France Claim Play-off Seeding is Unfair

roanoke

Michael D Not Higgins wrote: »

In fairness the team that finished ahead of them was Spain.

But I think that feeds into the point that if France actually were a good team who were qualifying outright everytime then wouldn't be a 2nd seed for they draw in July2011 and then therefore never would have had to be in a group with Spain.

The fact that they came second to Spain is not the true story. The true story is that they allowed themselves to slip into the second seeds.

v3ttel

They can F*CK OFF for the following reasons:

- They had no problem with seeding the playoffs when it was working in their favour in 2010. Why they didn't they call it as unfair then? It's only when it works against them, they cry foul. Well, tough f*cking sh!t lads. It wasn't fair in the plays for WC 2010, Euro 2012, and it isn't fair now. You should have flagged it then rather than happily taking the advantage that was given to you then. At the time, they were arrogant enough to think that the system would never work against them and therefore had no problem with it.

- Lloris' comment smacks of complete and utter arrogance. History doesn't entitle you to anything.

To be fair though, seeding the playoffs is basically a terrible idea. It's there to protect the bigger countries (many of who already benefit from a pot 1 or pot 2 seed). If you didn't make use of your seed the first time around, then you get the advantage of seeding a SECOND time (for the playoffs)? That's as close to a fix as there can possibly be. The next step would just be to have big nations qualify automatically, and be done with it.

I hope that they get Portugal, and Ronaldo tears them a new one.

noodler

Idbatterim wrote: »

Seeding the play offs is ridiculous, some teams will have done phenomenally well to get there, others will have ****ed up or underachieved and they are given another leg up! I prey that the French dont make it, I hope they are shafted by a last second cheat, and a blatant one, like Henry's, not one that is up for debate, then see what kicks off!

I am almost glad (well not really!) that we have no skin in the game this time around because then I can again say that seeding the play-offs is a disgrace.

We were harmed by it in 2009 and we benefited from it in 2011 but it goes against the idea of sport for me. Iceland's achievement should get them the possibltilty to play anybody - I despise the fact that the bigger teams get a second benefit via the seeding process for the play-offs.

greendom

roanoke wrote: »

But I think that feeds into the point that if France actually were a good team who were qualifying outright everytime then wouldn't be a 2nd seed for they draw in July2011 and then therefore never would have had to be in a group with Spain.

The fact that they came second to Spain is not the true story. The true story is that they allowed themselves to slip into the second seeds.

I think their current ranking had a lot to do with D omenech and his appointment and the Ffr's decision to persist with him for so long when virtually the whole World could see how hopeless he was.

This led directly to the complete abomination that was the 2010 finals and the huge cracks that the national team has still not fully recovered from.

Still Deschamps is a good manager and I think he can turn things round. He certainly has enough young talent to see a bright future.

noodler

Damn French!

Diabhal Beag

A perfect time for one Andriy Shevchenko to unretire.

keeponhurling

Don't think Ireland would have got past Portugal, even we had had snatched 2nd place in the group.
Maybe 2 defeats would have damaged our ranking?

pickarooney

The hell with seedings altogether, both in qualifying and the World Cup itself.