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***Official Soccer Discussion Thread*** (6 Viewers)

Are those the only things that matter? Brazil had multiple indigent workers die building their death trap stadiums. South Africa bribed FIFA officials for the World Cup. Qatar sucks. But according to Human Rights Watch and the State Department, Azerbaijan has "free elections" in name only. Political opponents and investigative journalists and human rights lawyers are arrested and jailed on trumped on charges. The polling stations are all government controlled. The ruling strongman "won" his latest election with an implausible 85% of the vote.

So is Azerbaijan a less objectionable sponsor than Qatar? I suppose so. But I'm not sure I'd be too jazzed about clearing that bar.

 
CletiusMaximus said:
With the online soccer community aligned 99.9% against Blatter and Qatar, the knee-jerk contrarian in me has caused me to look for angles to support FIFA, Qatar 2022 and Blatter. Looking at it with a fresh perspective, I think I can get behind this guy. Why do you Americans always think you know what's best for everyone else anyway?The Arabs get their first small bit of inclusion in world soccer and you've got to go tear it down, right? As if the Clinton bid was squeaky clean ...
Click to expand...
:confused:

This is about corruption and bribes. If the U.S. wanted a World Cup this certainly wasn't the way to go about it.

 
Ramsay Hunt Experience said:
Are those the only things that matter? Brazil had multiple indigent workers die building their death trap stadiums. South Africa bribed FIFA officials for the World Cup. Qatar sucks. But according to Human Rights Watch and the State Department, Azerbaijan has "free elections" in name only. Political opponents and investigative journalists and human rights lawyers are arrested and jailed on trumped on charges. The polling stations are all government controlled. The ruling strongman "won" his latest election with an implausible 85% of the vote.

So is Azerbaijan a less objectionable sponsor than Qatar? I suppose so. But I'm not sure I'd be too jazzed about clearing that bar.
Click to expand...
Trust me, it's not easy taking Blatter's side. I'm still working out the kinks.

 
CletiusMaximus said:
Ramsay Hunt Experience said:
Are those the only things that matter? Brazil had multiple indigent workers die building their death trap stadiums. South Africa bribed FIFA officials for the World Cup. Qatar sucks. But according to Human Rights Watch and the State Department, Azerbaijan has "free elections" in name only. Political opponents and investigative journalists and human rights lawyers are arrested and jailed on trumped on charges. The polling stations are all government controlled. The ruling strongman "won" his latest election with an implausible 85% of the vote.

So is Azerbaijan a less objectionable sponsor than Qatar? I suppose so. But I'm not sure I'd be too jazzed about clearing that bar.
Click to expand...
Trust me, it's not easy taking Blatter's side. I'm still working out the kinks.
Click to expand...
Even Suarez took time to gel.

I will say that I don't give a #### about the US hosting a World Cup. When I dream of attending a World Cup match, it isn't in Baltimore.

 
The reality is as someone already posted: corruption in the US/western countries is business as usual for many other countries. Never going to get the world-wide outrage that exists here about how FIFA conducts business.

UEFA holds all the cards here, but even they seem loathe to dump the current system.

 
Ramsay Hunt Experience said:
CletiusMaximus said:
Ramsay Hunt Experience said:
Are those the only things that matter? Brazil had multiple indigent workers die building their death trap stadiums. South Africa bribed FIFA officials for the World Cup. Qatar sucks. But according to Human Rights Watch and the State Department, Azerbaijan has "free elections" in name only. Political opponents and investigative journalists and human rights lawyers are arrested and jailed on trumped on charges. The polling stations are all government controlled. The ruling strongman "won" his latest election with an implausible 85% of the vote.

So is Azerbaijan a less objectionable sponsor than Qatar? I suppose so. But I'm not sure I'd be too jazzed about clearing that bar.
Click to expand...
Trust me, it's not easy taking Blatter's side. I'm still working out the kinks.
Click to expand...
Even Suarez took time to gel.

I will say that I don't give a #### about the US hosting a World Cup. When I dream of attending a World Cup match, it isn't in Baltimore.
Click to expand...
We just had one. I've still got the tshirt, although it has become a bit tight around the waist over the years.

 
CletiusMaximus said:
With the online soccer community aligned 99.9% against Blatter and Qatar, the knee-jerk contrarian in me has caused me to look for angles to support FIFA, Qatar 2022 and Blatter. Looking at it with a fresh perspective, I think I can get behind this guy. Why do you Americans always think you know what's best for everyone else anyway? The Arabs get theirfirst small bit of inclusion in world soccer and you've got to go tear it down, right? As if the Clinton bid was squeaky clean ...
Click to expand...
I was just thinking that this would be a more interesting conversation if there was a Deflategate-esque minority swearing Blatters innocence. It's no fun when everyone is on the same side.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Native said:
CletiusMaximus said:
With the online soccer community aligned 99.9% against Blatter and Qatar, the knee-jerk contrarian in me has caused me to look for angles to support FIFA, Qatar 2022 and Blatter. Looking at it with a fresh perspective, I think I can get behind this guy. Why do you Americans always think you know what's best for everyone else anyway? The Arabs get theirfirst small bit of inclusion in world soccer and you've got to go tear it down, right? As if the Clinton bid was squeaky clean ...
Click to expand...
I was just thinking that this would be a more interesting conversation if there was a Deflategate-esque minority swearing Blatters innocence. It's no fun when everyone is on the same side.
Click to expand...
There's some Western soccer journalist on Twitter who is apparently based in Qatar and paid by the Qatari government who keeps insisting that no workers have died in the stadium construction. He's kind of awesome.

