FIFA shuffles around Football World Cup berths

[Imran Siddiqui]

wide recievers?

If you are going to mock Americans at least be accurate in your portrayls .

[reds4ever]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
wide recievers?

If you are going to mock Americans at least be accurate in your portrayls .

Theres nothing like a characature (sp) to bring the point home! Even the bigger goal suggestion was considered sacrilidge (another SP) here in the UK!

[Mr. President]

I think Oceania never deserved a direct qualification spot. Australia sets goalscoring records . . . against teams like Palau and American Samoa. Games like that are worse than meaningless.

But what the hell was FIFA doing by declaring that they'd get a direct spot and then rescinding it?

Re Europe vs. South America,

When I watch Brazil on a good day, it renews my faith in God. When I watch Germany or Italy on a good day, it almost sends me to meet my God.

[Wernazuma III]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
The quality of play in CONACAF is getting much better these days.
Secondly, THERE IS NO WAY NORTH AND CENTRAL AMERICAN CAN GET FIVE SPOTS! Thank you . They can only get 4 spots, if their #4 team beats Asia's #5. They can get five only if they win out against Asia. If not, it will be 3, as it has been.

Well, that seems a bit more rational then. Yet still, if CONCACAF is getting so much better it'd be really good to see them compete with SA countries. I'm pretty sure, USA and Mexico still have a good chance to classify when there are 8 spots

If you are going to lump America together why not lump Asia and Afica together? There is a reason they are seperate continents.

Not quite. Africa and Asia both do have a large amount of competitors, so that would create a mess. One could as well play a global classification then.
In the other case we have South America with only 10 competitors in one federation!

[C0ckney]

i think expanding the number of teams would be a bad idea, if the competition had to be made longer, the football season over here ends in the middle of may and starts again in early august, imagine 6 weeks taken out of the already short summer break!

it is nice to see more teams from around the world play, but you still have to question whether some are good enough to be there, when you see saudi lose 8-0 to germany you do think to yourself that against any half decent european team, germany would never have got that result.

[yavoon]

Originally posted by C0ckney
i think expanding the number of teams would be a bad idea, if the competition had to be made longer, the football season over here ends in the middle of may and starts again in early august, imagine 6 weeks taken out of the already short summer break!

it is nice to see more teams from around the world play, but you still have to question whether some are good enough to be there, when you see saudi lose 8-0 to germany you do think to yourself that against any half decent european team, germany would never have got that result.

I hardly think the european season takes precedent over the world cup. why not just end it a few weeks earlier every 4 years? you ppl are so insanely inflexible in all ur methodology.

and its already been pointed out that FIFA sets aside a certain # of spots at every worldcup for the development of soccer globally. so I dont see how ur second point is anything but moot.

[Ecthy]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
(and the US almost knocked off the finals loser, Germany).

[Solly]

Cockney

i think expanding the number of teams would be a bad idea, if the competition had to be made longer, the football season over here ends in the middle of may and starts again in early august, imagine 6 weeks taken out of the already short summer break!

Footballers should not require a break. other manual workers aren't allowed the same comfort are they, and you don't hear them or their trade unions complaining.

A break makes thing worse for footballers - most injuries are sustained in pre-season training, for the precise reason that there has been a break. Re-gaining crucial fitness is the main cause of injury - with no break in the summer, players do not lose their match fitness.

I hardly think the european season takes precedent over the world cup. why not just end it a few weeks earlier every 4 years? you ppl are so insanely inflexible in all ur methodology.

Club football is more important and exciting than national games.

Not to mention it's where the money is...

[C0ckney]

Originally posted by yavoon


I hardly think the european season takes precedent over the world cup. why not just end it a few weeks earlier every 4 years? you ppl are so insanely inflexible in all ur methodology.

and its already been pointed out that FIFA sets aside a certain # of spots at every worldcup for the development of soccer globally. so I dont see how ur second point is anything but moot.

it's not a matter of taking precedent, it's a matter of peaceful co-existance. it would unreasonable to expect the FA, and other european leagues to change their entire program for the world cup, just as it would be unreasonable for every european FA to start having games in june/july, and therefore making most players unavailable for the world cup.

yes the development of soccer globally is important, but to let in teams that simply aren't good enough only damages the competition.

[C0ckney]

bods, think about it, the average worker doesn't work weekends, has a week or 10 days off at christmas and a week or 2 in the summer, plus of course bank holidays and the easter weekend. a footballer only gets time off in the summer, and while they get on average a 4-6 week break it's hardly more than the people you were describing.

i disagree with you on the need for a break, while you may be right in saying that most injuries are caused in pre-season training (although personally, i think you overstate the problem), imagine the kind of mental problems it would cause if footballers were not allowed a break from football, in any job, you need time to switch off, to un-wind and basically chill out, what is so different about football?

[MRT144]

heres my system

16 teams from europe
8 from south america
3 from central america
2 from asia
2 from africa
1 from north america

everyone else can go to hell

[Solly]

Cockney - footballers don't train every day of the week.

[C0ckney]

well not every day, but you won't find two days on the trot when they don't.

[reds4ever]

Originally posted by MRT144
heres my system

16 teams from europe
8 from south america
3 from central america
2 from asia
2 from africa
1 from north america

everyone else can go to hell

8 from South America? Take away Argentina and Brazil and who have you got?

I think only 2 from Africa is a bit harsh as well.

[Dauphin]

Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun

The biggest that I would like to change about the competition is the time of day games are played. I think it madness to be playing games at midday in the height of summer after a full club season.

The games should be played early morning (~9am) or much more preferably only after ~5-6pm.