World cup draw (bbc2 red button or beeb website)

[clintclintdeuce]

USA-Grenada might be worth going away for! Might be up for Canada-Purto Rico as well.

Given Norways group, they might qualify as well!

[maksimir]

Die Deutschen?

So picture this.  Us Irish boys pip Sweden to 2nd place in the group behind Das Deutchlanders (sorry FFC Sweden lads!) and we draw France in the qualifiers as Spain win their group.  92nd minute of the 2nd leg play-off the ball comes into France's box and Duffer punches ehh sorry chests the ball in and we qualify.

Thems the lads Holders - those German fellas will do their usual thing and win the group.  England will walk their group as will Spain.  

I don't know what others feel but I get more excited about WC qualifiers than about the actual EURO tournament - maybe the romance of watching it on telly (as a kid mainly) and the possibility of North Korea v Brazil in the final tournament etc.

[sipwell]

Belgium, Wales, Scotland and Macedonia...

Mr Sipwell we are coming to get you!

Ireland, Faroe Irelands, Austria Kazakhstan

Northern Ireland, Azerbaijcan, Luxembourg, Israel.

All prepared! All prepared. Eating you alive!

[YankeeJim]

I've always thought that seeding the teams gives the big boys an easy way through. They have enough depth to filed a "B" squad and rest the high money guys. Just toss everyone's name into the pot and draw them out. If you get Germany, Spain & the booted floppers in the same qualifying groupthen so be it. The one that survive would then have to face a series of very motivated squads for a single knock  out. You might get a strong run by say Poland or Northern Ireland rather then the same 3/4 countries that always win it. I'd especially like to see the seedings dropped in the WC. Oh, if you get knock out of the Champions League, you go home. No more getting a entry card to Europa.

Boy, talk about fixing everything in one post.   092.gif

[maksimir]

I've always thought that seeding the teams gives the big boys an easy way through. They have enough depth to filed a "B" squad and rest the high money guys. Just toss everyone's name into the pot and draw them out. If you get Germany, Spain & the booted floppers in the same qualifying groupthen so be it. The one that survive would then have to face a series of very motivated squads for a single knock  out. You might get a strong run by say Poland or Northern Ireland rather then the same 3/4 countries that always win it. I'd especially like to see the seedings dropped in the WC. Oh, if you get knock out of the Champions League, you go home. No more getting a entry card to Europa.

Boy, talk about fixing everything in one post.   092.gif

I agree with you Yankee but obviously FIFA have to think of the 'greater family' (its sponsors) and if not enough 'big' countries get to 2014 then FIFA's 'media partners' (its money providers, the various TV companies) will be rather annoyed.  So for the 'good of the game' (FIFA's coffers) the seeding process (or fix) will not change.

Do I win the sarcastic post of the day?

[YankeeJim]

I've always thought that seeding the teams gives the big boys an easy way through. They have enough depth to filed a "B" squad and rest the high money guys. Just toss everyone's name into the pot and draw them out. If you get Germany, Spain & the booted floppers in the same qualifying groupthen so be it. The one that survive would then have to face a series of very motivated squads for a single knock  out. You might get a strong run by say Poland or Northern Ireland rather then the same 3/4 countries that always win it. I'd especially like to see the seedings dropped in the WC. Oh, if you get knock out of the Champions League, you go home. No more getting a entry card to Europa.

Boy, talk about fixing everything in one post.   092.gif

I agree with you Yankee but obviously FIFA have to think of the 'greater family' (its sponsors) and if not enough 'big' countries get to 2014 then FIFA's 'media partners' (its money providers, the various TV companies) will be rather annoyed.  So for the 'good of the game' (FIFA's coffers) the seeding process (or fix) will not change.

Do I win the sarcastic post of the day?

Yep! Follow the money.

[Mr Fulham]

Die Deutschen?

