The ex-Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has been busy with his job with FIFA, this week being a salesman, trying to convince the World that a World Cup every two years would be a good idea if his ‘plan B’ would be to have a Euros, Copa America, AFCON, Asia Cup, every other year.
Our former manager’s selling point is that either option gives more players an opportunity to play in a major international tournament.
The Frenchman is smart enough to know there is zero point in pretending that this isn’t motivated by his employers making money, but stressed that will be reinvested into academies, increasing the chances of various nations making their debuts at the World Cup. As things stand, approx. 133 countries registered with FIFA have never played at the World Cup.
The sport’s governing body having more money could be given to various associations to improve academies.
Whether Mr Wenger would be saying this if he were a club manager or is simply being a yes man to justify his pay cheque is uncertain.
I do agree with his counter argument to those who fear this will impact the players fitness and welfare.
The 71-year-old points out that there is zero point thinking that a summer without international football means precious rest for players.
Clubs simply see it as an opportunity to fly squads around the world to sell their brand. That’s the real reason The Premier League have already rejected this idea.
Don’t fall for this myth that major Leagues in Europe are worried about the sport being over exposed. UEFA are just as guilty as FIFA when it comes to what motivates them.
If they cared about too much Football being played, why add the Nations League, why create the Conference, why expand the size of the Euros?
It’s ironic they don’t see the Champions League being every year as a problem, a competition that has been accused of stagnation.
Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola have been trying for years to use their popularity to be a mouthpiece for the likes of Liverpool and Man City.
Yet the majority can see through this charade. Klopp wants to protect his players by asking for a fairer fixture schedule yet fails to mention the reason Liverpool are dictated what time they play at the weekend is because they have a billion-pound contract with overseas TV networks. He fails to ask J W Henry to not sign that deal so players can get their rest.
A Pep will petition for the Carabao Cup to scrap a two-legged semi-final and the FA Cup to cancel replays but then won’t question why his team are playing a friendly halfway round the globe.
Teams play weak line-ups in the Cups just to get a week off. Then during that week, they go abroad for ‘ warm weather training ‘.
Spurs and Chelsea once had prestige friendlies in Australia a week before Cup Finals
Arsenal themselves arranged a winter friendly in Dubai the year they got knocked out of the 4th round of the FA Cup.
So, if I have to watch ‘too much football’ I’d rather watch a World Cup than clubs going on tours.
FIFA making added revenue doesn’t offend me anymore than Stan Kroenke making money.
Would You Have a World Cup Every 2 Years?
Be Kind in The Comments
Dan
This format was inevitable, sooner or later.Don’t be surprise when you start seeing WC every year.
Yes
I would prefer two years of qualification for the European, African, Southamerican etc. Then use this tournament to pick out who represents in the world Cup the following year. Could even add a playoff for a few extra teams to qualify during that year.
So a two year break of qualification matches, and then two years of tournaments. So world Cup would be every third year.
Yes! Yes!! Yes!!!
Some sound and excellent ly mad points DAN. Though I firmly agree with much of what you write, my MAIN objection to a WC two yearly is that its value will be devalued unless we keep to four years.
WE ALREADY HAVE FAR TOO MUCH FOOTBALL and I fear for all top players, where burn out is concerned.
Players welfare should be a PRIME CONCERN.
SOME OF THE PLAYERS THEMSELVES FOOLISHLY PUT MONEY BEFORE THEIR OWN LONG TERM HEALTH.
Finally, too many influential people are bitterly opposed to two years and I include MOST fans worldwide, who I predict will NOT be persuaded, for it to ever happen, no matter how well it is explained.
And it WAS well explained but will not come to pass, IMO!
Dan, this seems like a “piggyback” article on from Jon’s excellent one of yesterday, while adding salient points put forward by JA people.
It does seem that more fans, having had time to think about the proposals and their consequences, are seeing the benefits.
