Nope, soccer is not Oceania's number 1 sport, not even second. There is no use when there are much better quality teams from africa or asia who want to get in
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Should Oceania Get Direct Qualifcation Into The World Cup (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter delpi25
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I think that it is unfair to discriminate. All of the other continents get a garunteed spot, Oceana should too. It is not as if they'd even be taking a spot away from anyone. They would be occupying that vaccant automatic qualifying spot formerly owned by the defending champions. It makes perfect sense to give it to them.
Living in North America, I have heard the argument from Europeans that Europe should have more teams in the WC because the sides there are better. However, I have always supported that it is a World Cup so the entire world needs representation. I don't care if Europe has the 50 best teams in the world, teams still need to be there from all over the globe.
That said, Oceania does not deserve a qualifying spot. It is a virtual gaurntee that Australia (perhaps New Zeland every 30 years) will make the tournament. Those two are the only real viable teams in the region. In fact most of the sides in Oceina are small Pacific islands with tiny populations. I think that Australia is the only country in the region with a professional league. I also think that Australia and New Zeland are the only two countries with a population greater then 500,000 in the region. Why does a region with two teams deserve an automatic spot?
You can argue that every region deserves a spot. Well then what is to stop Sweden, Norway and Finland from breaking away from UEFA and forming thier own Scandanivan region? Would they deserve a spot too? Of course not. It isn't as if teams from Oceania have no way into the WC. SOme may argue that it is unfair for Australia to have to qualify via a playoff. Well yes, it can be unfair, but it could also be to thier benefit. Im sure if you ask the Dutch if they could do it over again and either have a group with Portugal and Ireland or a 2 match playoff with Uruguay, they would pick the two match playoff.
I don't see how you can justify giving Asutralia an automatic bid into the WC. Either keep things the way they are or merge Ocenia and Asia. Other confederations are far more deserving of the extra half spot Ocenia wants.
That said, Oceania does not deserve a qualifying spot. It is a virtual gaurntee that Australia (perhaps New Zeland every 30 years) will make the tournament. Those two are the only real viable teams in the region. In fact most of the sides in Oceina are small Pacific islands with tiny populations. I think that Australia is the only country in the region with a professional league. I also think that Australia and New Zeland are the only two countries with a population greater then 500,000 in the region. Why does a region with two teams deserve an automatic spot?
You can argue that every region deserves a spot. Well then what is to stop Sweden, Norway and Finland from breaking away from UEFA and forming thier own Scandanivan region? Would they deserve a spot too? Of course not. It isn't as if teams from Oceania have no way into the WC. SOme may argue that it is unfair for Australia to have to qualify via a playoff. Well yes, it can be unfair, but it could also be to thier benefit. Im sure if you ask the Dutch if they could do it over again and either have a group with Portugal and Ireland or a 2 match playoff with Uruguay, they would pick the two match playoff.
I don't see how you can justify giving Asutralia an automatic bid into the WC. Either keep things the way they are or merge Ocenia and Asia. Other confederations are far more deserving of the extra half spot Ocenia wants.
I did a little research. I know that FIFA ranks aren't perfect, but lets look at the FIFA rankings and Populations of the teams in Oceania:
46 Australia (19.5 million people)
47 New Zealand (3.9 Million)
111 Tahiti (131,000)
131 Fiji (856,000)
137 Solomon Islands (494,000)
155 Vanuatu (196,000)
161 Samoa (178,000)
173 Papua New Guinea (5.1 Million)
175 Tonga (106,000)
179 Cook Islands (19,000)
201 American Samoa (46,000)
Now I know population isn't everything, but lets face facts. Aside from Australia, New Zeland, Papua New Ginea and Fiji, this is a bunch of tiny Islands where the other 7 countries have a combined population of less then 1 million people. If Oceania were included in Asia for all this time and just recently broke away, would you still want to give them an automatic spot?
46 Australia (19.5 million people)
47 New Zealand (3.9 Million)
111 Tahiti (131,000)
131 Fiji (856,000)
137 Solomon Islands (494,000)
155 Vanuatu (196,000)
161 Samoa (178,000)
173 Papua New Guinea (5.1 Million)
175 Tonga (106,000)
179 Cook Islands (19,000)
201 American Samoa (46,000)
Now I know population isn't everything, but lets face facts. Aside from Australia, New Zeland, Papua New Ginea and Fiji, this is a bunch of tiny Islands where the other 7 countries have a combined population of less then 1 million people. If Oceania were included in Asia for all this time and just recently broke away, would you still want to give them an automatic spot?
I don't see how that makes them unworthy. Every country should be able to qualify for the world cup through their federation's qualifcation system. And if they win enough games they should then go to the WC, no questions asked. Every other country in the world has that oppurtunity, except the ones in Oceana. That is just not right.
I understand what you are saying but I disagree. If Oceania teams had no way to qualify for the WC, then I would be all for giving them a way in. But as it is now, the winner of Oceania (always Australia) only has to play 2 games to get into the WC. Brazil has to play 18 intense qualification matches against some of the best teams in the world, the US has to play 16 matches, while getting bags of urine thrown at them in Central America, Europe as we have seen can also be very creul. ALL Australia has to do is beat the Cook Islands and Vanauatu and Uruguay? Seems like a pretty easy qualifiction route to me.
I have talked to fans from Australia who have told me the reason why Australia hasn't qualified isn't because it is too difficult or unfiar, but it is because of problems with the team and FA in the country.
