Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

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dibraidio
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Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by dibraidio » Tue Sep 27, 2022 10:34 am

Message from Eric Cantona :

Me, a lover of football, with a heavy heart, I have made my decision, I will follow it. I will not watch a single match of this world cup.
It costs me because since I was a kid it is an event that I adore, that I look forward to and watch with passion!
But let us be honest with ourselves! This world cup makes no sense. Worse it is an aberration.
Already because Qatar is not a footballing country! No passion, no tradition.
An ecological aberration, with all these air-conditioned stadiums….what madness, what stupidity!
But above all, a human horror show… how many thousands dead to build these stadiums, for what in the end, to amuse the gallery for two months…and nobody cares…
The caricature of what man is capable of being at his most rotten extreme!
The only sense for this event, we all know, it is money. It is stronger than everything…business is business…the rest…
I have made my decision! I will not watch! Arff, I know that they won’t care, and my little self will not change the face of the world.
But me personally, I just don’t want to participate in the grand mascarade. And to make money for those who close their eyes or hide behind their little finger saying it is not our fault, we can’t do anything…states, federations, TV companies, presenters etc etc. Yes, you can do, it is enough to make a simple decision.
Tell us we won’t play, we won’t show it, we won’t publicise it etc. etc. It is very possible. Sometimes in life, we must make decisions, even if it costs us.
But all those people haven’t done it… once again, the money is more important than anything.
So I’ve decided I will not participate in that. That France win or lose, I don’t care. In life there are things more important than football. Instead, I will watch every episode of Columbo, it’s been a longtime since I watched them.
I am hoping that this makes my football friends stop and think as I did. Fewer viewers, less money in their pockets, it’s as simple as that.
Qatar is not a football country. I am not against the idea of organizing a World Cup in a country where it’s possible to develop and promote football, like in South Africa or USA in the 1990s.
It it just a question of money and the way they’ve treated the people who built the stadiums is horrible. And thousands are dead. But no matter, we are going to celebrate this World Cup. To be honest, I don’t worry about the next World Cup, because it isn’t one in my view.
Eric Cantona
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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by evensteadiereddie » Tue Sep 27, 2022 11:11 am

Fair enough.

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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by Steve1956 » Tue Sep 27, 2022 11:15 am

Fantastic footballer...very weird man.

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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by Burnley1989 » Tue Sep 27, 2022 11:17 am

dibraidio wrote:
Tue Sep 27, 2022 10:34 am
Message from Eric Cantona :

Me, a lover of football, with a heavy heart, I have made my decision, I will follow it. I will not watch a single match of this world cup.
It costs me because since I was a kid it is an event that I adore, that I look forward to and watch with passion!
But let us be honest with ourselves! This world cup makes no sense. Worse it is an aberration.
Already because Qatar is not a footballing country! No passion, no tradition.
An ecological aberration, with all these air-conditioned stadiums….what madness, what stupidity!
But above all, a human horror show… how many thousands dead to build these stadiums, for what in the end, to amuse the gallery for two months…and nobody cares…
The caricature of what man is capable of being at his most rotten extreme!
The only sense for this event, we all know, it is money. It is stronger than everything…business is business…the rest…
I have made my decision! I will not watch! Arff, I know that they won’t care, and my little self will not change the face of the world.
But me personally, I just don’t want to participate in the grand mascarade. And to make money for those who close their eyes or hide behind their little finger saying it is not our fault, we can’t do anything…states, federations, TV companies, presenters etc etc. Yes, you can do, it is enough to make a simple decision.
Tell us we won’t play, we won’t show it, we won’t publicise it etc. etc. It is very possible. Sometimes in life, we must make decisions, even if it costs us.
But all those people haven’t done it… once again, the money is more important than anything.
So I’ve decided I will not participate in that. That France win or lose, I don’t care. In life there are things more important than football. Instead, I will watch every episode of Columbo, it’s been a longtime since I watched them.
I am hoping that this makes my football friends stop and think as I did. Fewer viewers, less money in their pockets, it’s as simple as that.
Qatar is not a football country. I am not against the idea of organizing a World Cup in a country where it’s possible to develop and promote football, like in South Africa or USA in the 1990s.
It it just a question of money and the way they’ve treated the people who built the stadiums is horrible. And thousands are dead. But no matter, we are going to celebrate this World Cup. To be honest, I don’t worry about the next World Cup, because it isn’t one in my view.
Eric Cantona
Good on him, I can’t say I’m happy with it at all but I’m a bit of a hypocrite because I’ll likely watch some of it.
Not looking forward to it at all, but then again I watch very little football unless it’s Burnley.
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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by jrgbfc » Tue Sep 27, 2022 11:22 am

