AIBU to hope the USA crash out the World Cup because of this FIFA corruption?

[Namingbaba]

I'm no fan of Trump, but until this red card nonsense I hoped the USA would do well. I always think it's good when the tournament hosts do well.
But now it's come out that Trump personally called FIFA to get the red card removed? Absolute joke. It’s blatant corruption. I really hope Belgium absolutely humiliate them.

I think whether it should have been a red card isn't the main point. There are plenty of decisions that could be challenged. That's just the nature of the game.

I have been waiting for them to crash out from the start 🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪

They started a war for no good reason and have been rounding up their own citizens. If Russia are disqualified, so should the US. If you condemn Qatar for human rights violations, condemn the US too.

They have also done a poor job of hosting. These hydration breaks in air conditioned stadia just show how poorly they understand football and how money hungry the whole thing is. Disgusting. Glad they are out. Sad it took this long. Well done Belgium.

I still think Lord Dampnut will try to steal the trophy, like he did from Chelsea.

@Namingbaba I think Lukaku is a bit unfit!

@Crushed23 Do you not understand irony! Trump has obviously taken NO notice of football and doesn’t know the rules! How long do you think his interest has been in the actual game? The same applies to millions of Americans. They are very new to watching football and have only started due to this World Cup. Plenty of Americans thought Trump was correct. They don’t have 140 years of playing football. I agree other countries don’t either but they are not blatantly trying to rig a game via their presidents complaining!

Trump is reported to present the World Cup. Remember when he presented Chelsea with the World Club Cup, he pocketed a winners’ medal. Then stayed whilst the Chelsea players were cheering. Cole Palmer’s face was a picture.

Plus Chelsea has a replica trophy as Trump has the real one in the Oval Office

Can you imagine if Belgium wins it?

Hydration breaks are for the US tv networks for advertising!

They were part of stadiums with air con and when it’s been 17c

Yes, money hungry.

They don’t understand how the game works. Momentum, possession and stamina are completely broken with the hydration breaks, which aren’t even needed if there’s AC.

They are not going to have hydration breaks for some and not others! It’s way too hot for football in too many cities. However teams are now using the hydration breaks as part of tactics. England did. The medics have talked at length about the need for hydration and safety of players and if FIFA will choose hot countries, this is where we are. Spain/Portugal will be the same. Much better in South America (mostly) in 8 years time. It’s fifa that’s the problem but I want fit players. Playing at altitude was wrong too because it benefitted Mexico and no one else.

Plenty of competitions feature hydration breaks in some games but not others. The conditions before the game are assessed and it’s determined whether they will be needed.

The hydration breaks have given teams the chance to regroup and been beneficial in some cases. But at other times it’s been disadvantageous because it’s killed momentum.

As the old saying goes, football is a game of two halves - not four quarters. No one wants players to suffer so if FIFA are stupid/corrupt enough to organise a tournament in a stadium that’s too hot to play a full half, then of course hydration breaks should happen.

The issue isn’t about hydration breaks occurring when they’re vital - it’s about the fact that they were only insisted on in this tournament to please US moneymakers because they need to squeeze in an advertising break. It’s not about player welfare or improving the game.

I totally support hydration breaks when they’re necessary - but not when they’re implemented for financial reasons.

There have been hydration breaks in stadiums that are full air conditioned so regardless of the weather outside they will be at a steady temperature. The welfare point doesn't hold up in many cases. It's undeniably just for ad revenue. At least teams can prepare for it since it's all games but it does change the flow.

@Namingbaba No. Not entirely. It’s so that all games have the same format. There are no differences. In moderate temps it’s not needed but if you are actually understanding the nature of the breaks, they have developed into tactical team talks. It also means teams are playing to the 4 quarters model. That’s been very clear. I definitely don’t want to see football played in 35 degree heat with no hydration breaks. I object to playing a winter game in the summer full stop - but hydration breaks are now tactical breaks. Not sure how you’ve missed this?

Not sure what I wrote that claims teams aren't using these breaks tactically. I said teams can prepare for it. If you are forced to play in quarters you plan for quarters obviously.

There have been hydration breaks in tournaments in the past when it was too hot but no one complained about all matches regardless of temperature needing to have them for formatting reasons. If it were a fundamental sporting necessity to ensure an even playing field it would become a permanent rule of the game going forward. But that hasn't happened, it's a custom policy for this world cup. The next world cup is in Morocco, Spain and Portugal. All will be hot in summer. Some matches will likely need hydration breaks. You say it will be the same format - that hasn't been announced. We'll see but I would be amazed if it was, and if that's true it undermines the argument FIFA make about standardisation.

Using player's welfare and standardisation arguments are easier to make than we're trying to please American companies.

100% this.

Teams are using it for tactical reasons but that’s absolutely not why they were introduced in the first place.

Games don’t all need the same format - there have been matches in the past when hydration breaks were included while other games in the same tournament didn’t have them.

In the Qatar Workd Cup, hydration breaks were only used on an as-needed basis. So why suddenly for the US World Cup has FIFA decreed that there MUST be a hydration break, even in stadiums where conditions were cooler than the U.K? It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what’s really happening.

The PRIMARY reason hydration breaks have been introduced for every game is for US advertising - FIFA are keeping the money-men happy.

The reason why hydration breaks are getting booed during every match is because fans know it’s a cynical money-spinning move that’s designed for the US market - player comfort and safety isn’t what’s driving this.

Also worth pointing out that multiple coaches have said that the hydration breaks often aren’t needed. Many of them are opposed to them being used like this.

We’re now looking at a 45-minutes without halftime for the Final with seven different acts lined up to perform, Super Bowl-style.

We have the closing ceremony coming shortly after - there’s no need to fuck up the match timings. I don’t know how players will go back on the pitch without warming up again!

This World Cup has been a disgrace from FIFA.