Talking Footy

2022 FIFA World Cup reignited, says Frank Lowy
Tom Smithies
The Daily Telegraph
November 29, 201112:00AM

SOCCER overlord Frank Lowy has dropped the broadest hint yet that the 2022 World Cup bid is not over a year after watching Australia get trounced by Qatar for the right to host the event.

Fresh from being elected Football Federation Australia head for another four years, Lowy also predicted a new TV deal "within six months" would make A-League clubs self-sufficient.

But with the acting head of the Asian soccer confederation in Sydney for yesterday's FFA AGM, Lowy's return to the World Cup bid fray is likely to cause surprise across the globe.

"We need to put the domestic game into a good stead and we have the Asian Cup in 2015 - these two will occupy us in the main," he said.

"But if you recall, I said (last December) that this is not the last word. It wasn't the last word and the last word hasn't been heard yet. You can read anything into that.

"Don't ask me to elaborate because I don't have the crystal ball. But I do know of a lot of discussions. All over the world, the media (are covering) the 2022 World Cup, the FIFA executive committee. I don't know exactly where it will bounce but it's not over yet."

Lowy declined to speculate on what the government's Smith Review into soccer's governance would hold for the FFA but he said the organisation - which recorded an $880,000 annual loss - would shortly move out of the red thanks to a new TV deal.

"We expect to break even and have a small surplus over the next two to four years," he said. "But we need the new broadcasting agreement to be covering debt and giving more to the clubs. There's no question there will be a good (TV) agreement when you take into account the viewers and attendances this season."

Admitting he was "embarrassed" by the failure to expand into western Sydney, Lowy insisted there could be a second team in "two to three years".

"We were expecting it to happen but we were let down by the people putting it together," he said.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 6208551175

Beaussie wrote:

My god, I thought we had heard the end of this rubbish about Australia hosting the corrupt Soccer World Cup.

Here's a tip Lowy, get your domestic league to post a profit first before contemplating fantasies like a Soccer World Cup in Australia.

2022 FIFA World Cup reignited, says Frank Lowy
Tom Smithies
The Daily Telegraph
November 29, 201112:00AM

SOCCER overlord Frank Lowy has dropped the broadest hint yet that the 2022 World Cup bid is not over a year after watching Australia get trounced by Qatar for the right to host the event.

Fresh from being elected Football Federation Australia head for another four years, Lowy also predicted a new TV deal "within six months" would make A-League clubs self-sufficient.

But with the acting head of the Asian soccer confederation in Sydney for yesterday's FFA AGM, Lowy's return to the World Cup bid fray is likely to cause surprise across the globe.

"We need to put the domestic game into a good stead and we have the Asian Cup in 2015 - these two will occupy us in the main," he said.

"But if you recall, I said (last December) that this is not the last word. It wasn't the last word and the last word hasn't been heard yet. You can read anything into that.

"Don't ask me to elaborate because I don't have the crystal ball. But I do know of a lot of discussions. All over the world, the media (are covering) the 2022 World Cup, the FIFA executive committee. I don't know exactly where it will bounce but it's not over yet."

Lowy declined to speculate on what the government's Smith Review into soccer's governance would hold for the FFA but he said the organisation - which recorded an $880,000 annual loss - would shortly move out of the red thanks to a new TV deal.

"We expect to break even and have a small surplus over the next two to four years," he said. "But we need the new broadcasting agreement to be covering debt and giving more to the clubs. There's no question there will be a good (TV) agreement when you take into account the viewers and attendances this season."

Admitting he was "embarrassed" by the failure to expand into western Sydney, Lowy insisted there could be a second team in "two to three years".

"We were expecting it to happen but we were let down by the people putting it together," he said.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 6208551175

Topper wrote:

We lost the World Cup because we don't have the local support and we do not have the venues either. Only two stadiums are not used by the AFL that would be ready now. SFS and Suncorp. The other NRL venues would need massive upgrades to triple their capacities.

Topper wrote:

Have you ever seen the attendances at World Cup matches, Raiderdave? Each stadium would need to hold at least 80K. So my assertion is correct.

Topper wrote:

Minimum requirement, yes. But not the preferred requirement which is partly why we failed to gain the hosting responsibilities. Learn something before you post in future.

Topper wrote:

Proves nothing. Population base is relevant. Australia's population is higher than both South Africa and Qatar.