Carlos tipping England to host World Cup

[Tallman]

Carlos tipping England to host World Cup
The Lowestoft Journal

CARLOS Edwards is tipping England to win the race to stage the World Cup in 2018.

Ipswich Town's flying winger is one of the ambassadors for the England bid, a role he is relishing, alongside the likes of David Beckham and John Terry.

Edwards has earned 78 caps for Trinidad & Tobago, and was made captain for their last two World Cup qualifiers.

His vast international experience helped him to land this role as one of England's 50 ambassadors.

Speaking yesterday, £1.35m man Edwards revealed: “I was first approached about the role (of ambassador) while I was at Sunderland.

“I was shocked and surprised, but I didn't take long to think about it. I saw it as an honour to be an ambassador, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“I suppose they saw me as someone who has travelled all over the world, playing football far and wide. That's why they have enrolled me.

“There are 50 of us on the list, and there are some very big names. I'm alongside the likes of John Terry, David Beckham and Wayne Rooney, while me and Kenwyne Jones are the two representatives from Trinidad & Tobago.

“It will be good to work alongside such people.

“I have been over in this country for the last 11 years, so I consider myself to be partially English.

“But it didn't cross my mind that I would be asked to be involved with England's World Cup bid for 2018. Now I just want to do my best to bring the competition to England,” added Edwards.

The ex-Wrexham, Luton and Sunderland winger is in no doubt that England have a great chance of landing the 2018 World Cup. It is being staged out of Europe for the next two competitions, in South Africa next year and then Brazil in 2014.

“Should England host the World Cup? I say, why not? The stadia and the supporters are here. You can't fault any of that,” continued Edwards.

“And all the crowd troubles of the 1980s are a thing of the past. Things have changed drastically, and it's time to move forward and not live in the past.

“The Premier League is the No. 1 League in the world, and that hopefully will give us the nudge in getting the vote for 2018.

“I'll be trying my best to get the signature of Mr (Jack) Warner (FIFA Vice-President). I want to get his vote, as someone from his native country,” added Edwards.

The 31-year-old, who signed for Town at the end of August, played for Trinidad & Tobago in the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany. They played group matches against Sweden, England and Paraguay.

Edwards confirmed: “The 2006 World Cup was a great experience for me.

“We didn't win a game, but it was the first time that Trindad & Tobago had been in the finals, and we were the smallest country ever to make it that far.”

[royalian]

World Cup 2018: Gordon Brown meets Fifa's Jack Warner to back England's bid
Guardian.co.uk


Gordon Brown intervened today to shore up England's troubled bid for the 2018 World Cup when he met a veteran Fifa vice-president who has dismissed England's chances.

The prime minister took time out from the Commonwealth summit to meet the Trinidadian Jack Warner who recently criticised the England bid leadership as "lightweight".

Downing Street described the 20-minute meeting with Warner, who influences five of Fifa's 24 votes, as positive.

Warner, who is close to the Fifa president Sepp Blatter, said England had some of the world's best facilities and would be ready to host the World Cup tomorrow.

A No 10 spokesman said: "The meeting between Gordon Brown and Jack Warner was very positive. Mr Warner was complimentary about England's sporting infrastructure and said he recognised that England would be ready to host the World Cup tomorrow. If it were held tomorrow he recognised England would be ready."

Brown told Warner of the nation's passion for football and spoke of the government's absolute support for the bid. He pointed out the England will not have hosted the World Cup for 52 years by 2018. Ministers have agreed to underpin the bid with a guarantee of £350m.

The No 10 spokesman added: "The prime minister re-emphasised his personal passion and the nation's passion for football and sport more generally and underlined the government's commitment to sport, saying that sports in schools would be going from two hours a week at present to five hours a week in 2012."

Brown requested the meeting with Warner, one of the most influential figures in world football, who is head of Concacaf, the body covering North and Central America and the Caribbean. They joked at the beginning of the meeting and Brown spoke of his friendship with Marvin Andrews, a Trinidad national player, who played for his team, Raith Rovers.

The meeting was important because Warner, a member of Fifa's executive committee since 1983, delivered a major blow to the England bid in October when he said the bid team were unknown in international football circles. Warning that England was falling behind the European rival bids of Spain and Portugal and Russia, he told the Leaders in Football conference: "My [Fifa] colleagues are saying very quietly that the guys who are coming to them are lightweight. This is the type of thing that loses you a bid.

"England's attributes surpass any other country. I would have been more aggressive in the market place. If I had the Premier League, Beckham and the Queen, there would have been many things I could have done for the people who are voting. I would have made them next-door neighbours to make them the first name on people's lips."

Warner also damaged England's bid when he announced that his wife had returned a £230 Mulberry handbag given by the 2018 bid team when they attended the Leaders in Football conference in October. In a letter to Lord Triesman, the leader of the 2018 bid, Warner spoke of his fury at media criticism of the gift. "I have faced and continue to face all kinds of indignities from all manner of persons, but when these insults touch my wife, it represents an all time low," he wrote.

Downing Street said the England bid leadership was not discussed during today's meeting which took place at the British high commission in Port of Spain. A No 10 source said: "England has in place the architecture of a potentially successful bid."

No 10 was encouraged by the meeting. But Warner's positive comments about England's sporting infrastructure are consistent with what he has been saying publicly. His criticisms relate to the bid team which was not discussed.

