An Open Letter to The FA Chairman David Bernstein

Dear Mr Bernstein,

As a fan of football, both here in the UK and worldwide, I believe it is within my right to express my deep concern regarding the current circumstances surrounding football within the Premier League.

We have seen time and time again this season referees making poor decisions, based on players getting involved and influencing decisions, cheating and diving, poor offside decisions and what looks like biased refereeing towards certain teams. A referee is there to keep the peace, and to be the decision maker, in order to keep the game fair. How can they be keeping it fair when bad decisions are strewn throughout the game? Yes, there may be mistakes from referees, but when it becomes apparent that these mistakes are in every game, something needs to change.

We have seen Wayne Rooney get away with elbowing a fellow professional in the head, of which you commented that 'if the referee states he has seen the incident the FA is not able to make decisions except in exceptional circumstances'. If the FA takes no action towards incidents like this, then we are just telling youngsters involved in grassroots football that when the referee's back is turned, you can get away with anything. Is this the message we want to portray?

Referees seem to be feeling the pressure this season, and plenty of poor decisions have been made. So much so, that Mark Clattenberg, once deemed one of the best refs in the game, has earned the nickname 'Mark Clangerberg'. Even today, during the Sunderland vs. Liverpool game, we saw a penalty, that was a free-kick, which the referee was going to rightly award. However, when the linesman hadn't kept up with play, flagged and then changed his mind to a penalty, the referee followed suit, and gave a penalty, which changed the match. How can this be deemed acceptable? When a team lose a crucial 3 points because a team of officials can't get the decisions right?

It seems that with referees constantly making the correct decisions for years, we forgot to give the praise necessary. Instead, we concentrated on the bad mistakes, and the mass media has enforced this. Admittedly, we don't give referees the recognition they deserve after a superb game, but when they have poor, indecisive games, the bad press is deserved. If we don't hear via the press and the TV from the referees, as is currently banned by the FA and the Premier League, then how are we, as fans, meant to award the praise when they are not allowed to justify their decisions? It seems a very stupid, pointless rule to me.

All clubs in the Premier League, and throughout the Football League, strive to reach their dream of European football, and the financial windfall can be the difference between survival or administration, as we have seen in Portsmouth's case. However, the joys of football fans, such as Tottenham's continuing pursuit in the Champions League, goes to show quite how necessary it is for the English football league system to keep its four Champions League spots. With UEFA President Michael Platini trying to tear that fourth spot away and handing it to the winners of the FA Cup, one team will miss out, and the Big Four of Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool will continue to be the dominant forces in football. The most exciting seasons seem to be those where other teams make the grade, like Spurs and Man City, so losing that opportunity for European football would be catastrophic to the fans. We need to strengthen our ties with both UEFA and FIFA, and make sure that these proposals never take flight, keeping our football the way we like it.

Not only that, but with FIFA being one of the most corrupt organisations in world sport, we have to ensure that this does not filter through to our own national governing body. Your proposal to ensure two impartial, independent members on the Board of Directors of The FA will give more opportunity for fair proposals and reforms can be made that will benefit not only the Premier League, but the Football League, and amateur and grassroots football too. Adding two directors will not, however, make a difference to what we currently have, but will only impact on the future of football, so something needs to be done now as well.

International football is key to how the FA runs. However, had £798m not been spent on Wembley Stadium, we wouldn't have to have constant friendlies and international breaks. I am yet to find one manager who agrees with the international breaks that have to happen in order to gain that money back. The Millennium Stadium cost £121m, and is one of the best sporting facilities I have ever visited. How can Wembley have cost so much? A poor investment, if you ask me.

With England having to play these friendlies, we expect the best from our team. When you don't even see the 11 players, representing their country, staying silent during the National Anthem - then you know that something is wrong. There are 51 million people in England, the majority of who are very proud of their English heritage, and belt out the National Anthem at any given opportunity. These footballers, who earn in excess of £100,000 a week, should be banned from representing their country if they believe they are above the rest of us, and don't sing our anthem. They clearly do not care enough about representing us on an international stage. You don't see international teams, where the average wage of each player is below £10,000, not singing their anthem, becasue they see representing their coutnry as a privilege, and not as somehting else to add to the CV.

I do agree that the best manager available should fill Fabio Capello's shoes when he leaves after Euro 2012. But we know full well that foreign managers don't work, and nor do rushed decisions. Look at Sven, and Steve McLaren. These decisions should be made soon, and involve not only the FA Board, but the players, and those who truly run football - the fans. The only way to inject life back into international football is to make the fans feel that they too are playing for England, and if by involving them in big, monumental decisions, we increase crowds and increase interaction with the team, then that is how it should be done.

