UPDATE: QATAR has replaced Australia as the favourite to host the World Cup in 2022 just hours from the official announcement, leading online bookmaker Sportsbet.com.au says.
The US was favourite early in the week and while Australia has shortened in from $3 to $2.30, Qatar has been the biggest mover, leapfrogging Australia and displacing the US as favourite.
“We have taken a lot of patriotic bets on Australia but the promise of cash and plenty of it from Qatar is our biggest hurdle,” Sportsbet.com.au’s Matthew Campbell said.
Announcements on the hosts for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups will be made in the early hours of Friday (AEDT) after FIFA delegates hold a vote.
“The United State would like to think they can host the tournament again, but we see it a s a choice of two,” Campbell said.
Meanwhile, the world's media and local advertising gurus have reacted strongly to Australia's use of a stereotype-driven film to anchor its World Cup 2022 bid presentation.
New Zealand-born advertising guru, Bridget Taylor, Contagion creative director, described the ad as "cheesy".
But she said there were some positives.
"It does show off your beautiful country, but that's where my positivity runs out," she said.
"Overall this is a very expensive, cheesy ad. The story is drawn out, the featured stars feel a bit clumsy and it doesn't feel current."
What do you think of our bid presentation video? Vote and leave your comments below.
Ms Taylor said she liked the ad's slogan, 'Make our dream come true', but said it wasn't used to effect.
"If only that was the basis of the ad, I think that could have been really wonderful," she said.
"I think you're better storytellers than that.
"One thing that doesn't come through strongly is Australia's passion for football.
"You get the love of sport, but football feels secondary."
Ms Taylor said one of the biggest mistakes of the ad was that it didn't target the FIFA men charged with voting on whether or not the World Cup will come here.
"It feels like it was made for family entertainment, not sports-hardened businessmen."
Public communication expert Dr Robert Crawford described Australia's video as a case of the good, the bad and the ugly.
"In terms of the good, you actually see multi-cultural Australia on the world stage, right at the heart of the nation,” said Dr Crawford, a senior lecturer at the University of Technology, Sydney.
"The bad, that would have to be Julia [Gillard]'s acting - but also the notion of stealing the cup as well doesn't take us too far from the convict story."
The ugly, he said, was the use of Paul Hogan.
"OK, he's famous, but he doesn't have much to do with Australia."
Dr Crawford said stereotypes like the Kangaroo and the notion of stealing were necessary because "nothing says Australia more immediately and effectively than a kangaroo".
Dee Madigan, creative director of ad agency Socket, said she liked the idea of the film, but said it was poorly delivered.
"I like that they tried to put an idea into it as a vehicle for showcasing Australia," Ms Madigan said.
"And I love that the PM got involved.
"But I think it was let down by the execution which is, in a word, 'hokey'.
"And in 3 words, 'hokey, hokey and hokey'," she said.
World media organisations also slammed the ad.
The Wall Street Journal led the charge, saying Australia risked letting FIFA think it didn't take the event seriously.
"Leave it to the Australians to turn its bid to host the world’s biggest sporting event into farce," wrote Matthew Futterman on the Journal's website.
The Phillip Noyce-directed video - which features Paul Hogan chasing a kangaroo that has stolen the World Cup - was not treated kindly.
"McPherson cued the cartoon and the message that Australians don’t take anything too seriously. Of course, there is nothing FIFA takes more seriously than the World Cup," he said.
The World Football Insider blog was even more critical, saying the whole presentation was underwhelming.
"The contrast with the brilliant 'Come Play' film that starred Nicole Kidman and was shown at the World Cup bid expo in Cape Town almost exactly a year ago could not have been more startling," Mark Bisson and James Corbett wrote.
"It was left to bid chairman Frank Lowy to rescue the messy presentation."
Wire service Reuters was kinder, saying the Australian team "boldly veered away from the more staid format of typical presentations".
The Financial Times was more worried about Australia's lack of political clout.
"Australia talks up its Asian proximity, but cannot even strike a deal with its great cricketing rival, England, which has promised its 2022 vote to the US. Its strategy at its presentation, which included model Elle Macpherson, Crocodile Dundee and a kangaroo, was to portray itself as everybody’s friend," Roger Blitz wrote.
With Shannon Deery
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