[Europe] 2010 World Cup qualifying thread (14 Viewers)
- Thread starter Maher
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Continent Populations
1. Asia - 4 billion, approximately 60% of world population.
2. Africa - 950 million, approximately 14% of world population.
3. Europe - 750 million, approximately 11% of world population.
4. North America - 530 million, approximately 8% of world population.
5. South America - 385 million, approximately 6% of world population.
World Cup Berths
UEFA (Europe) - 13 berths
CAF (Africa) - 5 berths, plus the host South Africa
AFC (Asia) and OFC (Oceania) - 4 berths for AFC countries, with the fifth going to the winners of an AFC-OFC playoff
CONMEBOL (South America) - 4 berths
CONCACAF (North and Central America and Caribbean) - 3 berths
1 berth for the winners of CONMEBOL-CONCACAF playoff
1. UEFA - 40% of spots
2. CAF - 16% of spots
3. AFC - 16% of spots
4. CONMEBOL - 13% of spots
5. CONCACAF - 9% of spots
Plus one spot for hosts and one playoff - 6%
So, in short, no, I do not. When 60% of the world is based on one continent, they deserve more than three spots. Europe has a great deal for themselves going with 40% of the spots and only 11% of world population.
People should be counting their blessings that the World Cup isn't based solely on populations. This system is going to be as fair as it can get, all things considered.
And hell, South America has tons of World Cups yet only 13% of the spots. If anything, they deserve more, not Europe.
1. Asia - 4 billion, approximately 60% of world population.
2. Africa - 950 million, approximately 14% of world population.
3. Europe - 750 million, approximately 11% of world population.
4. North America - 530 million, approximately 8% of world population.
5. South America - 385 million, approximately 6% of world population.
World Cup Berths
UEFA (Europe) - 13 berths
CAF (Africa) - 5 berths, plus the host South Africa
AFC (Asia) and OFC (Oceania) - 4 berths for AFC countries, with the fifth going to the winners of an AFC-OFC playoff
CONMEBOL (South America) - 4 berths
CONCACAF (North and Central America and Caribbean) - 3 berths
1 berth for the winners of CONMEBOL-CONCACAF playoff
1. UEFA - 40% of spots
2. CAF - 16% of spots
3. AFC - 16% of spots
4. CONMEBOL - 13% of spots
5. CONCACAF - 9% of spots
Plus one spot for hosts and one playoff - 6%
So, in short, no, I do not. When 60% of the world is based on one continent, they deserve more than three spots. Europe has a great deal for themselves going with 40% of the spots and only 11% of world population.
People should be counting their blessings that the World Cup isn't based solely on populations. This system is going to be as fair as it can get, all things considered.
And hell, South America has tons of World Cups yet only 13% of the spots. If anything, they deserve more, not Europe.
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Funny how people stretch words here. My actual point was just that to give chance to some smaller european football nations. I was more thinking about the idea of maybe making the europeans groups smaller. (more groups with less teams, less games, benefits club football also, less international breaks).
Basically, we only have most of the heavyweights from Europe. To illustrate my point, Europe isnt just a whole anyway, like how many teams are going to WC from Scandinavian region?
Basically, we only have most of the heavyweights from Europe. To illustrate my point, Europe isnt just a whole anyway, like how many teams are going to WC from Scandinavian region?
I don't see what relevance population has.
The World Cup, in my mind, is about the best teams in the world playing each other.
It's not some shitty competition where the most important thing is to allow everyone to take part.
If you want to use population as an argument, surely only the population that is actually interested in football should be taken into consideration.
I think you do need to break down qualification into continents to support the economics and play of local rivalries, etc. Not only that, but I think it would be impractical to have qualifiers between teams of different continents.
A population quota is kind of bogus and reminds me of how the U.S allocates Congressional seats. And merely choosing the top x teams from a given FIFA ranking doesn't do the "World" part of the World Cup any justice. So some intermediary needs to be involved.
A population quota is kind of bogus and reminds me of how the U.S allocates Congressional seats. And merely choosing the top x teams from a given FIFA ranking doesn't do the "World" part of the World Cup any justice. So some intermediary needs to be involved.
Then what you should be advocating is having a tournament between the top European and South American nations, because the likes of Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Italy and England are the only ones to have a chance anyway.
The relevance population has is that you might as well eliminate all Asian teams because they're not even close to being "the best." This is what this discussion boils down to.
The relevance population has is that you might as well eliminate all Asian teams because they're not even close to being "the best." This is what this discussion boils down to.
you missed the point. read again:
heavyweight in the QUALIFICATION group, aka Spain, Germany, England, Italy, Dutch. A team who could possibly go on to WC and win the whole thing.
But how many here would bet on FOR EXAMPLE Sweden to win the whole thing? We all know that there are possible 4-6 european teams who could win a WC. So as i said, for a team like (FOR EXAMPLE) Sweden, Denmark, Turkey to be part of the WC competition is the big thing already.
Andy is trying to point out that this is WC and not EUROPE, but europe isnt just europe either and every nation has different culture.
