Down to the Wire in Zurich, Panorama or Not.

England, of course, should win the vote to stage the 2018 football World Cup in two days' time. I say "should" rather than "will" because, although we quite clearly have the best stadia, the best infrastructure and all the history and tradition behind the great game it appears, once again, that we have not played the political game too well.

How on earth we find ourselves behind Russia, and with Qatar pushing hard at us as well, with 48 hours to go is beyond me. It appears that lessons from previous bids have not been learned.

Still, there is time. One of the reasons why London received the vote from the IOC to stage the 2012  Olympics was the appearance of not just the sporting greats in Singapore - headed by David Beckham and Sir Steve Redgrave - but by the efforts of the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair.

Say what you like about Blair, there is no doubt that he made a significant difference at the business end of the bid stage. Here's hoping that David Cameron, together with Prince William and of course, football royalty in the shape of Beckham again, pulls it around in England's favour.

Has the BBC's Panorama expose done us in any favours? Not really, but that is because of the nature of FIFA and how it works, rather than the BBC. It would be churlish to criticise the Beeb for exposing highly questionable antics within FIFA, and better to hold full-scale, independent inquiries into the game's world governing body.

Together with the IOC, members of the FIFA Executive form one of the most exclusive clubs in the world, one that is very hard to penetrate and one, by its very nature, that is open to corruption. If we lose the bid but cause a total overhauling of FIFA then this week has not been a lost cause.

My heart says we will win, but my head disagrees. For what it is worth that is exactly how I (and many others) saw it with London 2012, right up to decision day itself. If it had been a track and field race London pipped Paris with a late surge on the line. England may need to do the same in Zurich.

If they succeed it will be a wonderful World Cup in 2018. Then it is just about finding a team good enough to actually win the damn thing!