I have talked to fans from Australia who have told me the reason why Australia hasn't qualified isn't because it is too difficult or unfiar, but it is because of problems with the team and FA in the country.
Still I have trouble justifying it. Look at how many teams each confederation has in the top 110 of the FIFA rankings:
CONCACAF 12
Asia 18
Africa 23
South America all 10
Europe 45
Oceania 2
So why would we give an extra half spot to a confederation which is by far the poorest in the world when other confeds are far more deserving (CONCACAF, Africa, Europe).
Anyway there are 2 extra spots this year (because last time 2 hosts and the champ got a free pass). This is how I would like to see things break down:
CONCACAF 3.5
Asia 4
Africa 5
SA 4.5
Europe 13.5
Oceania .5
Host 1
Id much rather combine the Asian qualifying with the Oceania qualifying (Asia isn't going to like this, but they want to keep the 5 spots they had at the last WC. No chance, unless we add the top 2 teams from Oceania into the final round of Asian qualifying.) This seems like the most fair solution. Australia won't qualify just ebcause they beat some tiny islands, nor will they face a difficult play-in to get into the finals. Of course, this isn't perfect as Asia is a different continent and some of the Western Asian countries are a long way from Australia and New Zeland, but this still is the best solution. The breakdown would be something like this:
CONCACAF 3.5
Asia/Oceania 5
Africa 4.5
South America 4.5
Europe 13.5
Host 1
CONCACAF plays off with Africa, Europe plays off with SA.
Although that is a lot of .5's, i think it is the most fair distribution. CONCACAF had a strong WC so they gain half a spot, African teams were disapointing so they lose half a spot, Asia merges with a weak Oceania but gets to keep thier 5, SA still has a chance of getting half of thier teams in and Europe is full of strong nations so the extra half shouldn't be a problem.
CONCACAF 12
Asia 18
Africa 23
South America all 10
Europe 45
Oceania 2
So why would we give an extra half spot to a confederation which is by far the poorest in the world when other confeds are far more deserving (CONCACAF, Africa, Europe).
Anyway there are 2 extra spots this year (because last time 2 hosts and the champ got a free pass). This is how I would like to see things break down:
CONCACAF 3.5
Asia 4
Africa 5
SA 4.5
Europe 13.5
Oceania .5
Host 1
Id much rather combine the Asian qualifying with the Oceania qualifying (Asia isn't going to like this, but they want to keep the 5 spots they had at the last WC. No chance, unless we add the top 2 teams from Oceania into the final round of Asian qualifying.) This seems like the most fair solution. Australia won't qualify just ebcause they beat some tiny islands, nor will they face a difficult play-in to get into the finals. Of course, this isn't perfect as Asia is a different continent and some of the Western Asian countries are a long way from Australia and New Zeland, but this still is the best solution. The breakdown would be something like this:
CONCACAF 3.5
Asia/Oceania 5
Africa 4.5
South America 4.5
Europe 13.5
Host 1
CONCACAF plays off with Africa, Europe plays off with SA.
Although that is a lot of .5's, i think it is the most fair distribution. CONCACAF had a strong WC so they gain half a spot, African teams were disapointing so they lose half a spot, Asia merges with a weak Oceania but gets to keep thier 5, SA still has a chance of getting half of thier teams in and Europe is full of strong nations so the extra half shouldn't be a problem.
I'm from Australia, and i don't reckon oceania should get an automatic qualification spot....
The competition down here in Oceania, is quite simple, really poor, as Alex said, the teams here in Oceania have to PROVE that an automatic qualification spot is deserved.
EG. Australia can beat vanuatu or a similar country by like 20goals, yet they cant even score in open play against Uruguay, who were knocked out of the 1st round of the world cup.... and Iran, don't even get me started
So hence, if oceania was to get an Auto qual, and it meant a quality team from Africa or Asia or STH amercia dosen't get in, then theres no way Oceania deserve the spot, Until the quality of soccer here gets MUCH HIGHER, and the good players get to play more often for their country whether it be Australia, Fiji or New Zealand.
BTW. Erik P, Most of Australia is uninhabited coz its too freakin hot during the day and cold during the night, and neway its all desert in the interior, nearly everyone's from the coast eg. brissie, Perth etc (88% of ppl), so u can't really talk about land size
The competition down here in Oceania, is quite simple, really poor, as Alex said, the teams here in Oceania have to PROVE that an automatic qualification spot is deserved.
EG. Australia can beat vanuatu or a similar country by like 20goals, yet they cant even score in open play against Uruguay, who were knocked out of the 1st round of the world cup.... and Iran, don't even get me started
So hence, if oceania was to get an Auto qual, and it meant a quality team from Africa or Asia or STH amercia dosen't get in, then theres no way Oceania deserve the spot, Until the quality of soccer here gets MUCH HIGHER, and the good players get to play more often for their country whether it be Australia, Fiji or New Zealand.
BTW. Erik P, Most of Australia is uninhabited coz its too freakin hot during the day and cold during the night, and neway its all desert in the interior, nearly everyone's from the coast eg. brissie, Perth etc (88% of ppl), so u can't really talk about land size
I have heard that they might, I don't really know though. I'm still not convinced that FIFA is going to rotate anyway. They want to go to the places where they can make the most money-Western Europe, the US and maybe China. I imagine we will see the '10 cup awarded to an African team, because they were screwed this time, but in '14, I think it will return to the US (if not then, then by 2018). Brazil has a shot too, but they have too many problems there.