PhillippaT

To all those complaining about a lack of quality when it comes to having extra teams in this World Cup, I now give you: Brazil

There's going to be a few more of those around, soon

OH NO!!! CANCEL THE MATCH!!!

Meh - I'm busy watching a video about TRAZYN THE INFINITE

Watch it be the first drab 0-0 draw now

They turn into such a Diva when they're hungry?

You could argue that they're 'better' (in quality) than ALL of the other regional championships - but that's the ENTIRE POINT about it being a WORLD Cup, and not something else entirely - (that many people seem to want, which is why I tell them to focus on the Olympics instead...)

It's not the same without the LINES

Qatar forgot to pay their FIFA dues? (I suppose I should add the /s just to be sure )

Did they even check for the offside? Or just the pen?

Apparently not

Given that Qatar seem to be another team that some people seem to hate being there, I'm kinda rooting for them tonight EDIT: Ooh...

It's their cross to bear

But... But I thought teams without quality made for bad games /s

That it can have multiple reasons to exist, both sporting and commercial, is why it was going to happen, anyway. EDIT: Go Canada

Not the Sri Lankan Women's T20 cricket team's wake?

I guarantee the reason for why it's tournament wide is precisely because too many coaches could see how it COULD be used to gain advantage - again, this was just a demonstration in one, one-off friendly match as to how they could be used to influence a game beyond what would otherwise be possible. Just because YOU cannot see how it can be used to gain an advatage doesn't mean everyone else is so limited.

OOh... Close...

Then you are ignorant of things that have already happened. Are coaches allowed to give instructions during drinks breaks? Yes, and we have already seen it happen. During the United States' pre-World Cup friendly against Senegal, Mauricio Pochettino utilised his side's three-minute hydration break to get his ideas across via the use of a laptop.

This is why I laugh so much at people who complain about 'diluting the quality' - the fact is, is that most national teams in the world are not very good, but if you want a 'World' Cup, then you have to include them. The ability to qualify then helps them ihave reasons to improve... This is what the Group Stages of the World Cup are about, though - giving all qualified teams the same chance to progress, (and usually ensuring that the worst are eliminated.) If you don't want ANY bad teams, then why bother with enough teams to support Groups? And we're back at Olympics instead of the World Cup... Which is the point I've always made...

It's not just about one match. It's not just about one team. It's a tournament that needs every team and match to have the SAME RULES, or any difference CAN AND WILL BE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF - if you have no idea of how and why that can be done, then, as I said, your imagination is too limited. (Note: Coaches etc. can have full input during these breaks.)

Your imagination is too limited then, if you cannot see how to use such additional breaks to your advantage, especially in a overall tournament.

I guess it's one of the issues that you have to have it for everyone or not at all, since it could be seen to give an advantage/disadvatage to those that have it vs those that don't...

*John Virgo voice* (RIP)