Faltering England slim down 2018 bid team

November 13, 2009

England have responded to criticism of their bid to host the 2018 World Cup finals by announcing a reduced management team.

Bid chiefs held a crisis meeting Thursday and announced a new executive board which included Geoff Thompson, a vice-president of world football governing body FIFA, who was omitted from the original line-up.

After starting the bidding process as favourites ahead of Russia, Australia and the joint-venture by Spain and Portugal, England’s 2018 campaign has come under fire in recent weeks.

The bid has been severely criticised by Jack Warner, one of FIFA’s executive committee members, and Football Association chairman Lord David Triesman, also England’s 2018 chairman, has come under pressure over his inability to devote more than two days a week to his role.

Triesman will now head up a streamlined board featuring Premier League chairman Sir Dave Richards, Football League chairman Lord Brian Mawhinney, Lord Sebastian Coe, the London 2012 Olympic Games chief, former player Paul Elliott and chief executive Andy Anson.

Original board members such as Britain’s sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe will join an advisory group headed by Karren Brady, the former Birmingham City chief executive.

Triesman said: “We’ve got to a point where the England 2018 campaign requires focus, determination and where everybody involved has a specific purpose to help us win the bid.

“In our view, these changes reflect a positive development and send a loud message of an absolute determination to bring the World Cup tournament to England.”

According to a report in Wednesday’s edition of The Times newspaper, Warner’s influence is likely to result in “at least another two votes and probably more like another three or four votes” being lost.

England’s bid is also said to be suffering from a lack of financial investment, with the Government’s pledge of five million pounds (5.5 million euros) in direct funding having been cut to a conditional loan of 2.5 million pounds (2.7 million euros).

FIFA are expected to announce their decision on the 2018 hosts in December next year.

England have hosted the World Cup just once, in 1966, when they won the tournament for the only time in their history with a team captained by the late Bobby Moore defeating the then West Germany 4-2 after extra-time in a final at London’s Wembley Stadium.

LONDON (AFP)

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Coe joins England´s 2018 World Cup bid

February 18, 2009

LONDON (AFP) – Lord Sebastian Coe was confirmed Wednesday as a non-executive director of England’s bid to stage the 2018 football World Cup.

Coe led London’s successful bid to stage the 2012 Olympic Games and currently the chairman of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG); a position he will continue to hold.

Coe, one of Britain’s greatest athletes and now a leading figure in international sports administration, will continue as vice-president of the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) but will step down temporarily from his role as chairman of world football governing body FIFA’s ethics committee.

"I look forward to playing my part in our bid for the FIFA World Cup," said Coe, the Olympic 1,500 metres champion at both the 1980 and 1984 Games.

"I am passionate about football so am delighted to be standing alongside many other people and football greats up and down the country in bidding for this event.

"Winning the Football World Cup would be the hat trick in a golden era for sport in the UK following the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012 and the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014," he added.

"I will continue my roles as chairman of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games and vice-president of the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) but will be taking a temporary leave of absence from my position as chairman of FIFA’s ethics committee.

"I would like to thank FIFA President Mr (Sepp) Blatter for agreeing to this arrangement."

England 2018 chairman Lord David Triesman, also the chairman of England’s Football Association,said: "I firmly believe that making Lord Coe a member of our executive board significantly enhances our chances of success.

"His experiences in leading the successful London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic bid and generating a wealth of domestic and international support will be invaluable to us."

England have only staged the World Cup once in 1966, which was also the only time in their history they’ve won the tournament with a team captained by the late Bobby Moore defeating the then West Germany 4-2 after extra-time in the final at London’s Wembley Stadium.

Written by: AFP

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Ferguson is “most influential man in British sport

January 25, 2009

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is the most influential man in British sport, according to a list published by the Times newspaper on Saturday.

The list includes 100 sports personalities and Ferguson came in first ahead of London 2012 chairman Lord Sebastian Coe and Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour.

Ferguson joined United in 1986 and remained at Old Trafford ever since. As manager, he won more trophies than anyone else in British football. This includes two Champions Leagues and several league victories.

"He has been shaping our sporting lives for decades, to the extent that he is atop our summit, and the hard part is not establishing where his power starts but where it ends," the Times said.

Written by: Jonathan Roorda