Instead of spending time arguing whether or not to ban snoods, we should be spending time working out how to reform football and the Premier League to ensure a fair official, male or female, is assigned to each game, who can keep a game under control and get the decisions right 100% of the time. We need to make sure the decisions that affect our game are made based on sufficient evidence, and backed by a number of senior officials who represent the clubs of our nation. We need to make international football something to be proud of, rather than just to keep the meter ticking over. And we have to make sure that the players playing our game are those of a professional demeanour - wanting to play football because they love it, not because of the money involved. Ultimately though, we have to make the fans of the Beautiful Game to feel as if the players are playing for them. The game is being played for them. And that football is a sport for them. Too much of our sport is about money now, and we need to get it back to the glory days when players played to see smiles in the crowd, not the number of zero's on their pay slip.

Yours Sincerely,

Adam Mills

A Fan of Football

Agree with me? Add your name using the comments box below, and then let's see if the FA will truly listen.

Taken from General Musings of an Idiot: http://www.gmoai.com

An Open Letter to The FA Chairman David Bernstein

Dear Mr Bernstein,

As a fan of football, both here in the UK and worldwide, I believe it is within my right to express my deep concern regarding the current circumstances surrounding football within the Premier League.

We have seen time and time again this season referees making poor decisions, based on players getting involved and influencing decisions, cheating and diving, poor offside decisions and what looks like biased refereeing towards certain teams. A referee is there to keep the peace, and to be the decision maker, in order to keep the game fair. How can they be keeping it fair when bad decisions are strewn throughout the game? Yes, there may be mistakes from referees, but when it becomes apparent that these mistakes are in every game, something needs to change.

We have seen Wayne Rooney get away with elbowing a fellow professional in the head, of which you commented that 'if the referee states he has seen the incident the FA is not able to make decisions except in exceptional circumstances'. If the FA takes no action towards incidents like this, then we are just telling youngsters involved in grassroots football that when the referee's back is turned, you can get away with anything. Is this the message we want to portray?

Referees seem to be feeling the pressure this season, and plenty of poor decisions have been made. So much so, that Mark Clattenberg, once deemed one of the best refs in the game, has earned the nickname 'Mark Clangerberg'. Even today, during the Sunderland vs. Liverpool game, we saw a penalty, that was a free-kick, which the referee was going to rightly award. However, when the linesman hadn't kept up with play, flagged and then changed his mind to a penalty, the referee followed suit, and gave a penalty, which changed the match. How can this be deemed acceptable? When a team lose a crucial 3 points because a team of officials can't get the decisions right?

It seems that with referees constantly making the correct decisions for years, we forgot to give the praise necessary. Instead, we concentrated on the bad mistakes, and the mass media has enforced this. Admittedly, we don't give referees the recognition they deserve after a superb game, but when they have poor, indecisive games, the bad press is deserved. If we don't hear via the press and the TV from the referees, as is currently banned by the FA and the Premier League, then how are we, as fans, meant to award the praise when they are not allowed to justify their decisions? It seems a very stupid, pointless rule to me.

All clubs in the Premier League, and throughout the Football League, strive to reach their dream of European football, and the financial windfall can be the difference between survival or administration, as we have seen in Portsmouth's case. However, the joys of football fans, such as Tottenham's continuing pursuit in the Champions League, goes to show quite how necessary it is for the English football league system to keep its four Champions League spots. With UEFA President Michael Platini trying to tear that fourth spot away and handing it to the winners of the FA Cup, one team will miss out, and the Big Four of Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool will continue to be the dominant forces in football. The most exciting seasons seem to be those where other teams make the grade, like Spurs and Man City, so losing that opportunity for European football would be catastrophic to the fans. We need to strengthen our ties with both UEFA and FIFA, and make sure that these proposals never take flight, keeping our football the way we like it.

Not only that, but with FIFA being one of the most corrupt organisations in world sport, we have to ensure that this does not filter through to our own national governing body. Your proposal to ensure two impartial, independent members on the Board of Directors of The FA will give more opportunity for fair proposals and reforms can be made that will benefit not only the Premier League, but the Football League, and amateur and grassroots football too. Adding two directors will not, however, make a difference to what we currently have, but will only impact on the future of football, so something needs to be done now as well.

