Euro 2008 Vote

[fai.ie]

The final decision will be made by UEFA on Thursday morning with the final decision expected around 11:45 am (Irish time). All involved in the bid are delighted that UEFA have decided that any executive committee member representing a bidding country cannot vote meaning only eight of the 14 can vote.

Heres the list of the Executive Committee, not sure which 4 not given any vote.

Excluded from round 1 vote:
Lennart Johansson President of UEFA - Sweden
Senes Erzik First vice-president - Turkey
Per Ravn Omdal Second vice-president - Norway
Dr Viacheslav Koloskov - Russia
Marios N. Lefkaritis - Cyprus
Eggert Magnusson - Iceland
Giangiorgio Spiess - Switzerland
David H. Will FIFA vice-president - Scotland

Vote from the 1st round:
Angel María Villar Llona Third vice-president - Spain
Geoffrey Thompson Fourth vice-president - English
Drs Mathieu Sprengers Treasurer - Holland
Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder - Germany
Dr Joseph Mifsud - Malta
Michel Platini - France
Henri Roemer - Luxemburg
Jacques Georges Honourary president - France
Dr Michel D'Hooghe European member of the FIFA Executive Committee - Belgium

I really hope the Scottish..i mean Scottish/irish :rolleyes: bid does not get it.

Why on earth would you not want a big sporting event to come to this country? We would qualify automatically!

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Originally posted by Real ale Madrid
Why on earth would you not want a big sporting event to come to this country?

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Because it will achive nothing for football in this country (usually these events use to upgrade club stadiums & increase interest in the game locally) & it will make our sporting & political leaders think they are doing a good job.

:rolleyes:

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Originally posted by pete
Because it will achive nothing for football in this country (usually these events use to upgrade club stadiums & increase interest in the game locally) & it will make our sporting & political leaders think they are doing a good job.

:rolleyes:

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But if it would increase interest in the game in Ireland would that not be an achievement in itself!

Ireland simply cant contribute anything innovative to such a tournament. we dont have the experience, stadiums or money. it'd end up an embarassment so its just aswell that we've no chance

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Originally posted by Badweather Fan
Ireland simply cant contribute anything innovative to such a tournament. we dont have the experience, stadiums or money. it'd end up an embarassment so its just aswell that we've no chance

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Exactely we have no experince of holding any tournament besides maybe part of one of those Rugby World Cups which isn't anything like as complicated as the Euro football championships.

I have yet to hear anything from the FAI/government as to what benefits the Scotland/Dublin (how can part of it be called Ireland is beyond me) bid will have for football this country.

IMO we'd be better off bidding for the u-21 european championships along with Northern Ireland where out existing club stadiums are more suitable for the event.

I think Switzerland or Austria (can't remeber which) hosted the euor u-21 championships recently with much larger than expected crowds so maybe that will give them an edge.

The whole Irish part of the bid is a farce. We have no suitable stadiums, no history of staging any football tournaments and a small football culture. Maybe 10-15,000 people watch live football every week. The whole thing is a load of $hite.

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Originally posted by pete
IMO we'd be better off bidding for the u-21 european championships along with Northern Ireland where out existing club stadiums are more suitable for the event.

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And some local talent to kick the interest up....

Final in Flancare...

i can't believe how many dissident voices we have in an Irish soccer forum who don't want part of the biggest event in Europe to be staged here.This is open to people to disagree with but here is a list of things why I think we should get behind the bid, not slag it off:
1. We would qualify automatically.
2. Our supporters of the national side have been renouned all over the world and this is a chance to see Ireland at home.
3. It would raise awareness of the game and hopefully the national league.
4. It would pour millions into the economy.
5. If we get the tournament we would HAVE to redevelop Lansdowne and build Stadium Ireland/secure Croker for soccer.

I know its a long shot but if we did get the tournament it would have nothing but possitive effects. In fact I can't think of anything negative.

