Telegraph interview on England's 2018 World Cup bid

Today's Daily Telegraph features an interview with me on the subject of England's 2018 World Cup bid.

The piece also covers some of the other issues close to my heart, as well as a light-hearted inquiry into my choice of tailor!

The article can be read in full by clicking here.

Inspiration in South Africa

I’ve just returned from a busy but inspiring week in South Africa, starting with a visit to the Soccerex convention in Johannesburg, which brings together some of the leading football brands and what you might call “movers and shakers” in the game.

One of the most fascinating sessions was Sepp Blatter's keynote talk, which included what could be best described as an interesting perspective on Thierry Henry and the France handball incident, and more positively an impassioned reasoning of why it had been so important to take the World Cup to Africa.

I moved on to Cape Town in the middle of the week where I helped to launch ‘Offside’, an exhibition looking at the role South African footballers have played in the British game, against the social and cultural background in both countries.

This is a joint venture between the British Council and the District 6 Museum in Cape Town, and Kick It Out, and the Sheffield-based FURD in the UK.

It is an exciting project that will tell us so much about our histories through the mirror of football.

As luck would have it, England were drawn to play their second game of the tournament in Cape Town, against Algeria. Having now been there twice I can tell you that England fans will be in for a treat, it’s a beautiful city with a spirit amongst the people that is unmatched.

Looking at the draw, it was a good one for England. The USA are a strong, well organised team and it would be foolish to write off Slovenia and Algeria, but like most people I am confident England will do well and progress to the next round.

On the 2018 bid front, it was a great week. The team were busy at both Soccerex and the draw and the presence of David Beckham led to some crazy local coverage and by all accounts many positive meetings with the people who will be doing the voting next December – the FIFA Executive Committee members.

There’s still lots to do, many more hurdles to overcome but to me things look good.

2018 bid can showcase diversity

Welcome back to my blog. I haven’t posted for while but will do my best to keep this updated regularly through the coming months, come rain or shine.

I’ve recently been appointed as a Board Director of the England 2018 World Cup bid to ensure the diverse communities of England are at the heart of the work being done to present our country.

The bid has been dominating the sports news agenda for some time now, the media focus has been on disunity and negative statements but I know that our bid sets out a compelling argument for the World Cup to be in England in 2018.

England has a passion for the game reflected in our history; some of the best stadiums in the world, world class transport and accommodation infrastructure, and a multi-cultural society that will make visiting fans feel welcome no matter which part of the globe they’ve travelled from.

It is also an opportunity for a worldwide event taking place on our doorstep to celebrate diversity and promote inclusivity of all members of society. When people talk about leaving a lasting legacy, these things are important to me.

You can register your personal support for the bid at england2018bid.com As a Board member I want to be as open as possible and so if you have any doubts I’ll be happy to answer them, email me at paul-elliott@hotmail.com

The host cities for the bid are being decided tomorrow (Thursday) and when you look through who is taking part you see a list of cities that balance heritage and modernity, with football a passionate part of their culture.

I’ll be at Wembley to be part of the process, if your city is in with a shout the decisions are announced on December 16th, good luck!

Capello's first experience of club vs country row

It is probably a reflection on the way in which Fabio Capello runs things in the England set-up that we haven’t had a club vs. country row for a while.

The latest, Ledley King’s inclusion in the squad for the friendly against Slovakia and the World Cup qualifier against Ukraine has caused some excitement partly because it involves Harry Redknapp, one of English football’s biggest personalities. But for me it’s a very sad story that involves one of the most talented footballers in England.

A fully fit Ledley King would be in any England starting line-up. His composure, temperament, leadership qualities and ball distribution would force him into most squads in European football.

But his injury record is chronic. Like a counterpart from my own playing days, Paul McGrath, Ledley is a player of talent whose injury problems are blighting his career.

King needs a week to fully recover from a game and doesn¹t train between matches.

Last year he only played four league games. He was also forced to pull out of contention for the World Cup squad in 2006. McGrath suffered similar bouts of bad luck when it came to injuries, again knee-related that, in all probability, curtailed a medal-laden career.

Harry Redknapp was naturally quick to make his displeasure known toward the England camp and many people sympathised. Fabio Capello, however, saw things through a different set of lenses.

He saw an in-form defender whose defensive solidity is crucial to his club, and whose partnership with Jonathan Woodgate continues to flourish. In fact, I feel they’re as good a pairing as Manchester United’s Ferdinand and Vidic.

Woodgate is another one susceptible to long-term injury problems and as a consequence he has missed a lot of football. We've never consistently witnessed them playing as a defensive pair over a period of games until now.

King’s withdrawal from the squad means we can look at the situation from both perspectives. The club v country question always needs compromise. The outcome of this particular episode will no doubt delight Spurs fans and disappoint some England fans.

As for the fixtures themselves, I’m going for victories for England.

They top the qualifying group and they’re also commanding respect for their performances.

I put this down largely to Capello’s increased level of communication with the players. You have heard it before but football is a simple game and it is crucial for a manager to be able to convey his thoughts and ideas to the players. Otherwise, they won’t know what’s expected of them.

Juande Ramos is an example of this. A good manager but one who perhaps couldn’t quite overcome the language barrier in England. Capello’s grasp of how best to communicate to his players through language and long held knowledge of what players need is working, which can surely only be a good thing for our World Cup hopes.

Clubs' punishments must fit their crimes

Away from the domestic scene much of my work takes me into Europe. I am active in campaigning for racial equality across the continent. And one issue that is consistently raised in dialogue, is the problem in Spanish football.

We’ve seen the Spanish FA’s latest gaffe by penalising Real Madrid a mere 3,000 Euros after their fans made fascist gestures at a recent La Liga fixture. How can this derisory fine possibly serve as a deterrent to one of the richest clubs in the world?

For me, the solution is simple; implementation and enforcement of the law, alongside educational measures that aid integration. Governing bodies must get tough with incidents like the Real Madrid one. And, if key social messages are ever going to filter through to young football fans across the country, then the grassroots game needs closer inspection too.

I'll be watching the upcoming international fixture between Spain and England with anticipation. If we see a repeat of the vile monkey chanting of 2004, the Spanish FA must act. I’ve called for zero tolerance if we see a repeat of scenes in the Bernabeau of 2004 because I believe that footballers, like everyone else, have the right to work and perform in a racism free environment. Anything else simply isn’t good enough.