The bid team has been plagued by problems. Sir Dave Richards, the chairman of the Premier League, resigned as the bid's vice-chairman for international relations, this week after a restructuring of its structure. His resignation was seen as a vote of no confidence by the league in Lord Triesman, the chairman of the Football Association, who is leading the 2018 bid.

[weary1969]

Gordon boi good luck d fella does speak wit a falk tongue a tie tongue falk tongue. 

[Jah Gol]

As the Jamaicans would say. Yuh big inno !

[elan]

WORLD CUP BID
Jack Warner: "It's England's time"
Soccernet.com
November 28, 2009

 FIFA powerbroker Jack Warner has been convinced that "this is England's time'' for the World Cup after meeting Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Jack Warner has considerable influence at FIFA

The Prime Minister met Warner in Trinidad yesterday where Brown has travelled for the Commonwealth heads of government meeting.

Afterwards, Warner, who only last month criticised the England 2018 World Cup bid as "lightweight'' and returned a gift of a designer handbag in fury, completed a virtual about turn in his view of the bid.

Warner, the president of the CONCACAF federation who controls three of the 24 FIFA executive committee votes, said"It was an exceptionally good meeting - it was the best case I have heard for a long time about the World Cup being in England.

"I was very impressed by his humility, his sincerity, his knowledge of the game, and most importantly he didn't feel England had any divine right. He felt that England's time had come - a point to which I subscribed. He said, and I agreed with him, that England has the best infrastructure to stage the tournament and that after a 52-year gap this is England's time.''

Warner's comments last month sparked a crisis among England's bid leadership with internal arguments culminating in a reshuffle of the board. There was further turmoil earlier this week when Premier League chairman Sir Dave Richards resigned his position on the board. Warner added: "I was saddened when I heard that because I thought he was a tremendous asset that the FA needed.''

The FIFA vice-president said his remarks last month had intended to help bid leaders see where they were going wrong. If he had any further concerns about the campaign he would raise them directly with Downing Street, he said.

"The Prime Minister was able to take some the comments I made and promised to look into them. He was not thin-skinned at all. I was attempting to be constructive and I am sorry if people thought I was being destructive. But I was looking at the bigger picture and the bid seems to have new energy and impetus.

"I met the Prime Minister today and next week I will meet David Beckham in Cape Town. These are not for my ego, but they are the assets that the bid should be using and I am happy to see that they are being used.''

However, Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd also took time out from the Commonwealth summit in Trinidad and Tobago to push his own country's bid to host soccer's World Cup.

"We understand the Prime Minister and Mr Warner discussed the value of sport in community development, and the growing popularity of football in Australia," Football Federation of Australia (FFA) chief executive Ben Buckley said in a statement.

"The Prime Minister also referred to the growth of the game in the Asian region and how an Australian-hosted FIFA World Cup would help promote and consolidate the game in Asia."

[ttcom]

Warner performs U-turn to back England’s WCup bid
23 minutes ago
 

Buzz up! 1 PrintLONDON (AP)—FIFA vice president Jack Warner has apologized for denigrating England’s bid to host the World Cup in 2018 and says British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has convinced him to back the campaign.

Warner, who is a powerful member of the 24-man FIFA executive committee which will decide the 2018 and 2022 hosts in December 2010, had dismissed England’s bid as lightweight during a visit to London last month.

But now Warner, who is also president of CONCACAF, says “it is England’s time” having not hosted the tournament since 1966.

Warner told Saturday’s editions of the Daily Telegraph newspaper after meeting with Brown in Trinidad that he made “the most convincing case I have heard so far … I am sorry if people thought I was being destructive.”

Updated 23 minutes ago
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26 CommentsPost a Comment
1 - 25 of 26
First« Previous Next » Last
 26. Posted by Web Fri Nov 27 12:27am EST Report Abuse
I am English but live in the US. Id love it to go to UK but we got the Olympics I agree with the poster who said Holland should get it. They have been a perennial power and I think its only fair they get a wack at it.
My fear about giving it to the US is weather the game will still be going over here then. Sports come and go here pretty quickly and although its doing reasnably now, will the MLS even exist in 2018-22?
Its a valid argument
 25. Posted by edog Thu Nov 26 8:44pm EST Report Abuse
I honestly don't see how the World Cup doesn;t go to England in 2018 and the US in 2022. Makes too much sense and both would be incredibly succesful. Going to Italy-Spain in WC '94 was amazing. Hoping to get to see the US in a WC game on or soil someday.

And gang, CK is a sad indivudual who regularly posts on these boards about how much he hates soccer to get a rise out of people. Think about how dull CKs life must be if he regularly visits stories about a sport he hates to post disparaging comments about it. I seem to remember CK saying he does it for revenge against overexuberant soccer fans who do the same thing to other sports. Let him have his fun - he doesn't speak for all Americans. MLS may not yet be an incredible success in every market or one of the best leagues in the world, and the US national team still has a ways to go before it is a legit world power, but soccer has certainly found a large niche and there are legions of huge soccer fans in this country. That is a demonstrable fact, so the sooner we drop the inferiority complex and ignore the Jim Rome's of the world, the better.
 24. Posted by Joe Heatley Thu Nov 26 8:26pm EST Report Abuse
hahahahahahahahahahaha to the comment below me