Simply, we don´t deserve it. It´s a football tournament, and the number of actual football fans in this country is so minute that there must be more deserving countries.

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Originally posted by Éanna
Simply, we don´t deserve it. It´s a football tournament, and the number of actual football fans in this country is so minute that there must be more deserving countries.

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Part of the agenda in selecting a host, on occasion, has been the promotion of the game. The fact that there are feck all fans didn't prevent countries like the US getting the World Cup.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Real ale Madrid

3. It would raise awareness of the game and hopefully the national league.



How would it raise awareness of the national game? God knows that the world cup didn't help and hosting Euro 2008 wouldn't either. If the FAI took the money they've wasted on this bid and invested it in the eircom league that would raise awareness of the national league.

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Originally posted by sadloserkid


How would it raise awareness of the national game? God knows that the world cup didn't help and hosting Euro 2008 wouldn't either. If the FAI took the money they've wasted on this bid and invested it in the eircom league that would raise awareness of the national league.

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The FAI have gambled available resources on the bid. If we're not awarded the finals then its a lost bet. If, on the other hand, we do get the matches, the FAI will have inceased resources on hand from the tournamant to promote the game nationally (assuming that they don't squander the lot!).

If by some fluke the Scotland/Dublin bid wins it will only further enforce the FAI & governments to think "aren't we great, didn't we host a big tournament.." while at the same time facilities around the country for most sports are woeful.

Sure the country is hosting the Special Olympics next year & the government reduced funding for the event by 6m in the budget. Has to be one of the biggest jokes that a country like Ireland with woeful facilitoes & services for diasabled & handicapped people gets to host the Special Olympics.

:rolleyes:

btw hosting euro 2008 would just create most Sky Sports bar stoolers.

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Originally posted by pete


Has to be one of the biggest jokes that a country like Ireland with woeful facilitoes & services for diasabled & handicapped people gets to host the Special Olympics.

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That's very true. I would guess though that the groups which lobbied for Ireland's hosting of the Special Olympics did so in anticipation that facilitities would have to be upgraded for the games whether the government wanted to or not. Would the same logic not apply for the Euro finals???

btw in case anyone thinks i'm just saying that the eL sides of things will be ignored i think the National team will be ignored by the FAI as well.

I'm sure from the FAIs point of view its a lot easier to get the government to supply them with two stadium so they can host up to a quarter of the euro championships in Dublin than to actually do some work themselves which would enable us to qualify for the championships as of right.

Interesting to see the government pretty much lining up to blame the GAA when/if the Scotland/Dublin bid fails.

:rolleyes:

Hosting the finals will provide the feckless clowns (thats the nicest thing I can say about them) in Merrion Square with an excuse for every c0ck-up for the nest 20 years- they´ll do a half-arsed job on the finals requiring the Scots to wade in and bail them out, take all the plaudits at the end and then reply "we successfully hosted a major finals" to every criticism for god knows how long :rolleyes: :mad:

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Originally posted by Éanna
Hosting the finals will provide the feckless clowns (thats the nicest thing I can say about them) in Merrion Square with an excuse for every c0ck-up for the nest 20 years- they´ll do a half-arsed job on the finals requiring the Scots to wade in and bail them out, take all the plaudits at the end and then reply "we successfully hosted a major finals" to every criticism for god knows how long :rolleyes: :mad:

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I don't think that they'll get the opportunity to use that excuse for two years, never mind twenty. At this stage there are few who can't see through the pathetic ream of excuses that are always trotted out in an attempt to hide ineptitude.

Did anyone hear TodayFM this morning, the gift grub was about the FAI on the way to Switzerland for the hosting bid any they were just on the pi**. - Very funny.:D

Anyway to respond to some of the critisms,
1. When the world cup was in USA,the MLS started up. So there is a good chance the eL would benefit from hosting the championships.
2. Dosent matter IMO why a new stadium is being built as long as it is built.
3. If the FAI get involved in this competition it will give them exposure to similar organisations which are well run and it may rub off on them.

