World Cup Qualification System.

[Bobby Sands]

Its pretty stupid isnt it.Look at how Trinidad and Tobago qualified:

First they play a first round game(2 legs):

Rep. of Dominica-Trinidad and Tobago: 0-2 0-4

Next they go in to a group of four teams.They play each team twice.The results are as follows:

St Vincent and G..-Trinidad and Tobago: 0-2 1-2
St Kitts and Nevis-Trinidad and Tobago: 1-2 1-5
Trinidad and Tobago-Mexico: 1-3 0-3

Pretty tough so far aint it?Not,the only tough game they had was against Mexico and they were well beaten twice.Now they go into another final group.The results and final standings are

Trinidad and Tobago-USA: 1-2 0-1
Guatemala-Trinidad and Tobago 5-1 2-3
Trinidad and Tobago-Costa Rica 0-0 0-2
Trinidad and Tobago-Panama 2-0 1-0
Mexico-Trinidad and Tobago 2-0 1-2


USA 10 7 1 2 22
Mexico 10 7 1 2 22
Costa Rica 10 5 1 4 16
Trinidad and Tobago 10 4 1 5 13
Guatemala 10 3 2 5 11
Panama 10 0 2 8 2

They finish fourth above the mighty Guatemala and Panama and therefore qualify for a playoff with the mighty Bahrain from Asia.Lets look at the standings in Bahrain's final group in Asia:

Japan 6 5 0 1 15
Iran 6 4 1 1 13
Bahrain 6 1 1 4 4
North Korea 6 1 0 5 3

Bahrain finish third in a shit asian group,9 points a drift of second place Iran and only one ahead of bottom team North Korea.Their reward for this mighty achievement?A 2 legged playoff with Trinidad ANd Tobago with the winner qualifying for the World Cup.

The playoff takes place with Trinidad and Tobago scraping through:

Trinidad and Tobago-Bahrain: 1-1 1-0

So Trinidad and Tobago qualify.


Now take into consideration European Countries like Ireland,Denmark,Greece,Turkey,Romania, and Israel

Ireland and Israel have to negotiate a group containing France and Switzerland.Ireland finish a point behind Switzerland and 3 behind France and Israel finish level with Switzerland and 2 behind France.Both teams were very unlucky not to qualify

Romania are in a group with Holland and Czech Republic,two of the best teams in the World and miss out by only 2 points.Surely they deserve a playoff if Trinidad and Tobago do.

Denmark and Greece finish just a point and two points respectivealy behind second place Turkey in their group.Ukraine come first.Turkey's reward for finishing above these teams should be greater than the likes of Trinidad and Tobago.Instead they get a playoff with Switzerland which they lose.After negotiating that tough group they get no reward.

Its a stupid system isnt it?There is no way Asia should have 4 automatic spots and another playoff position.The most they should get is 3 automatic spots and their fourth place team should playoff against a european team.CONCACAF should only get 2 automatic spots with third [laced team playing off against a european team.

The best teams should be at the World Cup.

 

[tHuG $TyLe]

Well...Trinidad beat Mexico 2-1.

Well the best teams from each area are in it. No point having a world cup filled with 24 European teams

 

[Bobby Sands]

They had one victory of note.I agree the best teams from each section should go through.But Trinidad and Tobago werent even that.The best teams in that section are the USA and Mexico.They deserve to go to the World Cup,Costa Rica deserve a playoff but Trinidad and Tobago dont deserve a playoff against a shit Asian team.

 

[Taliq]

I think the underlying agenda here is that you're pissed that Ireland didn't get through. Admit it.

This system, although flawed by a few of the points you made, promotes the development of "smaller" (not by size) footballing nations. You can't create an elitist system, or else these "lesser" teams will NEVER develop. As it stands the best teams from each region (more or less) qualify and although these may not be the best teams in the world, it makes for a more interesting World Cup and contributes to the development of the game worldwide.

Remember Senegal handing France their asses? Remember how far S.Korea got? What about Algeria beating W.Germany? I think these sort of games contribute to a great World Cup as much as a Brazil v Argentina fixture.

 

[pinG]

how do you think australia felt for the past 3 decades.. we have an easy run into the final where we are then forced to play against one of the best teams in south america for a spot in the world cup.. finally managed to beat uruguay in the qualifier through penalties who are certainly no push overs

thank god we have now been accepted into the asian group and no more south americans

 

[Jibster]

Beat Switzerland and Israel and we wouldn't need this discussion. If you can't beat them, you don't deserve to be there anyway.

 

[troublesome2004]

I think that qualification system is one of the rare things which FIFA handled good... For the European teams only we have our tournament. Greece won last and now they aren't even in Germany...

