“It must be a fix”. “They hate us”. No wonder England didn’t win!

This is the last time I will mention England’s failed bid for the World Cup 2018, I promise. I ranted about how England are their own worst enemy when it comes to how we are viewed around the world, the other day. Everything I said about our media and what we think of ourselves has proved to be right over the past few days.

It is a fact that Russia put together a decent bid, haven’t had a World Cup before and probably deserve the chance to host this tournament. How do the English react?

The press in England, who are without doubt a major reason behind the failure of the bid, were predictable and depressing in their response to the FIFA’s decision.

Gutter

The tabloid, or ‘gutter’ press continued on the theme that hasn’t been helpful from the start.

The front page headline in the Daily Mirror was ‘SOLD’. The article itself asks how oil-rich Russia and Qatar could possibly have persuaded Fifa to give them the World Cup.

The Sun headline was ‘FIXED’.

The Daily Star led with ‘WHAT A FIX’.

The Daily Mail said ‘THEY LIED’

Even the ‘so called’ intelligent papers followed the same theme.

The Independent led with ‘England fear foul play after World Cup humiliation’

The Daily Telegraph said it is a DISASTER handing the tournament to Russia and a DISGRACE that 2022 will be in Qatar.

Are the English press really so stupid that they can’t see the part they have played in this?

Decision

So what do well known English football figures make of the decision?

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp said,

“These people go and look at what the countries have got to offer and they should make the decision on that. If Fifa made a footballing decision there was only one winner for me and that was England. It was beyond belief. Why?”

Big Sam Allardyce said,

Concern

“It has to be a massive concern for the future. Only two people voted for our country to get the World Cup. I think research has to go into the reasons why we didn’t get it and what we have to do to try to get it in 2026.”

Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson said,

“It seemed to be everything was crying out for England to be given the World Cup and I was pretty confident when we started off that we would get it. Hearing it went to Russia and that we only got two votes is particularly disheartening.”

Steve Bruce said,

“Maybe we have to accept we’re England not very well liked because from top to bottom the bid was excellent, but it seemed to go out the window.”

Perspective

It was left to a Scot, Everton manager David Moyes to put things in perspective,

“England have had the World Cup before, Russia hasn’t and you have to look at the argument from the other side.”

Moyes is absolutely right. The attitude that the only reason England didn’t win was because the bunch of foreigners that made the decision are corrupt and hate us is exactly the attitude that means the rest of the world laugh at us. Why can’t we be humble just for once?