The Times devoted three pages to the story this morning under the headline ‘Sheiks shake world game’ and branding it an ‘exclusive’. But it now seems certain that the idea of a super summer competition in Qatar for top European clubs was a hoax, starting with a spoof on a French website. Qatar has denied any knowledge of the scheme.
The Times devoted three pages to the story this morning under the headline ‘Sheiks shake world game’ and branding it an ‘exclusive’. But it now seems certain that the idea of a super summer competition in Qatar for top European clubs was a hoax, starting with a spoof on a French website. Qatar has denied any knowledge of the scheme.
As an April fool joke, it had just enough credibility to fool the gullible. What strained my credulity was the notion that games would be played in the summer when temperatures in the Gulf are 40 degrees centigrade minimum. Not only, was it claimed, would the stadiums be air conditioned but so would ‘public spaces’.
The premise behind the story was that top clubs were so greedy they would go along with anything if the price was right. As The Times claimed, ‘In Qatar, they get the distinct impression that football is available to the highest bidder.’ And, of course, Qatar spared no effort to get the World Cup and has lavished money on Paris Saint-Germain.
But they are not putting up £175m a club for a ‘dream league’. It’s a mirage in the desert, but like all mirages there is some connection with reality.