Jonathan Wilson
π€ SpeakerAppearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
Say you're a Bosnian fan.
So Bosnia, their second World Cup, their first game is against Canada.
I had a look at that last week.
The price for that is $2,250.
Now, the average monthly wage in Bosnia is $800.
So you're saying to the average Bosnian, if you want to go to this game, only your fourth ever game at the World Cup, even before you pay the flights, the hotels and everything, it's going to cost you three months' wages to go and watch a game against Canada.
Disgrace, isn't it?
Mm-hmm.
I think if we go back to the first World Cup Scotland played in, 1954, which I'm afraid very much sets the template.
So to start with,
Rangers say, hang on, do we actually have to give our players?
We pay their wages.
So they get a ruling on this.
And the ruling is, if you've already got a game arranged, then no, you don't.
So Rangers' response is to arrange a tour of Canada so they don't have to release any players for the World Cup.
Wow.
So they then go to the World Cup.
Squads are 22 in those days.
They take 13, two of them are goalkeepers.
They take a massive selection committee.