Matthew Hall
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It's now all about 2022. Apparently.
In the space of just two days, football in Australia aged four years.
This had nothing to do with the on-off-on World Cup qualifier with Iraq but everything to do with Sydney welcoming FIFA delegates from every corner of the world - and some from places that aren't even countries.
Yet or ever.
Australia, or at least Football Federation Australia, has recently been not unreasonably obsessed with bidding to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Even Prime Minister Kevin Rudd smartly attached his carriage to the bandwagon, posing for photos with Socceroo Harry Kewell and, sensing the mood of the football nation, asked The Comeback Kid not to get injured again any time soon.
We might roll our eyes and mumble "Yeah, yeah, Kev, good one," but a Prime Minister who is a financial (check the last Federal Budget) as well as public supporter of football demonstrates that he's a man of our time.
Overlooked amid the hysteria surrounding the last World Cup was that Fabio Grosso's dive was not the only act of villainy during that tournament.
John Howard, then PM, opportunistically posed in a suddenly-discovered Socceroos tracksuit during the tournament, a move more deceptive than anything Grosso could muster.
Howards's favoured Baggy Green cap and Wallabies jumper must have been with the dry cleaner that week.
(There's a story about Howard cornering Jade North at an official reception at Kirribilli House after the World Cup and the rest of the Socceroo's teammates later ribbing him that the then PM, ever the star struck populist, had thought North was actually Tim Cahill.)
But we're getting distracted here.
The past week was a tough one for Australia's ambition to host the 2018 World Cup.
In fact, it was a tough week at our ambition to host anything.
First, an Australian bid for the 2009 and 2010 Club World Cup got the shaft, the United Arab Emirates (read Dubai) and Japan scoring top billing with the UAE bid eventually getting the nod for the next two years.
Australia, we were told by FIFA president Sepp Blatter, was simply too far away from Europe to be able to host a week-long tournament in December.
No matter that only one team from Europe competes in the CWC.
Maybe it was simply Blatter himself who doesn't fancy a long trip, even if he'd fly in to Sydney on his personal private jet.
So that was one down.
FFA chief executive Ben Buckley told me before the FIFA delegates descended on Sydney last week that he was going to take a gentle approach with the visitors in regard to the 2018 bid.
It's now arguable that no matter what wizardry he or his staff performed over the past seven days, the destination of the 2018 World Cup had already been decided.
At least, what was known was that 2018 wouldn't be Australia.
On Friday, Blatter revealed that the hosts for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups would be announced at the same.
That is, before June 2011.
It's unprecedented.
The reason?
Money.
FIFA believes binding both bids will allow it to milk as much from TV rights and sponsors as it possibly can.
Blatter, looking at his diary for the next 20 years, then had a brainwave.
With 2010 in South Africa and 2014 in Brazil, 2018 will be going back north, back to Europe, or at a stretch, the USA.
"As the next two World Cups will be in the southern hemisphere, it is perhaps logical that Australia concentrates on the 2022 tournament," Blatter said, gently letting us know that 2018 was dead.
Blatter is a master communicator who could pass a death sentence and leave a condemned man feeling good about getting the chance to eat a sumptuous last meal.
So, in other words, Australia? The 2018 World Cup? Get back in the box.
You can read the edited highlights of his FIFA Congress press conference here.
So 2018 becomes 2022 and our new rivals will be China, the USA, England (if Europe doesn't get 2018), Qatar (the home of AFC President Mohamed Bin Hamman), and Russia.
Pretty much, the new rivals are the old rivals but with stakes raised even higher.
Australia, welcome to the world.
Anyone for 2026?
Another event Australia won't be hosting is an alleged "charity" game involving the legendary Zinedine Zidane.
While others were quick to condemn Zizou for apparently snubbing Sydney and local kids scheduled to attend a coaching clinic, the truth appears to be simpler.
While Zidane diplomatically cited "personal reasons" for not making it to Australia, apparently contract with the local promoter behind the visit (the game had nothing to do with FFA) had perhaps not actually been agreed.
Oh dear.
COMMENTS
Perhaps the plan was always to bid hard for the 2018 knowing that we probably won't get it but claim the sympathy vote for 2022.
Having said that, only a fool would write off Frank Lowy for 2018. I find it hard to believe that Frank would bid for something he has no chance of winning. This is a man who does not take 'no' for an answer and definitely not used to losing.
- by Brad Jones on May 31, 2008 at 01:59 PM
Anyone who thought we had a serious chance of getting the WC in 2018 was deluded. South Africa, Brazil, Australia? Since the World Cup was first played in Europe there has never, ever been a period where the WC has gone 3 cycles away from its shores.
