World Cup 2022

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

13 hours ago, jim mk2 said:

I won't be boycotting but I won't be going out of my way to watch matches other than England's. The tournament and its organisers Fifa stink of corruption and the World Cup should never have been awarded to a country like Qatar and nor should it be taking place at this time of year.  So yes, I'll be involved and backing England but it's not the same because it's been tainted. Something else that was wonderful crucified on the altar of money

That sums up my feelings really. I used to be buzzing before a World Cup but this time I can’t get excited about it at all. If you ever needed proof that the game is bent this is it.

[Guest]

In spite of possible corruption and being hosted in a country that isn't physically suited to the World Cup, I suspect we (Rovers) are quietly happy about it. A lot of our players look fatigued, and this break could well be a blessing in disguise.

[AllRoverAsia]

3 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

That sums up my feelings really. I used to be buzzing before a World Cup but this time I can’t get excited about it at all. If you ever needed proof that the game is bent this is it.

FIFA has been a largely self governing monopoly as bent as a 9 bob note since the reign of Havelange and taken to new depths under Blatter. 

That is the way it is. Sadly.

However after that Sunday shit show its the actual football I'm looking forward to and seeing the world's best doing their stuff.

[RoversTilliDie]

3 hours ago, goozburger said:

In spite of possible corruption and being hosted in a country that isn't physically suited to the World Cup, I suspect we (Rovers) are quietly happy about it. A lot of our players look fatigued, and this break could well be a blessing in disguise.

Also the workers who died in accidents and some have'nt been paid yet for building the stadiums.On a football theme I have'nt seen many nations play apart from the home nations. You can usually pick the favourites for the World cup after the group stages. Hope England don't take Wales and the USA to lightly and make it to the knockout stages.

[bluebruce]

6 hours ago, goozburger said:

In spite of possible corruption and being hosted in a country that isn't physically suited to the World Cup, I suspect we (Rovers) are quietly happy about it. A lot of our players look fatigued, and this break could well be a blessing in disguise.

On the other hand, our players are knackered because of the fixture congestion caused by the World Cup.

[perthblue02]

28 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

On the other hand, our players are knackered because of the fixture congestion caused by the World Cup.

Probably why they took last Sunday off

[speeeeeeedie]

I have doubts that any of the boycotters will actually boycott. 

England have a winnable group. It's wall to wall football for the first 2 weeks starting in late November. Nobody will be able to get away from the coverage. The last 16 and quarter final games for England (if they get there) will be Fridays or Saturdays in December. Will there be that many competing Christmas do's?

As I've said before; it's a travesty that the World Cup is in Qatar, and not in the summer, but I will still watch as much as I can as once a referee blows his whistle at kick off all politics goes out of the window and every player on the pitch will be trying to win. 

[Leonard Venkhater]

I feel nothing.

[matt83]

I wonder how many championship clubs are actually affected by the World Cup or international fixtures. More the newly relegated sides but I’d be tempted to play the season as normal from the championship and below instead of league one and below. 

[JPTSwindon]

Okay, for those either disengaged with the WC or where (interesting) matches don’t clash, will you be seeking alternative live football, ie non-league teams? I wonder if they benefit or lose out by carrying during the WC?

[LWX]

There's loads of other great sport to watch instead. I'll probably end up taking in a few games, but won't sweat it if I miss anything. All this nationalism makes me switch off.

[AllRoverAsia]

12 hours ago, bluebruce said:

On the other hand, our players are knackered because of the fixture congestion caused by the World Cup.

A convenient excuse. Tiredness did not impact Burnley.

[AllRoverAsia]

8 hours ago, JPTSwindon said:

Okay, for those either disengaged with the WC or where (interesting) matches don’t clash, will you be seeking alternative live football, ie non-league teams? I wonder if they benefit or lose out by carrying during the WC?

I will watch the WC but also intend to catch what's on offer in L1, L2 and lower.

I do have access from the jungle to just about all world televised football and could almost be addicted 24/7.

Fortunately there is also cricket looming.

[StubbsUK]

I don't think I'll be watching either tbh, the events surrounding the awarding of the tournament, the human rights abuses, and their attitude to gay people has led to a total apathy towards the competition. I know my not watching isn't going to have the blindest bit of difference on how Qatar is run, in the same way Gary Lineker or Alan Shearer not going would have any impact outside of the UK. I hope they do some work to shine a light on the wrongs done in the run-up to this tournament but they're ex-footballers turned presenters, not investigative journalists.

Besides, Warzone 2 comes out today ...

[AllRoverAsia]

To take advantage of the rest period provided by the WC both Everton and Celtic are on their way to Australia ...... to play football. I don't know if the mandatory break in Dubai is before or after.

[Guest]

15 hours ago, speeeeeeedie said:

I have doubts that any of the boycotters will actually boycott. 

England have a winnable group. It's wall to wall football for the first 2 weeks starting in late November. Nobody will be able to get away from the coverage. The last 16 and quarter final games for England (if they get there) will be Fridays or Saturdays in December. Will there be that many competing Christmas do's?

As I've said before; it's a travesty that the World Cup is in Qatar, and not in the summer, but I will still watch as much as I can as once a referee blows his whistle at kick off all politics goes out of the window and every player on the pitch will be trying to win. 