 

[Khaled]

i agree with you, europe is at a big disadvantage in the World Cup.

i think as far as skills and competition is concerned, the european cup is much stronger, cuz there are no weak teams. but on the otheer hand, we need representatives of every area for the World cup

 

[Bobby Sands]

Originally Posted by Jibster
Beat Switzerland and Israel and we wouldn't need this discussion. If you can't beat them, you don't deserve to be there anyway.

I cant wait to see England fail again lol.

Originally Posted by pinG
how do you think australia felt for the past 3 decades.. we have an easy run into the final where we are then forced to play against one of the best teams in south america for a spot in the world cup.. finally managed to beat uruguay in the qualifier through penalties who are certainly no push overs

I agree.Austrailia always got a tough draw.They have an ok team.

 

[tHuG $TyLe]

Atleast England are there to fail

 

[Bobby Sands]

The biggest problem i see is why a rubbish team like Bahrain are rewarded a playoff for their great achievement of 4 points,9 behind Iran and one above N. Korea.

 

[Jibster]

I cant wait to see England fail again lol.

By your national teams standards we've already succeeded. Don't you boys still celebrate beating Italy in 1994? :laugh: Don't worry, one day you'll get all the way to the second stage again, maybe....

 

[Bobby Sands]

lol^^

Well we got to the Quarters in 1990.

Where were England in 94 while Ireland beat Italy.At home watching on TV.

Originally Posted by Jibster
Beat Switzerland and Israel and we wouldn't need this discussion. If you can't beat them, you don't deserve to be there anyway.

Perhaps a team that comes second to Poland and loses to Northern Ireland doesnt deserve to be there either.

If Ireland didnt concede a last minute equiliser to Israel and through away a 2 goal lead against them and miss about 10 open goals against the same opposition at Landsdowne Road we wouldve went through as group winners.

 

[Taliq]

lol^^

Well we got to the Quarters in 1990.

Where were England in 94 while Ireland beat Italy.At home watching on TV.



Perhaps a team that comes second to Poland and loses to Northern Ireland doesnt deserve to be there either.

If Ireland didnt concede a last minute equiliser to Israel and through away a 2 goal lead against them and miss about 10 open goals against the same opposition at Landsdowne Road we wouldve went through as group winners.

But the thing is they did, that's the fact of the matter. And there have been countless World Cups that Ireland have not featured in that England have. It would have been good if Ireland had gotten through. But the way the system is you have to be the best (well good enough) to qualify from your regional qualifiers, taking into account the regional variations of the playing standard. Although there are arguments against it, the current system promotes the development of the game AND makes way for some interesting fixtures. And even if it was the top 32 teams in the world, Irelad would barely qualify as they're only ranked 31st in the current FIFA rankings (which to me seem ten times as daft as the World Cup structure).

 

[tHuG $TyLe]

England finished above Poland.

 

[Bobby Sands]

btw this isnt a whinge about Ireland not getting through.I just used them to make a point.Other countries had tougher groups.

Originally Posted by Taliq
But the thing is they did, that's the fact of the matter. And there have been countless World Cups that Ireland have not featured in that England have. It would have been good if Ireland had gotten through. But the way the system is you have to be the best (well good enough) to qualify from your regional qualifiers, taking into account the regional variations of the playing standard. Although there are arguments against it, the current system promotes the development of the game AND makes way for some interesting fixtures. And even if it was the top 32 teams in the world, Irelad would barely qualify as they're only ranked 31st in the current FIFA rankings (which to me seem ten times as daft as the World Cup structure).

I agree but Asia and Central America dont deserve as much spots as they have.Asia have 5 spots including one playoff.South America has the same.There is no way Asia deserves that many.

 

[Jibster]

lol^^

Well we got to the Quarters in 1990.

Where were England in 94 while Ireland beat Italy.At home watching on TV.



Perhaps a team that comes second to Poland and loses to Northern Ireland doesnt deserve to be there either.

If Ireland didnt concede a last minute equiliser to Israel and through away a 2 goal lead against them and miss about 10 open goals against the same opposition at Landsdowne Road we wouldve went through as group winners.

All i hear is excuses, excuses, excuses. Oh yeah, and one bit of poor research, we went through as group winners in the group where Poland went through as highest points runner up. That's the 2nd World Cup qualification group we've won in a row.

 

[Bobby Sands]

Yes but ye did lose to Belarus the other night.Lmao.

I can see it now.England on the plane home after round one.

 

[tHuG $TyLe]

Atleast England will be there eh?

 

[stefanwzyga]

Jibster that aint fair using my quote, that was only if england win the world cup! Now everytime you post people will think i actually meant that.

When in actuall fact id rather suck the sweat off a donkeys balls than be english.(Quote me on that!!)

Thats the second world cup qualification group we have won in a row

Woopty doo.