Australia favourite to host 2022 football World Cup after 2018 bid-axe

June 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Sydney, June 11(ANI): Australia has emerged as one of the favourites to host the 2022 football World Cup after the Football Federation Australia (FFA) decided to drop the 2018 bid.

FFA Chairman Frank Lowy said that the decision to drop the 2018 bid had been taken “after careful consideration and analysis”.

“We have been in discussion with FIFA for months and it is that trusting relationship with the leadership of the governing body that has caused us to focus on 2022 and decide to leave the field for 2018 to European contenders,” Lowy said.

Lowy and bid chief Ben Buckley both refuted talk of any vote-swapping deal, but a hint of a political scheme behind the decision was the undertone in FIFA Chief Executive Jerome Valcke’s statement.

The statement makes clear that the decision was reached after months of negotiation, including talks with European members of the FIFA Executive Committee that will vote to award hosting rights in December.

“The FFA and my office as well as the FIFA president have been in constant dialogue about Australia’s bidding intentions since last autumn,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Valcke’s statement, as saying.

“The FFA have displayed an exemplary level of solidarity with Europe and the European bidding nations and were among the very first to enter into an open and constructive dialogue with me after it became apparent that there was a growing movement to stage the 2018 World Cup in Europe.”

“Their announcement of today therefore, to henceforth focus solely on bidding for the 2022 World Cup, is a welcome gesture that is much appreciated by FIFA’s leadership and executive committee,” it added.

Australia will be up against Japan, Qatar and South Korea to host the 2022 event.

The countries that miss out on winning the 2018 bid will also be back in contention. (ANI)

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Cup bid healthy, with or without Docklands

April 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Football Federation Australia chairman Frank Lowy is confident the nation’s bid to host the World Cup is on track despite confirming Melbourne’s Docklands stadium is no longer a considered venue.

Lowy says he has decided on the 12 stadiums which will host matches if Australia’s bid is successful – with Docklands left out after management said it will honour its contractual obligation to host AFL matches.

“Etihad (Docklands) is off the list,” Lowy said.

“They have certain prior rights and they’re using it for (AFL), there’s nothing we can do about it.

“We’ll do without them and we’ll succeed without them.”

Lowy said people should not assume Australia would be successful in its bid, saying the competition was strong.

But he believed “sympathy” towards Australia could prove decisive in the race to host either the 2018 or 2022 tournament.

“It’s a contest,” he told reporters.

“We’ve got nine nations competing against us and of course all of them, with the exception of Indonesia – who decided not to go ahead – are putting their best foot forward in building and promising stadia.

“I think that there is a sympathy for Australia. We’ve never had it here. We’re part of the Asian confederation. We’re giving an opportunity for FIFA and world football to have exposure to Asia better than in most other places.

“I think we’re doing well. As I said, I’m hopeful, I’m confident, but we must remember this is a contest.

“There are nine countries participating but we’re in as good a position as I would have expected us to be for this time.

“We are just about there and I’m confident of the position that we’re in. We’ll have the 12 stadia that are required to put the bid into FIFA.”

- AAP

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Lowy confident in Fury future

April 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Football Federation Australia chairman Frank Lowy is confident North Queensland Fury will line up in the next A-League season despite their financial woes.

The club is facing a Wednesday afternoon deadline to prove it has enough local support to justify a continued existence and Lowy told reporters he is not worried about the Fury being forced to fold.

“We have to get a submission from Fury today and I expect the submission to be favourable to make the decision to keep Townsville in the A-League,” he said.

“But we need everybody’s participation there and I have indications that the participation is coming and if need be the FFA has to help them stay there, so be it.

“I’m expecting Fury to be part of the A-League next year.”

Lowy said Townsville’s continued presence in the national soccer competition was important with the city one of several proposed venues to host matches if Australia’s 2018-2022 World Cup bid is successful.

“I think it’s very important to keep football in North Queensland and not just abandon it, either by FFA or by the people of North Queensland, for a few dollars,” he said.

Future growth

FFA chairman Ben Buckley says the Fury’s precarious financial situation will not dissuade the sport’s governing body from further expanding the A-League.

A second Melbourne team will join the competition this year with a Western Sydney franchise to follow in 2011.

“I think Melbourne Heart have done a remarkably good job in a short period of time,” he said.

“They’ve signed major sponsors, they’ve signed an outstanding coach, they’ve got a very high calibre administration already in place.

“West Sydney is still being worked through, they’re very diligent in the work they’re doing in raising the capital.”

- ABC/AAP

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Verbeek calls time on Socceroos stint

March 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek will hand over the reins to the national side after the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Football Federation Australia announced on Monday.

In just over two years under Verbeek’s guidance, Australia was won 15 of its 27 internationals, drawing eight and losing just four on its way to the Socceroos’ highest ever FIFA world ranking of 14th.

Verbeek told reporters that it was not a decision he came to lightly, and assured that he was not finished at the helm yet.

“It has been a very difficult decision for me after more than two years but it is time for me to look for a new challenge,” he said.

“I have enjoyed every minute of being head coach of Australia and we achieved some fantastic results including qualifying for the World Cup and the Asian Cup.

“It is a good time to make this announcement so we can now focus completely on preparing everything perfectly for the upcoming World Cup in South Africa.

“We will do everything right to prepare for this tournament to get the best result possible.”

FFA chairman Frank Lowy praised Verbeek, saying he had had a remarkable impact on the national side.

“Pim has been a great coach for the Socceroos and has earned the respect of everybody in football in this country and around the world,” he said.

“He has been the consummate professional in every aspect of his role and has led our national team with distinction here and overseas.

“Under his leadership the team has achieved everything we aimed to achieve and I expect he will have the team ready to perform at its best in South Africa.”

FFA chief executive Ben Buckley echoed Lowy’s sentiments, and said the task of filling Verbeek’s shoes is underway.

“He has been the most committed coach to Australia and has clearly enjoyed working with us and our team,” he said.

“We will be sad to see him move on after the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and wish him all the best for the future and he can be proud of what he has achieved.

“There are processes and planning in place to secure a successor for Pim and we will step up those activities now that it is clear that Pim will not be with us after South Africa.”

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Australia’s rich don’t always get richer

May 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Sydney – It cost much less to get on this year’s list of the richest Australians.

Plunging stock markets and asset write-downs resulted in 28 fewer billionaires than there were in 2008, business magazine BRW reported Wednesday.

Hardest hit was iron ore tycoon Andrew Forrest, down from being the nation’s wealthiest man 12 months ago to eighth place in the BRW Rich 200 List, after seeing 7 billion Australian dollars (5 billion US dollars) in personal assets evaporate.

Top of the pile was Richard Pratt, the head of the global Visy cardboard empire, with 4.3 billion Australian dollars. Westfield founder and shopping mall mogul Frank Lowy was second followed by property tsar Harry Triguboff.

Mining go-getter Gina Rinehart remained the country’s richest woman, despite losing 4.3 billion Australian dollars from her treasure chest.

BRW editor Sean Aylmer said the stunning statistic was “just how much money” – 25 billion Australian dollars – was knocked off the combined net worth of the Top 200. (dpa)

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