CFU News - England's 2018 W/Cup hopes could rest on Warner

England’s 2018 W/Cup hopes could rest on Warner

 

Issued on June 23, 2007

 

ENGLAND'S hopes of staging the 2018 football World Cup could rest on winning the support of Trinidadian FIFA vice-president Jack Warner.

 

High-level talks about the bid have taken place between Government officials and FIFA figures, and the feedback is that the English will need to persuade Warner and his ally Chuck Blazer to support the 2018 finals returning to Europe, a report in the Edinburgh Evening News last week stated.

 

If strict rotation of the World Cup were to continue, it would be the turn of Warner and Blazer's CONCACAF federation to be hosts - in effect one of Mexico, USA or Canada - so the Football Association will have offer a pretty big carrot in return for their backing when FIFA's executive committee make the all-important decision in November.

 

Europe's chances of being given the tournament again and ending strict rotation do look good however - as high as 80 per cent, according to one source.

 

The importance of FA chairman Geoff Thompson's election to be Britain's FIFA vice-president following the John McBeth fiasco could be a plus for England.

 

Warner is a fan of Thompson has said he may abandon his campaign to abolish the British FIFA vice-presidency until his four-year term is over. Warner said: "Geoff is the one man for whom I may temper my enthusiasm for changing the FIFA statutes."

 

Last month,   McBeth was axed by his own associations as FIFA vice-president as one member of football's world body claimed good had prevailed over evil.

 

At a meeting of the four Home Nations in Zurich the outgoing SFA president, who is accused of racist remarks, was stripped of his post.

 

Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland decided to act before FIFA could take action against McBeth whose comments have caused world-wide outrage.

 

He had been nominated for the high-powered FIFA role but after he suggested African and Caribbean nations were tainted by corruption and greed, condemnation had been widespread.

 

Warner is in Chicago along with Blatter for Sunday’s Gold Cup Final between United States and Mexico.