Qatar - the mighty atom that dared to dream
When asked ‘why Qatar?’ My reply is always the same ‘why not Qatar?’
On this day (December 18) in 2022 the World Cup Final will be played in the country that dared to dream. As an Englishman, nothing will give me more pride if my team is in that final. How good would that be? The country I was born in, playing for the greatest sporting prize of all, in the country I now live in and have grown to love.
There are so many mis-understandings about Qatar and this part of the world. I find that most ‘experts’ on this State are those that shout the loudest and have never been here. They are on most subjects aren’t they?
Crime? There isn’t any. In the five years I’ve lived here I’ve never once locked a car - or my house. Everybody has a bed. Unemployment is unheard of. Despite the best efforts of some of its neighbours to adversely affect it, the economy is buoyant. At this time of year the weather is gorgeous. And the golf is great!
‘Ah, but what about the workers?’, I hear you scream. ‘What about workers rights?’. Fair point. I’m not going to pretend that things are perfect on that front, but I can tell you that a lot has changed in that respect. Progress has sometimes been slow, but progress has been made. Sustainable change can’t happen overnight. If things are to change forever then progress has to be ‘managed’ and change has to be permanent. That’s what’s happening.
‘Ah, but they bought it’.... How many times have I heard that? One enquiry after another has cleared Qatar of any wrong doing. What has been exposed are the back stories to 2006 and 2010, but there’s never too much of a fuss made about those awards. Why not? The anger about Qatar is based on England’s failed 2018 bid, jealously and dare I say it, racism at times.
For me, there is no good reason why Qatar, an Arab country, shouldn’t host the World Cup. ‘But it was supposed to be played in the summer’.... I’ve heard that a lot too. Yes, the award was made on the basis that it would be played in June and July. The Qatari’s were well aware of that and planned accordingly. Every stadium would be air conditioned. Trust me, the technology works. It’s fantastic. The decision to move the tournament was made by FIFA.
Why not play it in December? Players will arrive here in peak fitness, not at the end of a draining domestic season, carrying knocks and on the brink of injury. For that reason alone this could be the best WC ever.
Other countries don’t share England’s anger about 2022. Every time an English journalist whines on about what a disgrace the award was the majority of the rest of the world shrugs its shoulders. It’s hard to express the depth of feeling people have about what is perceived ‘English arrogance’. Take the outdated anthem ‘Football’s Coming Home’. Is it? ‘Home’? Where is football’s ‘home’? I’ve argued with Geoff Shreeves about this since last summer. The song fired up the Croats that’s for sure. They’ve said as much. Paul Pogba has made his point about it. No. Football does NOT belong to England.
I’m aware that the song is based on ‘irony’ and mocks English failures since 1966, but that’s not the way it’s ‘heard’ by people overseas when it’s played. If I was Gareth Southgate I’d insist it was never played again. It inspires the opposition more than anything else does. It smacks of arrogance. There’s simply no point.
The last overplayed criticism of Qatar is that there’s no football heritage here. That’s not true. They’ve had a professional league here since the 70’s - around the time that the Brits shipped out and gave the country independence. Let’s not dwell on the Colonial interference eh? ‘Since the 70’s? Is that all.....’. Could someone perhaps remind me of the heritage in the USA when they won the WC in 1994? Correct. There wasn’t one, but look at it now. And they’re back for more.
Football in this part of the world is a way of life. Manchester City have Arab owners. So do Paris. Barcelona, Bayern and Roma have all been touched by Arab money.
We could argue all day about whether football should be a ‘business’. It is now, that’s the bottom line. There’s no going back.
As for me, I know very well that I’ll unleash another barrage of criticism for the above, but this is how it is from my perspective.
I’ve known these guys since 2008, when I first worked here. They’re loyal and grateful. For the first time in my life I work in an environment where people appreciate what I do. I’ve made many friends here.
I’ve been quiet lately because I’ve been tinkering with my book, which I won’t now publish until I’m finished. Reading through it I realised that I've always worked in an environment where people didn’t like what I did. Breakfast TV for example. Those of us that started what’s now the norm were trailblazers. Inadvertently we gave you Piers Morgan (sorry!).
