World Cup 2010

[Tom]

No barnstormers again today but I'm still thoroughly enjoying the world cup so far.

[philipl]

Looks iffy for South Africa to make a profit out of this World Cup

80% of the World's population will watch this World Cup at some point.

[Mr. E]

to be fair the two best sides in the competition Spain and Brazil are yet to play. Plus Ivory Coast - Portugal was always going to be the big game of round one.

[Ewood and I Would]

Just a coincidence but it seems that so far the BBC have had the bad games whilst itv get the good ones

Not so, they've both had three seeded teams each so far....

ITV so far

Opening Ceremony & South Africa vs Mexico

South Korea vs Greece

England vs USA

Serbia vs Ghana

Germany vs Australia

Holland vs Denmark

BBC so far

Uruguay vs France

Argentina vs Nigeria

Algeria vs Slovenia

Japan vs Cameroon

Italy vs Paraguay

[neekoy]

Looks iffy for South Africa to make a profit out of this World Cup

80% of the World's population will watch this World Cup at some point.

Good stuff Phillip, I think it is the long term benefits that make the World Cup more viable, they now have some excellent modern stadia, ongoing tourism opportunities and small business has had a boost that may allow them further investment into the local economies in the future.

For any country in Africa this could be a real turning point

[dave birch]

Good stuff Phillip, I think it is the long term benefits that make the World Cup more viable, they now have some excellent modern stadia, ongoing tourism opportunities and small business has had a boost that may allow them further investment into the local economies in the future.

For any country in Africa this could be a real turning point

Neekoy, there have been very few benefits for countries that have built huge stadia, including Sydney.

In a few years there will be many in SA thinking, why not me, why didn't I benefit? That was, after all supposedly the benefits of ridding the country of apartheidt

[Tom]

Not so, they've both had three seeded teams each so far....

ITV so far

Opening Ceremony & South Africa vs Mexico

South Korea vs Greece

England vs USA

Serbia vs Ghana

Germany vs Australia

Holland vs Denmark

BBC so far

Uruguay vs France

Argentina vs Nigeria

Algeria vs Slovenia

Japan vs Cameroon

Italy vs Paraguay

What I meant was the games on itv on the whole have been more entertaining so far and that list backs up my point to me

[thenodrog]

Good stuff Phillip, I think it is the long term benefits that make the World Cup more viable, they now have some excellent modern stadia, ongoing tourism opportunities and small business has had a boost that may allow them further investment into the local economies in the future.

For any country in Africa this could be a real turning point

The most Rose tinted glasses that I have ever seen neekoy. For all the world cup razzamatazz the underlying social problems will not disappear. I'd feel safer emigrating to Baghdad or Kabul.

btw Didn't S Korea tear a lot of their stadia down just after the World Cup?

[neekoy]

Maybe I am being too positive, I just know what it was like in Sydney after the Olympics, it was fantastic

I don't know about S Korea, but those guys probably built them for $1 and it costs 50c to pull down so who knows.

[dave birch]

Maybe I am being too positive, I just know what it was like in Sydney after the Olympics, it was fantastic

I don't know about S Korea, but those guys probably built them for $1 and it costs 50c to pull down so who knows.

But Neekoy, we've got this effing huge stadium, holds 80K, but gets 15K at the most, when the bulldogs host the tigers.

It would be half full for a Union game, gets full for the RL grand final, so it's empty for 340 days of the year. Following that, there's all the infrastructure around it, E M P T Y.

[neekoy]

Well we will need it for 2022

[philipl]

But Neekoy, we've got this effing huge stadium, holds 80K, but gets 15K at the most, when the bulldogs host the tigers.

It would be half full for a Union game, gets full for the RL grand final, so it's empty for 340 days of the year. Following that, there's all the infrastructure around it, E M P T Y.

There is a stadium in Blackburn that can seat 30% of the town's population that is empty 340 days of the year.... (and if it is full 25 days, that is a very good year for Cup runs).

Both Korea and Japan have terrible track records for splurging on prestige capital projects; want a less than ten years old international airport?- they have about 50 between them that make Samlesbury look busy. No wonder the Germans ran 2006 for about a third 2002 cost.

I just hope South Africa is making a go of this World Cup but those massively empty stadia suggest something has gone horrible wrong along the way.

Changing gear, a interesting American and knowledgable perspective on football's World Cup.

