OBVIOUSLY all of the football world will have their eyes on the first games played in this year’s FIFA World Cup in the next few days, more than four years on from the last one.

Because of the venue being in Qatar, the media have brought up many other things apart from football.

The French president, Emmanuel Macron, made a point this week, which I totally agree with, that the World Cup should not be used to raise political concerns. He said those statements should have been made when the tournament was awarded to Qatar in the first place, not now when it has finally come around.

The fact is there will be loads of press there and they will have a better opportunity to see what differences there are in that country and how it is affecting the man in the street and, of course, the ladies, where there are stricter rules for them than any other country.

Obviously there are serious concerns which should be publicised, but in my opinion it is totally wrong to bring up all of these situations now, just because the World Cup is there. Let’s stick to the football.

As far as the English players are concerned, I was very disappointed that James Ward-Prowse was not included in the England squad.

I am sure he will be very disappointed. There are one or two players who I think are lucky to be in there.

But, having said that, the England manager Gareth Southgate sees different games in the Premier League week after week. His whole career depends on performances and results, starting next week, with England playing Iran on Monday.

So James will realise he has much sympathy in this area, but I’m sure will be more determined to impress in league games coming up, which benefit his club.

Southampton, of course, have got two players away in Mohammed Salisu and Armel Bella-Kotchap, representing Ghana and Germany respectively.

One of the huge differences of course with this World Cup, is the fact that league games have had to be put on the back-burner, as the temperature in the country it is being played in, even now in the month of November, will be upwards of 30 degrees.

So imagine what it would be like in the summer, when the World Cup is normally held.

But club managers here will have a completely different situation than normal, depending on how many of their players have gone. The fact there are more foreign players competing in the Premier League nowadays, it could well be that more than half the team have gone for some clubs.

Training will be completely different. Players that are left behind will have to do more of a sort of pre-season situation. They won’t be sitting at home every day watching what is happening in Qatar.

But the only games they will have will be training games and I think one or two friendlies are being organised.

It is around five weeks for Saints supporters to wait to see their team in action again, against Lincoln in the Carabao Cup, before the next league game against Brighton on Boxing Day.

So let’s put that on the back-burner at the moment.

You can always see league games if there are lower league clubs in your area. And there will always be something on TV connected to Qatar.

Away from the World Cup, up to a point, but talking of the media coverage, a player I have mentioned often over the years, Mr Ronaldo, has taken the opportunity to, amazingly, come out with the fact that he wants to leave Manchester United.

For some reason, he has said he feels betrayed by the club. And also that he does not respect the manager, Erik ten Hag, and also the owners.

If ever a player was trying to get a free transfer, this is it.

He is now 37 years old, but there will still be clubs who will want him and Manchester United would certainly still want a fee, particularly if he does well with Portugal at the World Cup.

But with the way he has come out with comments will mean he will likely be kicked out the door.

It will obviously benefit him, getting the move away he wants, and he will not be bothered what those back in Manchester think about him now.