No-one wanted Sky Sports to succeed. I’ve said this many times - Fergie gave us six months - and when we passed his prediction date he banned us from having anything to do with his first title success. Maybe that was just a co-incidence! What we achieved at Sky was remarkable.
And now I find myself fronting the English language service for a massive broadcast organisation whose tentacles touch all parts of the globe. I’m chuffed to bits to be doing it all over again. It’s an absolute pleasure.
And I make no apologies for whole heartedly supporting Qatar 2022. I repeat, this tiny Nation dared to dream. They’ve promised to ‘Deliver Amazing’ four years from now. I know they will. The Arab world deserves an event like this. I hope everybody in this region sees the sense in that and joins in. So I’ll leave you as we started on this subject - Qatar 2022 - why not? And come on England....👍🏼
I obviously can’t finish without mentioning Mourinho. He’s got what he wanted. He’s out. He’s been trying to get out for six months or more. A huge cloud has been lifted at Old Trafford. I got it wrong. I thought he was a perfect fit - but what a shambles he made of it all. He lost the players months ago. He lost the fans more recently and he lost the Board on Sunday at Anfield. Manchester United is a fantastic football club. Ed Woodward has one more role of the dice. I genuinely hope he gets it right. If he doesn’t then he’s got to go next time. ‘An enemy of football’ Ramon Calderon, the X President of Real Madrid, once called Mourinho. I’ve got bad news Ramon - he might just be heading your way again. 🤣🤣
A Statement
Enough. This outrageous character assassination has got to stop. Here are some facts. My wife has been in remission from cancer for 7 years. We battled the initial diagnosis together and she handled - and continues to handle her recovery - bravely.
Lucie Rose is NOT my daughters friend. They met twice - once in Qatar when I asked her and her friend to look after Jemma on a night out. It went horribly wrong. Lucie later went to see Jemma in London to see if she could help with her addictions. Sadly she couldn’t, but she wanted to try. That’s it. I don’t consider 2 meetings to be enough contact to be described as a ‘friend’.
Sadly my daughters problems have haunted our family for 15 years or more. Those that know us well would tell you that we have tried everything to help her. We’ve spent in excess of £250,000 on rehab. I have never come up short on family matters.
Jemma’s issues are at the core of my marriage break-up. My wife and I disagree on her treatment. Quite simply - I refuse to ‘enable’ her with her problems any further. Those with addictions will understand what I mean.
I’ve stayed quiet these past few years - despite an onslaught from ill-informed social media cowards and the pride of the great British Press. How can anyone at The Sun - owned by an organisation that is rotten from the top down - pass judgement on me? And that newspaper is not alone in its inaccurate tiresome assassination attempts on me.
Enough now. Leave me alone to deal with personal family issues that are in no-ones interests to hear about. One day I will reveal everything that happened when I left Sky. For now, let’s leave it at this - I resigned on a matter of principle accepting that some felt that was the correct thing to do after the initial incident. I did my time. I re-built with the help of some fantastic employers both at home and now in Qatar. I repeat. Enough. Leave me alone.
Sorry. Buck this idea.
Has football finally lost the plot? Two hundred and fifty grand per club - totalling a good-bye gift of £5m for Richard Scudamore, the outgoing Chief Executive of the Premier League. You can not be serious.
Why? Somebody please tell me why? Look, I’ve known Richard for longer than he’s been at the Premier League. We’ve played a lot of golf together. I’ve been fortunate enough to have been invited to birthday parties/drinks at his house. At different times he’s been a good mate - although I am still waiting for him to call and ask me how my heart surgery went! As I was about to go under the knife I was amazed to discover that Richard had previously been on the same operating table! I heard from many people during my period of recovery - Graeme Souness obviously, but also David Murray, the former Rangers owner and my long time mate, the late Ray Wilkins (I still miss you fella. You left a big hole). But never Richard, although I had taken time to call him and tell him what was about to happen to me. I can’t pretend I wasn’t disappointed I never heard from him again.
