Arsene Wenger believes the football world is warming up to his idea of a World Cup every two years.
The former Arsenal boss is now handling a very influential position in world football as FIFA‘s head of global development.
He is looking to bring some changes to the game and one of them is playing the World Cup every two years and shortening the number of international matches.
This proposal hasn’t been received well by UEFA, other footballing bodies, and some fans.
However, the Frenchman seems to believe that the perception is changing, and in a recent interview, he claims that the world is now warming up to the idea.
The Premier League-winning manager attributed the initial reservation about it to the fact that we have all been emotionally attached to the idea of a World Cup every four years.
He then asked for someone with a better idea to present it to him.
‘I consulted everyone and I asked them two questions. 1. Do you want things to continue as they are? 100% said no. 2. Do you have ideas to reorganise the international calendar? I am open to all ideas,’ he told L’Equipe via GetFrenchFootballNews.
‘Between 80% to 90% of people like the idea of reorganising qualification rounds, to shorten them, and to make space for an international competition.
‘A World Cup every two years, there was more reticence towards it because there is something emotional in it. We are all in this routine and cycle of a World Cup every 4 years which seems natural. But when you look at history, it is not that natural.
‘I am open to all suggestions and all criticisms. They are welcome for me. This is not a personal fight for me. The only thing that I ask is that those who are criticising the project, that they give me something better. But don’t try to denigrate my credibility. I would prefer that people criticise the project and tell me why.’
So if the World Cup happens every 2 years, does the Euros cease to exist? That’s the only way I could see it working.
The problem is essentially two fold IMO.
Firstly, there remains and will always remain,IMO, a significant proportion of fans globally whoi are implacably against a two yearly WC.
The second and even more huge obstacle to a change is that it would start a “war” between UEFA and FIFA as to which of those corrupt and money grabbing bodies controls European football.
IMO, it wil not change from 4 yearly and I personally do not want it to either.
In fact, I will not be following the corruptly awarded comp to QATAR in any event, as I resuse to condone – by watching – that disgusting country and the corrupt financially led decision to award the WC to Qatar. I urge all other right thinking fans to do the same.
I do not forget either that AW, trustworthy as he is regarded and widely so, IS in the EMPLOY of FIFA and that is surely a salient point, my wise thinking friends!
Personally I would rather have the Euros every two years…
Playing in Qatar is a farce!
Agree completely about Qatar
So do I – but blame Blatter and his greed and corruption… along with many others within FIFA.
Not sure what that has to do with AW’s proposal though.
International football is very much the poor relation compared to club football. England is still a very insular country and English fans know little or nothing about any other countries players even power house near neighbours France Germany Spain and Italy.
England in fact has no traditional rivals in Europe let alone the rest of the world.
Scotland and the Republic of Ireland hating England is the closest you will get to any kind of rivalry. Other wise Internationals are just an annoying interuption to the main course…club football.
As with all the ideas that Arsene puts forward, his thinking is years ahead of others.
The possibility that a majority of fans worldwide MAY not want a world Cup every two years, means absolutely zilch in my opinion.
Think of all the other things that have changed, when fans didn’t want it, but the power brokers (FIFA /EUFA/FA) did.
I believe that AW is trying to stop the needless and endless “friendlies”, by introducing the idea of a prestigious two year world cup that EVERY country would want to win… along with the fans!!!
I assume then KEN THAT YOU ARE ALSO IN FAVOUR OF A TWO YEARLY WC?
Unwise to be so IMO, as there is no way on EARTH, in REALITY LAND, that the Euros or CL or UEFA will be abolished .
Nor any other Euro comp either and so players will become mere burnt out pawns in the wider financial FIFA led corruption to cram still more football into an already vastly overcrowded calendar, ironically led – even though not intended as corrupt, in his case – by AW.
Wiser fans will resist this tooth and nail , even though it is proposed by a man whom you and many others hero worship and think can never do wrong.
Well, he failed to stand up to Kroenke when his arch support and supporter David Dein was banished. Didn’t he!
AW could have, had he wished, put his own job on the line for his best friend in football and at that time AW was unsackable as he and we all know.
So , NO I do not think his judgement was or still is always top grade, even though his intended ethics may be.
No Jon, I simply don’t know the FACTS and neither do you.
But I am willing to listen and learn before dismissing a proposal being put forward as an idea for discussion.
As for “burnout of players” Arsene Wenger has said that his initial ideas would give players MORE time off and, also, MORE time at their clubs, as travelling would be reduced.
I’m surprised you didn’t know this, as you seem so against the idea… but it seems you haven’t studied the points already leaked.
Of course, like all us mortals, AW makes mistakes and this might just be another one, but until all the relevant associations sit down and discuss it, we won’t know will we???? Especially the fans around the world who you say are against it – can you enlighten me as to where you get that idea?
As for AW resigning over DD’s sacking…. perhaps you should read what David himself said?
