Spugsy

Doesn't bode well for the world cup mind.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2...world-cup-2022

co durham boy

I live 10mins drive from the Khalifa Stadium and i was lucky i got in . There was around 500 seats around me empty and most of the fans in my section were labourers that had been bused in to fill the 'so called empty seats' all without tickets.

Out of the 8 of us that went , 2 of us got in , it was pandemonium outside , mounted police with batons drawn and police in lines with shields up. All because people with tickets wanted to know why they couldn't gain entry.

The last people on Earth you would get to run a major football tournament coupled with customer liaison and giving football fans a great competition would be Gulf Arabs. They know nothing but their own satisfaction and are totally Alien to customer service and hospitality.

Remember Al Jazeera couldn't even get the World Cup on the TV last summer without blaming some kind of inter GCC conspiracy . Anyone who has lived or worked in Qatar will know that it is not a surprise . As always though the fans got the blame for turning up late.

They couldn't run a bath

Millsyisland

The wife and I went to Doha last year (or was it the year before) to watch England play Brazil - whilst we got into the stadium, actually getting there was mayhem. It seemed like there were only a handful of taxis in Doha and most of them already had pick-ups. We ended up managing to share with another couple going to the match.

We then left at half-time so we could get back to the airport - hate to think what it would have been like after the match with everyone leaving at the same time. As it was I had to run after an airport taxi after a drop-off and persuade him to take us back to the airport (with the aid of a wad of cash).

Seems like Qatar has a lot of work to do - whilst I expect they'll be able to build lots of pretty stadiums, there'll be a lot more to do on top of that to improve the whole infrastructure.

co durham boy

The frightening thing is , that's where the problem lies , it's not stadiums it's a whole new city they have to develop and build but it's the change of attitude that's needed.

In Dubai they need your money so your tolerated and thus have more choice in the way you live your life . In Qatar they don't need your money they don't have any tourists or even that many visitors , everything that is here is here for Qataris , if it suits them then they'll have it , which is fine as it's their country as i only want their money and will leave here when my job is over.

The problem lies when you are holding the biggest sporting event on the planet you need a total change of tact , cities can be built in time and everything put in place but it's the attitude , arrogance and aggression that will see them fail miserably.

Spugsy

Jesus, that big stupid fat twat Sepp Blatter has a lot to answer for.

Spugsy

I think it's going to be an unmittigated disaster.

Alexa

Yes, but it will be all swept under the carpet. There will be glowing reviews...just wait and see.
Unless the world changes and throwing sacks of money at it does not work anymore..

Boomhauer

The Bolded bit just cuts to the chase and lays it out accurately. To host a world event, the locals got to be inviting and ameable to wide range of cultures and peoples. It's a bit like the shop owner who thinks he is doing you a favour by selling to you and never accepts that he should be gratefull you are patronizing his business.

Spugsy

Good reviews in the ME, not for the rest of the world when loads of people end up deported or in prison.