International football is key to how the FA runs. However, had £798m not been spent on Wembley Stadium, we wouldn't have to have constant friendlies and international breaks. I am yet to find one manager who agrees with the international breaks that have to happen in order to gain that money back. The Millennium Stadium cost £121m, and is one of the best sporting facilities I have ever visited. How can Wembley have cost so much? A poor investment, if you ask me.

With England having to play these friendlies, we expect the best from our team. When you don't even see the 11 players, representing their country, staying silent during the National Anthem - then you know that something is wrong. There are 51 million people in England, the majority of who are very proud of their English heritage, and belt out the National Anthem at any given opportunity. These footballers, who earn in excess of £100,000 a week, should be banned from representing their country if they believe they are above the rest of us, and don't sing our anthem. They clearly do not care enough about representing us on an international stage. You don't see international teams, where the average wage of each player is below £10,000, not singing their anthem, becasue they see representing their coutnry as a privilege, and not as somehting else to add to the CV.

I do agree that the best manager available should fill Fabio Capello's shoes when he leaves after Euro 2012. But we know full well that foreign managers don't work, and nor do rushed decisions. Look at Sven, and Steve McLaren. These decisions should be made soon, and involve not only the FA Board, but the players, and those who truly run football - the fans. The only way to inject life back into international football is to make the fans feel that they too are playing for England, and if by involving them in big, monumental decisions, we increase crowds and increase interaction with the team, then that is how it should be done.

Instead of spending time arguing whether or not to ban snoods, we should be spending time working out how to reform football and the Premier League to ensure a fair official, male or female, is assigned to each game, who can keep a game under control and get the decisions right 100% of the time. We need to make sure the decisions that affect our game are made based on sufficient evidence, and backed by a number of senior officials who represent the clubs of our nation. We need to make international football something to be proud of, rather than just to keep the meter ticking over. And we have to make sure that the players playing our game are those of a professional demeanour - wanting to play football because they love it, not because of the money involved. Ultimately though, we have to make the fans of the Beautiful Game to feel as if the players are playing for them. The game is being played for them. And that football is a sport for them. Too much of our sport is about money now, and we need to get it back to the glory days when players played to see smiles in the crowd, not the number of zero's on their pay slip.

Yours Sincerely,

Adam Mills

A Fan of Football

Agree with me? Add your name using the comments box below, and then let's see if the FA will truly listen.

Taken from General Musings of an Idiot: http://www.gmoai.com

Deadline Day: Maximum Craziness

There is no other way to describe it. Just mental. Transfer Deadline Day is by a mile the greatest day of the footballing year. And you get two of them.

Forget FA Cup Final. Forget the Champions League. You ask every football fan around the country, and they get excited about Deadline Day. January is usually quieter - not today.

For the record, I've been advised to start writing more sports 'report' style articles and blog posts, in order to further my portfolio. Forget that today - it's a live feed of the Deadline Day madness that we all know and love.

I've been following it since 7 o'clock this morning, and from 4 o'clock this afternoon, will be blogging. Pictures, links and lots of (hopefully) bold deals appearing on here. So, keep your eyes peeled for my opinionated, biased talk, that is effectively a Twitter feed. let's go.

DEADLINE DAY. AND IT'S LIVE (ISH).

16:00 And we're off. Sat at home, with Sky Sports News on, the BBC Sport page wide open, and all the right Twitter followers appearing on my feed. It's a good day. So far, we've had plenty to talk about, but very little in terms of deals. The rumours of Fernando Torres from Liverpool to Chelsea for around £50m  look to be on, and off, and on, and off. And back on again. Andy Carroll should be on his way to replace him for upwards of £30m. Charlie Adam could also be going to Anfield from Blackpool. But let's see.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

16:13 Been very quiet, but hopefully this is the start. Obafemi Martins completes a 6-month loan deal from Rubin Kazan to Birmingham City. Was a great player at Newcastle, but left after they were relegated. Hopefully he can replicate that form.

16:19 Suddenly, Tweets pour in that Charlie Adam is likely to be heading towards Man United. As a United fan myself, I see this as very, very poor business. Especially when Blackpool wanted upwards of £10m for him. But no-one doubts Sir Alex Ferguson. Ever.

16:29 SSN say unconfirmed reports of Liverpool and Newcastle agreeing £35m deal for Andy Carroll, with additional payments on top of. Piss poor English, but frankly, I couldn't care lessw right now. That could be a defining moment today.

16:36 That could start it off. Once the Carroll deal goes through, Torres will join Chelsea. Then Liverpool will finalise the Suarez deal, and bid for Charlie Adam. Unless the United rumours are true...

