World Cup qualifying format announced

Nunu

Ireland to be in pot 3.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12010_2759125,00.html

For the World Cup - England, ranked seventh in Europe by Fifa, would be in the group of nine first seeds.

Scotland - currently ranked 14th by Fifa - would make the second pot, although they are within touching distance of the last place in the first pool, currently occupied by Czech Republic.


Northern Ireland's upturn in fortunes sees them in the third group along with Republic of Ireland - and Wales are still in with a shout of making the same pot, with their current ranking of 53.


The World Cup qualifying format in Europe sees the nine group winners qualify directly for South Africa, with the four remaining spots to be competed for by the eight best group runners-up.

At the moment this is how seeding would look in order of FIFA ranking:

Pot 1: Italy, Germany, Netherlands, France, Spain, Portugal, England, Croatia, Czech Republic.

Pot 2: Romania, Scotland, Greece, Poland, Ukraine, Sweden, Turkey, Serbia, Russia,

Pot 3: Denmark, Norway, Ireland, Israel, Bulgaria, N. Ireland, Bosnia, Switzerland, Finland.

Pot 4: Slovakia, Wales, Hungary, Belgium, Macedonia, Cyprus, Belarus, Slovenia, Albania.

Pot 5: Iceland, Moldova, Lithuania, Austria, Armenia, Latvia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan.

Pot 6: Malta, Estonia, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Luxembourg, Faroe Is, San Marino, Montenegro.

http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/ranking/lastranking/gender=m/fullranking.html#confederation=0&rank=161&page=4

So, it'll be 52 countries in 9 groups (8 six team groups and 1 five team group)
I really hope we're in the group of 5 because I believe the less games we have to play the more chance we have of qualifying(fewer games to mess up in!:D )

This would be my ideal group if rankings stay the same:

England (Czechs obviously weaker, but just dying to play England again!)
Greece
Ireland
Belgium
Austria

....mostly for travelling purposes though;)

Smegball

A group of England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Austria and Luxembourg would be great Would love to see matches between the local rivals! Victories against England would be sooo sweet

eirebhoy

So the FIFA rankings aren't meaningless any more. One thing people should note is these rankings are only a year or so old. People are inclined to slate them because of the old ranking system but it looks accurate enough to me.

The workings behind the rankings

Nunu

On a slight side note - are Austria going to crash and burn as co hosts of Euro '08. I can't believe how much they've declined, world ranking of 85th!

Their U-20 team made it to the semis of the World cup. Maybe they should field that squad instead!

PHB

Ideally I'd like,

Croatia
Scotland
Finland
Macedonia
Latvia
Luxembourg

Nunu

PHB wrote:

Ideally I'd like,

Croatia
Scotland
Finland
Macedonia
Latvia
Luxembourg

....as a supporter of which country? There's no Ireland in that group:D

PHB

Well What I was clearly suggesting was that we take over hosting the Euros to get in automatically, then that group would be easy for Scotland :P Clearly :P

pd101

This wouldnt be a bad group either:D

Italy
Romania
Ireland
Iceland
Slovakia
Malta

homerjay2005

Id like a group like this, with some good away games for travelling.

England (oh please god can we get them, please)
Serbia
IRELAND
Cyprus
Iceland
Liechenstein

KdjaCL

We fcuked whoever we get, we 3rd seed for a reason.

England
Scotland
IRELAND
Cyprus
Iceland
Liechenstein

if i coudl choose.

kdjac

shane86

Nunu wrote: »

At the moment this is how seeding would look in order of FIFA ranking:

Pot 1: Italy, Germany, Netherlands, France, Spain, Portugal, England, Croatia, Czech Republic.

Pot 2: Romania, Scotland, Greece, Poland, Ukraine, Sweden, Turkey, Serbia, Russia,

Pot 3: Denmark, Norway, Ireland, Israel, Bulgaria, N. Ireland, Bosnia, Switzerland, Finland.

Pot 4: Slovakia, Wales, Hungary, Belgium, Macedonia, Cyprus, Belarus, Slovenia, Albania.

Pot 5: Iceland, Moldova, Lithuania, Austria, Armenia, Latvia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan.

Pot 6: Malta, Estonia, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Luxembourg, Faroe Is, San Marino, Montenegro.

England (Czechs obviously weaker, but just dying to play England again!)
Greece
Ireland
Belgium
Austria

....mostly for travelling purposes though;)

My preference

England or the Czechs
Poland, Sweden or Serbia
De boyiz
Albania
Moldova (disadvantage of that pot is its nearly all way out in the old USSR, cost a bomb to get there so Id doubt there would be much travelling support)
San Marino

If we get the English and the Poles I think there is a good chance we could win the group, or come 2nd at the expense of England. Anyone else in the 1st pot plus Russia or Ukraine in 2nd and I think we would be proper fooked.

Still have that play offs yoke for 2nd placed teams in the groups?:(

_blank_

shane86 wrote: »

If we get the English and the Poles I think there is a good chance we could win the group, or come 2nd at the expense of England.

Are you on drugs?

MrJoeSoap

DesF wrote: »

Are you on drugs?

On paper we can beat anyone Des, didn't you know that?

KdjaCL

Luxembourg beat Belarus 1-0 today, i hope to **** we dont get them in our group :eek:



kdjac

_blank_

Why you not in McDowells?

