Gary Neville rules out a repeat of the WAG problems of the 2006 World Cup

by

Gary Neville, a coach with the English football team, has said that there won’t be any repeat of the WAG problems that occurred during the World Cup in Germany back in 2006. Many families of footballers have also chosen to stay away from Poland and Ukraine because they fear that there might be some instances of racism.

In 2014 the competition is going to be held in Brazil and it is more likely that the WAG issue is going to re-occur then when the families of the footballers will probably want to go with them. Mr Neville has assured people that the chaotic scenes of the past are not going to occur again and the families of the footballers are not going to overshadow the footballers themselves.

Mr Neville has commented, “When we go abroad for a competition it is important that we don’t disturb the players too much, and that they have conditions that are similar to what they would experience at home. Between matches in the UK, footballers do not go out into the countryside, but they live in the city. This is why when we travel abroad, we choose to find accommodation in the city centre. This maintenance of normality is a way to ensure that the players perform at their best.”

This is Mr Neville’s first appearance as a football coach which is a great leap of faith when you consider the importance of the upcoming matches. Although he was a successful player, it is unknown about whether he is going to be able to translate that into coaching brilliance. Roy Hodgson chose Mr Neville as the coach after he was impressed by the various observations that he made while appearing as a pundit on Sky television.

Many people have been considering that the fact he was a television pundit might be a problem as he made comments about several of the players who he is now trying to work with. About this he commented, “Sure, I’ve highlighted mistakes, but I’ve always been honest and I think the players know this.”

English fans turning their backs on travelling to Euro 2012

by

English supporters are not interested in buying tickets for the three away Euro 2012 fixtures in June. The tickets have been for sale on the Football Association website and 12,000 tickets (nearly half) have been returned to UEFA for the games against Ukraine, France and Sweden – all being played in the Ukraine. The tickets will now go on sale to the general public.

The FA anticipates up to 10,000 tickets may be bought independently by fans but expects that only another 3,000 tickets to the games will be sold. England’s fans pride themselves on their support of the national team and it means that its supporters will be outnumbered for the first time in many years at a UEFA fixture

Kevin Miles, of the Football Supporters Federation says the downturn in the economy has certainly contributed to the poor ticket sales, as has the cost of accommodation and travel. Prices at hotels have been “inflated” and the long distances involved mean airfares will be expensive anyway.

The other issue, according to Miles is that although the matches are being marketed as a holiday package, neither of the venues – Donetsk, or Kiev – are viewed as holiday destinations. Miles, speaking to BBC Sport told the program that the lack of attractions in the cities, such as a beach left fans wondering what they would do between games.

Another concern is safety. Sol Campbell, the England defender, speaking on the BBC’s Panorama program urged Asian and Black fans to “stay at home” and not travel to the Ukraine and instead watch the games live on television. The show featured film of Asian and Black students being assaulted and this would have clearly put the issue into the forefront of supporter’s minds.

For several years the Foreign Office has had an advisory caution in place for Asian and Black tourists considering visiting the Ukraine. The warning has been in place for several years and it would almost certainly have had an impact on these fans considering attending the matches in the Ukraine.

However, Miles feels that while potential abuse of fans could be an issue it is probably not the main reason for the poor return on ticket sales. He thinks the majority of fans have made up their minds for a variety of other reasons, including cost and the decision to attend other Euro games instead.