PS:i am canadian too
 23. Posted by Tron Thu Nov 26 5:44pm EST Report Abuse
Canada World Cup Champs 2018. Believe that!
 22. Posted by tg3acep Thu Nov 26 3:27pm EST Report Abuse
CK- you are the reason the rest of the world thinks Americans are all arrogant pricks. "We Americans" ? Speak for yourself jackass, I'm American and would love for the world cup to be in the states. Soccer/Football has gained more popularity each year, and the fans are becoming more passionate. Also you should take note that every article you have commented on disrespecting soccer, not once has anyone agreed with you. The more you hate it, the more we love. So keep it up!
 21. Posted by cc Thu Nov 26 3:23pm EST Report Abuse
This is going to be a great world cup..... i hope the U.S. national team doesnt choke again like it did againts Brazil....... they will forever be knowned now as the biggest chokers in Confederations Cup finals hahahahah............ they are so weak, wish the U.S had a better national team =( these guys suck ass
 20. Posted by frederic Sat Oct 10 10:18am EDT Report Abuse
Football/Soccer is the best sporting event around and eventually will be embraced by Americans once the hating morons disappear!
 19. Posted by tt6811 Fri Oct 9 7:05am EDT Report Abuse
EPL is the best league. La Liga or whatever is not interesting because in Spain on two team (R.Madrid and Barcelona) are great and champions while in Germany and Italy threre are also 2 team only while in England u can see the competition very strong and the top six or eight got a chance. Accept the facts and stop arguing. Enjoy the game, the players and the acceptance in the world of football.
 18. Posted by TA Thu Oct 8 8:54pm EDT Report Abuse
let us hope for a Ukraine victory on saturday . they almost beat England when they played them at Wembly . La liga is the best leaque headed by the Champions leaque champions Barcelona.
 17. Posted by Samson Thu Oct 8 5:32pm EDT Report Abuse
ecko0572 ....WTF are you talking about I attended the WC games in 94, and u beaners only showed up when Mexico was playing, the Final was played in Pasadena and the whole crowd was Brazilian and Italian with a few Americans, wondering whats going on? dont try to take credit for attendance records and the only reason Mexicans show up at games against the US is because the tickets are really really and I mean really cheap, sometimes they go for as little as 8 $$, I doubt Mexicans can afford tickets to WC games in any country.
 16. Posted by will c Thu Oct 8 3:05pm EDT Report Abuse
CK,

Who's we?
 15. Posted by will c Thu Oct 8 3:02pm EDT Report Abuse
What an ignorant statement to make. Does he actually believe that the English are more passionate about soccer than the Germans or the Brazilians or the Italians? Clueless in LA.
 14. Posted by ecko0572 Thu Oct 8 2:50pm EDT Report Abuse
USA 94 broke attendance records because of Mexicans. Have you seen the crowd that shows up when USA plays Mexico on US soil? It looks like a home game for Mexico!
 13. Posted by Dan Thu Oct 8 2:31pm EDT Report Abuse
Even if MLS is still staggering along as a minor league, there's no doubt that World Cup '94 paved the way for its existence. It still has the attendance record despite being a 24-team tournament. And there are plenty of soccer fans in this country who will pay to watch top-caliber competition - there was huge turnout over the summer to watch teams like Barca and Man United. The national team's lack of consistency is irrelevant.
 12. Posted by Brian W Thu Oct 8 9:03am EDT Report Abuse
Until the USA can become a perrenial World power in Soccer we shouldn't be trying to bring the World Cup back to the US! The last time we hosted the World Cup, it didn't do much to promote the sport here in the US! I think it is because the US team has not reached the level of play that the rest of the World enjoys and it is hard to back a loser going in!!
 11. Posted by COPAmundial Thu Oct 8 6:52am EDT Report Abuse
USA will get the World Cup. FIFA will kiss our *ss for the IOC ignorance.

-IOC will lose 225 million dollars in TV rights by giving the games to Rio instead of Chicago

-IOC may lose 65% of major sponsors from the USA.

Congrats with the blind voting dumb *ucks, you lost at least 500million. IOC knew right away they *ucked up.

FIFA will give USA the World Cup....USA should return the favor and tell them to *uck off.
 10. Posted by KavinP Thu Oct 8 6:42am EDT Report Abuse
belgium-netherlands could be a nice location for a world cup. plus netherlands is one of the all-time great teams of the sport, and have never hosted a world cup. otherwise, i think the bids by australia and qatar are also interesting... they both have the infrastructure and money for the stadia. the 1994 cup went smoothly, so the U.S. would be a good choice too... but they might not vote for it only because 1994 was only 15 years ago. i bet they go for australia.

yeah i think one world cup in europe and one outside sounds accurate. so it may come down to belgium/netherlands vs. england vs. spain/portugal, and australia vs. u.s.a. vs qatar.
 9. Posted by StarMan Thu Oct 8 6:29am EDT Report Abuse
Hosting a World Cup would be a nightmare for Americans? I suppossed you feel the same about the Olympics... from a perspective where it would stimulate the economy of the cities that host the event you'd be absolutely dead wrong.