And no, i am not saying all European teams should be there, just give 3-6 more spots, AND also maybe another spot to SA. This is world cup, as you say, so therefore i want to see as many countries (europe isnt a country).
But like i have said it many times, 13 spots for europe, and ALMOST each group has a european heavyweight, there is 9 groups. And ONLY 4 2nd placed teams will eventually get to WC.
It must be said, the european groups are not balanced out well. You have group 4 with Germany and Russia and then you have group two 2 with Switz and Greece, with all the respect, the first two are bigger names, and btw the team who is currently 3rd in Germany group, would have been sitting 2nd in Switz group.
Add to that, whats with this 9th group thing with one less team, yes only the winner advances from there, but the other 8 group teams all have to play 1 more group game and the 2nd placed teams have play another game, so its 2 extra games compared to that 9 group, doesnt look fair.
And then there is this CONCACAF 4th place v CONMEBOL 5th place thing what doesnt look fair, Honduras could possibly face Argentina.
Fifa seriously needs to think about the qualification system more.
And then there is this CONCACAF 4th place v CONMEBOL 5th place thing what doesnt look fair, Honduras could possibly face Argentina.
Fifa seriously needs to think about the qualification system more.
Fifa seriously needs to think about the qualification system more.
As for the rest of your post, sounds like that's more of a UEFA problem.
But thats where it all comes together. Just like i mentioned making more smaller groups in european WC qualification (more groups, less games). You could possibly just give 2-3 more spots to North and South American teams.
For the record, for last WC, i was actually pissed when Uruguay missed out because of the game with Australia (i want more SA teams in WC also, not just Europe, and Uruguay is a traditional football nation, a team who has won WC before). Just get them both there to WC (i know Australia had different qualification system then).
For the record, for last WC, i was actually pissed when Uruguay missed out because of the game with Australia (i want more SA teams in WC also, not just Europe, and Uruguay is a traditional football nation, a team who has won WC before). Just get them both there to WC (i know Australia had different qualification system then).
Argentina will have nobody to blame, Portugal on the other hand can blame the fucked up FIFA coefficient that gave them two strong teams in the group. In a system that puts Northern Ireland at 31st place and in the 2nd pot, while the 41st placed Sweden is in the third pot, the chances three strong teams to be in the same group are huge.
Teams like Portugal, that, maybe, can win the competition, can in theory find themselves out of the world cup just because of 2-3 bad matches in the group.
You know, Denmark once found themselves in a group of a super strong Yugoslavia. The Yugoslav team made it to the Euro while Denmark didn't.
What happened later is well known. The war started in Yugoslavia, the team was eliminated, Denmark took their place at the Euro and won the whole thing.
What i'm trying to say, at least regarding Europe, is that UEFA and FIFA should make those coefficients more realistic so Sweden won't be placed at 41st place and 3rd pot, while teams like Northern Ireland or Israel won't be placed one pot above Sweden.
Teams like Portugal, that, maybe, can win the competition, can in theory find themselves out of the world cup just because of 2-3 bad matches in the group.
You know, Denmark once found themselves in a group of a super strong Yugoslavia. The Yugoslav team made it to the Euro while Denmark didn't.
What happened later is well known. The war started in Yugoslavia, the team was eliminated, Denmark took their place at the Euro and won the whole thing.
What i'm trying to say, at least regarding Europe, is that UEFA and FIFA should make those coefficients more realistic so Sweden won't be placed at 41st place and 3rd pot, while teams like Northern Ireland or Israel won't be placed one pot above Sweden.
This i agree with. I already said in a previous post that the teams should be distributed more evenly, the system in use right now is obviously useless. I'd rather this solution than give Europe another spot, which would be unfair to the other continents.
That aside, whether the system is fucked up or not. A team as big as Portugal should not be losing out a place to Sweden. If they did, then really they have themselves to blame. Portugal is supposed to be one of the top sides in the world.
That aside, whether the system is fucked up or not. A team as big as Portugal should not be losing out a place to Sweden. If they did, then really they have themselves to blame. Portugal is supposed to be one of the top sides in the world.
100%Anyway, if the draw for the groups is made now, this is how the pots in Europe would look like:
pot 1: Spain, Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Russia, England, Croatia, France, Greece
pot 2: Serbia, Switzerland, Denmark, Portugal, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Israel, Ukraine, Romania
pot 3: Turkey, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Poland, Republic of Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Slovakia, Bosnia
etc
In theory you can get these groups:
Spain, Portugal, Sweden
Greece, Bulgaria, Northern Ireland
Now put Portugal in pot 1 instead of Greece, Sweden in pot 2 instead of Israel, Turkey instead of Romania and Rep. of Ireland instead of Bulgaria and you eliminate the chances of a potential group with 3 very strong or 2 super strong teams in the group.
Only then, if teams like Slovenia make it to the world cup while teams like Portugal won't, you can say that the favorite that didn't make it to the world cup 100% deserved not to go to the WC.
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