I was quickly on the phone when he found himself engulfed by similar issues to those which Andy and I had faced at Sky. He was in bigger trouble, but there was no appetite to bury him. I was pleased about that.
Let it also be said that Scudamore has done a fantastic job steering the Premier League for the last 19 years. Almost single-handedly he’s made it the most financially stable and most watchable league in the world. I know both those things split opinions, with some believing that he’s done more than anyone else to take the game away from the man in the street. I can’t complain about that. At Sky we were at the forefront of that process, before Scudamore had even been heard of.
It’s reported that Scudamore has earned £1.9m/year for his work - plus bonuses. Conservatively, let’s say he’s £20m better off than he was when he took the job. He worked hard for his money and I have no problem with someone being rewarded for being the best. Scudamore has been that. But a £5m going away present? £5m? £250,000 from each Premier League club. Stop and think for a moment what that kind of money would do for grass roots football within a 5 mile radius of those clubs.
How many times down the years have we seen lower league clubs go bust - needing a million here or a million there? Did the Premier League ever lift a finger to help any of them? No. Never.
The ‘present’ is the idea of the Chelsea Chairman, Bruce Buck. Has he completely lost the plot? Do Premier League clubs have so much money that they can throw it about like this? It’s madness. It’s an insult.
If they want to buy Scudamore a present, have a word with somebody at Hublot and get him another fancy watch. A watch - isn't that what retirees have generally received down the years? Rarely a Hublot, but he’s worth it!
There are also calls today for Scudamore to receive a New Year’s honour. People with short memories are pushing for that. Fine. That won’t cost any money.
Knowing Scudamore as I do I’m staggered that he hasn’t already said ‘no thanks’ to the idea of the ‘leaving present’. It’s obscene.
Here’s an idea. Let every Premier League club let in real fans for nothing - to the tune of £250,000 - the next time they play a home game. If you’re one of those who believe the game has been taken away from the man in the street - let that be Scudamore’s legacy eh? A present. A ‘thank you’ for your tolerance. Sorry Bruce - you’ve got this one badly wrong and football should Buck the idea.
And to think about the fuss that was made about honouring a modern day hero like Rooney with a match for charity. You couldn’t make it up.
So far so good.....
So as we break for the second time this season, I think we’re beginning to get some idea of how the season is going to unfold.
It’s still very early, but we’re beginning to see some patterns emerge. Of course, there’s enough time yet for some real drama to unfold somewhere - and it will - but there’s some ‘shape’ about the PL now.
The three at the top have been terrific. I expected to see City and Liverpool there - it’s Chelsea that have surprised me. I thought it would take Maurizio Sarri a lot longer to get his team going, but they’ve flown out of the traps. There’s one very good reason why as well - Eden Hazard, who I reckon is the best player in Europe right now. I suppose that might also make him the best player in the world! If that’s the case, then he’s done exactly what Joe Cole told me and Andy he would when he came on our talkSPORT radio programme back in 2011. Joe was playing with Hazard at Lille and said to us ‘the kid will one day be the best player in the world’.
Hazard has been fantastic this season - playing where he always should’ve done - up top causing havoc with his pace and fast feet. Watch how quickly he manipulates a ball. How smartly he gets a shot off with so little effort. He’s clinical. Brilliant. And he’s one of those that you know WILL score when he gets in one-on-one. How Joe must wish he’d been given that role when he was at Chelsea - but Mourinho had him doing what he demanded of Hazard - getting up and down and putting a shift in defending. What a waste.
Anyway, we’ve got 3 unbeaten, with Arsenal and Spurs right on their heels. I’m still not sure what to make of The Gunners. Yes, they’re on a fantastic run, but let’s not forget, they lost their first two - against Chelsea and City - and they haven’t really had a test since. Look, Emery is obviously having an effect, but they still look soft centred to me. Let’s remain positive though - they played some wonderful stuff at Fulham and Ramsey’s goal was a joy - from back to front. His gesture on scoring was interesting. Did you see it? He opened his arms and looked totally puzzled. Was it a message to Emery? Almost certainly. What are Arsenal thinking letting this guy walk away for nothing at the end of the season? It’s madness. A committed, professional, one-club man is so rare these. In Ramsey, Arsenal have got one - and they don’t want to offer him a new deal? It’s crazy.
