Should UEFA Lose a place at the World Cup?

[Manwell Pablo]

If anything Europe doesnt have enough places for me.

If you any strong contenders, you maybe have 2 South American and 4 European. If you look at possible winners, you could argue we would have 3/4 South American teams and 8 Europeans.

As things stand, Iran and South Korea will almost always qualify for the World Cup whereas a name such as Denmark qualify maybe 50% of the time and yet Denmark would be better than both.

 

Also can I say Denmark didn't qualify while Russia did from Europe, and the drew a snooze fest with the South Korean team you've just mentioned, South Korea qualified in South Africa at the expense of Greece.

[Manwell Pablo]

Do you think Venezuala, Jordon, New Zealand, Panama or Egypt would have had a better tournement than England, Italy, Spain, Greece, Bosnia, Portugal etc.

I know the European teams haven't performed amazingly but I don't think any of these would have done any better?

What do you think of making the play off round global? So teams qualify in their confederations but when the play offs come around Uruguay Jordon New Zealand Mexico and the European and African teams are put in a pot together and drawn out, with it wing a global game players are used to flying all over the world for games.

Would this ensure we are closer to having the best 32 teams at the World Cup?

 

 

Given that Costa Rica, Chile, Algeria, are, I see no reason why not.

[Manwell Pablo]

For those suggesting inter contiental play offs yes I think after this World Cup it'd be an idea

[Julian Joachim Jr Shabadoo]

Costa Rica would have got smashed every game had it been in europe... Just a fact...

That's not a fact.

[Grandad.]

Genuine question, how different are the conditions from Japan and Korea 2002 to Brazil 2014?

[Manwell Pablo]

Genuine question, how different are the conditions from Japan and Korea 2002 to Brazil 2014?

 

Hotter in Japan and South Korea I think

 

Summer over there, winter in Brazil, only the northen city's will come close. Only Manaus is really hot, the other northern cities are on the coast.

 

Conditions are a bit of a cop out to be honest us and Bosnia have been not good enough, Spain we're done after the Holland game, Croatia were out thought tactically by the Mexicans and the Italians seem to have been been the masters of their own downfall. 

[Grandad.]

Hotter in Japan and South Korea I think

 

Summer over there, winter in Brazil, only the northen city's will come close. Only Manaus is really hot, the other northern cities are on the coast.

 

So the conditions isn't really such a big a factor as we are making out then surely? In 2002 9 European teams progressed into the second round. 

 

Unless I'm missing something? Which I probably am. 

[Manwell Pablo]

So the conditions isn't really such a big a factor as we are making out then surely? In 2002 9 European teams progressed into the second round. 

 

Unless I'm missing something? Which I probably am. 

 

No, no doubt the conditions will be made alot of by European fans but any kick off at 8pm or later in the south of the country will be played in tempretures under 20c.

 

13c in Sao Paulo now. It's hotter here and it's the middle of the night.

[Fox42]

Give one to OFC. Bit of a poo that those continental teams battle it out only to find out it's just a waste of time when they lose in the playoffs. They may be a little crapper but it makes for entertaining football... And a new nation in the WC is always good to see. It is the World Cup after all, not the Euros every 2 years...

[Danizen]

We've already had a place taken off us, haven't we not? Before, the best runner up went through to the finals with the remaining eight teams playing off for four spots. Now, the worst runner up is eliminated. Leave it as it is for now. You can't change the qualifying format because of the results of one or two tournaments.

[SOCCERROO FOX]

Give it to Oceania!

[Dan]

If we were to have the best 32 teams you'd have about 25 of the places go to Europe/South America, to be fair.

[Finnegan]

Not a chance now, they have been a revelation but England in my eyes shouldn't be losing a knock out game to Colombia, then again I was very confident of getting through this group with 5-7 points!

To be fair, that's probably about sticking your hand up and admitting there are people on this board that follow world football more than you do. Nobody doubts you're a passionate student of the premier league and Liverpool but none of us know everything, everyone has their interests.

Now go and donate the tenner you owe me to Foxestalk.

[Manwell Pablo]

If we were to have the best 32 teams you'd have about 25 of the places go to Europe/South America, to be fair.

 

Why are we losing so many teams in the group stage in two consecutive world cups then. Why should we keep taking 13 teams when over half are eliminated by the likes of Costa Rica, Mexico, and more than likely the USA and Algeria. South America I agree probably do deserve another space, most probably at our expense. 

 

I see a lot of people making claims that Europe would be taking the lions share of teams to a World Cup finals if it was quality based, but not one scrap of evidence. Confed points are decided by results not who's got the best team on paper.

[DennisNedry]

Surely you could take the place off Africa to give to South America?

[Manwell Pablo]

Surely you could take the place off Africa to give to South America?