Your point about playing lucrative friendlies is such an important one – throwing one’s arms up in the protest about too many games and then travelling the globe to play for money, exposes the hypocrisy of klopp, pep etc etc…. Arsene wasn’t backwards in doing this either was he?
Exactly right KEN!
Whatever is decided , for two or four years , what remains sadly certain is the entire calendar will be filled by money crazy execs who squeeze every ounce out of the money mad “pack donkeys” who worship money above all else; ie the “poor” but obscenely rich players.
The love of money above all else is what MOST SADDENS ME PERSONALLY.
I only hope that something, anything, happens to turn the tide of sickening attachment to greed, by virtually all connected with our game and which drives people such as I TO DESPAIR AT THE WRONG VALUES.
My shortly to appear article on the harm that greed does to all in football will tackle this head on. I hope you will appreciate what I have to say; I know many will not !
Hmm Ken1945, my memory tells me that Wenger used to take the squad for very low key trips to places like Belgium and Austria to prepare for the start of the season, and it was only when Kroenke took control that he was forced into these money-sppinning Far East and USA trips.
Or is my memory faulty?
No, your quite correct Pat and we all admired him for that.
But, as you say, when kronkie took over, the trips further afield began and Arsene was quite happy to go along with it.
There was, of course, the Emirates to pay for, so there might be some merit in what he did (AW that is) but I don’t think he ever came out and suggested these trips should stop.
Mind you, if kronkie wanted it, as his employee, what could Arsene have done?
Little bit of Devil’s advocate there 👺
At the end of the day though Pat, if his suggestion that you world Cup should be played every two years and IF all the aforementioned tournaments and friendlies were discontinued, wouldn’t you agree that this would be a step forward…. especially if FIFA continue to site the competition in countries that will see their favourite players in such a prestigious competition?
What annoys me is that England are playing WORLD CUP Qualifiers against the likes of San Marino, Andorra and other minnows. What is the point?
There should be seedings and maybe 4 divisions of countries, with promotion and relegation or summat like that?
But @ken1945…
Back to the question of Wenger and preseason games, here is Wenger talking in 2009…. When asked at October’s annual meeting, attended by Kroenke, whether he would be willing to take the club to the US, Wenger’s response was clear: “No – it doesn’t prepare the players properly, it’s not possible to take players who are just back from World Cups or European Championships, and the Champions League qualifiers might be vital to the season.”
Pat, that is what he believed and was applauded for…. now follow your first observation regarding kronkie changing that strategy and you have an employer telling an employee what needs to happen.
That’s why this “all powerful Wenger image” is so wrong – just like any other employee he did what he was told.
If you think it through, that can be the only logical explanation for his change of direction…. unless you can think of some other reason?
Agree with your seeding suggestions, based on geographical information.
Ken on your post about an employee simply doing as he was told, I do agree and heartily.
This is precisely WHY I have always maintained that Kroenke has always been – and by FAR – the main obstacle to us being able to truly compete with the other clubs with owners who CARE about THEIR clubs.
Almost to the exact week you could see the remorseless decline in our club once Dein was forced out and Kroenke first came onboard in 2007.
When the owner cares nothing then no wonder the lack of ambition permeates down through all the other employees.
Obvious, when you give it even a moments real thought.
If only others would see it and stop blaming AW for ALL our ills Jon.
The really stupid thing about kronkie’s thinking though, is due to the fact he doesn’t understand/care about the footballing side of his investment, our decline these last four years could have been avoided IF he had invested in the way he has this window.
why do you think such a corrupt organization hired on Wenger…it’s not like they changed their business model as a result of having him in the fold….much like Kroenke did in the post-Highbury years, they’re simply using Wenger, or should I say his once revered reputation, in order to better sell their nouveau money-making schemes…it’s called being a well-paid schill…now, of course, his presence will likely have some positive ramifications, even if only by osmosis, but anyone who thinks that this money-hungry dumpster fire of an organization has turned over a new leaf, I’ve got an investment opportunity that you should strongly consider involving “air rights” on the moon