[67splitscreen]

Robbie Earl sacked by ITV

36 ITV tickets sold, I wouldn't mind being sat next to the recipients.

[RoyRover]

This World Cup has been a major disappointment so far in terms of the quality of football served up. I enjoyed the opening game, while parts of the Argentina game and the German game have been the only ones with any quality on show. Portugal v Ivory Coast was another shocker to go with the likes of Paraguay v Italy, France v Uruguay, Slovenia v Algeria and Japan v Cameroon.

[tcj_jones]

Agreed. The standard of football in this opening round of games has been absolutely dire. I really, really hope that it improves soon, starting tomorrow with Spain. I desperately hope that France and Italy get knocked out before the latter rounds, and that the likes of Argentina, who are actually looking to attack and win games, get far.

The stupid new ball is also undermining the standard of the competition because every single free kick and long shot is being blazed over the bar.

[broadsword]

I'm just not bothered by it, shocking really, I'm normally went into a tournament.

Japan Cameroon was awful. I thought Sam Allardyce had taken over as Cameroon manager.

[Tom]

I'm loving it the game tonight is what he world cup is all about.

A few too Many matches have been cagey affairs but hopefully that will change in the next batch of games.

Just watching a programme on the greatest world cup moments and Owens goals is above England winning it.

Is it just me that thinks Owens goal is one of the most over rated of all time?

I mean that goal was ranked the second greatest moment ever and it wasn't even a winning goal.

[Miker]

Is it just me that thinks Owens goal is one of the most over rated of all time?

I don't know how overrated it is, but I used to love Owen as a kid and the biggest factor in that was that goal. I remember seeing and being completely floored by it. It was just an incredible piece of individual skill and physical ability. It's the most memorable world cup goal for me, but that's just me

[Paul]

Good stuff Phillip, I think it is the long term benefits that make the World Cup more viable, they now have some excellent modern stadia, ongoing tourism opportunities and small business has had a boost that may allow them further investment into the local economies in the future.

For any country in Africa this could be a real turning point

It would be wonderful to believe for a moment this is true, the real story could be in 6 - 12 months time investigative media will be doing stories on how the WC failed to benefit the local population, fat cats made money and South Afica has been left with debt and ten unused stadiums. Whether this is correct or not remains to be seen but if the little I have read about FIFA activities is true don't be surprised if I'm right. The only real comparison I have experienced is the Manchester Commonwealth Games. This was a great event, as a family we really enjoyed the experience, did loads of things we had never done before......and crucially we have never done since, we don't watch athletics etc because of the Manchester Games.

Local benefits? Well City obviously have a new stadium, the roads in the area are vastly improved and the whole area looks better. My kids benefitted from being able to train at the new squash centre but have both given up serious playing since as girlfriends and other interests tookover. We live 30-40 minutes from Manchester and I can say the Games were great while on but had no lasting impact on our lives, and we are local in this context. Did they have a longterm impact for Manchester? Don't know but there's no evidence of the games ever having existed just 40 minutes drive from the main stadium.

[philipl]

I see FIFA officials are admitting to the possibility they might have screwed up over ticketing. They are clearly blind though- they are claiming an average atendandance of 92% so far!

[Paul]

Without discussing the rights or wrongs of Robbie Earle "giving" away his tickets I was a touch gobsmacked to discover his allocation of tickets for friends and family was 150 tickets. If a third rate pundit gets 150 freebies how many do the supposedly important people get? Ridiculous.

[thenodrog]

I'm just not bothered by it, shocking really, I'm normally went into a tournament.

Japan Cameroon was awful. I thought Sam Allardyce had taken over as Cameroon manager.

Have you turned into Alan Shearer?

Without discussing the rights or wrongs of Robbie Earle "giving" away his tickets I was a touch gobsmacked to discover his allocation of tickets for friends and family was 150 tickets. If a third rate pundit gets 150 freebies how many do the supposedly important people get? Ridiculous.

It's likely any freebie allocations will have been raised once they realised that they couldn't sell enough tickets.

Hey..... Maybe we should get Geldoff in and have a quick Live Aid or something to raise much needed cash so the South Africans can afford to attend trhe WC matches?

[Hughesy]

For anyone with an iPhone - ITV's new app is good to watch the ITV games for free on your phone.

[Paul]

It's likely any freebie allocations will have been raised once they realised that they couldn't sell enough tickets.

I doubt that's true but if it is perhaps FIFA's largesse would have been better directed towards the townships than a bunch of TV pundits whose air fare probably cost more than most folk in SA earn in a year?

[broadsword]

Have you turned into Alan Shearer?

Way aye man!

Brain isn't working at the moment, must take more fish oil.

Or have a little fishy on a little dishy.