Nope. I will not be watching a single game of the tournament. Couldn't care less about the football, but definitely care that an estimated 6500 workers needlessly lost their lives building sham stadia for a sham tournament. Scandalous.

Besides, Ireland aren't in it.

[Miller11]

I’m usually pretty indifferent to the England team, and I don’t usually watch much football on TV these days - the World Cup is usually an exception though.

Bollocks to that this time round. I always get annoyed by people who don’t give a toss about football for 3 years and 11 months suddenly catching “world cup fever”, then there’s the minor annoyance of it disrupting our domestic season. I could live with both of those things, but the slavery, homophobia, attitudes to women, and general mass human rights violations that go in on that particular hell hole means I won’t be bothering. 

I’m also sick of football at the moment thanks to Sunday, but I might get down to a Clitheroe game over the next couple of weeks.

 

[joey_big_nose]

Think the first game could actually be a bit of a banna skin for us. Iran have a intense dislike of England that stretches back 200 years so will be very up for it, and are surprisingly ranked 20th in the world. Beat Uruguay last year.... 

The heat, lack of settled team, focus on off field issues, and the likely complacency we will show to a team seemingly so far off us in capability point to a few surprises.

[rigger]

4 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

Think the first game could actually be a bit of a banna skin for us. Iran have a intense dislike of England that stretches back 200 years so will be very up for it, and are surprisingly ranked 20th in the world. Beat Uruguay last year.... 

The heat, lack of settled team, focus on off field issues, and the likely complacency we will show to a team seemingly so far off us in capability point to a few surprises.

Everyone has an intense, historical, dislike of England. You don't become a super-power by making friends.

[joey_big_nose]

41 minutes ago, rigger said:

Everyone has an intense, historical, dislike of England. You don't become a super-power by making friends.

Yeah but Iran are next level. Its a current perception rather than something historical.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2007/mar/25/military.iran

[Hasta]

51 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

Think the first game could actually be a bit of a banna skin for us. Iran have a intense dislike of England that stretches back 200 years so will be very up for it, and are surprisingly ranked 20th in the world.

Having an intense dislike for someone you are about to play, and also being ranked surprisingly high, doesn't mean you will be "up for it". Unfortunately 😒

[joey_big_nose]

27 minutes ago, Hasta said:

Having an intense dislike for someone you are about to play, and also being ranked surprisingly high, doesn't mean you will be "up for it". Unfortunately 😒

 I guess what I mean is all those players have grown up in a culture from the cradle where England are seen as someone to get one over due to the history.

If you are drawing a parallel to the east lancs derby, I don't think we actually played any of the proper local lads who were emotionally invested in turning over Burnley. So I don't think it will be the same thing really.

That said I've just been reading the Iranian players have refused to sing the national anthem recently due to the ongoing internal turmoil and repression and have a nascent revolution going on in their country, so maybe are not really going to be driven by patriotic ferver?

[AllRoverAsia]

1 hour ago, joey_big_nose said:

Think the first game could actually be a bit of a banna skin for us. Iran have a intense dislike of England that stretches back 200 years so will be very up for it, and are surprisingly ranked 20th in the world. Beat Uruguay last year.... 

The heat, lack of settled team, focus on off field issues, and the likely complacency we will show to a team seemingly so far off us in capability point to a few surprises.

The crowd will be pro Iran too. A lot of Iranians live and work in Qatar which is close by anyway.

They are not a shabby football outfit at all and a danger if underated.

[speeeeeeedie]

32 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

 I guess what I mean is all those players have grown up in a culture from the cradle where England are seen as someone to get one over due to the history.

If you are drawing a parallel to the east lancs derby, I don't think we actually played any of the proper local lads who were emotionally invested in turning over Burnley. So I don't think it will be the same thing really.

That said I've just been reading the Iranian players have refused to sing the national anthem recently due to the ongoing internal turmoil and repression and have a nascent revolution going on in their country, so maybe are not really going to be driven by patriotic ferver?

Notwithstanding the notion that any England game is a potential banana skin, Iran are playing in a World Cup match where the players won't need any extra motivation. It won't be easy, but Iran is not a good team.

Ex Man U coach Carlos Queiroz is their manager. He took them to Brazil and Russia. Left after 2018, then was reappointed a few months ago. He deployed a very boring form of defensive football in his previous tournaments so I expect Southgate is spending plenty of time on developing set pieces as Iran won't be strutting around like Brazil 1982 leaving space galore.

The majority of the squad play outside of Iran. I don't know how bristled they are by the recent protests. 

[moerpho]

Once again..this is the first WC since 1982 I have no interest in. Can't wait until the Championship starts up again and meeting Preston. 

One thing is the obvious violations when it comes to workers and human rights, but a WC in the middle of the season is downright stupid. People think the high-earning stars will perform...why? Bet Guardiola is happy Norway didn't qualify for WC just so Haaland can be rested. 

Don't care who wins it, don't care who is top scorer... I just don't care enough to put in the effort. I'll probably end up reading updates on this thread.. 

Edited November 16, 2022 by moerpho
Spelling thanks to autocorrect