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Post by bathurstmariner on Oct 31, 2007 8:14:43 GMT 10
Australia puts its hand up for party
By Tom Smithies
October 31, 2007 JUST hours after the battle to host the 2018 World Cup was thrown wide open, Australia threw its hat into the ring with a bold declaration of intent.
After the delirium wrought by qualification for the 2006 World Cup finals - let alone the Socceroos' historic performance in Germany - football chiefs in Australia want to land the ultimate prize and host the world's biggest sporting spectacle.
World governing body FIFA yesterday scrapped the rotation policy that would have sent the 2018 World Cup to the Americas, opening the process to bids from around the world, and Football Federation Australia chief executive Ben Buckley immediately declared the association was "very serious" about mounting a bid.
Buckley insisted insisted that Asutralia stood as good a chance as any country, despite widespread interest from around the world, and he said that Australia's long-standing hopes of snaffling the next available tournament - 2010 is in South Africa and 2014 in Brazil - had crystalised into preparation to go the distance.
"We flagged our intention to bid for the World Cup at the earliest possible opportunity, and we are delighted that FIFA has decided to abandon the rotation policy," he said yesterday.
"That will give us the opportunity to bid for, and hopefully be successful in securing, the right to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Australia will face an almighty fight with heavyweight bids expected from England and China, among others, but it has the track record to mount a serious campaign.
"Besides England, there is at least one combined offer from the Netherlands and Belgium," FIFA president Sepp Blatter said.
"There has also been interest announced from China, Australia, Mexico and the United States."
But Buckley refused to be fazed by such opposition, saying the end of the rotation policy was a bonus for Australia.
"Whilst we will be competing with European-based nations and nations from all over the world, we think this will be a better system and a better opportunity for us," he said.
He rejected the idea that England was already the favoured candidate, saying: "I don't think anyone is a shoo-in. The race has only just started so I'm not sure how anyone can be a shoo-in, and I think Australia's credentials stack up against any in the world."
It may seem an eternity away, but the process of even considering a bid is intricate and FFA has for months been undertaking preliminary work on the required stadia, resources and finances in anticipation of the rotation policy being scrapped.
A decision by FIFA is expected in 2011 - in the same way Brazil has learned that it will host the 2014 finals - and an intense lobbying campaign will be stepped up of key officials, first at the Asian Football Confederation and then the game's global leaders at FIFA.
To that end, FFA has already scored two major coups, with the AFC awards being staged in Sydney next month - scheduled for the week David Beckham comes to town - and FIFA holding its congress, a massive annual jamboree, in Sydney next May.
The Daily Telegraph.
ends
I know its a long way off but what are your thoughts on Australia bidding to host the 2018 World Cup?
I've also read that Brazil was the only contender for the 2014 World Cup and subsequently won the right to host. Why did Australia not put a bid in?
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Post by dibo (pron. "DIB-OH") on Oct 31, 2007 8:27:03 GMT 10
I know its a long way off but what are your thoughts on Australia bidding to host the 2018 World Cup? I've also read that Brazil was the only contender for the 2014 World Cup and subsequently won the right to host. Why did Australia not put a bid in? the rotation policy meant that only south american associations were able to bid. colombia talked briefly about a bid but the idea died pretty quickly (they actually won the right to host 86 but had it switched late on to mexico due to security concerns). we'd need to build a number of big grounds in fairly short order to make this one work. |
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Post by EGGBA on Oct 31, 2007 9:07:43 GMT 10
This would be massive where would it be based sydey? Or would they scatter it to melbourne and brisbane aswell just the prospect of this is exciting.How many people would of even considered this a few yrs ago.
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Post by brett on Oct 31, 2007 9:08:14 GMT 10
2018 or 2022...us holding the WC would be the thing that tipped the scales for football in this country and it would simultaneously be the greatest month of my life!
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Post by curious on Oct 31, 2007 9:12:29 GMT 10
It can, & some say it will make it more difficult for us without the rotation policy, as we now have to compete with everyone rather than just others in our region. FFA need to get all levels of government %100 behind a bid to have a hope of the enormous funding required to be taken seriously.