Most Americans that I know would rather watch a worldly/international event like the World Cup in lieu of something like a national final (i.e. baseball's World Series - clearly this name should be changed).
 8. Posted by davide Wed Oct 7 10:04pm EDT Report Abuse
England should host the 2018 World Cup, Everything is in place now. Beside the last time the world cup was played in England was in 1966, its about time it went back to the home of football.
 7. Posted by C K Wed Oct 7 9:37pm EDT Report Abuse
Hosting a World Cup here would be the worst nightmare for Americans. We hate this sport and the last thing that we want to see in person and on TV is soccer.
 6. Posted by ecko0572 Wed Oct 7 7:16pm EDT Report Abuse
They no longer rotate continents. So a back to back World cup in Europe is possible.
 5. Posted by The Canuck Fan Wed Oct 7 7:03pm EDT Report Abuse
The only persuasive figure FIFA cares about now that they've given AFrica and South America the WC is the Pound/Euro/Yuan.

mORE MORE MORE!

how do they like it? how do they like it?

They certainly can do two Euro WCs in a row, but they likely won't.
 4. Posted by kid sensation Wed Oct 7 6:23pm EDT Report Abuse
ecko,europe can't host the WC twice in a row. 2022 will most likely go to the U.S.
 3. Posted by ecko0572 Wed Oct 7 5:08pm EDT Report Abuse
Pele Obama

England 2018, Spain 2022.
 2. Posted by Erick Wed Oct 7 1:28pm EDT Report Abuse
Yeah very true. From the way some of the news was covered to, most citizens of Chicago didn't want to have to Olympics there. That's should be enough for the committee to not want to host the Olympics there.
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[Coop's]

Just a suggestion,why don't the mods join the two World Cup 2018 topics together,is there some reason for keeping them apart?i think they relate to the same topic/person. 

[Flex]

Warner: Triesman exit helps England bid.
Morning Star.

England's chances of hosting the 2018 World Cup may have actually been improved by Lord Triesman's enforced departure, influential FIFA vice-president Jack Warner has claimed.

Warner, who also revealed that he is to take a cabinet position in the new government of Trinidad and Tobago, said the fact that Triesman's successor Geoff Thompson is one of the 24-man FIFA executive committee who will vote on the 2018 hosts should aid the bid.

Warner said: "Geoff Thompson is a member of the FIFA executive committee, so that should help England's bid.

"He is close to the people who are going to be voting, so that has got to be a good thing.

"The FA dealt with everything (the Triesman scandal) promptly, so that has also been a good thing."

Warner is likely to be confirmed as Trinidad and Tobago's new foreign minister or trade minister later this week.

He added: "I have agreed that I will take a post in the cabinet, but I have explained to the prime minister about my other commitments.

"It will not affect my work with Fifq or Concacaf."

Warner was instrumental in Thompson being appointed FIFA British vice-president after the saga involving Scotland's John McBeth, who had claimed that African and Caribbean nations often "grabbed what they can."

The Concacaf federation have three of the 24 votes and usually vote en bloc, so Warner's influence is key to the bid.

The other advantage to England following the shake-up is that Fifa president Sepp Blatter was no fan of Triesman.

[rotatopoti3]

Fair enough..foreign minister to promote TNT but with how much Moneysssssssssss

[maxg]

So wait, ah know is ah ole post, so anybody did find out wha really was th colour of the envelope Brown did pass ? Or yuh really feel they ketch Jack in ah good mood. 

[rotatopoti3]

England 2018 bid backed by Paul the octopus
by Soccernet

The England 2018 World Cup bid has been boosted by the backing of Paul the "psychic" octopus.

Paul the Octopus tips Spain

Paul the Octopus correctly picked Spain.

During the World Cup in South Africa, the German based cephalopod became a global celebrity for correctly predicting all seven of Germany's games - including the 4-1 demolition of England for a place in the quarter-finals - as well as the Spain-Netherlands final.

Paul chose mussels from jars bearing the flags of opponents to make his predictions and is now on the road to stardom with merchandise deals and a film in the offing.

The Weymouth-born octopus, who resides at the Oberhausen Sea Life Aquarium in Germany, may have retired from the clairvoyant game, but has put his tentacles behind England in the bidding for the 2018 World Cup.

Nicola Hamilton, manager at Weymouth Sea Life Centre, told the BBC: "Paul has spent the last two years of his life in Germany, but he is definitely a proud Englishman and is therefore delighted to put his support behind England 2018.

"We have had a number of football approaches from around the world but Paul was only ever going to choose his homeland.

"With his predicting days behind him Paul is now concentrating on a number of new projects and the England 2018 campaign is something we are sure he feels passionately about. Becoming an official ambassador for the bid is an honour for Paul and everyone here."

England players David Beckham and Rio Ferdinand, Formula 1 star Lewis Hamilton, and musicians Noel Gallagher and Sting have all been recruited to back the bid, along with former Liverpool and England midfielder John Barnes.

"After his success during South Africa 2010, Paul is undoubtedly one of the biggest names in football,'' Barnes said. "I predict that huge numbers of people will follow Paul's lead and back the bid. Since our launch last year, more than a million football fans have officially shown their support, including some of England's most famous names.

"With the decision date fast approaching it's now more important than ever to get behind England 2018."

Russia, the United States, Australia, and joint bids from Spain and Portugal, and Holland and Belgium are all battling to host the tournament with the winners for both 2018 and 2022 announced on December 2.

[Flex]

Jennings leading Panorama Fifa sting.
UK Guardian

England FA scared Jennings and company might derail their W/Cup bid... They know Fifa corrupt. They just don't care once they can still get by within a corrupt framework...

