Panorama

[Yankee Clipper]

Really angry with just how little new information Panorama had. It was weak arsed, impotent journalism of the most cringeworthy order. There was absolutely no need for that to be broadcast tonight. Other than a show of posturing. If we lose the 2018 World Cup bid due to that the BBC should take a long hard look at themselves. Shameful. The enemy within Lord Haw Haw journalism.

[recordmeister]

Yes. It was weak bollocks, wasn't it.

Although I do quite like that blokes voice. He did the audio guide at the Royal Academy for the Glasgow Boys exhibition I went to yesterday.

I'm so angry, I'm no longer going to do interviews with the BBC.

[Yankee Clipper]

And David Mellor talking about &quotRight and fit for purpose&quot does nothing for the credibility whatsoever.

[Snake]

Really angry with just how little new information Panorama had. It was weak arsed, impotent journalism of the most cringeworthy order. There was absolutely no need for that to be broadcast tonight. Other than a show of posturing. If we lose the 2018 World Cup bid due to that the BBC should take a long hard look at themselves. Shameful. The enemy within Lord Haw Haw journalism.

It was indeed shameful but at least we still have free speech in this part of the world. e.g. Wikileaks is far more entertaining, though not as good as The X Factor, Get Me of the Jungle or Strickly Cum Dancing (obviously) when the Red Top Newspapers decide on what sells the most copies.

Anyway, it's good to know that the UK's global politics are on hold for a while as my MP here in Witney is about to take three days out to talk about football (a subject he knows fuck all about, imho) ahead of the World Cup vote. I hope he drops into the conversation something about Oxford United because I've looked into his eyes often enough and talked about it* to him try to get the message through, even if I know he's not really all that interested in Us even though thousands of the people who voted for him turn up at Minchery Farm from time to time.

* = he told me &quotthe Kassam Stadium was not on his patch&quot

[SmileyMan]

&quotJack Warner is a bit dodgy&quot is hardly a revelation!

[Dartford Ox]

What intrigued me most were the stipulations made by FIFA before a country was allowed to enter a bid. i.e. the country must be prepared to change their laws to conform to FIFA's requirements.

The Dutch refused to. I think we should have refused too.

[Dr Bob]

A bid that includes Franchise FC, developing the stadium in Plymouth (I assume there will still be a club there once the current financial problems are dealt with), building a new stadium for Nottingham Forest that more or less required the A453 from the M1 to the City to be dualled but which has been shelved after the Comprehensive Spending Review. Frankly I do not want England to win.

[Yankee Clipper]

What intrigued me most were the stipulations made by FIFA before a country was allowed to enter a bid. i.e. the country must be prepared to change their laws to conform to FIFA's requirements.

The Dutch refused to. I think we should have refused too.

I fear we have already succumbed to that ahead of the Olympics. It would appear that the law to make Gorilla advertising a criminal offence, as seen in South Africa when the group of Dutch girls were arrested for wearing Orange has now been added to our statute books.

[boris]

I fear we have already succumbed to that ahead of the Olympics. It would appear that the law to make Gorilla advertising a criminal offence, as seen in South Africa when the group of Dutch girls were arrested for wearing Orange has now been added to our statute books.

Is that the ad with the Phil Collins soundtrack? It's cheesy, but I'm not convinced it should be illegal.

[Yankee Clipper]

I fear we have already succumbed to that ahead of the Olympics. It would appear that the law to make Gorilla advertising a criminal offence, as seen in South Africa when the group of Dutch girls were arrested for wearing Orange has now been added to our statute books.

Is that the ad with the Phil Collins soundtrack? It's cheesy, but I'm not convinced it should be illegal.

LOL - Just made me giggle like a fool at my desk!!

[Joey's Toe]

It was indeed shameful but at least we still have free speech in this part of the world. e.g. Wikileaks

That's part of the issue though, isn't it. We have a political system and football governance body which are (largely) free from corruption. But we assume that every other country's must aspire to be the same, and in doing so perhaps lose sight of the fact that corruption is endemic in a lot of cultures and in their sporting bodies. It's not right - but a lot of countries would see the Panorama show and wonder what all the fuss was about.