Spurs have made their best start to a PL season - but I still think they’ll end up being the ‘nearly’ men again. They haven’t got the numbers required to mount a serious challenge.
Despite the win Saturday, United are still in a desperate mess. You know my feelings on Mourinho. I’m so disappointed because I really thought he’d deliver at Old Trafford, but he’s done what he always does. The place is toxic and it’s all his fault. I had my say in my last blog, so let’s leave it there.
Bournemouth have been brilliant so far. What a job Eddie Howe has done. When will someone trust him with a big club I wonder? And Wolves - they’re a great watch right now. Both clubs should finish top half.
Leicester are in and out. So are Watford and Everton, but you can see signs of progress at Goodison. They still desperately need a front man though. As we know, Watford made a really bright start, but we might just have seen the shape of things to come at the weekend.
Burnley are better without the distraction of Europe. I know Sean Dyche said he wanted to have a go at the Europa League, but quietly I reckon he’s pleased to be out of the competition.
Brighton should be ok. Chris Hughton will have set a ‘point a game’ target and they’re spot on again. It was a ploy that served them well last season.
Palace need a result at home or I fear Roy Hodgson will come under the cosh. Mark Hughes will find himself under pressure as well if he doesn’t sort out Southampton’s home form. They were poor v Chelsea. There was no energy. No fight. No ambition. This isn’t all Mark’s fault - there’s been a ‘drift’ at St Mary’s now for quite some time. It is Hughes’ job to sort it out though.
The Hammers are interesting. When they’re at it they’re very good, but I still fear it’ll be a long season. Spending money doesn’t guarantee anything. I would add this - they’re much better with their skipper, Mark Noble, in the side. What a terrific leader he is. A ‘proper’ player as Graeme Souness might say! The problem is that he can’t get about anymore. I mentioned this early season - it means he can’t play alongside Jack Wilshere. He can’t run now either, so you can’t have them both in the same team. Jack’s injury must’ve come as something of a relief to Pellegrini, but what does he do when he’s fit again? I wouldn’t play him. Simple.
Fulham have got to be really careful after Sunday’s beating. Jokanovic needs to find a system that works in the PL. I get the feeling he’s still searching, but time is against him.
Cardiff are down. So are Huddersfield. And that leaves Newcastle. They won’t go down. I was pleased to see Benitez make that same statement this weekend. Fair play to him - they had a really good go at Old Trafford and who knows how it would’ve turned out had they been awarded the pen they were due at 0-2. It was a stick on. As we saw at Anfield - there are no guarantees from the spot, but I’ve said this so often, when you’re in the backyard of the big boys you simply want what you’re due. It was a pen. I’m sure 0-3 would’ve seen them win the game.
One last thing. Why on earth was Antony Taylor in charge at Old Trafford? He lives in Altrincham - 6 miles from the ground. Not for a minute am I suggesting that he was biased - but he’s open to the allegation of favouritism isn’t he? Why did the PGMOL made such a daft decision? There are plenty of other refs who could’ve done the game. I’m confused by the decision making. The PGMOL once stopped Graham Poll taking charge of a game at Arsenal because he lived in Tring - 30 miles away. What’s the policy guys? We all need to know.
Man dis-United
It’s over Jose. It’s time to go. You’re kidding yourself now. You’ve lost your players, the club is a mess and if you think the support of a couple of hundred fans at The Stretford End is public backing? You’re wrong.
As the ‘glum one’ stood in front of those fans applauding I honestly thought he was saying ‘thanks, and goodbye’. Perhaps he was. Perhaps he was expecting the axe to fall Monday night? Unless something changes dramatically and quickly it will. It’s only a matter of ‘when’.