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Post by dibo (pron. "DIB-OH") on Oct 31, 2007 9:18:38 GMT 10
This would be massive where would it be based sydey? Or would they scatter it to melbourne and brisbane aswell just the prospect of this is exciting.How many people would of even considered this a few yrs ago. It wouldn’t be ‘based’ anywhere – the world cup has 64 games across 30 or 31 days, and no games can be played in any stadium within 3 days of each other (to ensure the surface stays in top nick). You therefore need something like 10 stadiums. All of them need to be over 40,000 capacity (all seater), I think another 4 of them have to be over 60,000. It’d be spread all over the country. I think in theory no 2 are meant to be in the same city, though there may be allowances made in our case. |
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Post by dibo (pron. "DIB-OH") on Oct 31, 2007 9:20:40 GMT 10
It can, & some say it will make it more difficult for us without the rotation policy, as we now have to compete with everyone rather than just others in our region. FFA need to get all levels of government %100 behind a bid to have a hope of the enormous funding required to be taken seriously. i think our chances of beating out england are somewhere between none and buckleys to be honest... |
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Post by djebella on Oct 31, 2007 9:24:32 GMT 10
It can, & some say it will make it more difficult for us without the rotation policy, as we now have to compete with everyone rather than just others in our region. FFA need to get all levels of government %100 behind a bid to have a hope of the enormous funding required to be taken seriously. i think our chances of beating out england are somewhere between none and buckleys to be honest... Ben Buckleys that is ;D |
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Post by bathurstmariner on Oct 31, 2007 10:36:05 GMT 10
It wouldn’t be ‘based’ anywhere – the world cup has 64 games across 30 or 31 days, and no games can be played in any stadium within 3 days of each other (to ensure the surface stays in top nick). You therefore need something like 10 stadiums. All of them need to be over 40,000 capacity (all seater), I think another 4 of them have to be over 60,000. It’d be spread all over the country. I think in theory no 2 are meant to be in the same city, though there may be allowances made in our case. I agree with dibo. When the Rugby World Cup was held in Australia in 2003, bigger games (eg with Australia in them) were played at Telstra Stadium and Suncorp Stadium, while smaller games (eg with smaller countries playing) were played at smaller grounds. Wouldn't they do the same thing for the World Cup? Can't we rely on the other major international sporting events we have hosted? 2003 Rugby World Cup, last years Commonwealth Games and even though when the bid is made it will be roughly a decade since Sydney hosted the Olympic Games. |
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Post by dibo (pron. "DIB-OH") on Oct 31, 2007 10:57:54 GMT 10
I agree with dibo. When the Rugby World Cup was held in Australia in 2003, bigger games (eg with Australia in them) were played at Telstra Stadium and Suncorp Stadium, while smaller games (eg with smaller countries playing) were played at smaller grounds. Wouldn't they do the same thing for the World Cup? There aren’t really any small games as such – every game will sell out, and the bigger the grounds the better. We simply don’t have many grounds that are big enough/good enough. Sydney: Telstra (pretty well fine as is), SFS (will need work even though they’ve just done a heap on it). Melbourne: MCG and Telstra Dome (both will need work to make them properly suited to hosting football, plus will need better media facilities). Could use the new rectangular stadium if expanded to something bigger than 40k. Brisbane: Suncorp (will likely need expansion to be one of the 60k+ venues). Gabba will probably need too much work to get it up to capacity and improve facilities to bother. Perth: New multipurpose stadium already in the works. Adelaide: Will need an entirely new ground – Hindmarsh is too small, Footy Park is too big (turf-wise). Canberra: Bruce Stadium will need major work. Newcastle: That upgrade will need to be up to 40k rather than 30-something. That’s 9 grounds or the bare minimum needed. 4 (Telstra, MCG, expanded Suncorp and the new Perth ground) over 60k, the rest over 40k. Sadly our ground simply isn’t big enough and there’s not enough room to expand it to double the capacity. *Unless* someone goes completely apeshit-bonkers and drops $100 million on construction, moves the Brian McGowan bridge, drops the palm trees, probably closes Dane Drive, closes the stabling lines on the railway side… Can't we rely on the other major international sporting events we have hosted? 2003 Rugby World Cup, last years Commonwealth Games and even though when the bid is made it will be roughly a decade since Sydney hosted the Olympic Games. England by then will have hosted the Euros, RWC (co-hosted), Olympics and Commonwealth games within the last 15 years. Of more relevance though, England also has oodles of grounds up to or within spitting distance of the standard required. England has millions of fans, and is closer to the hundreds of millions more of the wealthiest fans in the world in western Europe. England is in the a closer timezone to the most lucrative TV markets and in a better timezone for the USA. I think we’ve got no chance. |
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Post by Foriegnmariner on Oct 31, 2007 20:23:15 GMT 10
You could expand Dairy Farmers in Nth qld, Gold Coast Stadium to make 11 possible grounds.
Imagine Pommy fans in Gold coast.
Canberra could make a brand new ground then once the tournament is over, the AIS would take it over.
Personally i think
2018 - England
2022 - Australia
2026 - China
is a real possibility.
