Australian rival codes are scared of World Cup claims England bid ambassador

December 19 – Australia’s rival football codes are scared of the country staging the World Cup in 2018 or 2022 because it could sideline them, one of the ambassadors for England’s bid has claimed.

Paul Parker, the former Manchester United and England full-back, who now lives in Darwin, has joined the row started by the Australian Football League (AFL) and National Rugby League (NRL), who both claim that if Australia is awarded the tournament they might have to abandon their seasons because many of their stadiums would be out-of-use.

Parker said: ”I think they [the AFL and rugby league] are frightened because they know football is the world game.

“They are just that little bit scared that all these football mad people will come over and AFL and rugby league won’t be on the back pages around Australia which they wouldn’t deserve to be if the biggest competition in the world came here.”

But Parker, who played in the 1990 World Cup semi-final when England were beaten on penalties by West Germany, claimed the situation could be resolved.

He said: ”Avid fans of AFL and rugby league will stick to watching those sports, simple as that.

“As far as I’m concerned the three sports can work together over a five week period.”

Parker (pictured), who won 19 England caps during a career in which he also played for Queens Park Rangers, Derby County and Chelsea, relocated to Australia earlier this year to try to establish a top-class football club in Darwin.

He has been impressed by what he has seen in Australia and has no doubt that the country could host a successful World Cup.

He said: ”Blooming hell, Australia could do it easy.

“Just look at the stadiums compared to South Africa [host of next year’s World Cup] where they have had to build and replenish theirs to get it right.

“And they will only make it by the skin of their teeth.”