 
I'm certainly no fan of Qatar and hate that the WC is there/they're on Barcelona's shirt. But I do find it a bit odd that we always complain about Qatar on devices that are made in working conditions not at all dissimilar to the abuses happening there...

 
I'm with Scooby - I got to see a WC match in Orlando and I'd prefer to head somewhere in Europe to watch a game if I ever get to go again.

 
AAABatteries said:
I'm with Scooby - I got to see a WC match in Orlando and I'd prefer to head somewhere in Europe to watch a game if I ever get to go again.
Click to expand...
I take the opposite view point from you guys since I care about soccer in the US more than most on here and don't really make my judgement on this topic based on where to attend a WC game per say (like you, I saw plenty of WC matches in 1994 so seeing another one in the country is not a bucket list thing at all).

I am more focused on the bigger picture.

WC 1994 took soccer from a nothing in this country and started it on the path to where it is today.

One more hosted WC I think would help the sport continue to grow even more.

But that is all done and dusted at this point at least for a long time, and too long a time to have any affect on the sport in the US.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Ramsay Hunt Experience said:
CletiusMaximus said:
Ramsay Hunt Experience said:
Are those the only things that matter? Brazil had multiple indigent workers die building their death trap stadiums. South Africa bribed FIFA officials for the World Cup. Qatar sucks. But according to Human Rights Watch and the State Department, Azerbaijan has "free elections" in name only. Political opponents and investigative journalists and human rights lawyers are arrested and jailed on trumped on charges. The polling stations are all government controlled. The ruling strongman "won" his latest election with an implausible 85% of the vote.

So is Azerbaijan a less objectionable sponsor than Qatar? I suppose so. But I'm not sure I'd be too jazzed about clearing that bar.
Click to expand...
Trust me, it's not easy taking Blatter's side. I'm still working out the kinks.
Click to expand...
Even Suarez took time to gel.

I will say that I don't give a #### about the US hosting a World Cup. When I dream of attending a World Cup match, it isn't in Baltimore.
Click to expand...
Yep. I've already attended 2 WC matches at the Cotton Bowl and I've been to Soldier Field more times than I can count.

 
Not that surprised allocations stayed the same. Dropping CONCACAF's half spot would only hurt many of the CONCACAF minnows (and Mexico) that probably voted for Sepp. And he couldn't reward Africa with another spot without also giving one to Asia and half a spot to Oceania. I suppose not jumping to 40 teams in the World Cup could have accomodated this but I can see where adding so many games with all the logistical problems already with existing hosts struggling to complete stadiums and hotel (and likely future ones since the competent USA is out of the mix).

There are other ways they can screw us - I bet Saprissa will suddenly be up to FIFA standards.

To the person who asked, Asia is the only confed out of the mix for 2026. With all of Sepp's hyping of Oceania maybe we should get ready for Fiji 2026 ;)

Also interesting that they set allocations for 2022 already. Doing this is a slick maneuver as it takes away potential sources of conflict in the next few years.

-QG

 
Sinn Fein said:
The reality is as someone already posted: corruption in the US/western countries is business as usual for many other countries. Never going to get the world-wide outrage that exists here about how FIFA conducts business.

UEFA holds all the cards here, but even they seem loathe to dump the current system.
Click to expand...
Gotta start calling it "lobbying" IMO.

 
You don't have to be a master criminal when nobody is paying attention. Blazer was nabbed because he inexplicably decided to not pay taxes for like a dozen years. From what I've read in the indictment these schemes weren't subtle. They were kind of gloriously brazen and transparent.

 
Won't stay up to watch all of this, but Honduras with a golazo free kick into the upper v to go up 1-0 on Uzbekistan in the first 15

 
The Concacaf Champions League group stage draw is tonight in Miami.

Either the last co-op student will be performing the draw or they found a bail bondsmen to help them :)

 
This is great.

In 25 years we've gone from being almost unable to see great players to being able to see every goal and listen to 50 calls of a great goal. Love how the excitement builds in two or three stages in almost every case. Also love how the other guys in the booth can't help but exclaim as they realize what they're seeing.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Ramsay Hunt Experience said:
You don't have to be a master criminal when nobody is paying attention. Blazer was nabbed because he inexplicably decided to not pay taxes for like a dozen years. From what I've read in the indictment these schemes weren't subtle. They were kind of gloriously brazen and transparent.
Click to expand...
Yeah...which is why they will get Blatter at some point. The BBC has a good writeup (http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-32950214)on the investigation going forward on the British side (let's just say the British banks are taking their lack of oversight a tad seriously...past billion dollar fines will clear the mind pretty quickly).