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Post by midfielder on Oct 31, 2007 22:35:08 GMT 10
I. *Unless* someone goes completely apeshit-bonkers and drops $100 million on construction, moves the Brian McGowan bridge, drops the palm trees, probably closes Dane Drive, closes the stabling lines on the railway side… Man that sounds way to complex. Could we not take the room between existing north end of ground and the road over the line and move the field north about 35 meters, and maybe west a few meters as well. Then we could have grandstands on four sides of reasonable reasonable size. I am sure it would hold 40, 000 only trouble is where do Mariners play during construction. I would opt for Parramatta as a number of supporters come from Sydney anyway and its not to hard to get away from for Coasties |
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Post by midfielder on Oct 31, 2007 22:38:19 GMT 10
I think we need to put our hat in the ring for women's world cup first and prove to FIFA our ability and what the crowd support would be like.
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Post by Jesus on Nov 1, 2007 8:58:15 GMT 10
Two nations in a confed can not have it within 2 cups of each other.
I do not think england is a shoe in.
These things money does the talking. We showed for 2000 we can bribe as good as anyone. China also will have a strong case.
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Post by dibo (pron. "DIB-OH") on Nov 1, 2007 9:13:45 GMT 10
*Unless* someone goes completely apeshit-bonkers and drops $100 million on construction, moves the Brian McGowan bridge, drops the palm trees, probably closes Dane Drive, closes the stabling lines on the railway side… Man that sounds way too complex. Could we not take the room between existing north end of ground and the road over the line and move the field north about 35 meters, and maybe west a few meters as well. Then we could have grandstands on four sides of reasonable reasonable size. I am sure it would hold 40, 000 only trouble is where do Mariners play during construction. I would opt for Parramatta as a number of supporters come from Sydney anyway and its not to hard to get away from for Coasties problem is that the parcel of land simply isn't big enough. there's no room to the north or west because of the railway line.  you can see we're hemmed in by the brian mcgowan bridge to the south, dane drive to the east and the railway line to the north-west. the ground is already pressed up against the margins of the land. at a big stretch a northern stand would be able to go up, but that would likely require shutting down the couple of lines of stabling for the railway (where the trains sleep at night), because you'd have to build straight over them. even this would only get you another couple of thousand seats at most. only if major major changes were made around the ground involving moving bridges and closing streets and so on and then starting afresh from the ground up could the ground be made to work with 40k plus. in reality, townsville and the gold coast are much closer to being right to host matches, and we'd miss out. These things money does the talking. We showed for 2000 we can bribe as good as anyone. FIFA are tightening their anti-corruption provisions!  |
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Post by brett on Nov 1, 2007 9:32:58 GMT 10
These things money does the talking. We showed for 2000 we can bribe as good as anyone. FIFA are tightening their anti-corruption provisions! That actually allows us to gain good ground on China. |
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Post by midfielder on Nov 1, 2007 9:33:34 GMT 10
Man that sounds way too complex. problem is that the parcel of land simply isn't big enough. there's no room to the north or west because of the railway line.  , Dane drive to the east These things money does the talking. We showed for 2000 we can bribe as good as anyone. FIFA are tightening their anti-corruption provisions! Inspired idea .......................... maybe inspired, maybe hands off it midfielder. Close Dane Drive, and buy the other properties north of the ground. Still with hand on ............... would there be room. On corruption thing we have Frank Lowy and not suggesting he is anything but honest, however he does know how to hold negotiations. |
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Post by Adz on Nov 1, 2007 9:40:32 GMT 10
Since when was a few incentives called corruption?  |
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Post by striker 9 on Nov 1, 2007 9:51:25 GMT 10
Close Dane Drive, and buy the other properties north of the ground. why would you want to extend the CC Stadium to FIFA WC specs? what are you gonna do with all those empty seats, given we get on average 8 K ..... |
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Post by djebella on Nov 1, 2007 9:58:49 GMT 10
problem is that the parcel of land simply isn't big enough. there's no room to the north or west because of the railway line. you can see we're hemmed in by the brian mcgowan bridge to the south, dane drive to the east and the railway line to the north-west. the ground is already pressed up against the margins of the land. at a big stretch a northern stand would be able to go up, but that would likely require shutting down the couple of lines of stabling for the railway (where the trains sleep at night), because you'd have to build straight over them. even this would only get you another couple of thousand seats at most. only if major major changes were made around the ground involving moving bridges and closing streets and so on and then starting afresh from the ground up could the ground be made to work with 40k plus. in reality, townsville and the gold coast are much closer to being right to host matches, and we'd miss out. One words: tunnels Turn dane drive, the bridge and the rail way line into tunnels around the stadium, sure it would take some architectural ingenuity, but I'm sure it would work. |
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