[Europe] 2010 World Cup qualifying thread (21 Viewers)

[Bjerknes]

I'm not saying that Europe should be given an extra spot, but there could be a play off game or two between a European runner up and a CONCACAF team or another of the apparently weaker qualifying zones.

And it being a World Cup, Andy, means I want it to be as close to the best 32 teams in the world playing in it as is possible.

I don't care where teams are from, I just want to be watching the best, which is why I would have more inter-continental play-offs so we can see who is the best and, therefore, the most deserving of a place.

But then you work your way down towards not having any countries from parts of the globe participate. Of course nations like Sweden are going to beat Honduras in a two-leg playoff, or the Chinese. Then once these teams are continuously eliminated, there will be MORE calls for MORE playoffs, thus reducing spots even more.

As I said, this isn't the Euros. The best teams from ALL participating continents deserve spots if they qualify from their federation, and that's all that matters in a WORLD Cup.

If you give a mouse a cookie, then they'll want more, and it will never stop. Europe could have half of the spots and individuals around the continent would still demand more.

Considering the populations of the continents, I don't think Europeans have a right to complain.

 

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[Alen]

Out of those countries you mentioned only Sweden can feel hard done by. They were put in a group that had Denmark and Portugal despite qualifying for every major tournament since 2000.

As for Turkey, will they lost their place to a minnow(Bosnia) so they have only themselves to blame. Poland couldn't qualify in a group that has Slovenia and Slovakia qualifying, therefore they too do not deserve to be there. Croatia got beaten home and away by 4 goals to England, doesn't sound like a team that deserves to be in the WC.

And yet a team that lost 6:1 to Bolivia will probably play at the world cup. A team that lost 4:0 against Honduras will probably play at the world cup and a team that lost 0:2 AT HOME against Fiji might play at the world cup.

Still, I kinda disagree with Stephan, because even though most of the European teams that won't make it in South Africa are 100 times better than some amateurish team like Bahrain, it's still a World Cup where lots of teams from every continents should play, and not only the very best 32 teams in the world. Some European teams will feel hard done, but they'll have to live with it and accept the reality.

 

[Bjerknes]

Don't hate the player, hate the game.

 

[Dostoevsky]

..

Every time I see that avatar or picture I think how would our team look nowadays.

 

[Fred]

I'm not saying that Europe should be given an extra spot, but there could be a play off game or two between a European runner up and a CONCACAF team or another of the apparently weaker qualifying zones.

And it being a World Cup, Andy, means I want it to be as close to the best 32 teams in the world playing in it as is possible.

I don't care where teams are from, I just want to be watching the best, which is why I would have more inter-continental play-offs so we can see who is the best and, therefore, the most deserving of a place.

This i would agree with. I think a team like Egypt or Nigeria(both strong teams that won't make it from Africa) would give Sweden, Turkey or Croatia a run for their money.

And yet a team that lost 6:1 to Bolivia will probably play at the world cup. A team that lost 4:0 against Honduras will probably play at the world cup and a team that lost 0:2 AT HOME against Fiji might play at the world cup.

Still, I kinda disagree with Stephan, because even though most of the European teams that won't make it in South Africa are 100 times better than some amateurish team like Bahrain, it's still a World Cup where lots of teams from every continents should play, and not only the very best 32 teams in the world. Some European teams will feel hard done, but they'll have to live with it and accept the reality.

Argentina are still better(Performance wise) than 60% of the teams that qualified from Europe. Croatia, Turkey and the likes that are missing out on qualification from Europe wouldn't make it in the WC ahead of Ecuador or Uruguay too.

 

[Dostoevsky]

Fred, I think you're underrating Croatia.

 

[Fred]

To be honest, i only watched two of their games in these qualifiers. Those two were the games against England. So you can imagine why i have such a bad impression.

 

[Alen]

Every time I see that avatar or picture I think how would our team look nowadays.

The Slovenian media would have moaned why there isn't a Slovenian player in the team. The Croatian media would have moaned why there are more Serbs than Croats in the team. The Bosnian media would have moaned why there are more Serbs and Croats than Bosnians in the team. The Serbian media would have moaned why the coach is a Bosnian or a Croat (or a Bosnian Croat if Blazevic was coaching), the Kosovars would have cheered against the team and hoped that we'll fail. The Montenegrin and Macedonian media would have moaned why Pandev, Vucinic and Jovetic are reserves and ain't getting much playing time.

In the end there would have been lots of pressure and lots of internal fights which would have resulted with a failure to qualify for the World Cup.

 

[The Curr]

The Slovenian media would have moaned why there isn't a Slovenian player in the team. The Croatian media would have moaned why there are more Serbs than Croats in the team. The Bosnian media would have moaned why there are more Serbs and Croats than Bosnians in the team. The Serbian media would have moaned why the coach is a Bosnian or a Croat (or a Bosnian Croat if Blazevic was coaching), the Kosovars would have cheered against the team and hoped that we'll fail. The Montenegrin and Macedonian media would have moaned why Pandev, Vucinic and Jovetic are reserves and ain't getting much playing time.