DSB

Nunu wrote: »

Ireland to be in pot 3.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12010_2759125,00.html



At the moment this is how seeding would look in order of FIFA ranking:

Pot 1: Italy, Germany, Netherlands, France, Spain, Portugal, England, Croatia, Czech Republic.

Pot 2: Romania, Scotland, Greece, Poland, Ukraine, Sweden, Turkey, Serbia, Russia,

Pot 3: Denmark, Norway, Ireland, Israel, Bulgaria, N. Ireland, Bosnia, Switzerland, Finland.

Pot 4: Slovakia, Wales, Hungary, Belgium, Macedonia, Cyprus, Belarus, Slovenia, Albania.

Pot 5: Iceland, Moldova, Lithuania, Austria, Armenia, Latvia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan.

Pot 6: Malta, Estonia, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Luxembourg, Faroe Is, San Marino, Montenegro.

http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/ranking/lastranking/gender=m/fullranking.html#confederation=0&rank=161&page=4

So, it'll be 52 countries in 9 groups (8 six team groups and 1 five team group)
I really hope we're in the group of 5 because I believe the less games we have to play the more chance we have of qualifying(fewer games to mess up in!:D )

This would be my ideal group if rankings stay the same:

England (Czechs obviously weaker, but just dying to play England again!)
Greece
Ireland
Belgium
Austria

....mostly for travelling purposes though;)

Croatia
Greece
Ireland
Albania
Kazakhstan
Andorra

please.

KdjaCL

DesF wrote: »

Why you not in McDowells?

stung with kids, went to see ratatouille today its ****e.


kdjac

shane86

DesF wrote: »

Are you on drugs?

Yes, but that beside the matter.

The Poles are no great shakes, they had an awful world cup.

Nightmare group

Germany
Russia
Oh jaysus...
Cyprus
Iceland
Liechtenstein or Montenegro (seeing as, being newly independent, nobody probably knows what they are like)

Whats the craic with that, do newly independent countries start at 6 by default?

Attractive Nun

Pot 3: Denmark, Norway, Ireland, Israel, Bulgaria, N. Ireland, Bosnia, Switzerland, Finland.

Pot 4: Slovakia, Wales, Hungary, Belgium, Macedonia, Cyprus, Belarus, Slovenia, Albania.

Take that, Belgium!

MrJoeSoap

shane86 wrote: »

The Poles are no great shakes, they had an awful world cup.

Eh yes but they got there, I think thats kinda the point. You are forgetting how bad Ireland actually are at the moment.

_blank_

shane86 wrote: »

The Poles are no great shakes,

They are top of their qualifying group at the moment.

delta_bravo

I thought Gilbraltar were going to be entering the tournament for the first time ever as they got status but no mention of them.

eirebhoy

MrJoeSoap wrote: »

Eh yes but they got there, I think thats kinda the point. You are forgetting how bad Ireland actually are at the moment.

I think we're twice the team Poland are, on paper.

tdv

Romania should be in pot 1 there better than some of the teams actually in the top pot. Croatia, Holland, England etc...

Guy:Incognito

eirebhoy wrote: »

I think we're twice the team Poland are, on paper.

Pity its played on the pitch though, co we're dire there.

tdv wrote: »

Romania should be in pot 1 there better than some of the teams actually in the top pot. Croatia, Holland, England etc...

Their results obvioulsy dont back that up though, or they'd be in pot 1.

eirebhoy

Stekelly wrote: »

Pity its played on the pitch though, co we're dire there.

Aye. And we could have easily afforded the Poland manager.

Nunu

tdv wrote: »

Romania should be in pot 1 there better than some of the teams actually in the top pot. Croatia, Holland, England etc...

Looks like Romania will be in pot1 for the draw. They are currently seeded 10th in europe and beat Holland 1-0 tonight. They need to overtake the Czechs immediately above them to go 9th and be in pot1. I expect the Czechs to lose on wednesday against Germany.

tdv

Stekelly wrote: »

Pity its played on the pitch though, co we're dire there.



Their results obvioulsy dont back that up though, or they'd be in pot 1.

Well there top of there group ahead of Holland who they beat today & unbeaten so I'd like to know how you work that one out?

Nunu

tdv wrote: »

Well there top of there group ahead of Holland who they beat today & unbeaten so I'd like to know how you work that one out?

Eh, i presume like me he'd work it out using FIFAs official current rankings!

tdv

Nunu wrote: »

Eh, i presume like me he'd work it out using FIFAs official current rankings!

Theres your problem.

Nunu

You have a problem with the ranking system?
It was overhauled post World Cup 2006 and I think it's quite fair and accurate now. What would you change about it?

tdv

Nunu wrote: »

You have a problem with the ranking system?
It was overhauled post World Cup 2006 and I think it's quite fair and accurate now. What would you change about it?

I think its biased towards the past super powers of world football. Like the Czechs & Holland who have been average in recent years.

eirebhoy

tdv wrote: »

I think its biased towards the past super powers of world football. Like the Czechs & Holland who have been average in recent years.

If we were using the UEFA seedings (average points over last 2 campaigns) Holland would be 2nd and the Czechs would be 8th. Both top seeds.

StickyMcGinty

i dont know why so many people want england in the the next campaign, the way we're playing at the moment we'd be on the end of a beating by a distinctly average English side.