World Cup 2018 Bid

Have you heard that NSW Premier Morris Iemma is pushing all Australian states to come together and organise a bid for the 2018 Soccer World Cup. He has done an ok job as ninemsn has reported. The only hurdle politically is probably going to be between the Victorian and NSW Premiers debating whether the MCG or Telstra Stadium should host the final. When I believe they have much more important things to worry about, such as the fitness of our stadiums to host such an event. Here are some points to comprehend:

• Germany had 12 stadiums
• All hold 40,000 plus spectators
• Hamburg – 50,000
• Hanover – 43,000
• Berlin – 72,000
• Gelsenkirchen – 52,000
• Dortmund – 65,000
• Franfurt – 48,000
• Kaiserslautern – 46,000
• Cologne – 45,000
• Leipzig – 43,00
• Munich – 66,000
• Nuremburg – 41,000
• Stuttgart – 52,000
• All, I believe, are dedicated to Soccer
• Our stadiums have League, Union, Aussie Rules, or a mixture of all three played on them
• These sports chop up the surface – and soccer players won’t like that
• These sports will probably have to interrupt their seasons to fit in these games

According to Australian Stadiums we have the following venues that may suffice as far as capacity is concerned:

• Sydney
• Telstra Stadium – 83,500
• Aussie Stadium – 42,000
• Sydney Cricket Ground – 44,000
• Melbourne
• Melbourne Cricket Ground – 100,000
• Telstra Dome – 56,347
• Brisbane
• Suncorp Stadium – 52,500
• Gabba – 42,000
• Queensland Sport and Athletic Centre (formally ANZ Stadium) – 48,400
• Adelaide
• AAMI Stadium – 51,515
• Adelaide Oval – 33,597
• Perth
• Subiaco Oval – 42,992
• NZ
• Eden Park – 45,472
• Jade Stadium – 36,500
• Westpac Stadium – 36,000

We have a lot of Stadiums around the 20,000 capacity due mainly, I believe, because of our population. We don’t have enough people to require huge venues for regular use. We only have Telstra Stadium today because the world was coming here to watch the Olympics in 2000. The MCG was redeveloped primarily for the 2006 Commonwealth Games, and only fills for big matches like AFL finals, Rugby Tests and Soccer Internationals.

I have even checked out New Zealand. More out of desperation than anything else as I don't think we have the facilities at the moment. Maybe our trans-tasman friends can help us out. Even though they dropped out for the Rugby World Cup and theis event is much bigger.

Out of that list we have no dedicated Soccer ovals. Not even half of them are rectangle.

So Iemma and co. should start building!

Local Product

It was asked of me this week whether I would stay up late for a Swans game. This was asked after my vehement rejection of the suggestion to stay up to watch the Socceroos play Italy. I tried to give the question due consideration and I found it really difficult for a few reasons:

• AFL games are always on at a decent hour (particularly if you have Foxtel)
• Every Swans game is either live or slightly delayed in Sydney.
• If I were to be in another country I believe AFL games would not be televised at all
• There is no World Cup for Australian Rules Football. There is the International Rules against Ireland and I have stayed up on occasion for those.

It’s the beauty of supporting local product. So if you are contemplating supporting Soccer after the success in Germany, try the A League, it starts in August.

Perceptions Rule....apparently

In my short experience in either playing or watching Football (nee Soccer) I have noticed that the referees let their perceptions get in the way of their judgements. For example, if you are being perceived as diving all the time then when there is a foul committed on you then it more than likely won't be called.

Now, I didn't stay up to watch the Australia Vs Brasil game so I may be wrong here. The Socceroos are perceived as a rough team, resulting in a lot of fouls being paid against them. Whereas similar offences for Brasil were not paid.

If this is the case then I'm sure everyone would agree with Harry Kewell's sentiments to the German Referee, perhaps not his method though.

Could one get suspended for that? And will the diehards believe that is part of a conspiracy?

Star Wars Rookie

It’s true.

I have never seen a Star Wars movie. I don’t get why I get so many weird looks at this revelation. Science fiction just never appealed to me. True stories and comedies are more my go.

However, I am willing to rectify this situation. I need the assistance of the various and many Star Wars veterans that I know. I have the rare opportunity to watch them in order (i.e. 1 – 6). Some think this is worth a go while others recommend watching them in the order they were made (i.e. 4 – 6, 1 – 3) citing that it’s best to watch the old tech before the new tech.

I see advantages in both ways of viewing. I’m on the fence, part of me wants to do something different and watch them 1 – 6 but then if the differences in technology are that great the whole adventure may end on a downer.

I guess for me the big point is will I get what is happening with one or the other.

FIFA World Cup

I have been trying to get into the FIFA World Cup. I have found it extremely difficult, and not just because the games are televised in our early morning hours.

Here’s an example of why I think I will never fully get into Football (nee Soccer). Late Saturday night I started watching the England Vs Paraguay match. After 3 minutes the first goal was scored from a David Beckham free kick.

I thought that as this goal was scored so early that there were more to come. I stuck it out till half time but couldn’t fight sleep any longer so I reluctantly trudged off to bed. How justified I felt when I saw the final result remained at 1 – 0. I’m glad England won but to stay up for a result like that I ain’t doing. The same thing happened on Sunday night with Holland scoring in the 18th minute and finally beating Serbia & Montenegro 1 – 0.

As Kathy McCabe wrote in the Daily Telegraph on Saturday 10th June:

“Maintaining enthusiasm and a vertical position as two teams battle to escape a nil all draw during the FA Cup Final is not my idea of a good time at 5am”

I appreciate and admire the skill involved but it’s not enough to keep me up at night.