₦airaland Forum

Gosh, didn't we look global.

So multicultural, so diverse. And we didn't want to host the World Cup just for ourselves, of course. Oh no. You had only to look at the video presentation for England's bid to realise that.

Selfless, that's us. Doing it for the greater good of the world. You could see it in the faces the film featured from locations all around the planet - and, if you were quick, in a couple of backdrops of Blighty.
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/12/03/article-1335107-0C54F3C3000005DC-579_468x325.jpg
_{A Liverpool supporter shows his colours in a tuk-tuk: A still from England's promotional video, which showed people around the world celebrating our national game}
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/12/03/article-1335107-0C54F38F000005DC-787_468x286.jpg
_{In this South African sequence a boy and girl head for the street to play a game of football}

But where were the famous sights that thousands would have expected to enjoy when they flooded through our ports and airports in 2018? The smiling British Bobby,  our legendary cuisine,  a bearskinned guardsman or two.

Then there was the soundtrack - hardly Pavarotti, and certainly not Elgar. Instead, it was provided by a Ramsbottom rock band called Elbow, chosen despite the obvious connotations that would always be risked when the panel gave the Elbow to our bid.

Someone remarked that the lead singer sounded as if he was yawning.

Perhaps it was just as well the film skipped lightly over some of our less celebrated national hallmarks though. Especially in a week when it took about eight hours to drive to Gatwick, when our Bobbies donned riot gear to deal with student protests, and when rival Birmingham football fans went on a violent rampage.
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/12/03/article-1335107-0C54F3BF000005DC-226_468x286.jpg
_{A clip from the part of the video depicting a Muslim country. Much of the video promoting England as 2018 World Cup host was filmed overseas}
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/12/03/article-1335107-0C54F3B7000005DC-535_468x286.jpg
_{Two boys in the West Indies share their joy at collecting cards of their favourite players}

The Three Falsettos - Beckham, Cameron and Prince William - dutifully made our case with eulogies about football forming the fabric of the nation, and the like. So surely the presentation video would have captured some of this? Well, not entirely.

It started with an excited juvenile opening the letter that contained his ticket to the England France game last month. The venue was Wembley. So far so good.

Cue shots of the stadium (and a couple of clips of Arsenal's Emirates stadium for good measure). Then we're off to somewhere else in the world (maybe the Third World) to watch some kids have a kickabout in the street.

This is more like it though. The young lad is waving an England flag as his dad takes him to the match. And isn't dad draped in a Union Flag? Actually, no. It's just a multi-coloured scarf around his neck.

Much of the remaining video focuses on a range of ethnically diverse figures celebrating our national game from afar.

A young man waves Liverpool colours from a rickshaw. African and Asian spectators are transfixed with suspense as crucial matches are played out on screens around the world. A Caribbean family dances with delight as a vital goal is scored.

Close-ups of the players further underline the multinational diversity of our favourite Premiership icons

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/12/02/article-1335107-01178276000004B0-122_468x366.jpg
_{Out of the picture: Iconic images of England, such as Grenadier Guards in their bearskins, did not feature in the promotional video}

Quite what Adrian Chiles was doing in the middle of it all was anyone's guess, but you couldn't help feeling we were heading for trouble when he appeared, albeit for a nanosecond. (Wonder if they've ever heard of him in Russia?)

The final frames showed Rio Ferdinand, the England captain and multimillionaire celebrity, about to climb into an expensive, shiny car. At least that was true to life.

And then it was over. All our hopes had been encapsulated in a video lasting just short of three minutes. Pity it didn't do the trick.

Genuflect:
Genuflect - Wagba Toshiba!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Wow, Russia will host the 2018 World Cup, soooo gutted. What more could we have done? What did we do wrong? Prince William, the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, Becks - all that effort and we still get overlooked.""I don't care where the World Cup goes after we lost. I'm just devastated it isn't here in England. I'm sooo gutted I can't take my lil men to a World Cup game to watch England in England. An experience missed out on there - England captain Rio Ferdinand via twittter

"I'm sure the boys of 66 would have loved to have it back here and there'll all be really upset"' - England World Cup winner Martin Peters.

"It's unfortunate, it's sad, it hurts. I was hoping I might see a World Cup in my lifetime in England" - former England captain Alan Shearer.

"We're disappointed but we wish Qatar and Russia the very best, they're two great countries and I'm sure they'll make FIFA very proud" - former England captain and bid team member David Beckham

"I'm not sure I would say we were humiliated, everybody saw our presentation this morning and it was widely praised as being the best one the FIFA ExCo received" - Minister for Sport Hugh Robertson

"I'm not sure how it worked, all I can say is sometimes in life - we've seen so many football matches in our time - the best team doesn't necessarily win" - former Arsenal vice-chairman and bid member David Dein

"Congratulations have to go to Russia, I'm sure it will be a very good World Cup. The guys are quite down at the moment but I'm immensely proud to be a part of it" - Prince William.

