Soccer: Charlton goes in to play for 2006 cup bid

By Terry Maddaford

Sir Bobby Charlton is not one to live in the past.

Despite being very much part of England's sole World Cup success, Charlton accepts he is "one of the old bods who played in 1966."

In Auckland to help promote England's bid to stage the 2006 World Cup, Charlton said: "The past is okay and younger people are respectful of it, but we have to have something to give to the new generation."

Hosting the World Cup 40 years after that epic 4-2, extra-time win over West Germany at Wembley would, according to Charlton, be one way of helping the game in England.

"Everyone tells me football is the world's largest industry. In England there is a sense of great pride as we invented the rules of the great game," said Charlton. "Our business now is to try and get the World Cup back to England in 2006. It is an easy case for me to sell.

"I have had so much pleasure from the game, it is time for me to give something back," said Charlton, who is accompanying campaign director Alec McGivan on this latest vote-catching journey.

They leave today, assured of at least one of the 24 votes to be cast by Fifa executive members about this time next year.

Oceania Football Confederation president Charlie Dempsey told the pair at yesterday's media conference: "My vote will be with England."

A key part in beating off the challengers - Germany and South Africa are seen as the most serious rivals at this stage - is assuring Fifa that they will have the necessary stadiums to accommodate the flood of spectators.

"We already have 15 purpose-built stadiums which meet Fifa criteria and are capable of seating a minimum 40,000 spectators," said Charlton. "And when the new Wembley - it will be built whether or not we get the cup - is completed we will have the greatest football stadium in the world."

The England bid to host their second World Cup - and hanging very much on the coat-tails of their success in staging Euro `96 - has a budget of 10 million pounds.

"We have heard Japan and South Korea spent about 60 million to 70 million (pounds) on their bids for 2002, but we are way below that," said McGivan.

"We are well within our budget. We do not want to go over the top, even if our rivals are prepared to spend more."