Panorama approaches Fifa with investigation findings

BBC Panorama has already contacted Fifa and individual members about the findings of its investigations into World Cup bidding, it emerged today.

News of the latest development will cause further worry to England 2018 World Cup bid leaders that their campaign is being damaged by Britain-based media investigations.

Two Fifa executive committee members have already been suspended following a Sunday Times undercover sting, and the fact that others have now been asked by Panorama for responses to its investigation is likely to infuriate world football's leading figures.

A Panorama spokesman said: "We have contacted Fifa and individual executive committee members regarding our findings. We are currently awaiting a response."

The former sports minister Richard Caborn said the BBC should send all the evidence Panorama has uncovered to Fifa's independent ethics committee immediately – rather than deliver shock revelations when the programme is screened just three days before the vote for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.

The England 2018 chief executive, Andy Anson, visited the BBC director general Mark Thompson this week to express fears that the Panorama investigation could fatally harm the bid.

Caborn, formerly Gordon Brown's World Cup bid ambassador, said: "If Panorama or any other media have any evidence of any wrongdoing they should immediately refer that to the Fifa ethics committee so that it can be examined by the independent panel.

"Whilst I agree that newspapers and television have every right to investigate they should not be used in a selfish way for circulation or viewing figures and damaging the England bid.

"The importance of the England bid for ordinary fans is considerable and therefore any evidence should be referred to the new ethics committee immediately."

Bid leaders already admit that the recent Sunday Times investigation into Fifa members has caused "significant damage" to their campaign for 2018 and are worried that the Panorama programme will intensify the backlash against them.

[Tallman]

David Cameron invites Jack Warner to lunch ahead of 2018 World Cup vote
guardian.co.uk

The prime minister David Cameron has telephoned Jack Warner, a Fifa vice-president, to invite him to lunch in an effort to boost England's hopes of hosting the 2018 World Cup.

Warner's support is perhaps the most crucial for England to capture and that is reflected by Cameron's invitation to lunch ahead of the vote in Zurich on 2 December.

Warner is president of the Concacaf confederation and could deliver three votes to England, and is also a government minister in Trinidad.

He told the Trinidad newspaper Newsday: "He called to ask me for my support for the English bid and he asked me to join him for lunch next week, Thursday, and he hoped [David] Beckham was a good ambassador and said that if there was anything he can do for Trinidad and Tobago he will be prepared to do so."

Warner said he had still to decide which way he would vote but appeared to write off the chances of Spain/Portugal and Holland/Belgium, telling Cameron that Russia are England's main rivals.

"If he can overcome the Russian bid, which I think is gaining momentum, he doesn't have a problem," added Warner. "I don't think he has to worry about the other countries too much."

Warner said he was certain England 2018 would present a compelling argument to Fifa's executive committee.

[weary1969]

He invite him 2 lunch 2 ask him fish or chicken 4 d Royal Wedding. As we sure he on d list.

[Brownsugar]

Cue Dinho!!!.....

On a related note, the day FIFA reeeeeeaaaaallllllyyyyyy investigates Jack and pelt him out like the nasty, stinking dutty tief that he is den I goh take dem seriously.  Who dey discipline again??  A fella from Nigeria and one from Tahiti....  

Two no name fellas.....steups!!!

[dinho]

Squeeze dem balls Jack!!

We want balcony tickets for Kamla, Anil, Dooks and about 5 extra for Prince William wedding, we want another England friendly (make sure Capello call back Becks eh) and we want as much free money as allyuh could put in we coffers a fiscal investment initiative identifying Trinidad and Tobago as a strategic partner in the region.

[ZANDOLIE]

Cue Dinho!!!.....

Squeeze dem balls Jack!!

We want balcony tickets for Kamla, Anil, Dooks and about 5 extra for Prince William wedding, we want another England friendly (make sure Capello call back Becks eh) and we want as much free money as allyuh could put in we coffers a fiscal investment initiative identifying Trinidad and Tobago as a strategic partner in the region.

Classic!!! This forum sweet too bad

[boss]

we want as much free money as allyuh could put in we coffers a fiscal investment initiative identifying Trinidad and Tobago as a strategic partner in the region.

 

[Tallman]

Fifa vice-president Warner attacks BBC investigation
BBC

Fifa vice-president Jack Warner has made a scathing attack on the BBC Panorama programme examining the bidding to stage the 2018 World Cup.

The documentary will air three days before the 2 December vote, and Warner said: it was "deliberately designed to negatively impact" on England's bid.

Warner, whose vote is seen as crucial to England's hopes, claims the programme is "a personal vendetta".

The BBC said the November 29 programme "will be in the public interest".

Warner, a government minister in Trinidad, is president of the Concacaf federation covering North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football, and could deliver three of the 22 FIFA executive members' votes to England.

He has been invited to lunch in Zurich by Prime Minister David Cameron ahead of the vote, and David Beckham met him while opening a coaching clinic in Trinidad in September.

Warner, who said last week that he had still to decide which way he would vote, spoke of his dissatisfaction with the Panorama investigation in a vehement e-mail to Press Association Sport.

"I am sure it's a personal vendetta. But it is sooooooooooo stupid... for it can have no effect on me personally or on anyone else in Fifa for that matter."

Warner added that there was no new material in the programme and that he was not losing sleep over it.

BBC Panorama responded by saying: "Panorama has a reputation for strong, independent and probing investigative journalism. The findings of the Panorama investigation into Fifa will be in the public interest."