"Plates can smash in odd places and in odd ways in the opening rounds" - bid board member Lord Coe

"It is desperately sad. There hasn't been a World Cup in England in my lifetime. I was hoping we could change that, but not this time" - Prime Minister David Cameron.

"Some of (our votes) didn't materialise, I don't know which ones. It would be nice to know because, when people look you in the eye and promise you something, you tend to hope they live up to their word, but clearly that's not happened" - bid chief executive Andy Anson.

"FIFA, for me, is full of people who say 'yes' to your face and 'no' behind your back. Their reputation has not changed for many years. We (England) have little or no influence; we are considered to be arrogant and know-alls and FIFA don't have to answer to anyone" - former England manager Graham Taylor

semid4lyfe: Kwara United popularly called the Afonja Warriors by their teeming fans and supporters will play host to the Naze millionaires from the East, Heartland FC this weekend in a week 5 match of the Nigeria Premier League.

Coming into this match, Kwara United is placed 16th on the log table after only being able to secure 4 points from their previous four matches while their opponents from the east are placed 6th and can boast of 7 points from the same number of matches.

These teams have arguably the best two coaches in the league. Kwara United is being coached by CAF Champions League wining coach and an ex-African Coach of the Year, Kadiri Ikhana while Heartland is managed by the (International Federation of Football Historians and Statistics) IFFHS-ranked and double silver-winning coach, Samson Siasia although it remains uncertain whether he'll be in the saddle for Heartland as he has just been appointed Manager of the Nigerian National Team.

A tight battle is expected between the sides on the pitch as they both boast of a glut of stars. The Afonja warriors will be looking to the likes of[i] Blessing Okardi, Kelvin Kpakor, Isiaka Olawale, Jaiyeola Yusuf, Barnabas Imenger, Soga Sambo, Chibuzor Osigwe, White Agwuocha, Nasiru Ali, Amafe Edebiri and Sibi Gwar[/i] amongst others to wreak havoc on their visitors while the Naze Millionaires will be hoping Chinedu Efugh, Kingsley Elvis, Bello Kofarmata, Osas Okoro, Julius Ubido, Ikechukwu Ibenegbu, Chibuzor Okonkwo, Joshua Obaje, Igho Otegheri, Kingsley Udoh etc can secure the maximum 3 points at Offa.

Last season, this same fixture at the Offa township stadium ended 1-nil in favour of Kwara United and already Coach Kadiri Ikhana has said he's looking forward to a repeat performance. In his words "It is imperative that we win. No doubt we will play against a difficult side but I am confident that we will pick up full points. The players know that they will have to work hard for this. “I am happy that the match will be on television so that the world will assess not just the performance of the players but also those of the match officials,” he added.

So what do you think? Will both teams share the spoils of war or will one of them emerge victorious on saturday? Drop your comments and don't forget to use the polls also 

N.B: Match will be on SuperSport 9 on Saturday at 4.00PM Nigerian Time.

texazzpete:
No mention of the prize for the winner?

OK, i'll contribute 5K recharge card to the winner of this process. Just my way of encouraging a culture of sharing and openness here.

Sagamite:
Where did you get this information from?

honeric01: Official Sports Section Poster Of The Year - 2010 NOMINATION IN PROGRESS

Sports Fans and Gurus,
We thank all of you that have added value in one way or the other to this section in the outgoing year. We recognize the input of everybody.

As started last year and promised to be made annual, THE 2010 NAIRALAND SECTIONAL AWARDS [/b]is here again and we hereby call on you to nominate posters deserving of this award.

The first stage, which is starting by this thread, is the [b]NOMINATION stage and It will last 2 weeks. At the end of the two weeks, the three most nominated will be up for POLL, which will also be up for two weeks, the winner of which is going to emerge the OFFICIAL NAIRALAND SPORTS SECTION POSTER OF THE YEAR 2010.

CRITERIA:
-Quality of contribution - both comments and threads
-Sensibility of activities on the forum - perennial trouble makers will not be accepted, but stout defence of opinion or hot debate is no trouble making
-Sticking to forum rules - any person that has been banned or notorious for making deletable posts will not be considered
-Level of activities on the forum - Though not a prime factor, more regular posters stand higher chance.

RULES:
-Only one nomination per member.
-Where a member nominates more than one person - and we plead you don't do - only the first will be taken.
-Nominees that fail the criteria up there will not be counted
-Though not compulsory, try to put a short, maybe 2-3 line reason for your nomination

WE REALLY WANT THIS AWARD TO REFLECT THE DIVERSE NATURE OF THE SPORTS SECTION AND ALL THE VARIOUS SPORTS WE HAVE ON BOARD SO ALL YOU F-1 BUFFS, BASKETBALL LOVERS, TENNIS FANS, NFL FOLLOWERS, FOOTBALL (SOCCER) AFICIONADOS etc SHOULD GET KICKING AND START NOMINATING.

NOMINATION ENDS ON THE 15th OF DECEMBER, 2010.