I suppose the good thing about all of this is that we can stop talking about the World Cup until it comes time for the Socceroos to qualify for 2014.  Rather than give my own thoughts I thought I’d include some from my fellow Sportzfan radio panelists that have crossed my desk since the decision was made earlier today.

Daniel Eade – With Australia unsuccessful after its $45million bid was rejected by the FIFA voting panel, will the A-League survive?

Do we blame Julia Gillard? The Computer Animated Kangaroo? Paul Hogan? The Marketing Department who green-lit the ‘Bid’ video?

So once again, Sportzfanradio made the correct call before everyone else.  Well the Professor and Fiorenti called it.  They just made sense to me so I agreed with them.

Paul Hogan appeared in the commercial and he got the Taxman off his back. Coincidence?

Sean Callanan – For mine it was always a long shot but I think it is a bit like the old sporting adage you have to lose one to win one. Or in the case of Qatar have so much money no one will care about sunburn.

Paul Dalligan – I don’t think it is far removed from the AFL with their planned $300 million kitty to conquer Western Sydney

I know the Olympics bid was public money, whereas the AFL’s riches have been raised from the game but you can’t conquer new seas if you are afraid to turn your back to the shore

For Mr Democracy Obama to describe the 2022 decision as “wrong”, perhaps we didn’t lose on merit but were defeated by much more sinister forces!

Mark Fiorenti – Disappointed but like I said yesterday and will continue to say, I don’t think the financial report was the be all and all.  If it was Qatar wouldn’t have won the bid – in a landslide, no less.  The report placed them at 2nd last, yet they scored 11 votes in the first round!

 

…and you can add to that “no one cares about not being allowed to drink alcohol at the world’s biggest sporting event”.

 

I agree with the comment “you have to lose one to win one” quote Sean.  How many times did Sydney/Aust lose the Olympics before they/we actually won it? Three times from memory.

Some tweets from last nite –

• Doesn’t Russia constantly Snow? If movies have taught me anything, it’s that it’s always snowing in Russia.
• I won!! Soccer is so boring. Give me AFL.
• Andrew Demetriou is laughing and smoking a big fat cigar.
• LeBron James is taking his talents to Qatar.
• This might be a silly question, but does Qatar even have a soccer team?
• Is Chewbacca from Qatar?
• Both ‘Quatar’ and ‘Katar’ are trending. People are stupid
• The AFL should’ve expanded to Qatar instead of Western Sydney.