In the end there would have been lots of pressure and lots of internal fights which would have resulted with a failure to qualify for the World Cup.

Jovetic would surely have broken into the team by now.

 

[Dostoevsky]

The Slovenian media would have moaned why there isn't a Slovenian player in the team. The Croatian media would have moaned why there are more Serbs than Croats in the team. The Bosnian media would have moaned why there are more Serbs and Croats than Bosnians in the team. The Serbian media would have moaned why the coach is a Bosnian or a Croat (or a Bosnian Croat if Blazevic was coaching), the Kosovars would have cheered against the team and hoped that we'll fail. The Montenegrin and Macedonian media would have moaned why Pandev, Vucinic and Jovetic are reserves and ain't getting much playing time.

In the end there would have been lots of pressure and lots of internal fights which would have resulted with a failure to qualify for the World Cup.

 

[Red]

But then you work your way down towards not having any countries from parts of the globe participate. Of course nations like Sweden are going to beat Honduras in a two-leg playoff, or the Chinese. Then once these teams are continuously eliminated, there will be MORE calls for MORE playoffs, thus reducing spots even more.

As I said, this isn't the Euros. The best teams from ALL participating continents deserve spots if they qualify from their federation, and that's all that matters in a WORLD Cup.

If you give a mouse a cookie, then they'll want more, and it will never stop. Europe could have half of the spots and individuals around the continent would still demand more.

Considering the populations of the continents, I don't think Europeans have a right to complain.

Look at the qualified teams from the Asia group.

Four teams have made it from that and a fifth will play off against New Zealand.

Do you really think it would be unreasonable to cut that to a couple of automatic spots and have the other sides have to play-off against teams from another zone?

I'm not pro European teams; I just want the World Cup to be of as high a standard as posssible.

 

[Fred]

I agree with Red on Asia. They have too many spots, teams like Bahrain and North Korea do not deserve to play in the WC.

 

[The Curr]

I just want the World Cup to be of as high a standard as posssible.

Then there would probably be no teams from Asia or Oceania. It is the World Cup.

 

[Dostoevsky]

Who cares now, even if you don't like it you can't change it.

 

[Alen]

Croatia, Turkey and the likes that are missing out on qualification from Europe wouldn't make it in the WC ahead of Ecuador or Uruguay too.

Is that a fact?

Those two heavy defeats against England are the only two matches where Croatia played really bad. In the previous qualifications and at the Euro we've been playing well.

Croatia's mistake was that we couldn't beat Ukraine even though we deserved to. Those two draws against Ukraine where we had so many chances (i think we hit the post some 4 times) cost us the world cup, not the two defeats against England.
The schedule also cost us a lot. If Ukraine played England in September and we had them in October (and not vice-versa, as it was), the story would have been different.

Still, we failed to beat Ukraine and no moaning from our part. But saying that Croatia wouldn't make the WC ahead of Ecuador is hilarious.
And after all, Ukraine are quarterfinalists from the last World Cup. So is England. Croatia is always playing at the big tournaments.
Yet, all 3 teams found themselves in the same group where only one of them is making it for the world cup while the other one needs to go to play-offs against another European team (Ukraine might get France or Portugal in the play-offs).

A team like Uruguay or Ecuador is in a group with two heavy favorites and a bunch of teams that didn't make the WC quarters for .... some 50 years or more... and yet they can end up 5th, with 6 defeats and a negative goal difference, and still qualify.

Right now Ecuador has 6 wins- 5 draws- 6 defeats (22:25). Still, they can qualify.
Croatia will finish the group with 6-2-2 and some +7 goal difference and won't qualify.

 

[Red]

Then there would probably be no teams from Asia or Oceania. It is the World Cup.

And I know it is not possible to have none of these teams in the competiton, so I'm suggesting a middle ground where less of the crap teams are allowed in.

 

[Fred]

Then there would probably be no teams from Asia or Oceania. It is the World Cup.

Japan, South Korea and Australia definitely deserve to be there.

Oceania should be made to play a play off against the fifth South American team, if they are good enough they'd qualify

 

[Red]

Who cares now, even if you don't like it you can't change it.

Sure I can.

Once I'm a zillionaire, I'll be able to bribe enough FIFA officials to make my plans happen.

 

[JCK]

The Slovenian media would have moaned why there isn't a Slovenian player in the team. The Croatian media would have moaned why there are more Serbs than Croats in the team. The Bosnian media would have moaned why there are more Serbs and Croats than Bosnians in the team. The Serbian media would have moaned why the coach is a Bosnian or a Croat (or a Bosnian Croat if Blazevic was coaching), the Kosovars would have cheered against the team and hoped that we'll fail. The Montenegrin and Macedonian media would have moaned why Pandev, Vucinic and Jovetic are reserves and ain't getting much playing time.

In the end there would have been lots of pressure and lots of internal fights which would have resulted with a failure to qualify for the World Cup.

All this might lead to another war.

 

[Dostoevsky]

All this might lead to another war.

I wouldn't be surprised. Imagine fans on the stadium lol.