16:42 Well well well. Now turns out that Newcastle rejected that £30m+ bid. Leaving it late now, are Liverpool. That's the second bid to be rejected.

16:45 Tuncay has gone from Stoke to Wolfsburg. Well, there's a big deal.... Hopefully a bit of cash involved for Stoke, and Pulis will go and splash that now.

16:55 It's all gone a little quiet... So what shall I do? Let's send the blog live. More updates and madness every half hour all the way up until the window closes. I don't care how many hits I get today, it's all about the fun. And teh deals, obviously.

Credit where credit's due... All info from teh great work of Sky Sports and the BBC Sport teams, likewise the photos.

Taken from General Musings of an Idiot: http://gmoai.posterous.com

London 2013: The Morning After 2012?

As we all know, after a good night out, the morning after is always the worst part of the party. The fun is all over and the headaches begin. Which is exactly what the whole of London could be facing come 13th August 2012.

The 2012 Olympics are beginning to pose a few problems that seemed easy to fix when we bid back in 2005. Back then, the whole country was behind the bid, knowing full well it was cheap, going to bring a lot of publicity and business to the whole of the UK, and going to be the biggest event Britain has ever seen.

Since then though, the budget has nearly quadrupled, from just under £2b to over £9b. No-one could foresee the credit crunch back in 2005, but the jump has had a huge impact on the British public's perception of the Games. We've even seen venue re-designs after the IOC ticked them all off.

See the full gallery on posterous

However, I'm still massively pro-2012. I'll do whatever it takes to be involved in some way with the Games, and make sure that I can be a part of the world's biggest event. I'm unbelievably excited, and cannot wait for it all to be happening on my doorstep.

But the big battle facing LOCOG at this current moment in time is this - who takes over the Olympic Stadium when the ticker tape settles and we've got a lot of clearing up to do?

The two major bids that seem to be the front-runners are West Ham, and Tottenham. Spurs have even put their own stadium build on hold to see whether they can get the Olympic one.

There's plenty of reasons for and against. And I mean plenty. There's lists and lists if you Google either of their bids. West Ham have pulled LiveNation, the concert company on board, and also Essex Cricket Club, in order to ensure a multi-sport, multi-venue arena. Spurs got AEG on their side, who turned the Millennium Dome, the UK's last white elephant, into the O2 Arena, and created one of the highest-grossing music venues in the world.

But Spurs want to move the whole stadium to Crystal Palace, and rebuild it all there. Then they want to build their own plans on the site. It would also mean moving the whole club from North to East London. Seems a little crazy if you ask me. Especially when Crystal Palace FC themselves want to develop the Crystal Palace site for a new stadium and athletics complex.

Still with me? Or too many Crystal Palaces? Too many choices? Yeah, me too.

West Ham's seems the best and most viable option. They will keep the athletics track, one of the promises made when we bid in the first place to the IOC. That's absolutely key, really, to the whole process. If you can tick off the track, you've got yourself a deal. It's primarily an athletics-based event, so keeping the athletics track needs to be involved. Even Lamine Diack, head of the IAAF, the world athletics body, says that if the track isn't kept, Britain loses 'all credibility in sport'. Fair point.

But with LiveNation involved, it opens so many other doors. Essex CC can play Twenty20 in the summer, and with the NFL interested in setting up a permanent London franchise, it gives them an option to alternate with Wembley for the International Series. You include the concerts, and the revenue for the stadium is huge.

There's a £35m pot there, from LOCOG in order to rejuvenate the stadium after the Games, and keep it in regular use. By the sounds of things, Spurs want to use that to transfer the current stadium to Crystal Palace, but West Ham want to invest it in the Olympic Park. It's all a very intricate, detailed, difficult situation, but from the very few details leaked to the press, it's an easy one for me.

The one thing we don't want is more white elephants just sat in the centre of London. The first decision is made on 28th January, when one bid is recommended to be selected. But it's all getting very tense, and too close to call.

We may not have the money to throw at the Games like Beijing did in 2008, but we can certainly make sure that the legacy of London 2012 will be with our country forever more. And that involves an athletics track.

For those of you who enjoyed this, have a read of Gordon Farquhar's blog on the BBC Sport site - great read. Also, get in touch on the ol' Twitter - I'm @Adam9309. Cheers all.

Taken from General Musings of an Idiot: http://gmoai.posterous.com

The Promised Land

There are so many historical moments I have witnessed thanks to 24-hour news. 9/11. The 7/7 Tube bombings. The 2008 Beijing Olympic Opening Ceremony. The 12-hour millennium celebrations in 2000. But there's two I hold close to my heart - more than anything else.