Fair play, I'd have fully supported our FA if they'd have said England will boycott it.
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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by Lancasterclaret » Tue Sep 27, 2022 11:22 am

He's right

But I think its right to have the world cup in each continent, rather than always in Europe

So Asia, Middle East, Africa, Europe, Americas every four years

Would stop a lot of the corruption I feel

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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by yTib » Tue Sep 27, 2022 11:25 am

just one more thing eric...
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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by 4midable » Tue Sep 27, 2022 11:44 am

I had an image of him performing a flying kick into an arab in full dress for a brief moment

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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by groove » Tue Sep 27, 2022 11:47 am

Interesting contrast to Beckham, who couldn't wait to whore himself out on the Qatar promotional video. I know who I respect more.
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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by Pickles » Tue Sep 27, 2022 11:50 am

I think the World Cup should definitely be in a variety of countries and continents.

That part of the world hasn't had one so I support it in that way just as I'd support a World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, China, India, Morocco, Nigeria etc etc. The World Cup is all the better for this sort of variety.

The other issues with Qatar are more contentious however.

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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by Stalbansclaret » Tue Sep 27, 2022 11:50 am

I just love that he tells us he's going to watch every episode of Colombo :D

Just checked and there were 69 episodes and they were between 70 and 98 minutes long so broadly speaking similar to watching a football match in time terms. There will be 64 games in the Qatar World Cup so he's actually come up with a very neat replacement viewing strategy !
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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by RickyBobby » Tue Sep 27, 2022 11:51 am

Lancasterclaret wrote:
Tue Sep 27, 2022 11:22 am
He's right

But I think its right to have the world cup in each continent, rather than always in Europe

So Asia, Middle East, Africa, Europe, Americas every four years

Would stop a lot of the corruption I feel
I think you have missed the point. He even say’s he isn’t against the world cup being in a country like Qatar where football can grow, but the issue is the corruption to hand it to them in the first place and more importantly the people who have suffered and died building the stadiums and infrastructure. No one should ever die to bring a world cup to a place, it show’s a lot about humanity that people do think it is acceptable what they have done to people over there.
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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by TheFamilyCat » Tue Sep 27, 2022 11:57 am

He went a bit heavy on the commas in that first sentence.
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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by NottsClaret » Tue Sep 27, 2022 12:00 pm

He's a top guy, Cantona.
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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by Lancasterclaret » Tue Sep 27, 2022 12:08 pm

RickyBobby wrote:
Tue Sep 27, 2022 11:51 am
I think you have missed the point. He even say’s he isn’t against the world cup being in a country like Qatar where football can grow, but the issue is the corruption to hand it to them in the first place and more importantly the people who have suffered and died building the stadiums and infrastructure. No one should ever die to bring a world cup to a place, it show’s a lot about humanity that people do think it is acceptable what they have done to people over there.
He's 100% right

The rest of my post is my personal opinion

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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by Alanstevensonsgloves » Tue Sep 27, 2022 12:10 pm

I have to admit, the eco / humanitarian considerations aside, I will probably enjoy watching Columbo more than the vast majority of the games as well.

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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by GodIsADeeJay81 » Tue Sep 27, 2022 12:11 pm

RickyBobby wrote:
Tue Sep 27, 2022 11:51 am
I think you have missed the point. He even say’s he isn’t against the world cup being in a country like Qatar where football can grow, but the issue is the corruption to hand it to them in the first place and more importantly the people who have suffered and died building the stadiums and infrastructure. No one should ever die to bring a world cup to a place, it show’s a lot about humanity that people do think it is acceptable what they have done to people over there.
Doesn't he point out its already an aberration because it's in Qatar, a country with no football/tradition?
He's straight out of the gate with that.

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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by SussexDon1inIreland » Tue Sep 27, 2022 12:15 pm

I only watch Burnley games, gave up on International soccer years ago.
Also don’t watch other Club matches.

UTC
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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by Quicknick » Tue Sep 27, 2022 12:30 pm

Steve1956 wrote:
Tue Sep 27, 2022 11:15 am
Fantastic footballer...very weird man.
Thoughtful, not weird.
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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by dibraidio » Tue Sep 27, 2022 2:22 pm

TheFamilyCat wrote:
Tue Sep 27, 2022 11:57 am
He went a bit heavy on the commas in that first sentence.
You can blame me for the translation. I got the text from a Facebook post that has been doing the rounds on French Social Media, I've seen at least four versions of it shared online.

I decided to boycott it as soon as it was announced. I've warmed up by not watching any international games or searching for match reports or scores during this break and to be honest it's been easier than I thought.

