[Lord Snooty]

The magic of Mexico 1970 will never be beaten for me. The 1966 event passed me by. No idea what I was doing that summer, but it wasn't watching football.

But by 1970, I was the biggest football fan on the planet. Just couldn't get enough of it as a 9 year old. Got all the Esso coins, all the Panini stickers (if it was Panini back then) and being allowed to stay up late to watch the matches live, with the crackly sound of David Coleman and Kenneth Wolstenholme commentating via satellite was fantastic. Bobby Moore, Gordon Banks and Bobby Charlton were heroes.

I really don't like international football these days and think it's a shame how the money and corruption has spoiled it. Obviously growing old and cynical has something to do with the magic not being there anymore. There me be nine year olds now as excited as I was. Who knows.

I am looking forward to watching the Wales games. Couldn't give a toss about the country of my birth now. I'm supporting the land of my grandfathers. Snooker player Mark Williams is a distant cousin, you know.

Come on Sorba. Let's have it.

[theo_luddite]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/202...ting-rules

Might go someway to answering why he's not in the England squad. The FA will likely have briefed Southgate about this.

[hibeejim21]

Unfortunately, the price of the beer is what it is.

I like a drink as much as anyone and normally like to get 4-5 pints down me before kick off on a Town match day, so I'll probably still have 2-3 pints pre match whilst I'm out in Qatar. The main reason for that is that I've kind of resigned myself from finding anywhere else to drink in Qatar. Lots of hotels are block booked for Teams/fifa and and Sponsors so that narrows a lot of options down. Many others are doing walk ins but the prices of a boozy Friday lunch has gone up 4 fold. So that leaves me with pre match and Fan festival pints.

Won't be so bad though, I've cut my drinking right back these days, Monday to Thursday it's either Soft drinks or Alcohol free beer to give my liver a rest although I will be breaking that Habit on Holiday

4 to 5 pints before a game ???? I'd be in the loo for most of the 90 if i did that.... Then again when watching hibs that might not be such a bad idea.

[0762]

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/editorpic...dc6b02f1aa

This is a good little article re Qatar and the use of the word "sportswashing" when applied to this highly contentious World Cup tournament and the hypocrisy attached to it. I still like to use the words "sport exceptionalism" ever since a lotta the shit that transpired during the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns when we observed a lotta people in various sports, incl footie, who really believed they were above the crisis that was unfolding to the point their behaviour was utterly uncaring, arrogant and reprehensible. It is already interesting that many sponsors and advertisers don't even wanna mention Qatar in their sales pitches. There is a classic case of hypocrisy from the likes of Brewdog in their formal criticism of the Qatar World Cup and renaming it the FuckCup that should not be taken seriously by anyone as it has so many negative connotations attached to it plus it has been riddled with massive bribery from the very beginning and should not have happened at all together with most footie leagues being ridiculously stalled for six weeks. Yet it transpires that Brewdog has sales outlets in Qatar and facilitates World Cup viewing in their bars! There are also issues regarding the presence of Iran where their govt is currently killing thousands of people protesting for freedom with hardly a word being said re this brutal regime that is being condoned by a football team of players who are participating in this tourney. Reflect back to the "taking of the knee" and the fight against racism by the sport of footie - there is a conflict of interest although many would argue that football must prevail. Really!!?? I think FIFA would've gained many plaudits if they had banned Iran (the same action taken against Russia) and placed into a pot all the non-qualifiers from play-off matches, incl Scotland, and drawn a lucky last min qualifying nation.

[Devongone]

Watching Newsnight last night I learned that Iranian "organisers" are hoping for fairly large-scale protests at Iran's games and are urging England supporters to show solidarity by joining in the booing of their National Anthem.

From the English team's perspective I fear this may make the Iranian team ever more difficult to beat, as it will draw them together in the face of "worldwide" disapproval.

I can't say I'm big on banning countries. The whole trouble with Iran is it doesn't get out enough. And once we start banning, where do we stop? Do we ban Israel? Should we compete against China? Significantly no one talks about banning the USA whatever policies it follows at home and abroad. Let them all see what the world thinks of them I say! How Qatar reacts to Western opinion might be the only good to come out of this World Cup. Will they re-trench, or might their society open up? And perhaps our team's rainbow armbands might also open up our own homophobic dressing rooms, which remain significantly empty of gay players.

[theo_luddite]

That might be significantly empty of "openly gay" players Devon but I get your drift.

[0762]

Good comments Devon. Also throw in the number of "ethnic managers" in the top game as well eh! Vieira??

[theo_luddite]

Not like we don't supply some of the warmongers of the Middle East with weapons either is it? Yet somehow we forgot to order aircraft for our aircraft carriers? Hmm. Whether or not they can get beyond the Isle of Wight without spilling the balls out of their big shiny new prop shaft bearings is another matter.

[theo_luddite]

One of the richest "little countries" in the world showing our government how make sure the rich stay rich.

https://www.theguardian.com/global-devel...5p-an-hour

I take it they are taking notice (as if they weren't).

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/202...all-voters

[theo_luddite]

On top of that Wakey - not only will you no longer get the privilege of paying £12/pint for the piss poor FIFA approved beer, it will now be the alcohol free piss poor approved beer of FIFA. Maybe try the £8/pint of bottled water, or whatever they are charging, it will taste pretty much the same. If Bud is sex in a canoe, i.e. fecking close to water, the alcohol free version surely removes the canoe?

https://www.theguardian.com/football/202...olor-qatar