As many of you have been, I was born into a football-mad family, and have, because of this, been brought up with 3PM on Saturdays being a sacred time for any football fan. With Dad's Dad's Dad supporting United, Dad's Dad supporting United, and Dad supporting United, it was only a matter of time till I also became a Manchester United fan.

3 minutes, in fact. Dad had come back from the Man Utd vs. Crystal Palace game when Mum was about to go into hospital to have us, when we won the league for the first time in years. So, as I pop out, I'm in a United hat. Simple.

And I've lived through the glory years. I've been on the planet when United have won 11 Premier League titles, 4 FA Cups, 3 League Cups, 8 Community Shields, an Intercontinental Cup, a FIFA Club World Cup, have completed four cup Doubles and won The Treble. And did I mention we've won the Champions League twice?

Ah yes, the Champions League wins. Remember these?!

Back in 1999, I was just 6 by the time we were on for an unprecedented Treble. It was the season I attended my first United game too - at the age of 5, I went to see Everton get thrashed 4-1 at OT on 31st October '98. But it was May 26th 1999 that is the greatest day in MUFC history. Fact.

I'd been put to bed after watching the first half of the game - half 8 was a late night back then! But Mum came and got me up at the end of the game, and I watched us lift the trophy. That day has never, ever left me, and never will. It is a special day in every United fan's heart, and we all remember something from it.

I remember the victory parade days after. The replays of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer putting the ball in the net and winning us the match deep into stoppage time. I remember Mum holding the phone against the telly so Uncle Nick could weep as he watched in the States. And I still get goosebumps and tingles when I watch the game back. I've heard stories of fans who physically cry when they watch the game again. It was a magical, magical evening in Barcelona.

So let's relive it. Here's the goals, celebrations and the joy of English football.

But, we can't go through '99, without mentioning 2008! I was 15 this time around, and remember the whole season. A special season for United fans, as it was 50 years after the Munich Air Disaster which wiped out a golden generation of the team. How proud Sir Matt Busby will have been if he'd have seen this season.

It was, potentially, the greatest season in English football of all-time, based on performances. How many other occasions will we see the world's greatest player, Cristiano Ronaldo, score 31 domestic goals, and 42 in all competitions? How many other times will we see three English teams in the semi-finals of the Champions League?

How many other times will we see John Terry show his true colours?

120 minutes of tense, open, equal football between United and Chelsea, and that led to penalties. I had completely gone by this point - every nail was bitten, every hair was standing up, and everything in my stomach was turning round so fast you could wash your clothes in it and they'd still come out clean.

Goal. Goal. Goal. Goal. Boom.

Ronaldo misses, and realises instantly he's just lost United the European Cup. HE trudges back to the touchline, and sits, solemnly, waiting for the cheers, or the boos.

Goal. Goal. Goal. Nani to keep us in it. Goal.

John Terry to win it. Slips, scoops, over the bar. Mr Chelsea himself unveils himself as a closet Red, and we're back in there.

And it's sudden death - Anderson scores. Kalou scores. And on the night Ryan Giggs makes himself the all-time appearances record holder, with 759 games to his name, he steps up and plants it coolly into the net. All down to Anelka, and Van Der Sar makes himself a United hero, and saves it.

United are Champions of Europe for the third time, and my night begins. What a night. What a brilliant night. I'm not afraid to say I cried that night - it meant so much to every United fan, and after 3 hours of torture, it was everything we could have dreamed of.

Here's the whole penalty shoot-out for United fans to reminisce, and Chelsea fans to think what might've been.

Football. Bloody hell.

Taken from General Musings of an Idiot: http://gmoai.posterous.com

You Can't Buy Success In This League

Today, Sunderland Association Football Club were given a cheque for £18,000,000. That's gonna be followed up with a few more, equalling another £6,000,000. That's a total of £24m. Or £24,000,000.

You see, Aston Villa signed Darren Bent earlier this afternoon after 36 hours of negotiating. Bearing in mind Sunderland signed him for £10m, that's a great bit of business. But is there too much money in football?

Look at some of the other deals that have taken place or been rumoured today. We've had the £3m deal taking Steven Pienaar from Everton to Tottenham, so that Everton didn't lose the player for free in the summer. Ryan Babel is on his way from Liverpool to Hoffenheim for a reported £7m, which will help fund a deal for Stewart Downing to move from Villa to Liverpool for around the same as they paid initially - £12m.