Whether it's human rights, sexism, racism or homophobia Qatar is diametrically opposed to everything that football claims to stand for. I've decided to "kick it out".
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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by mkmel » Tue Sep 27, 2022 6:10 pm

Russia 'given' the World Cup then Qatar.

Who's next Saudi Arabia followed by China? $$$$$

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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by Burnley1989 » Tue Sep 27, 2022 6:15 pm

mkmel wrote:
Tue Sep 27, 2022 6:10 pm
Russia 'given' the World Cup then Qatar.

Who's next Saudi Arabia followed by China? $$$$$
Probably to be honest

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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by Spijed » Tue Sep 27, 2022 6:21 pm

mkmel wrote:
Tue Sep 27, 2022 6:10 pm
Russia 'given' the World Cup then Qatar.

Who's next Saudi Arabia followed by China? $$$$$
Islamic State might be allowed to hold it if they came up with enough cash!

Seems as long as you have enough dosh then anything goes.

Are the Taliban at a loose end these days?

:)

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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by rufus lumley » Tue Sep 27, 2022 6:43 pm

North Korea must have a chance.

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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by Dark Cloud » Tue Sep 27, 2022 6:45 pm

He's not wrong int Eric and because of all the shenanigans around it being given to Qatar in the first place and then the impact it's going to have on the domestic footy season shortly etc, etc I really can't work up and ounce of enthusiasm for it tbh. I'm pretty sure it was Australia who were "outbid" (clearly literally) at the final vote off and that would have been a miles better shop window for the tournament in my view and would still have fulfilled the laudable aim of sharing the finals around the continents. WC in Qatar = rubbish!

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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by Elizabeth » Tue Sep 27, 2022 7:08 pm

Brilliant player, brilliant actor. I can believe he will not watch a game in this haunted World Cup unlike those who say they will boycott it but will be sitting in front of their tv if England progress to the final stages
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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by Stayingup » Tue Sep 27, 2022 10:30 pm

Character for sure and he has a very good point here. But brilliant actor??? I watched him.in films on tv when I lived in France and well ....no

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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by Stayingup » Tue Sep 27, 2022 10:34 pm

The world cup is rnow so riddled with politics and money
Its lost its aura. Many of the fans are moronic as well. Personally I would love China to win it.
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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by bfcjg » Tue Sep 27, 2022 10:55 pm

Not a seagull or trawler in sight.

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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by houseboy » Tue Sep 27, 2022 11:12 pm

I agree totally with Eric (apart from the Columbo bit). This WC was always bought and should have been scrapped when the FIFA shambles was exposed. He is also right when he says it could have been stopped by various countries saying no thanks. Imagine a WC with no Germany, Argentina, France, Brazil etc. Domestic competitions are being held up because it can’t be played in Summer. All because a rogue state with a shocking human rights record was rich enough to buy it. And yes, there is no history of the game there and they even had to build football stadia because they had none to speak of. And again the deaths from those constructions were unacceptable.
I also agree with not watching it, I have said as much a year ago, because I have no interest in this shockingly awarded tournament, which is why I have been more than ambivalent about England’s qualifying games. In fact I have often wished they hadn’t qualified as it would have made my decision not to watch that much easier. And for Eric Cantona to say he doesn’t care if France win or not it shows the depth of feeling he has for this WC.
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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by Tall Paul » Wed Sep 28, 2022 8:54 am

mkmel wrote:
Tue Sep 27, 2022 6:10 pm
Russia 'given' the World Cup then Qatar.

Who's next Saudi Arabia followed by China? $$$$$
No, it's USA, Canada and Mexico.

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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by Buxtonclaret » Wed Sep 28, 2022 1:19 pm

bfcjg wrote:
Tue Sep 27, 2022 10:55 pm
Not a seagull or trawler in sight.

Fixed that.


https://youtu.be/L1N0iOP8J7Q

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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by Bigvince » Wed Sep 28, 2022 1:51 pm

jrgbfc wrote:
Tue Sep 27, 2022 11:22 am
Fair play, I'd have fully supported our FA if they'd have said England will boycott it.
So would I
But do you think the FA would ever do anything that would have an impact on them financially?

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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by It Is What It Is » Wed Sep 28, 2022 3:58 pm

I still cannot believe or comprehend why the Saudi's were allowed to own Newcastle.
Their human rights records
are atrocious.
Oohh yes there's the answer..its Money.
The EPL should their heads in shame.

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Re: Eric Cantona on the Qatar World Cup

Post by claptrappers_union » Wed Sep 28, 2022 4:16 pm

I can't say I'm that bothered about the World Cup this year, I've taken zero interest in it so far.

That said, when it comes to final, I'll probably be wearing face paint screaming at the television...

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