to be proud to be British over the World Cup?

[Appletrees]

We are fantastic. We didn't lie, we didn't cheat, we didn't backstab. It was a great bid, football fans were behind it, it was honest, it was full of effort and hard work. I would rather do the right thing and lose than engineer, bully, threaten and bribe to win.

Well done us.

England doesn't have a poor reputation abroad. Why do people trek on foot for months to get here from Afghanistan? Why are people desperate for British citizenship? Why are there long queues at British embassy visa sections?

I know Fellatio -- absolute desperation to take hatred of nation so far. There's a lot we get wrong, but by God we at least try to get it right.

Are you proud that David Cameron is fannying about for photo shoots with Beckham while the Climate Conference is taking place without him?

LOLing at 'nice change' dig.

Yeah, I'm proud that our style was friendly football matches and photo opportunities and a lot of talking and Prince Willia stumping up his time.

Go us.

Why are you lolling? Don't you want the "fair play" label? Don't you want Westminster money?

lolling all the way to the bank, I think you mean

Lolling all the way to Daily Mail island.

Oh very cogent.

I love the way anyone who dares to put forth any opinion that is not anti-English or clearly left wing is automatically deemed to be a Daily Mail reader! So cheap and lazy and presumptious I can't even waste my time on the debate.

It's like saying "well you smell" when you've lost a quarrel aged seven or when clearly at the end of one's reasoning if one ever had any

Yes, quite.

God, just read aboutSepp Blatter talking about "the evil of the media" and about the Oz ad US bids.

Free speech not welcome apparently. Well it is here.

If I was FIFA, I'd be a lot more scared of the Russian mafia than the British Press.

Well quite. Bullies and bribers. Makes you proud to have avoided those little pitfalls.

I don't think it would have mattered how much money could have been on offer.

Publicly, the line was that Russia was chosen because the World Cup has never been held in a country like Russia.

However, in reality, I think the likes of Putin and his political mates were so blasé about it because they knew they'd paid for their bid to win. I can't remember what the news said was his reason for not going, but the fact that he didn't go when there were high end politicians from all the other bid countries there just speaks volumes to me.

Just face it: there are good pitches/facilities in Russia. Will be even more after Winter Olimpics 2014. You lost this time, will win next time. This is life and if you can't lose without findering left, right and center then it is not very polite and just confirms the image the English people have in the world. Being a Russian I know what I am talking about.

Due to austerity measures the U.K thought bringing Beckham and Prince Willy along was enough to turn the tide in their favour

You'll knowt that your country and your government is deeply corrupt then. This complacency is exactly what conifirms te image te Russian people have in the world. You must be so proud.

Really - they are welcome to one another.

Now what do we think about Quatar? Who in their right mind goes to Quatar in June?

They need to build 20 stadiums (no doubt at obscene ostentatious expense) which they will then....pull down.

Call me old fashioned but are there not better ways of spending money for such a very tiny, very rich state to get their kicks and amusement? It makes me feel a bit sick.

Of course in Russia we might not be having this conversation on the internet, with increasing efforts to disseminate propaganda and control anti-Putin comment.

I am vaguely cock-a-hoop that the bloody-minded media chose the completely 'wrong' moment to stick two-fingers up to FIFA . And not give a stuff.

I'm not British so this may seem a bit snide but I don't think the British bid can claim the moral high-ground. There was a fair bit of criticism from people within the bid towards the Times and Panorama for hurting the bid by uncovering the corruption rather than praising them for their investigative journalism.

Agree with Jenny, this is about England not Britain. David Cameron did say "here is the next king of England..". Can you imagine him ever saying "Here is the next King of Scotland.." or "Here is the next KIng of Northern Ireland"?

Well at least we will be spared endless media coverage for the next 12 years, or lottery money being diverted away from other projects (as has happened with London Olympics).

It seems England put in a good bid but were unsuccessful. There is no need to be bitter about it though.

Falling -- read the papers. And if you don't want to b associated with a strong sense of fair play, that's your look out.

Mayor I absolutely agree the most shameful part of the episode by England for me is the criticism of Panorama by our lot. Blind eye to corruption if we can win the prize. That was shameful.

Oh sorry I don't agree with the bit about not claiming the moral high ground though Mayor. We can. We didn't do that shit, we didn't lie, we didn't cheat, we didn't backstab, we didn't bribe.