That's on top of the deals we've already seen this January. Jean II Makoun has moved from Lyon to Villa for around £6m, and Edin Dzeko has moved from Wolfsburg to Man City for a staggering £27m, plus add-ons. So far, up to this point, £63,325,000 has been spent by Premier League clubs alone. And we're only halfway through this window.

But what about those bad investments? Clubs try to cover them up by bringing in better players, but the fans know that it was a lot of money wasted. This window alone, we've seen David Bentley, who only two years ago was the story of a £15m transfer deal taking him to Spurs from Blackburn, join Birmingham on loan in the hope of reviving his career. Wayne Bridge joined Man City two years ago for a rumoured £10m, but has gone on loan to West Ham because the constant investment in the team has left him without even a squad place. Another City reject, Roque Santa Cruz, who joined for £18m only 18 months ago from Blackburn, has rejoined his former club after a torrid time at Eastlands.

And there's still plenty more to come too. We've already seen Birmingham pull out of a £6m deal to take Robbie Keane from Spurs, and there's growing speculation that Liverpool, Spurs or Man United are readying a £20m bid for Ajax's Luis Suarez. Bolton may eventually bid for City's Shaun Wright-Phillips, and despite the constant denials from Harry Redknapp, rumours of Spurs bidding upwards of £15m for Newcastle's Andy Carroll are still spinning around in the big wide world.

We have seen this season that money and investment can take you places. Man City are currently sat 2nd in the Premier League, and Chelsea won the championship in 2005, 2006 and 2010. But this investment is nearly half a billion pounds. Surely football is not a business where that is feasible?

It is no wonder Manchester United are in £1.2b worth of debt, and in danger of not existing come 2017. The Glazers have come in, given the club a lot of debt, put their own business careers at risk, but kept investing in the club. Silly money is leaving the club, but not coming back in. UEFA have taken steps to ensure that any club who spends more than their turnover is banned from European competition. This is vital for the future of football as we know it.

Yes, we all want to see the best players in the world in the Premier League, and in particular, wearing our club's colours. But do we want to see them here, knowing that the extra £10 a ticket is to fill the hole that that player left in the club's loans and their overdraft?

Money usually leads to success in business terminology. And the constant investment in our country's teams has led to us becoming world-beaters in terms of club competition. But the money involved in some of these deals, and the implications it could have on the clubs is just pure stupidity.

All links and lovely pictures taken very kindly from the BBC Sport and Sky Sports sites.

Taken from General Musings of an Idiot: http://gmoai.posterous.com

FIFA Beef

I've meant to blog about this for a wee while. It was all announced on Thursday, but now it's all sunk in, I think it's about time I wrote a little something.

As we all know now, it's ended up with Russia 2018, and Qatar 2022. There's been a hell of a lot of uproar over all of this, but I'm actually quite happy with the result. It sticks to FIFA's plans of revitalising football-deprived areas. And Qatar's plan of demolishing parts of the stadia and donating them to third world countries is brilliant.

But, as a member of the British public, I've been inundated with the press and the media slagging off all the bids, complaining that we didn't win, and all that jazz. This is what we always do. Had we not won the 2012 Olympics, we'd have probably withdrawn from the IOC. It's just what we do.

Now I'm not the biggest fan of Sepp Blatter in the world - he does a lot of stuff for himself, rather than for the good of football. Yeah, he's probably been promised a lot of stuff to push through Russia and Qatar, but so what? If they believe it is the best bid, then fine by me. If it goes wrong, on his head be it.

But is that what has lost us the bid in the first place? Yeah, we had all the stadia in place, and the best transport links and stuff, but it's everything else that comes with it. The media in the UK just don't leave you alone. Look at the Panorama programme from earlier in the week.

We out some of the FIFA Executive Committee members as cheats - taking bungs and a shedload of money for their bid votes. We whine and moan, and try and woo them back over by sending Wills, Dave and Becks. It doesn't work, so we start resigning our positions at the FA and say we won't big again until FIFA is reformed. We're just stupid sometimes.

We should be embracing football. Investing in grassroots to ensure we still have the best players in the world in 10 years time. Not paying foreign managers £6m a year to manage a bunch of egotistical idiots for 10 games a year, at best.

We, as a footballing nation, need to have a good look at ourselves before criticising the big guys. Get a decent, and more importantly, stable infrastructure there to make sure that when we bid again, we walk in. And then, when we hold the World Cup, we prove that the inventors of the game truly are the greatest in the world.