"Drat! How could I have been so stupid?"I’m sick of hearing about England’s FIFA carry on and them blaming the BBC for it. Now Ken Livingston has apparently been saying that it would have been better to put off the Panorama programme until after the draw.
Surely that is nonsense. If the BBC had held it back, would it not
have been and would not England then have been, complicit in the corruption?
Would it not have said: "We know that you are a corrupt body, but as long as your corruption is working for England we will turn a blind eye".
It's said that England has been humiliated. Actually I don’t think it has. But if it has, it is surely only because it sent a high ranking prince (probably its next King), along with its PR/marketing prime minister and its most iconic footballer to do a job that Sport England, the FA and the English sports minister should have done.
They are apparently furious because Prince William had guaranteed support from 7 people who then voted for Russia. Are all the people involved in the presentation rank amateurs? Did they think that people don’t tell lies? Especially folk that are overawed by, and don’t know how to say no to, royalty.
They should have had some real intelligence out there finding out whether it was worth se
nding Prince William for the entire event, if at all, along with David Beckham, and Cameron doing shuttle diplomacy. He flew over, did his salesman bit, flew back to do PMQs, because his other half was in Kazakhstan, and then flew back to Zurich. It was like it was the only thing that needed his attention, while the whole of England slithered to a halt, and it also meant that he invested a lot in it.
A yes would certainly have been a coup for him at this difficult time with riots and protests against student fees and non taxpaying government ministers and advisors. He would have been able to associated himself with a general sense of joy in England had he brought back the tournament. As it was he has associated himself heavily with England’s failure. And worse showed himself to be a poor sportsman by refusing to telephone Mr Putin and congratulate him. (Reminiscent of Mr Brown and Mr Salmond 3 ½ years ago.)
Of course Alex Salmond did exactly the same thing when Glasgow was up for the Commonwealth Games. A risky business and he shouldn’t have gone in my opinion, but at least he pulled it off.
Sporting tournaments should be dealt with by sporting organizations. Of course governments need to be behind these bids. They have, after all, to guarantee improved infrastructure and underwrite the event. But if they needed a political figure the English minister for sport should have been sufficient.
One more grouse.
“I felt humiliated. I felt my country humiliated. I felt every British citizen had been humiliated.” wrote Dan McCurry on Labour Uncut.
No they haven’t Dan. I shouldn’t think that even every Englishman has been humiliated. Many won’t care, probably quite a few will be laughing like a drain at Cameron smarting from a defeat that he should never have been associated with, but for his ego.
But for certain, whilst most reasonable Scots aren’t gloating, (we, after all, would never have got it), we aren’t even slightly humiliated.
Surely that is nonsense. If the BBC had held it back, would it not
have been and would not England then have been, complicit in the corruption?Would it not have said: "We know that you are a corrupt body, but as long as your corruption is working for England we will turn a blind eye".
It's said that England has been humiliated. Actually I don’t think it has. But if it has, it is surely only because it sent a high ranking prince (probably its next King), along with its PR/marketing prime minister and its most iconic footballer to do a job that Sport England, the FA and the English sports minister should have done.
They are apparently furious because Prince William had guaranteed support from 7 people who then voted for Russia. Are all the people involved in the presentation rank amateurs? Did they think that people don’t tell lies? Especially folk that are overawed by, and don’t know how to say no to, royalty.
They should have had some real intelligence out there finding out whether it was worth se
nding Prince William for the entire event, if at all, along with David Beckham, and Cameron doing shuttle diplomacy. He flew over, did his salesman bit, flew back to do PMQs, because his other half was in Kazakhstan, and then flew back to Zurich. It was like it was the only thing that needed his attention, while the whole of England slithered to a halt, and it also meant that he invested a lot in it.A yes would certainly have been a coup for him at this difficult time with riots and protests against student fees and non taxpaying government ministers and advisors. He would have been able to associated himself with a general sense of joy in England had he brought back the tournament. As it was he has associated himself heavily with England’s failure. And worse showed himself to be a poor sportsman by refusing to telephone Mr Putin and congratulate him. (Reminiscent of Mr Brown and Mr Salmond 3 ½ years ago.)