Last week England 2018 leaders branded the BBC "unpatriotic" for screening the investigation so close to the vote, fearing it will lead to a backlash from Fifa members.

The furore follows an undercover investigation by the Sunday Times in October in which it was alleged that Fifa members Amos Adamu and Reynald Temarii asked for money in return for voting on World Cup hosting rights.

Adamu, from Nigeria, was later suspended from all footballing activity by Fifa's Ethics Committee for three years, while Tahitian Temarii received a one-year suspension. Both were also handed fines.

They are now prohibited from taking part in the vote to decide who will host the 2018 and 2022 World Cup finals.

England face competition from Netherlands/Belgium, Russia and Spain/Portugal for the 2018 tournament.

The host of the 2022 contest will also be decided on 2 December, with Australia, Japan, Qatar, South Korea and the United States competing for the rights.

[Tallman]

Warner added that there was no new material in the programme and that he was not losing sleep over it.

What he actually said was "It is just a rehash of the same old bullshit so I continue to sleep very soundly at nights."

http://www.metro.co.uk/sport/848035-jack-warner-panorama-out-to-harm-england-2018-world-cup-hopes

[Deeks]

At this point Jack better play his card right. If he f-up with England he will get thunder from the English. They just playing along to get the WC,

[Blue]

Warner, who said last week that he had still to decide which way he would vote, spoke of his dissatisfaction with the Panorama investigation in a vehement e-mail to Press Association Sport.

"I am sure it's a personal vendetta. But it is sooooooooooo stupid... for it can have no effect on me personally or on anyone else in Fifa for that matter."

First time I have seen de BBC quote a man saying "Soooooooooo" 

[truetrini]

Jack jes vex he compatriots get busted for asking for money and football complex and ting..how de f**k allyuh tink he get dem Koreans to build de center ah excellence?  Is so dm could host world cup...steupos  allyuh does sleep plenty in here?

[Jay10]

Warner, who said last week that he had still to decide which way he would vote, spoke of his dissatisfaction with the Panorama investigation in a vehement e-mail to Press Association Sport.

"I am sure it's a personal vendetta. But it is sooooooooooo stupid... for it can have no effect on me personally or on anyone else in Fifa for that matter."

First time I have seen de BBC quote a man saying "Soooooooooo" 

he maybe stammer dey....

[JDB]

England's 2018 World Cup chances begin and end with Jack Warner


Owen Gibson
The Guardian,   
Tuesday 23 November 2010

When Simon Cowell is wheeled out to back England's 2018 World Cup bid to ignite one final PR push it must signal the final stages of an exhausting campaign that has been the equal of one of his reality shows for rollercoaster emotion and behind the scenes intrigue. It was Beatles week on the X-Factor and, for the England 2018 chief executive, Andy Anson, next Thursday's vote in Zurich will represent the end of a long and winding road.

Just as scrutiny of England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup began in earnest with all eyes on Jack Warner, the often controversial Concacaf president, so it will end. It was Warner's intervention more than a year ago that presaged a fervent bout of soul-searching over the composition of England's bid board and ultimately prompted a wholesale reorganisation. The three votes believed to be controlled by Warner – his own plus those of the larger than life American Chuck Blazer and the Guatemalan Rafael Salguero – will be crucial if England are to negotiate a passage through the first round of voting with enough momentum to make them potential winners. Hence Warner's lunch invitation from David Cameron, who has thrown himself with gusto into the final few weeks of lobbying with half an eye on proving himself the heir to Tony Blair in more ways than one and repeating the former prime minister's late push that helped secure the 2012 Olympics.

Hence, too, the continued nervousness about next Monday's Panorama. England's bid team feel they have done all they can to distance themselves, including writing to all 22 executive committee members, but are acutely aware it could undermine their final push. Warner yesterday spoke out on the topic for the first time, claiming he was "sure it's a personal vendetta". "But it is sooooooooooo stupid … for it can have no effect on me personally or on anyone else in Fifa for that matter and, in my personal opinion, it is deliberately designed to negatively impact on England's chances," he wrote in an email. "It is just a rehash of the same old bullshit so I continue to sleep very soundly at nights."

Deconstructing the problems with the process – the parallel races for 2018 and 2022 that virtually guarantee collusion, the small electorate with power but little accountablity, the secret nature of the ballot, the way in which bidders are encouraged to criss-cross the globe making promises – is a debate for another day. The bidders have to deal with the world as it is, and that means a frantic last bout of lobbying if they are to come from behind and triumph. They remain convinced there are still votes up for grabs.

Through all the internal ructions that dogged the first 18 months of the campaign, England's team have always known that it would come down to this. The outcome remains impossible to call between their bid and those of Spain/Portgual and Russia because the margins are so fine. There also remains the possibility that one of the three could crash out in the first round at the expense of Holland/Belgium. For England to remain in contention, they need to carry the three Concacaf votes to reach their target of the seven required to definitely progress. Danny Jordaan, the man who worked for 16 years to bring the World Cup to South Africa, warned last year that the three votes (four before Amos Adamu's suspension) from Africa would also be crucial.

