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2022: Nasty case of Qatar

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    Is it true that they've set the schedule for this now, 21 Nov to 18 Dec?

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      Yes, that was some time ago I believe.

      The final’s on my wedding anniversary which is rather thoughtless.

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        You're being far too hard on yourself. You didn't know at the time that it would clash.

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            'Qatar authorities deny any wrong-doing.'

            And there was me thinking they'd simply break down and confess.

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              that broke FIFA rules
              The bribes and the human rights abuses were just fine.

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                Originally posted by Pietro Paolo Virdis View Post
                Is it true that they've set the schedule for this now, 21 Nov to 18 Dec?
                Why didn't they do it instead during the winter break, in January? It would have been less disruptive.

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                  Because then it would be the 2023 World Cup.

                  I love that this story eclipses 'Army on standby for Brexit emergency'.

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                    Where will the EU forces invade then, Dover from Calais, or maybe the garrisons will be stationed along the Northumbrian coast, to ward off Viking-style attempts from Brussels?

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                      Originally posted by imp View Post
                      Because then it would be the 2023 World Cup.

                      I love that this story eclipses 'Army on standby for Brexit emergency'.
                      January happens in 2022 as well as 2023.

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                        Originally posted by San Bernardhinault View Post
                        January happens in 2022 as well as 2023.
                        True. Possibly deadline difficulties moving it forward that far, given that countries hosting major sporting events are almost always putting the finishing touches to venues weeks before things get under way.

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                          With those fixture dates, the Qatar tournament will be even easier to ignore than the one in Russia. Good.

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                            Also, qualification for 2018 finished in November 2017. That doesn't leave long for those teams to get sorted for January.

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                              Originally posted by Belhaven View Post
                              With those fixture dates, the Qatar tournament will be even easier to ignore than the one in Russia. Good.
                              Anyone that ignored the Russia World Cup did so at his/her own cost, frankly.

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                                Originally posted by imp View Post
                                Because then it would be the 2023 World Cup.

                                I love that this story eclipses 'Army on standby for Brexit emergency'.
                                Of course it does in the Sunday Times. There probably wasn't a "Corbyn is an anti-Semite" story to be had.

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                                  Originally posted by Jah Womble View Post
                                  Anyone that ignored the Russia World Cup did so at his/her own cost, frankly.
                                  To some extent, I came to agree with this point of view. Not necessarily because of the football, which judging by the match reviews in Kicker seemed to have the usual proportion of classic, presentable and forgettable encounters. But because of missing out on the communal feeling of watching games and talking about what was going on - it's only every two years that my whole family gets interested in football, and I really missed watching games with them. So much that so that it's time to come out as a hypocrite who boycotted the first 60 matches, then when I got back home from my self-imposed exile caved in for the final four. I couldn't hold out for those final few days.

                                  I blame England. Despite not being English, I couldn't entertain the thought of missing the moment England actually made it into a major final. Even though I wasn't really sure if I wanted them to win, for the usual non-football reasons.

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                                    Originally posted by imp View Post
                                    To some extent, I came to agree with this point of view. Not necessarily because of the football, which judging by the match reviews in Kicker seemed to have the usual proportion of classic, presentable and forgettable encounters.
                                    Not sure I can agree with that: there were far more exciting encounters - particularly in the knockout stages - than in recent tournaments. The number of significant late goals scored was also greater than 2014, for example. (By contrast, only one game finished goalless - I'd be surprised if that could be said of any tournament since the sixties.)

                                    England's progress certainly helped drive interest here in the UK, but the best games were obviously those featuring other nations.

                                    The final - for once, worthy of its preceding tournament - was also the first to see both sides dish up more than one goal in over thirty years.

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                                      Originally posted by imp View Post
                                      Even though I wasn't really sure if I wanted them to win, for the usual non-football reasons.
                                      Could you expand on this? We discussed this a lot in tournament threads and I felt the non-football consequences of them winning would eventually become tolerable, but then I don't live there so would not have to suffer them directly.

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                                        Originally posted by Jah Womble View Post
                                        Not sure I can agree with that:
                                        Makes you wonder if it had anything to do with Germany making it all the way to the bottom of their group.

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                                          Originally posted by Satchmo Distel View Post
                                          Could you expand on this? We discussed this a lot in tournament threads and I felt the non-football consequences of them winning would eventually become tolerable, but then I don't live there so would not have to suffer them directly.
                                          It's the ambivalence that comes with being raised in England under Scottish parentage. It was exactly the same in 1990. I start out the tournament wanting England to lose so I can send scoffing messages to English mates. As they start to do quite well, I get caught up in the team, despite myself. I know the players, and if they're half-way likeable (as the current bunch is, in contrast to Terry, Gerrard, Cole, Lampard, Rooney etc.) I start easing myself on to the bandwagon. Instead of mocking English mates, I congratulate them. I'm a snake, really. But then I start to think about England winning the thing - how we heard about 1966 for decades, how many idiots will think this makes the country somehow "great" after all, BNP, EDL, FLA, Brexit etc. And though I still want the football team to do well, it means that when they get knocked out at the semi-final stage after all, I'm more than relieved. So, against Croatia - which I happened to be watching with German friends - I cheered the early goal. But I wasn't at all sad about the two Croatian goals either. In that sense, I'm not even loyal enough to be labelled a plastic supporter. More like a cardboard supporter. One left out in the rain.

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                                            [QUOTE=imp;1460832 One left out in the rain.[/QUOTE]


                                            You bastard. Wanting to leave your cake out in the rain and eat it, with no regard to the earworm consequences for everyone else.

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                                              Hey, it made me happy. I love that song.

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                                                https://globalnews.ca/news/4386347/f...ode-of-ethics/

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                                                  While My Qatar Gently Weeps

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                                                    Originally posted by Satchmo Distel View Post
                                                    While My Qatar Gently Weeps
                                                    That's my douchebag test.

                                                    Call it "Qatar" as in "Guitar" = You're cool.
                                                    Call it "Qatar" as in "Gutter" = You're less than cool, almost a douchebag.
                                                    Call it "Qatar" as in "Cutter" = DOUCHEBAG

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