Us bidding for 2018 was a softening up process, just like Australia did with the Olympics befroe Sydney finally won it. 2022 was always the more likely scenario.
- by Jez on June 01, 2008 at 01:01 AM
Well i guess there is still alot more to learn from Australia in world football politics, after all we should accept that we are only a small populated nation. Still we shouldn't give up on small set back like this.
I still believe we would gain so much as a nation in terms of tourism and football development by winning the world cup bid.
- by gerson on June 01, 2008 at 01:51 AM
lets have a look
Europe - hosted it several times
South America- hosted it
Asia - hosted it
South Africa - will host it
North America - hosted it
Australasia - Nope
i dont know about you but i think there is something seriously unfair.
there have been countries who have hosted the event twice ( Italy 34' 90' ).
At the LEAST it should be World Cup Australia New Zealand 2022.
this is absolute BS.
- by Hanis on June 01, 2008 at 06:48 AM
Talking about World Cups in terms of Northern & Southern Hemispheres is ludicrous. As it all depends on TV viewers, the pie cuts up into timezones: Europe/Africa, the Americas, & Oceania/Australia. On that basis, the latter is long overdue for more TV-friendly World Cups.
- by Ashton on June 01, 2008 at 07:58 AM
Bidding for the 2018 World Cup was always going to be a stretch, and in my opinion a very poorly calculated gamble. With 3 cups in the Southern Hemisphere the comp is always going to be in Europe, probably England.
Even a successful 2022 bid is going to be a big call, as the AFC will not be happy that the new entrants to their confederation get 1st choice, especially over Qatar.
Bidding in 2026 might not be out of the question, but if we miss out in 2022 then it might be another couple of decades more before the merry-go-round comes back around.
One thing is for certain though. Any successful bid will be heavily linked to both the success of the Socceroos and also the success and development of the A-league.
So do your bit for the bid, and get yourself a membership for your local A-league club, and be in the driving seat of the bandwagon, not hitching yourself to it in 20-40 years time.
- by Steve Raynor on June 01, 2008 at 08:31 AM
Suggest you stick to the football, Matthew. Leave the grubby stabs at our former PM to someone else ... God knows there's plenty at Fairfax who do nothing else.
- by Hutchoman on June 01, 2008 at 10:40 AM
Why bother about hosting the World Cup? Let's worry about winning the damn thing in the first place.
- by footballfan on June 01, 2008 at 11:05 AM
We can still win the 2018 World Cup, I know we can!
- by Sam K on June 01, 2008 at 12:21 PM
Yeah nice article Hally. Positive as ever.
- by Evo on June 01, 2008 at 12:42 PM
Why would FIFA support an Australian bid for the World Cup? Australia doesn't even show its national team's World Cup qualifiers on TV!
- by Rob Riley on June 01, 2008 at 03:57 PM
It's unbelievable how a simple editorial about a game we don't even follow, allows the media to show their incredible support for the Labour party. How could you possibly call John Howard "star struck", when every time your turn on the TV you see Kevin Rudd with someone of fame? That's politics buddy!! You never continue the story of how inept the current government is for backing a tournament where FFA, is unable to decide on which year to bid. Stick to the sport, please don't insult my intelligence, by placing carefully worded pro government propaganda, I can get that elsewhere in the media.
- by ash on June 01, 2008 at 05:23 PM
Would a Rugby League Grand final ever be played in Broken Hill? That is what you are asking the FIFA to consider with the world cup. Forget it guys - even 2022 is too soon. I wish it was different but we need a reality check. We are a very small fish in an ocean.
- by Frank on June 01, 2008 at 07:53 PM
I think Australia's chances of hosting the SC has improved now that they will announce the 2018 and 2022 host countries at the same time. It means that the European countries will not be too disappointed if they don't get 2018 because they will announce the European city to host 2022 at the same time.
All we need is to get the endorsement of the AFC.
- by Michael on June 01, 2008 at 08:25 PM
Stuff going for the World Cup. Is it really worth $18 million? I'd rather see the money go into the development of our best young junior players or build an academy for the elite 20 under 21's players in Australia to attend and hone their skills and play for before they go to Europe and get stiffed by the big clubs. We need to make our nation stronger at the world game not fill Fifa's pockets with gold. Our turn will come, we just need to earn our turn.
- by Duckman on June 01, 2008 at 08:25 PM
Personally I'd rather go to a World Cup somewhere in Europe or England. Experience a different country for a month like in Germany.