England have lobbied hard to secure them, but Russia appears in pole position. Likewise Asian Football Confederation president Mohamed Bin Hammam. While the Premier League has forged close links with Bin Hammam and the AFC in recent years, Bin Hammam appears to have hitched his wagons to Spain/Portugal's bid because it offers the best chance of getting Qatar over the line in 2022. But Asia will not vote as a bloc. Japan's Junji Ogura is expected to back England, while the Thai Worawi Makudi is thought to be in the Spain/Portugal camp and the intentions of South Korea's Chung Mong-joon remain unclear.

England's bid team believe they retain a good chance of securing the majority they require. Russia's support base may have been weakened by Spanish alliance with Qatar and Sepp Blatter's rearguard action against Spain and Qatar could lead to a reluctance from those outside the bloc of seven to join them in later rounds. Speculation of this sortabout the voting will intensify as the bidders read the runes and construct their lobbying strategies for the final week, when some of the biggest names in politics and football will take up residence in the lakeside hotel favoured by executive committee members for one final frantic push.

The twists and turns of the past few weeks have been enough to destablise all involved. Two Fifa executive committee members have been suspended, provoking a state of near revolt among some of their colleagues and leaving all the bidders hurriedly recalibrating their strategies. And while Fifa's ethics committee ruled that there were not "sufficient grounds" to prove vote trading between Spain/Portugal's 2018 bid and Qatar's pitch for 2022 it is widely assumed that their interests are aligned to the extent that they can each rely on the support of seven executive committtee members.

Turbulence has been the default setting for the England bid for most of the 22 months since a delegation landed in Zurich in January 2009 to submit the bid. The week before, the Guardian published an analysis headlined "tensions threaten united front as England launches push for 2018" and things continued in much the same vein for the next 18 months. Initially, there was disquiet at the lack of Premier League representation on the board, against the backdrop of an ongoing power struggle between the FA and the Premier League, and concern that it was stuffed full of political appointees. That eventually led to a wholesale reorganisation in an attempt to get the campaign back on track.

Each new eruption chipped away at morale and diverted attention and resources, preventing the campaign message from evolving much beyond "back the bid". The Premier League chairman, Sir Dave Richards, flounced out over a perceived slight while Lord Triesman, with whom he never saw eye to eye, resigned as bid chairman after a newspaper sting in May that still provokes debate over its morality.

Each internal crisis was viewed with an air of amused inevitablity by England's rivals, who looked on as the bid threatened to self destruct, and credit is due for getting it back on track. There are those, including some on the bid board, who argue that Triesman's departure in May was no bad thing in removing a divisive influence who was unpopular with many at Fifa. There are others who argue with equal force he was forced to leave for no good reason, that he had built good relations with the Uefa president Platini and was beginning to win over other members of the global football family.

Up until a month ago, England had been enjoying a good run on the back of a positive inspection visit in the summer and a successful visit to Downing Street by Blatter. But then came the Sunday Times investigation and the spectre of Panorama. Both played into long-held Fifa fears about the British media and the bid team went into damage limitation mode. In Fifa's alternate reality, Russia's crackdown on free speech is seen as preferable to the prospect of facing the British media for eight years.

Anson and co have been buoyed by what they say has been positive feedback from an attempt to nullify the effects and are convinced they have a good chance of pulling off a comeback. Almost all of those close to the process insist it remains too close to call. With such a small electorate, and such fine margins at play, persuading a single voter to switch his second preference to England could prove crucial in the latter rounds of voting.

Anson, sounding more upbeat of late, yesterday headed east to the Asian Footballer of the Year awards in Kuala Lumpur with board member Paul Elliott, his chairman, Geoff Thompson, and the culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt. Meanwhile, the globetrotting international president, David Dein, was in Brazil at Soccerex in a final attempt to swing the votes of Fifa executive committee members. "We are in it to win it," he said, before leaving for Paraguay.

Through all its ups and downs the English bid has been played out in public. Spain and Portugal, in contrast, have barely had a public profile. Instead, they have largely relied on the prodigous networking skills of their executive committee member Angel Maria Villar Llona and go into the final week with a strong chance of victory.

The fundamentals of England'sthe bid remain strong, as emphasised by the technical reports published last week by Fifa. Passionate fans, impressive and already built stadiums, a promised record commercial return, a "home from home" for competing teams and the promise of a legacy for world football. The drive to ensure that the bid was not hobbled by the sense of arrogance and entitlement that tripped up the last attempt to secure the World Cup has been largely successful, even if it has sometimes led to a curious timidity.

Paradoxically, England's strength is also its weakness. The Fifa president, and others on the executive committee are in thrall to the idea of making history and taking their biggest cash cow into new territories. For all England's hopes that the global recession would promote caution, Russia remains a beguiling option – particularly if the multi-billion pound investment is underwritten by the government and personally guaranteed by Vladimir Putin.

The Spain/Portugal bid highlights another perceived blind spot for England. Not only does English football not have a Platini or a Franz Beckenbauer, it does not have a Villar Llona. The first chairman, Triesman, built good relations with Platini but others were scathing. And the second, England's representative on the Fifa executive committee, Geoff Thompson, has kept a characteristically low profile that his supporters say is quietly effective and his detractors say may as well be non-existent.

If England fail to prevail, much soul searching will follow. The bid itself will come under scrunity, but so too will the Football Association and Fifa itself. Others will ask whether we should have been bidding in the first place. The core bid team is seen to have generally done a good job in the last six months, for all the problems of the previous eighteen.