AW wanted to resign, but DD asked him not to, for the good of the club… to me, that sounds just the way BOTH men would have behaved.
I can give you chapter and verse if you want Jon and it’s straight from the horse’s (David Dein) mouth.
Naivety in the extreme KEN.
If you seriously imagine players can possibly ever get more time at their clubs with extra comps to play, esp as none of the existing ones will be culled, then perhaps you would kindly explain HOW that works!
I am surprised and somewhat insulted that you think a dedicated fan like me would not have known exactly what was said and the full context too about Deins sacking! OF COURSE I know what happened!
BUT I also know that AW, if he were serious about wanting DD to stay, could and SHOULD have confronted Kroenke and demanded his reinstatement, no matter what Deins statement said.
DD clearly did not want to be forced out and THAT is what mattered , not mere statements,(which you always, always take far too literally, as I HAVE MANY TIMES TOLD YOU,) esp without full context and bearing in mind that, as close friends, DD would not want to embarrass his friend or pressure him.
But I know and you know that DD really wished to stay.
But he was forced out and look how that has damaged our club ! It led to GAZIDIS AND AS THEY SAY, THE REST IS HISTORY.
So don’t be so naive,Ken!
Jon, you are the one backpeddling on both points.
Let’s take the WC every two years first.
As we don’t know what EXACTLY AW is proposing, why would you say the opposite to the man who is actually proposing the idea?
You have no more idea what is in the proposal than I have…. but AW certainly does!!
Why would he say these things, if, when discussed, they prove to be false?
I suggest it is YOUR naivety in saying it is a non-starter, before you know what is in the proposal.
We don’t know if friendlies will be phased out, or the CL format may be changed – in fact, despite your protestations, you know ONLY what AW and our media are putting out… so why not wait and see what happens, before slamming the idea?
Secondly, the DD/AW situation.
It seems to me, that you only want to believe something if it backs up your viewpoint.
BOTH AW and DD have confirmed that what I said actually took place and bringing Gazidis into the discussion has no point whatsoever.
AW had already put years into making The Arsenal a top club, not only off the pitch, but on it as well.
It was DD who introduced kronkie to the club and it was DD who wanted our club to move to Wembley.
So, just like AW, he also made mistakes and, please remember, he went behind the boards back and that also resulted in his sacking.
So,, instead of trying to portray AW as not backing his best friend, perhaps the question should be why was it necessary to put AW in a position that you think he should have confronted the club over?
How many times have you said “no one is bigger than the club” and yet you think AW would have brought the board and kronkie to their knees and asked DD to come back?
NAIVETY AT IT’S BEST Jon.
I also noticed you didn’t back up your “fans around the world” claim with examples/facts…. you could well be correct, but isn’t it rather NAIVE to think that, with nothing to back it up?
Ken It is nonsense to say that I do not know what is proposed, when Wenger has himself publicly said that he wishes a now two yearly WC cycle.
What IS still in doubt is how all the other comps will fit around it. But its plain common sense, as my above post said, that FIFA and UEFA do not and will not , EVER, see eye to eye on a two year cycle.
I stick to what matters and am not interested in all the things yet to be decided, at least NOT UNTIL they are decided, since we fans have no say in things.
But some things are at least decided in that they are what AW and FIFA wish. The battle will, very soon, commence for the soul and control of European football, between those two corrupt bodies.
As for the DD matter we are at very different views in the whole thing and the timing and consequence of the events that happened and I do not change a single thing about what I BELIEVE AND NOR WILL YOU, SO LETS LEAVE IT THERE.
I do agree though that DD made tactical judgement mistakes but he, with AW beside him, was still the best duo in our history and the fact that our steady decline started from DD BEING BETRAYED and Kroenke entering in 2007 is now beyond serious dispute.
I am amazed that you think discussing GAZIDIS IS OF NO POINT, WHEN IT IS A MAJOR REASON WHY WE HAVE FALLEN SO FAR.
Agsin5Jon, you are not digesting properly what was said in the article regarding AW’s words.
Two questions were asked and acted upon by AW.
He is now asking that his proposals are discussed and counter proposals put forward.
Of course we know that he thinks a World Cup every two years is his suggestion, but what we DO NOT KNOW is how he intends to achieve it.
Until we do, as the associations talk it through, then it is ridiculous to dismiss it out of hand – after all, AW is not a novice in footballing matters is he?
As for DD, AW and gazidis, the sacking of DD had nothing whatsoever to do with either AW or gazidis – that is what I meant when saying gazidis was not part of the discussion.
As for the partnership, we agree on that at least, but it was the actions of David Dein that caused his sacking and his alone.
As much as I disagree with the decision that the board and kronkie made, AW had nothing to do with that decision, or what caused it.
Sorry,, but DD gave the board/kronkie all the ammunition they needed.
My post to KEN has once again disappeared for no reason at all.
Always only my first post on any thread stays there while any subsequent one always disappears.
Anyone know why this happens please?
An absolutely ridiculous notion full-stop