England World Cup bid

[Fernandinho]

Sky Sports News

Don't you all bitch and moan about the channel???

Its on a commercial break now right?

[Neil Young]

I've never really seen Cameron being outposhed before.

[Shaggy]

World Cup 2018: who is Eddie Afekafe, England ambassador?

It has been quite a month for Eddie Afekafe. Overshadowing David Beckham, David Cameron and Prince William as the star turn which may land England the 2018 World Cup, though, may even top receiving an award from the Prince's Trust for his work helping football change hundreds of lives.

While the former England captain, the Prime Minister and the heir to the throne garnered all the headlines in the build-up to Fifa’s long-awaited judgment day, it was Manchester City’s Social Inclusion Manager who offered the most poignant insight into what the legacy of bringing the World Cup to England for the first time in more than half a century would be.

That should be no surprise, given his qualifications. After all, far more than his more illustrious colleagues on England’s bid team, it is Afekafe who knows how much impact hosting the tournament would have.

Every week, Afekafe coaches 300 people in Moss Side and East Manchester as part of City’s community scheme and the Football Foundation’s Kickz project, designed to help young people change their lives through sport.

He was named Young Ambassador of the year by the Prince’s Trust on Nov 5 for dedicating more than 100 hours to raising the Trust’s profile and helping to secure thousands of pounds of funding.

Indeed, so highly-regarded is his work that it should be little wonder he showed so few signs of nerves in front of Fifa’s delegates. He has already addressed former Prime Minister Gordon Brown in front of an audience of hundreds and spoken about the Trust’s work at the House of Lords.

But it is not just his experience in discussing the success of such schemes that made the 27 year-old such a natural choice to supplement England’s star guests on the Zurich stage. Afekafe himself is an example of the very message the bid team hoped to express in their presentation.

After a spell of unemployment, he attended Team, a 12-week personal development programme in a bid to fulfil his dream of working in sport. He received financial support from the Prince’s Trust to fund his FA Level 2 coaching qualification - the work experience part of which he completed at City’s community scheme.

He started volunteering with Kickz, eventually being promoted to a role as one of the project’s lead coaches, and in January 2008 he was handed full-time work by City.

“After overcoming so many challenges, I am now content with life,” he said. “The biggest reward is that I am happy, I have a smile on my face everyday and I enjoy what I do. Dave [Coppin, of City’s community scheme] was a big inspiration and a positive role model in my life and has encouraged me to get where I am today. I hope one day to inspire people to grasp opportunities given to them.

“Looking back, I have surprised a lot of people on my journey, most of all myself. I have proved that I can be a better person and I am more determined not to waste my life. I would encourage others to never give up.”

[Shaggy]

Don't you all bitch and moan about the channel???

Its on a commercial break now right?

Yeah and yeah

It's ****, but they have live coverage of this thing and will be showing everything a hundred times between now and decision time.

Edit - it's back on now.

[Neil Young]

I wish P William would make his mind up about whether to look like his mother or his father.

[sniffer]

the US have hosted it recently and again they have dont have the heritage or the public's interest.

I remember when they got it and just before the tournament started they played Trinidad and Tobago and when a guy interviewing people outside the stadium asked an American fan who was going to the game "how do you think USA will get on in the game?" the cough fan cough said "Why do we have to play 2 teams at the same time"

Would like to see England win this one as it will bring some of the world cup to Nottingham and they will be using the teams around the east midland training facilities and in 1966 the Portugal team actually stayed in Derby (where i live) in the hotel 5 mins away from my house

[Fredo]

Beckham looks he's lost a fair bit of weight.

[Shaggy]

I wish P William would make his mind up about whether to look like his mother or his father.

It's insane isn't it, he looks just like both of them. Who'd have thunk it

[Shaggy]

Nick Collins' tache gets bushier and bushier

[BillobShaisley]

Hope Spain get it

They had it in '82

European world cups since 66

Germany 74
Spain 82
Italy 90
France 98
Germany 06

That leaves Holland and possibly Portugal with genuine moral claims, but they are both involved in joint bids and both have had recent Euro's. Given that our claim is technically sound and arguably 'the best' what grounds they have for giving it to anyone else are purely biased.

[Fredo]

I think he looks more and more like his father. I'm quite surprised by his accent though, thought it would be more posh than that. Seems his days as an helicopter pilot in the army has done him the world of good.

[Rudo]

Beckham looks he's lost a fair bit of weight.

Was Beckham ever overweight???

Still, what a man he is, i hated him when he played for the Mancs but since then i've totally changed my view on him as a person.

[Vermilion]

Some dodgy characters looking over shoulders at this meeting.
One on the left looks familiar....and dangerous, even though he's not very tall.

[PTP]

haha a bit like someone who used to post on here regularly?

[Fredo]

Was Beckham ever overweight???

Still, what a man he is, i hated him when he played for the Mancs but since then i've totally changed my view on him as a person.

No, but I thought he looked particularly skinny in this picture. Also noticed this last night when I saw him on TV.