To win, they will have to replicate the late burst of momentum that saw London 2012 over the line in Singapore in 2005 and hope that the stardust of their delegation combined with a glitzy presentation expected to major heavily on Premier League stars will be enough to beat Russia's compelling legacy driven pitch and Spain/Portugal's superior political clout. The recurring questions that have repeatedly bubbled to the surface will return a thousandfold if the best efforts of Cameron, Prince William, David Beckham and co do not prove enough on 2 December.

[Tallman]

Beckham puts faith in 'good relationship' with Warner
ESPN

David Beckham has spoken of his "good relationship" with FIFA vice-president Jack Warner, and he insists England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup is "looking good".

Beckham is currently in Zurich attempting to "put the cherry on the cake" as England close their World Cup bid ahead of Thursday's vote. Spain's joint bid with Portugal, along with Russia's proposal, have been considered long-term favourites, but England are believed to be making things closer than was expected at the start of the week.

Crucial to the voting process is Trinidad and Tobago football executive Warner, who is recognised as one of the most significant floating voters due to his role as CONCACAF president. Beckham has a long history with Warner, having set up a football Academy in the southern Caribbean state, and he spoke positively of their relationship on Wednesday.

"I've always had a good relationship with Jack," Beckham told Sky Sports News. "When we played over there for England, it was my 50th cap as England captain. I promised I'd open the Academy. His vote is crucial, but there are other votes we need too.

"But as I say, I've always had a good relationship with Jack. When I was over there, I met his family and his friends and it was a great trip. He's a very important man."

Beckham has been joined by Prime Minister David Cameron and Prince William to boost England's bid, and the England international admits he is aware of "a few" guaranteed votes secured by England. And, after Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin snubbed the vote on Wednesday, Beckham insists the importance of such figures cannot be overestimated.

"It's going to be close," he said. "I know a few [guaranteed votes], but it's not for me to sit here and say who I definitely know will vote for us, or who I think might vote for us. But I believe we've got a lot of supporters and things are looking good. We're confident.

"We're getting a positive reaction. The stuff that has gone on over the last few days [regarding the BBC's Panorama programme] has been spoken about, it had to be spoken about, we spoke to the president about everything that had been said, but he guaranteed us it wouldn't affect the vote.

"Having the Prime Minister here, and having Prince William here, you cannot downplay that. It's huge. Everybody knows the support we have from the fans, but to have the weight of the future King of England and the Prime Minister here... I saw what happened in Singapore when Tony Blair went over there, to have that stature with us in the bid is huge."

[Dutty]

ah want somebody to make ah tune usin the melody of 'Wine Dhanraj Wine'

bUt I eh sure if is best to insert becks name or gordon brown or queen elizabet

[weary1969]

ah want somebody to make ah tune usin the melody of 'Wine Dhanraj Wine'

bUt I eh sure if is best to insert becks name or gordon brown or queen elizabet

Y YUH HAITING. Support d BRITS. Dey just whoring in PUBLIC OTHERS WHORING IN PRIVATE.

[weary1969]

British PM phones Kamla on air passenger duty
By WALTER ALIBEY Wednesday, December 1 2010

PRIME Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar yesterday continued talks with her British counterpart David Cameron concerning lowering the Air Passenger Duty (APD) taxes for passengers travelling to Trinidad and Tobago or any Caribbean destination.

The discussion took place via a telephone call which Cameron made to Persad-Bissessar, from Zurich, Switzerland, on the advice of Minister of Works and Transport Jack Warner.

Cameron met with Warner, a FIFA vice president, to convince him to grant England the CONCACAF vote for the 2018 World Cup. During their talks Warner encouraged Cameron to phone Persad-Bissessar in Trinidad.

Warner, in a release issued from Zurich, said he could not allow the opportunity to pass by and not highlight what he saw as “the great injustice” being inflicted upon Caribbean people through the tax.Only last month, Persad-Bissessar, in a meeting of the Commonwealth in London, raised the issue of the APD tax with Cameron which she said has been a problem for Caricom countries.

Each economy class traveller to the Caribbean was required to pay a fee of £50 (US$77) in APD which was expected to be increased by November 1. With the increase, travellers to regional countries now have to pay £75 (US$115) while the taxes for premium economy, business and first class were expected to rise from £100 (US$154) to £150 (US$291).

Persad-Bissessar described the fees as detrimental to Caribbean economies and sources said if discussions with Cameron were fruitful yesterday then Trinidad and Tobago and regional economies may receive welcome relief soon.

Persad-Bissessar’s call for a review of the APD last month was noted by Cameron and his Foreign Minister Haque, after which she was given a commitment that the levels of the duties would be revisited.

Sources said Persad-Bissessar was even more optimistic the British government would reconsider the duty after Cameron’s discussions with Warner who raised the issue.

In his statement, Warner said he informed Cameron that the Caribbean was feeling the pinch of the APD and recommended the British government should revisit the tax.

“Many of us depend on tourism and the effect of this tax is grave,” Warner said yesterday.
England is competing for the right to host the 2018 World Cup along with Spain, Belgium- Netherlands, Portugal and Russia while the United States is bidding to host the 2022 World Cup. The US is competing with Australia, Japan, Qatar and South Korea.

The voting process will take place tomorrow at the FIFA Headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland.

[fishs]

 Straight show down between Russia and England and Russia have state sponsored mafia, so who yuh thinkJack go want?