Plymouth's final chance to convince Cup panel
THE team behind Plymouth's bid to become a World Cup 2018 host city was due to make its final presentation to football chiefs today.
A delegation from Plymouth was to be at London's Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre to give a 15-minute presentation to the selection panel starting at 4pm this afternoon.
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This was being followed by a 45-minute grilling from the panel members.
The decision on what cities will be chosen to stage World Cup matches, should England be chosen to stage the 2018 finals, will be made tomorrow.
The Host City Selection Panel and technical team has already made a detailed evaluation of Plymouth's 'final bid book'.
Keith Todd, Plymouth Argyle's executive director, said: "This is the final cross-check or reinforcement. It's putting across what we have given them already, and to answer any remaining questions.
"It might be the equivalent of someone being on the borderline of pass or fail, and this could get you across that line."
The Plymouth team includes bid chairman Douglas Fletcher, creative expert Anthony Lilley, the city council's James Coulton, Argyle director Paul Stapleton, project manager Chris Low, Hilary Frank, who has experience working on Tokyo's World Cup bid, and a 'guest appearance in relation to the stadium side.'
The Selection Panel comprises Football League chairman Lord Mawhinney, also chairman of the Applicant Host City Selection Panel; Andy Anson, chief executive of England 2018; and Simon Johnson, chief operating officer of England 2018.
Plymouth will be one of the final cities to make a presentation. Yesterday teams from Birmingham, Derby, Leeds, Newcastle/Gateshead, Hull and Sunderland faced the panel.
Today Leicester, Nottingham, Liverpool, Sheffield and Manchester will also make their final presentations.
Tomorrow Bristol, Milton Keynes and London get their chance to pitch.
The host city announcement will be made on at 3pm tomorrow at a press conference at the QE2 building in Broad Sanctuary, Westminster.
Applicant host city representatives will not be attending.
Mr Todd said bringing the World Cup to Plymouth could benefit the economy, social aspects of life, and act as a catalyst for football in the South West.
"We have a very professional bid," he said. "We're not arrogant, but confident."
3 Comments
by w hawker, Swindon
Tuesday, December 15 2009, 8:48PM
“Robert and the eternal pessimist strike me as , having little sense, little knowledge. and a disgrace to the City of Plymouth , would hate for them to be on the same side as me , in a war situation , they would worry more than the enemy . Bill”
by Robert, Cloud cuckoo land
Tuesday, December 15 2009, 8:37AM
“The "eternal pessimist" is right. Why would they choose Plymouth ahead of such sophisticated, cosmopolitan places like Milton Keynes and Derby, Hull and Leicester?
Those cities don't have half the problems we do. They each have modern airports capable of handling anything up to the space shuttle; they have free-flowing traffic systems that are the envy of Plymouth's town planners and are entirely free of drugs and anti-social behaviour.
I understand Sepp Blatter has already enquired about renting a villa on Lincolnshire's riviera coast in anticipation of a sojourn in the East Midlands in 2018.”
by Eternal Pessimist, Union Street
Tuesday, December 15 2009, 7:55AM
“For crying out loud! Give it a bleedin' rest will you. England isn't going to get this WC, let alone provincial little Chav ridden Plymouth. You lot are in 'cloud cuckoo land'. For the love of God grow up!
Have a nice day!”