Football (Soccer) Thread

[Barrister]

I hope the media doesn't let the football stop reporting these types of stories.

I feel like there's a pattern of reporting before any major international sporting event.  There are no actual sporting results to report on, so everything is doom and gloom about how terrible the event is going to be, often because of the host country.  I can particularly remember such reporting before the last world cup in Russia (and before that the Winter Olympics), the Brazil 2016 Olympics, Brazil 2014 World Cup...

Then the event will occur, all the reporting will be about the event itself and about how wonderful it all is.

Then a couple of years later the reporting trickles out about how absurdly expensive the event was, how the venues are going unused and crumbling, the terrible social cost of the event...

[Duque de Bragança]

Not convinced by the "blame the media" argument. Germany 2006 got no such coverage, same for France 1998. The Far East WC in 2002 got some criticism but only during the tournament for the pro-Korean refereeing.    The Euro 2016 got some bad coverage for the poor weather and hooligans in the beginning.
Now the senseless Euro 2020 in 2021, all over UEFA lands, got some justified criticism.

Now Mexico '86 got heavy criticism for the organisation during the event, with some severe broadcasting problems for abroad. It was a last hour replacement for Colombia, however.

The level of criticism Russia got in 2018, exagerated if not false, as in e.g Russian hooligans going to assault foreign fans ,  is nowhere near what the Wahhabi cup gets this year.

[Syt]

Mexico also suffered an extremely devastating earthquake in the run up to the '86 WC, IIRC.

EDIT: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1985_Mexico_City_earthquake

[Gups]

When the tournament was awarded to Qatar I intellectually wanted to "boycott" it but doubted I'd have the will power to do so as I love world cups more than anything else.

Now it's about to start, I find I have no interest in it. Maybe that will change when the football starts.

[Sheilbh]

I feel like there's a pattern of reporting before any major international sporting event.  There are no actual sporting results to report on, so everything is doom and gloom about how terrible the event is going to be, often because of the host country.  I can particularly remember such reporting before the last world cup in Russia (and before that the Winter Olympics), the Brazil 2016 Olympics, Brazil 2014 World Cup...

Then the event will occur, all the reporting will be about the event itself and about how wonderful it all is.

Then a couple of years later the reporting trickles out about how absurdly expensive the event was, how the venues are going unused and crumbling, the terrible social cost of the event...

I think in the UK there is a sense of remorse about how Russia was covered - because you're absolutely right. There was lots of coverage beforehand but once it started everyone got into it. It helps that it was a really good World Cup. I think there's a bit of introspection from commentators etc and a desire not to stop talking about other issues.

I think Qatar is different. For all of the issues with Russia - it's a country with lots of football stadiums and real football history/heritage. The problems were political but on a purely sporting level Russia can make as legitimate a bid to host a major tournament as anyone. With Qatar none of that is true.

The other issue is that I think for European nations, at least, there has been a sea change in attitudes from the players. In party I think it was BLM, but also the Euros when we saw players from a number of teams making statements around LGBT+ issues or wearing rainbow armbands. Even just at the ambient level I've read many footballers are really big fans of and inspired by the NBA (and most leagues in Europe see the NBA as a model). I think the NBA is probably the most political big sports league and has, historically, encouraged players making statements (as long as they're not about China, peerhaps). I think that's creating a clash where the most mercenary/"keep politics out of sport" governing bodies are running a sport whose stars are increasingly politicised/political. I don't think they'll all turn into Leon Goretzka but I think there's a chunk who are increasingly behaving that way and seeing that as part of their role.

[FunkMonk]

The thing is I don't think this world cup is going to be very good. Supposedly, teams aren't going to be pressing as hard or running as much because of the heat. We might see a lot of teams face each other and just sit back and defend ( at least, more than usual for international tournament football  ). Lots of draws or scrappy 1-0s.

So if the football sucks that just leaves the politics and social criticism left to talk about

[Jacob]

We already talked about Infantino's "let's have no fighting during the World Cup, football brings people together" thing, right?

At best it comes across as incredibly self-centred and naive.

[HVC]

Any of our Iberian posters care to have a quick google of latin american news?

I decided to have a quick Japanese google, oh how I miss their unchanging vintage websites, and, well....

https://www.nhk.or.jp/kaisetsu-blog/100/476364.html

... is that like an actual news corporation? Website is a geocities nostalgics wet dream

[Josquius]

Any of our Iberian posters care to have a quick google of latin american news?

I decided to have a quick Japanese google, oh how I miss their unchanging vintage websites, and, well....

https://www.nhk.or.jp/kaisetsu-blog/100/476364.html

... is that like an actual news corporation? Website is a geocities nostalgics wet dream

NHK.
Basically Japanese BBC.
You should see some of the local government sites

[HVC]

Wonder why that is, just checked some Korean websites and they look "normal"

@Funk they're going to have giant open air AC units that apparently work pretty well, so won't be that hot. So games might suck, but heat shouldn't be an issue.

[Josquius]

Wonder why that is, just checked some Korean websites and they look "normal"

.

A topic I've thought of in some way looking towards with a PhD.

My theory is its to do with the way the Japanese language functions, being written language first rather than just writing as a way to write the spoken language. Lots of meaning in a few characters.
But then that doesn't explain why everything is so shit around the text heavy site. I wonder if the gerontocracy comes into play with Web designers too.

[The Larch]

Japan is a country that still uses fax machines extensively and does lots of bureaucracy on pen and paper. Their backwardness on web design is just another example of this.

[Barrister]

Making the rounds on socials now that Qatar have bribed the Ecuadorian players to throw the opening match on Sunday.

Apparently it all comes back to one tweet by a fellow named Amjad Taha.  He's a Blue Check on Twitter (for whatever that's worth these days) but no idea why he alone would find out about this bribery scandal.

https://twitter.com/amjadt25/status/1593271354803032064

The story has been picked up by media outlets, but the only source given is this Tweet.

[Maladict]

Qatar officials have decided there will be no alcohol in or around the stadiums, two days before the WC starts. I'm sure Budweiser will be thrilled to hear this 

An exception will be made for the VIP section, otherwise FIFA would lose all credibility as a corrupt organisation.

[The Larch]

I was coming to post the same thing.

Qatar bans beer from World Cup stadiums after 11th-hour U-turn

I'm sure Budweiser will be thrilled to hear this

Fifa confirms move as official beer brand says: 'This is awkward'
Budweiser likely to regard step as a major breach of contract

I'm sure that fans will love it too. How many beer-starved Brits will be there? Can we expect riots? 

Edit: There's a silver lining, though.

"There is no impact to the sale of Bud Zero, which will remain available at all Qatar's World Cup stadiums."

Surely that's a destiny worse than death.