England's manager Roy Hodgson is not welcome, says the Manaus mayor

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/dec/05/england-manager-roy-hodgson-manaus

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The mayor of the Brazilian city of Manaus says England will not be welcome during the World Cup because the coach, Roy Hodgson, said the jungle city is the place to be avoided next year.

The Manaus mayor, Arthur Virgilio, said on Thursday he hopes the luck of the draw on Friday will keep the English team from playing in his city. Friday's draw will determine who and where each of the 32 teams will play next June and July.

Virgilio said: "We would also prefer that England doesn't come. We hope to get a better team and a coach who is more sensible and polite. He's one of the few people in the world who is not curious about the Amazon, who doesn't want to know about Manaus."

Hodgson told English media this week that the weather in Manaus will be "problematic" for all teams, especially the ones in northern Europe.

"The tropical nature of Manaus is the problem," Hodgson said. "Manaus is the place ideally to avoid and Porto Alegre is the place ideally to get. Manaus will be a difficult venue for everyone, including the Argentinians, Chileans and Colombians, but for northern European players it will be a little bit harder. "

It will be winter in Brazil during next year's World Cup but conditions in Manaus are usually hot and humid throughout the year. Porto Alegre, meanwhile, is located in the southern region of the country, where temperatures are much cooler.

"You have a better chance if you get one of the venues where the climate is kinder," Hodgson said.

Virgilio was not impressed with Hodgson's point of view.

"To make excuses shows lack of enthusiasm and self-confidence," Virgilio said. "Fortunately the English people are different than Mr Hodgson. It's polite to be able to value what is beautiful. And nothing is more beautiful than Amazonia, [the state of] Amazonas, and Manaus."

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