22 April 2012 243.2 – Featuring the Professor, Daniel Eade, Sportzfan Stan, Paul Dalligan and special guests John O’Callaghan and Andrew Hewitt talking AFL, football, Olympics, John Coates, Julia Gillard, ice hockey, AIHL, NRL, rugby league and the Anzac Day test.
Tag Archives: julia-gillard
Australia’s 2022 World Cup bid becomes a Greek tragedy
Professor’s Rant #4
I’ll start this rant by repeating what I said on Sportzfan Radio last Sunday (see show #181.2) – I would love Australia to get the 2022 World Cup (a view shared by The Gelding, but not Daniel or Stan – is that OK Daniel?).
The report on the assessment of finacncial return to FIFA from each of the bidding countries, which has only been recently released (more about that later), seems to be a fatal blow to our chances.
Given the findings of the report, what are the chances of Australia getting the nod when the vote is held in the early hours of tomorrow morning? Zero, zilch, zippo, naught, nil, zip. Get the picture?
Why? It comes down to simple mathematics – which Board would vote for an option that reaps the least (that’s right, the least) profit for it? Think about that question for a second or two…now roll it around……easy to answer when you consider it. Let’s for good measure add that the favourite in this five horse race is the USA ,who just
happens to be the country that reaps the most reward for FIFA if they are to be successful with their bid. The answer becomes a no brainer!
Even if I am wrong and the USA aren’t successful, there are still three other bids that make more money for FIFA. I can’t see a kangaroo, Hoges and Julia Gillard making up for the giant cash shortfall.
Ask yourself this further question should you still be struggling with the economics of the situation. If you were a share holder in FIFA Inc., would you want the voters to vote for a bid that would give you the least money in your pocket to pay increasing mortgage rates and rising electricity and gas bills?
Yet another question. If FIFA had released the report much earlier (ie when bidding opened) would Australia have run as hard or invested as much money. I think not! Synics like me wonder 
why the findings of this report have only come to light in the last week of the process. You don’t need to be a Rhodes scholar to work that one out. Why would FIFA reveal findings that would stifle the competition? Another no brainer – they wouldn’t.
On Sportzfan Radio, we have queried from the start the wisdom of making such a large investment in a bid that was against the odds from its very beginning. We felt the money would be far better spent putting resources into growing the game at the grass roots level and enhancing the A League and its teams. Make no mistake, the local product needs to improve significantly if we are to be rated a credible force in world soccer.
So in the end, what will we have?
Nothing for $45 million dollars. Shareholders just love that sort of equation!
To quote Paul Dalligan “ah, yep!”
Sportzfan Radio #181.2
28 November 2010 181.2 – Daniel wants the Tigers to get rid of their white alternate strip. Stan adds that the Tigers are hopeless at 1-7. Mark Fiorenti talks up Australia’s chances for the 2022 World Cup and thinks the bid looks a lot better than it did three or four months ago. He also thinks the USA are favourites. Daniel believes if Julia Gillard writes a letter of support that will sink the bid. The Professor thinks Bob Hawke should have been asked to write a letter. Mark also wraps up A League and Premier League matches of interest. He thinks it is Chelsea’s 
title to lose. Dr Leslie’s CSA returns to the show after a few weeks off. Daniel is not happy that the Professor signed off with “We all hope we get the 2022 World Cup”…this then promotes a discussion as to who actually wants the World Cup. Stan and Daniel don’t want it. The Gelding hopes we do get it. Suitably chastened, the Professor re-announces “The Gelding and I both hope we get it, Daniel and Stan definitely don’t”. The Panel then discuss emails about the Australian Test selections. The Gelding thinks the role of wicketkeeper has changed over the years as we now pick a wicketkeeper that is an allrounder. Stan believes it is no good trying to make a batsman into a wicketkeeper. Paul Dalligan is back to talk rugby league….didn’t
the season finish eight weeks ago? He talks about Russell Crowe leaking details of Greg Inglis’ contract on a US talk show. The NRL are now looking more closely at the deal. The Professor asks why this deal is different to the Mark Gasnier deal. Daniel thinks it would be good for Crow to team up with Inglis at the Rabbitohs. Paul then goes on to talk baseball and the ABL. Unfortunately, the Melbourne Aces first three home games have been rained out. We give a shout out to a new listener…Lisa Haye’s husband. The Panel talk about Mark “Choco” Williams appointment as Kevin Sheedy’s assistant at Greater Western Sydney. This leads into a discussion of whether Sheedy will actually coach the team in 2012. Stan 
decides to swing the axe and believes Mick Malthouse and Kevin Sheedy have reached their use by date and should retire as the old guys are keeping the younger coaches out of jobs. Sean Callanan comes on to talk social media and discusses the Dallas Cowboys forgetting to renew their domain name so they were left without a website and thinks the IT man at the Cowboys may be out of a job. The Denver Broncos have been fined $100,000 for filming the 49ers at practice. Sean talks about Vince Young apologising to his coach Jeff Fisher by text and says it is probably not the most effective means of doing that. A listener queries why Young didn’t call Fisher as he had the phone in his hand sending the text.