Lion Ousted By Promise Of Russian Bear

As the dust settles on what has been a hectic World Cup bid, many English football fans are now screaming for the head of Sepp Blatter and the rest of the FIFA voting commitee that awarded the 2018 and 2022 World Cup finals to Russia and Qatar respectively.

FIFA has a long history of wincing whenever it comes to dealing with English football and this, combined with the accusations of corruption and collusion appears on the face of it to have done significant damange to England's bid. According to sources inside the auditorium in Zurich, there were rumours that the media furore over the bid was a contributing factor and, in all honesty it is hardly a surprise that this sort of excuse has been found.

But the selection of Russia as a host nation is certainly an interesting choice. Many are angry that, compared to the other four 'finalists', the Russian bid was the weakest and presented the highest risk (in FIFA jargon), therefore were not deserving of such an honour. The only flag the Russians had flying in their favour was the opportunity for FIFA to broaden their horizons and award the finals to a nation that had never previously hosted a European or world football tournament before.

This, I beleive is the key point for everyone to understand. The Iberian bid were said to have quipped that they could host the tournament next month had FIFA desired and, in all honesty, the same can be said of both the English and Belgian/Dutch bids too. Russia have yet to build the infrastructure that would support such a grand tournament which immediately puts them at a disadvantage. With freezing, harsh winters gripping the country for almost half the year, it won't be easy to ensure construction goes smoothly. However, like him or loathe him, Sepp Blatter's vision for FIFA is commendable. Football has such a global appeal that it can help heal the deep scars Russia still carries over from the Soviet era.

The beautiful game simply has to spread its wings. Let's hope that the Russians can deliver their promise of a truly memorable and history-making world cup.

(Picture: http://www.toffs.com/)