Also SFC seems to be Australian football's biggest optimist! The Socceroos would have made the final if they'd beat Italy?
We played well against Italy, but considering they were a man down we never created any clear chances.
- by oly on June 01, 2008 at 08:55 PM
Hi from France ! Sorry to all you Oz football fans, but most footballing nations didn't even know Australia played the sport until "Harry & Co" played Italy at last World Cup.
In France, among most sporting followers, Australia is just known for Rugby - like New Zealand.
Maybe if everyone in your country referred to the game as "Football" instead of "soccer" (???) people would treat your team more seriously (all Aussie tourists I meet always say 'soccer' - sounds very strange this word - noone knows what it means!)
It is a pity that you will have to wait so long, but at least when the time comes you will have proved to the world your presence after a few successful WC's.
In any case I'm glad you have won against Iraq. Go the "Socceroos" (???)
- by Marco on June 01, 2008 at 09:55 PM
SFC Passion, sorry mate but have you been on the whacky weed? "Everyone around the world wants the world cup to be in australia in 2018?"
I'm not sure how many people from "around the world" you have spoken to recently but i doubt you'll find many supporters, in fact i've yet to find anyone other than the occassional aussie fan who wants a world cup here. As for australia "fast becoming a powerhouse" eactly how is that? Sure we are turning up a few decent players here and there, who can play at a reasonable club level, but how many players do we have in the elite clubs in europe? At last glance not a single one... We are a good 3 generations away from producing world class players on an occassional basis (assuming football keeps it's upward climb in the country), we may produce the odd player of exceptional quality, but I've yet to see australia produce a truly world class player, Kewell may have come close if it wasn't for the injuries...
We are a 3rd world footballing nation, the 4th most popular sport in a country of 18million - and as for us reaching the final of the world cup, haha!
- by AJ_Fulham on June 01, 2008 at 10:12 PM
I'd love us to host the world cup, but I must admit, that knowing that the next two world cups will be in the southern hemisphere, I think it's probably totally reasonable that 2018 goes back north and we look at 2022.
I'm a proud Aussie and really want to see the world cup here, but it's not all about us, and I think that 2022 would be great!
- by Chris on June 02, 2008 at 12:33 PM
Im a proud Aussie and im 100% sure if we got the world cup it would be the best ever, just like our Olympics. To all the trashtalkers who said we dont have some of the best players in the world... go do some research !!
Tim Cahill is probably the most prolific goal scorer in the EPL. He is always scoring goals and is one of the most feared strikers in the game. I admit Harry Kewell has had a poor last few seasons but thats only because he has been injured. If he was injury free he would have been chalenging Kaka & Cristiano Ronaldo for the World player of the year. As for our A-League.. just look what we did with LA Galaxy.. We humiliated them and they had one of the all-time greatest players in David Beckham. The A-League is getting beter and better by the day and its only matter of time before we start attracting Europe's Elite. We have the true Aussie spirit, we are fighters who never give up and im sure after that Italy game (And Yes, we should have won and played France in the final) that other big footballing nations are scared of playing our physical style of game. Bring on the world cup and lets show the world that we are the best sporting nation in the world !!!
- by Rod on June 03, 2008 at 08:35 PM
SFC Passion, your optimism and enthusiasm for the game in Australia is to be applauded, but you are kidding yourself if you think a good run in one World Cup makes Oz a 'powerhouse' or a 'giant'. Just look at Senegal and other one-cup wonders. And as for the 'A-League' teams being competitive in Spain or Italy, jaysus mate, that is laughable. There are blokes playing in the reserves in Germany who are too good for the 'A-league'.
We will get to host the WC one day, but you can't just leapfrog 80 years of history on the basis of some nice domestic stadia and a couple of good wins on the world stage two years ago. A few thousand blokes chanting at the Paddington end of the SFS does not make a football culture; I mean, half of the sports reporters on TV over here still say the player 'kicked a goal' when they scored. There is a long way to go.
- by thegambler on June 06, 2008 at 02:26 PM
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This is a joke. Everyone around the world wants the world cup to be in Australia in 2018 except for Sepp Blatter. This is the best country in the world with the best facilities. We held the best Olympic Games ever and look how many migrants want to come and live in our country. We are fast becoming a powerhouse in the world of football and we were a giant in the last world cup when we got robbed against Italy when we were the better team and should of been in that world cup final against France. We now have a great competition in the A-League which may not be up to the standards of England, but im sure our A-league teams would be very competitive if they were in the Italian or Spanish leagues. When will Sepp Blatter realize.. The World Cup needs to be in Australia so the rest of the world can join our party !!!