Of course Alex Salmond did exactly the same thing when Glasgow was up for the Commonwealth Games. A risky business and he shouldn’t have gone in my opinion, but at least he pulled it off.
Sporting tournaments should be dealt with by sporting organizations. Of course governments need to be behind these bids. They have, after all, to guarantee improved infrastructure and underwrite the event. But if they needed a political figure the English minister for sport should have been sufficient.
One more grouse.
“I felt humiliated. I felt my country humiliated. I felt every British citizen had been humiliated.” wrote Dan McCurry on Labour Uncut.
No they haven’t Dan. I shouldn’t think that even every Englishman has been humiliated. Many won’t care, probably quite a few will be laughing like a drain at Cameron smarting from a defeat that he should never have been associated with, but for his ego.
But for certain, whilst most reasonable Scots aren’t gloating, (we, after all, would never have got it), we aren’t even slightly humiliated.
Considering the World Cup during the Summer, then this Royal Wedding, Cameron has had enough popular distraction already. The fact he needs more shows just how unpopular this coalition is.
ReplyDeleteAye, inherited wealth and premier league footballers.
ReplyDeleteHow morons with lotsa money fail outside of the borders of the English lickspittle press.
All together now from 1964
ReplyDeleteThe English bid for the world cup was a perfect example of where we are and how we have progressed since the expenses scandal.
ReplyDeleteDiplomats, sportsmen, royalty, media and MPs' all wanted to put the corruption stuff in the cupboard until they'd got what they wanted.
ie.. We haven't advanced an inch.
Totally agree with you!
ReplyDeleteIf it had been a tight vote which opted for Russia, then perhaps, just perhaps!! the panorama program may have had a negative impact - BUT ONLY TWO VOTED FOR ENGLAND, ONE OF THEM ENGLAND!!
The Panorama program had little, if any impact on the decision.
Besides, you do NOT say - HO, lets wait before we expose this fraud, corruption and illegality - 'cos winning this thing is more important! That is how corruption starts for Gods sakes.
PRIORITIES!
Yes Laz, I think he's going for overkill there. What ever next?
ReplyDeleteThe first man on Mars will be George Osborne?
Aye, what a mix. I'd rather have a pint with Beckham than the opther two. For all he's not the sharpest knife in the drawer, he seems to me like he's a reasonable person.
ReplyDelete(I'm gonna get blown to pieces now by someone that knows different...)
Ha ha CH.
ReplyDeleteDidn't he look embarrassed and awkward, and terribly American....
Anyway, nice little repeating link in there... very catchy. It will be a hit!
Yep, that was my point Monty. It seems from their attitude it was OK to be corrupt, as long as England was the beneficiary of the corruption. But when Russia benefited, it was righteous indignation all around.
ReplyDeleteNow, maybe I'm just very clever, but I doubt it (check the modesty), but did none of the people who are belly aching about this see how it looks.
Or are they simply so superior that it doesn't occur to them.
I would have thought that there would be people out there gauging the mood Dean. You know...’we are in with a chance; maybe better send someone important to seal the deal’.
ReplyDeleteThe naivety of assuming that people wouldn’t be leery of saying ‘no’ to William whether or not they meant it..... and the complete lack of any intelligence that told them that 2 out of 22 was a likely outcome, or certainly that 12 out of 22 was an almost impossibility is jaw droppingly incompetent.
Of course you make exactly the point that I did, that corruption is corruption regardless of who benefits. But of course, that’s not what seems to be their way of thinking.
Cameron would have been happy to win with a corrupt FIFA but was unhappy that Russia won and refused to congratulate Vladimir Putin.... Childish and amateur. Worse still, it was like Gordon Brown.