The truth is that our morality is accustomed to a system which is generally quite clean, and we have a mistaken belief that we have the right to lecture other nations on how they should operate.

...my MP here in Witney is about to take three days out to talk about football (a subject he knows fuck all about, imho) ahead of the World Cup vote. I hope he drops into the conversation something about Oxford United because I've looked into his eyes often enough and talked about it to him try to get the message through, even if I know he's not really all that interested in Us even though thousands of the people who voted for him turn up at Minchery Farm from time to time.

I hold no torch at all for David Cameron, but he's far from alone in his false professed interest in football. A recently-deposed Oxfordshire MP recently told me that he only ever cared about Oxford United's results at election time. I was disappointed to hear it, not least because I had always rather thought this individual was above such cynicism.

[JoeyBeauchamp]

Better to air a valid and relevant programme like that, than to listen to the chairman of the bid and all of FIFA's crooks who both castigated the Sunday Times and the BBC for daring to raise these issues. The bid team called it unpatriotic. What, so we should just let corruptuion happen, and turn a blind eye?

Personally, I couldn't give two fucks if the media have derailed the bid - I applaud them for daring to speak out.

[Sackcloth Ox]

Well I take a different view.

I thought the programme was timely and cast worrying doubts about the morality of world football's governing body. The stuff about FIFA being able to ride roughshod over tax and other laws of host country at time of tournament was also pretty staggering.

To me our World Cup bid shot itself in the foot when they decided to put Stadium MK up as a participating ground. What an insult to AFC Wimbledon and other sides who played themselves up the pyramid. And their supporters.

Cameron et al should be spending their time this week elsewhere.

Oh and by the way wait and see for the stink in the Murdoch rags when we lose out this week. It's all the Beeb's fault, they'll moan.

Oh and Qatar in June for 2022, that'll be fun.

I do hope Blatter gets kicked out next year.

[Sackcloth Ox]

It was indeed shameful but at least we still have free speech in this part of the world. e.g. Wikileaks

That's part of the issue though, isn't it. We have a political system and football governance body which are (largely) free from corruption. But we assume that every other country's must aspire to be the same, and in doing so perhaps lose sight of the fact that corruption is endemic in a lot of cultures and in their sporting bodies. It's not right - but a lot of countries would see the Panorama show and wonder what all the fuss was about.

The truth is that our morality is accustomed to a system which is generally quite clean, and we have a mistaken belief that we have the right to lecture other nations on how they should operate.

...my MP here in Witney is about to take three days out to talk about football (a subject he knows fuck all about, imho) ahead of the World Cup vote. I hope he drops into the conversation something about Oxford United because I've looked into his eyes often enough and talked about it to him try to get the message through, even if I know he's not really all that interested in Us even though thousands of the people who voted for him turn up at Minchery Farm from time to time.

I hold no torch at all for David Cameron, but he's far from alone in his false professed interest in football. A recently-deposed Oxfordshire MP recently told me that he only ever cared about Oxford United's results at election time. I was disappointed to hear it, not least because I had always rather thought this individual was above such cynicism.

So it's OK then for these greedy bastards i.e Jack Warner to indirectly take our ticket money. FIFA needs sorting.

Who cares whether Cameron likes football or not, that's not his job

[Joey's Toe]

To me our World Cup bid shot itself in the foot when they decided to put Stadium MK up as a participating ground. What an insult to AFC Wimbledon and other sides who played themselves up the pyramid. And their supporters.

Amen to that. Well said, fella.

So it's OK then for these greedy bastards i.e Jack Warner to indirectly take our ticket money. FIFA needs sorting.

It does. I just don't think the Panorama programme is going to do it.

Who cares whether Cameron likes football or not, that's not his job

I agree entirely. My point was that I'm inherently distrustful of MPs who profess to care about football (local or national) when they actually don't.