted 8 times8
• FavoriteFavorited 4 times4
• More

RAWK Meltdown @RAWK_Meltdown · 5h
(Sturridge injured on England duty) He's fine. Hes faking it, even he knows its a pointless game.

• ReplyReplied to 0 times
• RetweetRetweeted 8 times8
• FavoriteFavorited 2 times2
• More

RAWK Meltdown @RAWK_Meltdown · 5h
(Sturridge injured on England duty) Even if it had nothing to do with Roy, he's still to blame.

• ReplyReplied to 0 times
• RetweetRetweeted 21 times21
• FavoriteFavorited 5 times5
• More

RAWK Meltdown @RAWK_Meltdown · 5h
(Sturridge injured on England duty) If Hodgson plays him again I will be livid. Owl face c*nt

• ReplyReplied to 0 times
• RetweetRetweeted 9 times9
• FavoriteFavorited 2 times2
• More

RAWK Meltdown @RAWK_Meltdown · 5h
(Sturridge injured on England duty) Roy Hodgson can #### off, ******* owly c*nt.

• ReplyReplied to 0 times
• RetweetRetweeted 8 times8
• FavoriteFavorited 5 times5
• More

I love how the f word is no problem, but he feels the need to censor the other word.

And good job Roy.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

4 yo just declared herself a Pool supporter.

She'll be waxing nostalgically about "history" within a day or two.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

4 yo just declared herself a Pool supporter.

She'll be waxing nostalgically about "history" within a day or two.

A.B.C.

 

[Jaysus]

my, then 6 year old, was a pool supporter last year too... but only for the 2 weeks they were top of the table. She was an Arsenal supporter most of the year, but finished off as a Man City fan.

ETA: Her favorite international team is German now too.

She's the best.

 

[The Gator]

4 yo just declared herself a Pool supporter.

She'll be waxing nostalgically about "history" within a day or two.

A.B.C.

She'll be fine as long as she knows 5 > 1

 

[T Bell]

Stay classy, Liverpool.

 

[Slapdash]

You know Diego Costa has been pulled out of the Spain lineup with another hamstring problem

Best news I've heard all week.

Good for Munir

 

[Sebowski]

Too bad we're not doing the shirtless avatar thing anymore. I'm fanning myself like Blanche DuBois over here.

http://screamer.deadspin.com/arsenal-players-speak-out-against-homophobia-with-sexy-1631063984/+marchman

Wait, what? Nobody tells me anything around here…

 

[Slapdash]

GB having Avatars turned off.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Be honest, I bet you all thought the Qatar situation could not be more ####ed up right?

Think again

The UK Foreign Office is looking into reports that two British men in Qatar who were investigating the treatment of migrant workers have gone missing.

Krishna Upadhyaya, 52, and Gundev Ghimire, 36, have not been heard from since Sunday, the organisation they were working for said.

The Global Network for Rights and Development (GNRD) said it suspected the men had been detained.

But it said Qatari authorities had denied having any information.

The men, both of Nepalese origin, had been in Qatar since 27 August, GNRD, a Norway-based non-governmental organisation, said.

Mr Upadhyaya, a researcher, and photographer Mr Ghimire had been conducting research for a report on human rights in the country, which will host the World Cup in 2022.

Qatar has faced criticised over the conditions migrants are working in ahead of the football tournament.

'Deeply concerned'

Mr Upadhyaya sent a text message to a friend in Norway on Saturday claiming the pair were being followed by the police, GNRD said.

The men were due to leave the country the following day, but the human rights organisation said it had not heard from them.

GNRD said the British embassy in Doha had told it Mr Upadhyaya had checked out of his hotel, but did not board his flight to Norway.

In a statement, GNRD said both it and the men's families had made "repeated efforts" to find out where the men were.

"GNRD is deeply concerned that these employees, both British citizens, may have been subjected to enforced disappearance," the organisation said in a statement.

Evgenia Kondrakhina, chief executive manager of GNRD, said her organisation contacted the Qatari authorities and they denied having any information.

The BBC has also tried to contact the Qatari authorities but has yet to receive any response.

A UK Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are aware of the reports of two British nationals missing in Qatar and we are looking into them."

The National Human Rights Commission for Qatar has also promised to look into the case, GNRD said.

Human rights groups have accused the authorities of employing foreign workers in "slave-like" conditions ahead of the tournament.

Some have been left stranded, working for as little as $0.85 a day (50p), reports in the UK have said.

In May, Qatar vowed to improve the rights of migrants in the Gulf state amid growing alarm at their treatment.