So picture this.  Us Irish boys pip Sweden to 2nd place in the group behind Das Deutchlanders (sorry FFC Sweden lads!) and we draw France in the qualifiers as Spain win their group.  92nd minute of the 2nd leg play-off the ball comes into France's box and Duffer punches ehh sorry chests the ball in and we qualify.

it's "hinter den Deutschen."  093.gif

btw: England drawn against San Marino. A country so small Peter Crouch will have to sleep with his legs hanging in Italy.

:005:

[cebu]

I've always thought that seeding the teams gives the big boys an easy way through. They have enough depth to filed a "B" squad and rest the high money guys. Just toss everyone's name into the pot and draw them out. If you get Germany, Spain & the booted floppers in the same qualifying groupthen so be it. The one that survive would then have to face a series of very motivated squads for a single knock  out. You might get a strong run by say Poland or Northern Ireland rather then the same 3/4 countries that always win it. I'd especially like to see the seedings dropped in the WC. Oh, if you get knock out of the Champions League, you go home. No more getting a entry card to Europa.

Boy, talk about fixing everything in one post.   092.gif

I agree with you Yankee but obviously FIFA have to think of the 'greater family' (its sponsors) and if not enough 'big' countries get to 2014 then FIFA's 'media partners' (its money providers, the various TV companies) will be rather annoyed.  So for the 'good of the game' (FIFA's coffers) the seeding process (or fix) will not change.

Do I win the sarcastic post of the day?

I don't know about sarcastic - I'd say very realistic.

[ImperialWhite]

I've always thought that seeding the teams gives the big boys an easy way through. They have enough depth to filed a "B" squad and rest the high money guys. Just toss everyone's name into the pot and draw them out. If you get Germany, Spain & the booted floppers in the same qualifying groupthen so be it. The one that survive would then have to face a series of very motivated squads for a single knock  out. You might get a strong run by say Poland or Northern Ireland rather then the same 3/4 countries that always win it. I'd especially like to see the seedings dropped in the WC. Oh, if you get knock out of the Champions League, you go home. No more getting a entry card to Europa.

Boy, talk about fixing everything in one post.   092.gif

I agree with you Yankee but obviously FIFA have to think of the 'greater family' (its sponsors) and if not enough 'big' countries get to 2014 then FIFA's 'media partners' (its money providers, the various TV companies) will be rather annoyed.  So for the 'good of the game' (FIFA's coffers) the seeding process (or fix) will not change.

Do I win the sarcastic post of the day?

I don't know about sarcastic - I'd say very realistic.

Playing Devil's advocate to a certain extent, but seeding does make competitions more fun to watch. FIFA (and UEFA) seed teams because it makes more money. Why does it make more money? Because it's better.

As a fan, I'd rather watch Germany vs Uruguay in the finals than Germany vs Solomon Islands. Big name teams that are evenly matched and full of talent are more fun to watch than Spain thrashing Djibouti 12-1 for a place in the semi-finals.

Unseeded competition when there's such a broad spectrum of quality would be like a marathon where Paula Radcliffe has to start at the back with the fun runners - no one wants to watch her fight though the runners slower than my gran or dressed up like batman, they do want to see her run at the best of her ability against the best runners in the World.

[jarv]

Mr. Sipwell, of all teams Scotland would not want it is yours. :014:  Th Scots have apoor record against belgium and now of all times, drawn with a resurgent Belgium des not bode well. You have two top central defenders in the world (if the one from Arsenal can stay fit). We don' have a central defender at all Get Coat gif   
However, I think we will overcome. Win at home, 0-0 in Belgium. 086.gif

[YankeeJim]

The real question is could San Marino handle Greneda?

[Mr_Moon]

You have to laugh at Wales being ranked lower than the likes of the Faroe Islands, Armenia, Cyprus, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

Some really tough groups there, Group A is my favourite purely because Serbia will be up against Croatia. Will have to get on the blower and see if my mate can sort me out tickets, that's if it isn't behind closed doors.

[clintclintdeuce]

The real question is could San Marino handle Greneda?

No way they could handle Grenada! Maybe they could handle Belize.