Blatter: Picking Qatar was ‘mistake’
PEP GUARDIOLA has hit out at the ‘crazy World Cup’ and said he would not blame his players for being distracted, as former FIFA president Sepp Blatter admitted that picking Qatar as hosts was a ‘mistake’.
And in a new low for the tournament, which starts in 11 days, World Cup ambassador and former Qatar player Khalid Salman said homosexuality is ‘damage in the mind’.
Guardiola’s Manchester City host Chelsea in the Carabao Cup third round tonight and Brentford in the Premier League on Saturday, and the manager said he would understand if his internationals were scared of picking up an injury on the eve of the tournament.
‘We have a crazy World Cup and the players can’t rest,’ he said. ‘The players have one eye on the World Cup. If you got an injury against Brentford, it’s not going to change anything in terms of winning the Premier League or not, but you’re going to miss the World Cup.
‘I had to tell the guys to be focused a month ago, but now it’s around the corner. We play Saturday and on Sunday they have to be with the national team.’
If City beat Chelsea, they face a fourth-round tie days after the World Cup final on Sunday, December 18. And Guardiola admits he has no idea how many players will be available and even joked about having to play his backroom staff. The Premier League resumes on St Stephen’s Day and Guardiola believes it is another example of English football not helping its clubs. ‘In Germany, their first game after the World Cup is January 20 — we start on December 26,’ said the City manager, who agreed that the full impact on players will not be apparent until later in the season. Also yesterday, Blatter made the startling admission that awarding Qatar the World Cup was a ‘mistake’. The Swiss was head of FIFA when they were named hosts 12 years ago, a decision that has been engulfed with corruption claims and seen human rights issues exposed. Qatar has been widely condemned for its stance on the treatment of migrant workers and homosexuality, and yesterday World Cup ambassador Salman said same-sex relationships are ‘damage in the mind’. In 2010, FIFA executives voted 14-8 in favour of Qatar to host the tournament ahead of the United States. And in an interview with Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger, Blatter, who claims he voted for the US, blamed then UEFA president Michel Platini for swinging the vote. ‘For me it is clear — Qatar is a mistake, the choice was bad,’ said Blatter, now 86. ‘The executive committee actually agreed that Russia should get the 2018 World Cup and the US 2022. It would have been a gesture of peace if the two political opponents hosted the World Cup one after the other. ‘Thanks to the four votes of Platini and his team, the World Cup went to Qatar. It’s the truth.’