So no surprises in yesterday's news announcements. England didn't get the 2018 WC, NASA had in fact not discovered alien life but some unusual, though entirely terrestrial, bug in a lake in California. Much angst and dismay at the WC outcome in many places, most of it entirely justified IMHO. Whatever the strengths of the Russian bid the whole vote procedure stank most rank. And then Qatar got the 2022 WC. Right.
A number of people are suggesting England should boycott FIFA. I suspect this wouldn't work, but I think England not entering future WCs makes perfect sense. Concentrate on the European Championships where, let's face it, the majority of the decent teams play anyway. This will at least cut England's contribution to the FIFA cash cow.
As BoJo pointed out yesterday, FIFA can't continue in its present state. It's not even as if it's tainted with the *suspicion* of corruption - the evidence is there for all to see (they've even suspended their own members) and until there is radical change every even vaguely controversial decision will be seen as potentially the outcome of yet more underhand dealings.
I suppose one good thing to come of this is another nail in the coffin of the Bristol City new stadium fiasco. With no potential WC function to get excited about, the council may finally realise that they can't justify wasting more open space (and allowing yet another giant supermarket) just so a team that will quite possibly be in the third division of English football next season can have a WC standard stadium.
I fully agree that Bristol as a city could do with a world-class multi-function stadium but it should be one that potentially benefits the people of Bristol, not just Sainsburys and whoever owns the new ground. Build a really decent stadium/facility up by the M4/M5 junction.
Beer later?
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