S Africa is also out over the weekend saying they did in fact pay 10 million to CONCACAF for the development of football for the African diaspora (Warner's sons are saying differently).

My guess on how this shakes out is that the US/British governments force their banks to freeze all their FIFA assets or else, and at that point Blatter falls with no money.

BTW I'll be shocked if Spain doesn't win the 2026 WC. How they'll pay for it, I don't know, but that's the only reason they don't break from Blatter.

Also nice touch throwing your daughter in front of the camera, Blatter. Didn't think it was possible, but my hatred for him goes up everyday.

 
Ramsay Hunt Experience said:
Native said:
CletiusMaximus said:
With the online soccer community aligned 99.9% against Blatter and Qatar, the knee-jerk contrarian in me has caused me to look for angles to support FIFA, Qatar 2022 and Blatter. Looking at it with a fresh perspective, I think I can get behind this guy. Why do you Americans always think you know what's best for everyone else anyway? The Arabs get theirfirst small bit of inclusion in world soccer and you've got to go tear it down, right? As if the Clinton bid was squeaky clean ...
Click to expand...
I was just thinking that this would be a more interesting conversation if there was a Deflategate-esque minority swearing Blatters innocence. It's no fun when everyone is on the same side.
Click to expand...
There's some Western soccer journalist on Twitter who is apparently based in Qatar and paid by the Qatari government who keeps insisting that no workers have died in the stadium construction. He's kind of awesome.
Click to expand...
He works for BeIn sport too. He is fantastic.

 
So where does Arsenal go from here? Stay pat, and develop with the guys they have or do you think they buy a big name for the third straight summer to go with Ozil and Alexis? Obviously I would love a another big name to add to the core, but I'm not so sure Wenger will do it. For the last year the top need was always a DM, but with Coquelin doing a fantastic job the last 4 months I don't think one is needed, so that probably takes out names like Schneiderlin and Khedira. It looks like Walcott will get a chance to start up front and show if he can be the man at striker, and with Giroud and Welbeck, I don't think they are buying there either. Those two positions were the two most talked about in need of an upgrade.

Personally I'd love to get in the mix for Bale or Rues and put him at the wing opposite Alexis. Also I'd love to get a top CB to replace Mertesacker, but neither is a drastic hole. Also rumors of Cech coming, and I don't know how big of an upgrade that would be:

Depth Chart:

Striker:

Walcott

Giroud

Welbeck

Wings:

Alexis

Chamberlain

Welbeck(striker)

Ramsey(CM)

CM:

Ozil

Cazorla

Ramsey

Wilshire

Rosicky

DM:

Coquelin

Flamini

Arteta

LB:

Monreal

Gibbs

RB:

Debuchy

Bellerin

CB:

Koscienlny

Mertesacker

Gabriel

Chambers

GK:

Ospina

Szczesny

Are any of the young guys ready to be brought up? Gnabry, Bielik, Zelalem?

 
Last edited by a moderator:
8ebok24 said:
Are any of the young guys ready to be brought up? Gnabry, Bielik, Zelalem?
Click to expand...
If interested, you can see Zelalem playing in the U20 WC. He did not start in the first game but did come on as an early second half sub. He did not play either poorly or well but there might have been some nerves in play.

Hopefully he will get some more time the next two games. The next US game is at 3:00am Tuesday morning against host New Zealand.

 
Soccer America is reporting that it is still expected that the US will bid for WC2026.

That appears to be a huge waste of money. England announced they will not bid if Blatter is still in office.

I am unsure whom else is expected to bid from Europe.

 
Lol. I just saw that Árabe Unido from Panama is in the draw for the CCL.

They have had some memorable (in a bad way) matches in the CCL.

One game against Houston that they hosted featured 11 yellows, 5 red cards and two power outages.

And then there was this classic. Just watch the short clip, it is better than any explanation. :)

http://youtu.be/E6zCsRRCXiU

 
Sammy3469 said:
Ramsay Hunt Experience said:
You don't have to be a master criminal when nobody is paying attention. Blazer was nabbed because he inexplicably decided to not pay taxes for like a dozen years. From what I've read in the indictment these schemes weren't subtle. They were kind of gloriously brazen and transparent.
Click to expand...
Yeah...which is why they will get Blatter at some point. The BBC has a good writeup (http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-32950214)on the investigation going forward on the British side (let's just say the British banks are taking their lack of oversight a tad seriously...past billion dollar fines will clear the mind pretty quickly).

S Africa is also out over the weekend saying they did in fact pay 10 million to CONCACAF for the development of football for the African diaspora (Warner's sons are saying differently).

My guess on how this shakes out is that the US/British governments force their banks to freeze all their FIFA assets or else, and at that point Blatter falls with no money.

BTW I'll be shocked if Spain doesn't win the 2026 WC. How they'll pay for it, I don't know, but that's the only reason they don't break from Blatter.

Also nice touch throwing your daughter in front of the camera, Blatter. Didn't think it was possible, but my hatred for him goes up everyday.
Click to expand...
They better freeze those assets fast - Sepp has already said he is taking the FIFA ship "offshore"

-QG

 
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