I didn’t see the brave, bold, adventurous performance that Mourinho talked about. I didn’t see a team that deserved a two-goal half time lead. I listened to my beINSPORTS colleague Andy Gray make the very accurate assessment that a half-time draw was about right. Yes, Lukaku missed a sitter and a very good chance to bury a header, but Spurs should’ve had a pen - Jones pushed Moura over. It was a pen!
Anyway, by the end United weren’t just beaten, they were mesmerised by Spurs and their only answer was the familiar Plan B - drop it on Fellaini’s head.
I told you last week that Mourinho had lost his players. They don’t skip about a playing surface as Spurs did - or City and Liverpool do - they look like they’ve got divers boots on. There’s no life in them. It’s Manchester United - but not as we knew it. Nothing like it.
And as Mourinho left the arena, pausing to applaud that handful of fans - later claiming that he had the backing of ‘the best judges’ - perhaps he hadn’t noticed that Old Trafford was half empty before the final whistle. I’ve never seen anything like it. United fans leaving before the final whistle? No-one would walk out of that stadium before ‘Fergie-time’ because they knew impossible was nothing on so many occasions down the years.
No way Jose
Well that’s another one I got spectacularly wrong! I remember writing that I believed Mourinho and Manchester United were a ‘match made in heaven’. In fact, I was so sure about it that I had United to win the title in his first season at Old Trafford. Er - wrong. And wrong again!
My reasoning was that Mourinho had been the course before. I reckoned that Guardiola would need a year to adapt, but once he had there would be trouble for the rest. So, I’ll claw back a little bit of respect there!
I just couldn’t see how Mourinho could fail. He’d got a job he’d always coveted. He knew the Premier League. He was smiling again and he was going to get backing from United - to date £401m of it.
He hasn’t failed entirely. He’s won trophies. He returned United to the Champions League, but not with a smile or a swagger, it’s all been done with a growling, snarling aggression.
I don’t have a problem with ‘effective’ football. There are many different ways to play the game. If you’re Sean Dyche you’ve got to ‘grind’. You’ve got to work damned hard for everything you get. Nothing comes easy. But that shouldn’t be the case at United. Never the case at United.
There’s no fun anymore at Old Trafford. It’s hard watching United. They’re slow. They’re laborious. They don’t frighten the opposition these days. At the weekend Brighton were the better team. They were better in every position.
Mourinho sat brooding. His players largely ignored him.
As you were...
It’s back! The opening weekend gave us plenty to talk about, ranging from an early farce from the refereeing dept and many of the things from teams that we expected to see. As you were then!
Liverpool looked terrific, but they were helped enormously by an inept West Ham. My goodness, if the Hammers play like that all season they’ll get themselves into real trouble. They were far too easy to play against. I’m sure they’ll win matches at home, but playing like that - wide open and with two players in the middle of the park that can’t run, they’ll get beaten most weekends. Pellegrini needs a re-think - and fast.
They set up perfectly for a Liverpool team that looked sharp and crisp in everything they did. James Milner, who probably won’t start when everybody is fit, epitomised their hunger. Twenty-two of Liverpool’s last 34 wins have now come with at least a 3-goal margin. That’s impressive.
I’m on Liverpool for the title as you know. Klopp has spent well for more than a year now. He’s the manager that got everything he wanted this summer but the added plus is Daniel Sturridge. If he really wants to play football again, rather than sit in the bath or the treatment room, Liverpool have got a real bonus ball. There’s no doubting Sturridge’s ability. Rightly, there have been plenty of questions about his application. If he’s got his head straight - he’ll be a fearsome addition to the Red challenge.
My 3 for the drop
I hate talking about who’ll struggle because as we start again everybody is full of hope and full of expectation. Why spoil it?
The first thing the three promoted clubs will have to get used to is NOT winning every weekend. As all three swept through the Championship winning became a habit. It won’t be like that now. If they win 10 games they’ll have done really well and that should guarantee survival. It seems strange, but that’s exactly what Nuno Espiroto Santo, Neil Warnock and Slavisa Jokanovic will be thinking. Getting those wins won’t be simple.