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Originally posted by Real ale Madrid
Why on earth would you not want a big sporting event to come to this country?

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I totally agree with the sentiment, Real. But, IMO, ever since it was decided to pull the plug on public funding for Stadium Ireland it's been facing a MAJOR uphill battle to be built in time. As a result, the Celtic bid has been reduced to nothing more than a farcical circus show, the losing of which the Scots can blame on us, as was the intention from Day 1.

Murphy Out Now!!!

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Originally posted by Real ale Madrid
1. When the world cup was in USA,the MLS started up. So there is a good chance the eL would benefit from hosting the championships.

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The MLS has been a failure - one man owns 6 of the 10 teams/franchises now cos other owners kept pulling out.

:rolleyes:

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Originally posted by Shed End John

As a result, the Celtic bid has been reduced to nothing more than a farcical circus show, the losing of which the Scots can blame on us, as was the intention from Day 1.

Murphy Out Now!!!

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Why would the Scots invest time, money and effort on a bid that they believed they were going to lose from Day 1?

There is absolutely no doubt that we on the inside of the tent can see shortcomings with our national bid. But the bid commitee don't have to sell the concept to us - they need to sell it to the awarding body. By all accounts, they are reasonably impressed with several aspects of the Celtic submission. There seems to be growing consensus that if we can stay in the voting after the elimination of the Nordic bid, that we would pick up sufficient northern european bids to get into the shake-up.

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Originally posted by pete
The MLS has been a failure - one man owns 6 of the 10 teams/franchises now cos other owners kept pulling out.

:rolleyes:

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I went to two MLS games over the summer and the standard was excellent.The final attracted over 61,000 people. I take your point about the franchises but soccer is starting to firmly establish itself as a major sport over there now,NCAA(college) soccer is extremely popular. I know the yanks have a funny way of doing things but no way can you call MLS a failure.

Problem is american MEN have as much respect for soccer as we irish guys have for cricket!... women's cricket at that!

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Originally posted by The Legend
Problem is american MEN have as much respect for soccer as we irish guys have for cricket!... women's cricket at that!

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Seemingly the soccer gained something of a following in Boston this year. Their side started the season unimpressively but reached the play-off final by winning 16 of their last 17 matches (or something like that). I think they lost the final in extra time. But by all accounts tickets for the final were highly sought!

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Originally posted by Real ale Madrid
I take your point about the franchises but soccer is starting to firmly establish itself as a major sport over there now,

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I was overstating it by saying it a failure but signs cannot be good if one man pretty much owns the sport there. From what i've read the major owner (name will come to me eventually) is doing so on an altruistic basis. When existing investors pull out & they cannot be replaced also doesn't bode well.....

I don't think MLS is a failure in terms of not becoming major sport as from what i've heard americans pretty much ignorant (nice broad sweeping statement) of & have little time for anything other than the big 3 US sports

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Originally posted by pete


from what i've heard americans pretty much ignorant (nice broad sweeping statement) of & have little time for anything other than the big 3 US sports

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The best example that comes to mind about American ignorance of the game is as follows. Watching ESPN in the States during WC '94 between Ireland games, I heard the following commentary remark... "Wow John, did you see that back-spinner flipper kick?"!!!!

I'm annoyed cause if i want to see any decent soccer i have to pay a fortune.

... its a tradition thing, soccer just isn't one of their sports, and its hard to change that now.

Just one more point about soccer in America. After the world cup was there, more kids play little league (like U-12 or somthing like that) soccer than baseball. Soccer and baseball are the only 2 sports played during the summer. so to get back to the original point the Euro 2008 could well have possitive implications.

About your point about the Boston team Money Man. You are spot on. New England (Boston) won through to the Final and lost to Los Angeles.1-0Cobi Jones (played for Coventry few years ago)scored the goal. Every New England game was on tv.