 

But they look like their going to put two teams through, meaning they've done about as comparable bad as us. So why should it be them who only send five teams anyway?

 

Fortunate really that Greece got that pen last night as 5 group stage qualifiers (and that's assuming the Swiss get the result they need) from 13 really would needed to be looked at.

[Guest MattP]

Good thread, enjoyed it.

 

I've been a long time supporter of South America getting even more spots, the standard of football is superb in their qualification section and teams like Chile, Colombia and Paraguay have regulary missed out on World Cups despite having excellent sides and very often due to rich European clubs putting pressure on players not to play.

 

I'd probably still shift one of the spots off Africa or Asia though, I know it's a World game but these teams really are crap in the main. Even the Nigerians who will bundle through didn't deserve to and similar to Ghana last time will have got out of the group via some very dodgy officiating.

 

Is anyone really interested in the Togo and North Korea turning up every few years?

[Bryn]

I'd be happy enough knocking one off Africa and one off Asia, giving South America an extra spot and giving Oceania a guaranteed spot. That'll never happen though.

[Guest MattP]

I'd be happy enough knocking one off Africa and one off Asia, giving South America an extra spot and giving Oceania a guaranteed spot. That'll never happen though.

 

New Zealand a free spot every year? Can't happen, they have to at least play a play off, beating Tahiti and the Cook Islands shouldn't be enough to secure a World Cup spot every four year.

[Nalis]

But they look like their going to put two teams through, meaning they've done about as comparable bad as us. So why should it be them who only send five teams anyway?

Fortunate really that Greece got that pen last night as 5 group stage qualifiers (and that's assuming the Swiss get the result they need) from 13 really would needed to be looked at.

You cant really say that about the Greeks to solidify your case. You could easily say Godin's 'back' was complete luck v Italy and that's not even considering Dzeko's disallowed offside goal v Nigeria.

I dont have a problem with worldwide representation in the world cup or unlikely nations qualifying such as Burkino Faso. The problem I have is that countries like Japan and Mexico basically have a free pass to the World Cup (Mexico won 2 games in a 10 game group and still qualified!) whereas the second tier European nations have it much tougher in trying to qualify.

As someone suggested earlier, perhaps more intercontinental play offs are the answer?

[leicsmac]

I'd definitely extend the continental playoffs - in this day and age they shouldn't be difficult to coordinate. Perhaps have as many as 8/9 spots at the World Cup dependent on them. Would mean only the best sides from each federation qualify and then the rest have to prove themselves against other sides not in their federation.

[Bryn]

New Zealand a free spot every year? Can't happen, they have to at least play a play off, beating Tahiti and the Cook Islands shouldn't be enough to secure a World Cup spot every four year.

 

I just think you have to have a representative of each continent.

[Manwell Pablo]

You cant really say that about the Greeks to solidify your case. You could easily say Godin's 'back' was complete luck v Italy and that's not even considering Dzeko's disallowed offside goal v Nigeria.

I dont have a problem with worldwide representation in the world cup or unlikely nations qualifying such as Burkino Faso. The problem I have is that countries like Japan and Mexico basically have a free pass to the World Cup (Mexico won 2 games in a 10 game group and still qualified!) whereas the second tier European nations have it much tougher in trying to qualify.

As someone suggested earlier, perhaps more intercontinental play offs are the answer?

 

Doesn't quite tell the whole story. Mexico played 10 and won 2 in the last stage of qualifying, once you get to that stage you are probably going to qualify given 3 from six get automatic with one play off against the winner in Asia. There was a round before and they won six out of six including two wins over Costa Rica.

 

It's not actually as easy to get to a World Cup final in other confedertaions as a lot of people think, most have more than one qualifying stage, with most having all teams entered by the penultimate one at least.

[Guest MattP]

I just think you have to have a representative of each continent.

 

Well I hope England draw Antartica FC - we might pick up 3 points.

Doesn't quite tell the whole story. Mexico played 10 and won 2 in the last stage of qualifying, once you get to that stage you are probably going to qualify given 3 from six get automatic with one play off against the winner in Asia. There was a round before and they won six out of six including two wins over Costa Rica.

 

It's not actually as easy to get to a World Cup final in other confedertaions as a lot of people think, most have more than one qualifying stage, with most having all teams entered by the penultimate one at least.

 

And let's not mention the fact it took a two goal turnaround in injury time to actually see Mexico get to the play offs.

[Manwell Pablo]

Well I hope England draw Antartica FC - we might pick up 3 points.

 

And let's not mention the fact it took a two goal turnaround in injury time to actually see Mexico get to the play offs.

 

Well yes there were very close to not qualifying,

 

funnily enough as were the US in the third qualifying round 1-0 down to Gutamala in the last fixture, had they not turned that game round they'd of gone out.