Supposedly the people's game, and yet the nation was hoping two Eton boys would bring it home.

As for blaming the BBC, whilst it would seem not to have helped, there is a danger of scapegoating. People seem assured our bid was better than Russia's yet how many actually scrutinised both bids?

Valid points.

On a wider note - the 2022 WC will go Qatar - a country only granted independence from the UK in 1971 and with a population of less than 1.7m people. How many people does this serve - or does the fact both countries have been granted WC's when we know both countries are full of vastly wealthy individuals who enjoy the benefits of corrupt societies, show where we struggle to compete!

it does appear to make the complaints of the guy who stalked the front of the terraces shouting 'Super League, bent to the core I tell yer' pale in comparison.

I think it will be a good choice, they can then sort out the hooligan element and take them to the Siberian Salt mines



it doesn't surprise me that they have won it, going to be different playing in the snow

The world cup bid as usual was over hyped and full of hot air

FIFA never had any intention of supporting the England bid it was doomed from the start. Russai was written off yesterday and Putin didnt even bother turn up,

As for integrity where was it the result was leaking out before it was announced.

A complete nonsense money making machine

What he said.

and 1 of them was ours so who was the other 1?

On sky sports news they showed Roman Abromich and they said he was a big part of the russian bid, aye I bet he was £££££££££££££££££££££££££££..... The voting for this event was worse than the eurovision song contest...

Tripe, absolute tripe. Jennings has been investigating FIFA for 10 years and why the chuff should he not use the time most likely to give his investigations maximum exposure. It is not for him to worry about a world cup bid, exactly the opposite in this case. So what should he have done? kept quiet in complete contradiction to everything he/they have been doing? They were 100% right in their timing imo irrespective of just how explosive the new information was/wasn't - it's a case of keep banging away with the message.

Anyway football is so bloated and corrupt i'm glad. The fact that the cretins William and Cameron were involved makes it even sweeter

So how has this helped us - you know, the country where all this has arisen? It hasn't, but it got a few extra papers sold and lot of people talking about the Panorama programme. It might help lead to something long term, but there is no doubt that the timing was a spear through the heart of the England bid.

I hate tripe btw!

Turkey

Never been a huge fan of Mr. "Do I not like that", but a lot of what he says is on the money [url=http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/10/12/02/SOCCER_World_Cup_Taylor.htmlhere[/url.