You need fixtures to fall for you. Don’t panic if it doesn’t fall into place early on - the key is not to get isolated. If teams are in touch come March/April it’s entirely possible to get out of trouble with a run of games against opposition that don’t have anything left to play for. So much movement happens in those last few weeks.
Amongst the strugglers will be Huddersfield. David Wagner produced a miracle keeping them up last season. He’ll have to do it again. I’m a little surprised he stayed, but delighted he did and his loyalty deserves to be rewarded.
Cardiff will be down there. I’d love to see Neil Warnock have a successful season. The King of Promotions has earned the right, but I can’t see it. They’ll be up against it from day one.
I think Fulham will be ok. They’ve got a goalscorer in Mitrovic and that’s so important. If you can’t get goals you’ve got no chance.
Wolves should be fine as well. The Premier League have cleared their unusual way of doing business so it’s full steam ahead. If they need a ‘survival’ injection in January they’ll get it. That’s if the owners and Jorge Mendes wish to continue the project - or will they cash in and concentrate on Villa, where similar things are happening?
It's Liverpool's.
If Liverpool don’t win the title with this squad they’ll never win it again. Jurgen Klopp now has all the tools he requires to end ‘the long wait’.
I like what he’s been doing. In January and again this summer he addressed areas that Liverpool were desperately short in - centre back and goalkeeper. I said after their CL surrender that unless he got himself a good keeper he’d never win anything.
I don’t mind at all that he’s been spending. You’ve got to spend, now more than ever before - and you can go all the way back to Sunderland’s ‘Bank of England’ team to find clubs that have ‘bought the title’. You have to. They all do.
I can hear United fans screaming now ‘but we didn't’. Yes you did. There isn’t a team in PL history that’s spent more. Add it all up from the moment Fergie took charge.
I know Klopp arrived claiming that he’d do it differently. He was playing the party line. Those in charge of the money at Anfield weren’t going to be throwing it about until they were convinced by him. There have been times they must’ve wondered - but now I believe they’re right behind him.
So Klopp has GOT to deliver. It’s some achievement to have taken teams to a total of six finals - but he can’t afford to lose another one - not that a cup final will be the priority this season. The league HAS to be. He’s got to show he can be a winner again.
They were closer to City last year than any other side. As we saw - on their day they could be better. Now they’ve got to find the consistency to do it every weekend. And it’s got to be EVERY weekend.
Of course City will be most people’s favourites, but I believe their priority will be CL. Guardiola has spent a fortune piecing together this team and they blitzed the title last season. They were an absolute joy to watch, but he’s got to take it on. Winning another title wouldn’t do that. He’s got to win the CL, something that he has failed miserably to do since leaving Barcelona and critically - something he hasn’t done without Messi.
Football wasn't coming home
What a wonderful World Cup. Congratulations to everybody involved in both the organisation and delivery.
I was in Moscow in January. What an impressive City it is. I’m so pleased that so many more people have seen it now. It was described to me as ‘Europe’s hidden secret’. Not so ‘hidden’ now. If you ever get the chance - go.
This World Cup was always going to be a success, despite all the doom-mongers predicting otherwise and the demands of those ‘politicking’ hoping to get the tournament moved. Russia delivered - and now all roads lead to #Qatar2022. Trust me - this tournament will blow you away. I’m privileged to have seen the plans. I’ve been watching the county prepare these last five years. #Qatar2022 will deliver on its promise ‘Amazing’ and when it’s all over - just as we have Russia - people will have fallen in love with a country now very close to my heart. Why? How? Forget it. It’s all systems go for a World Cup, the likes of which we will never have previously seen.
Anyway, as I said, Russia was a triumph of organisation. Do I agree that it was the ‘best ever’ on the pitch? No. I don’t.
I don’t think it ever reached the heights of previous competitions. Ask yourself - do you remember six really good games from the 64 we watched? You don’t do you? It was ok, but little more.
The view in England was probably excitedly different because Gareth Southgate’s team exceeded all expectations. It was great to see people enjoying watching their national team again. It’s good for football in England in general.