Australia 'favourite' for 2022

[the_gun]

Paraguay coach Gerardo Martino said Australia would be a favourite to get the right to hold the 2022 World Cup

Martino watched his team go down 1-0 to the Socceroos in Sydney on Saturday but the Argentine, who first visited the country as a player almost 30 years ago in the 1981 World Youth Cup, believes Australia is tipped to win the bid.

"It's very simple. You have already held a competition like the Olympics here which was very good and you have all the infrastructure, plus Australia is a first world country," Martino explained.

"I was here a long time ago playing in the world youth titles and even then I was impressed.

"So I think you have a very good chance to win your World Cup bid."

Martino also believes the level of football in Australia and the Oceania region has improved in recent years.

"I don't think there is a big gap between the level of South American football and Australian football at the moment," he said.

"Australia is very competitive. Countries like Australia, Japan and New Zealand all did very well at the World Cup this year so it's always good to get experience against them."

Sydney's iconic Harbour Bridge was covered with 11,000 square metres of grass to host 7500 people for the annual Breakfast on the Bridge on Sunday.

The theme of this year’s event was Australia’s bid to host the 2022 World Cup.

A four-metre high football was rolled down the centre of the landmark by Football Federation Australia chairman Frank Lowy and chief executive Ben Buckley, along with a selection of Socceroos and Matildas including Mark Schwarzer and Tim Cahill.

"A FIFA World Cup in Australia will be fun, relaxed, safe and secure," Lowy said.

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/news/102 ... 7-for-2022

[Red-4-Life]

I hope he's right, good for Australian football when your opposition says that