Football: Berti's right to slag off Olympic bid.

WHEN a man as experienced in the politics of European football as Berti Vogts adds his voice to the claim that Scotland and Ireland were "stitched up" over Euro 2008 then it smacks of more than just paranoia on our part.

There have been any number of theories put forward as to why the Celtic bid did so badly, but it was a fair bet that as the strongest opposition to Austria/Switzerland it was decided to nobble David Taylor and company.

Put it this way: how else could Hungary, a country virtually without a UEFA standard stadium, possibly be considered the second best option to the ultimate winners?

With that degree of cynicism apparently around in football, it is impossible to disagree with Vogts that we should be pouring money into youth development rather than investing money into a bid to stage the 2012 Olympics.

Oiling the wheels of industry is all very well and it has to be hoped that the pounds 1.2million invested in the Euro 2008 bid has not all been wasted.

But considering the amount of politics which will go into choosing 2012 it is hard to disagree with Berti that we should be investing the money in something tangible.

CAPTION(S):

EXPERIENCED VOICE: Berti Vogts