FIFA World Cup 2014 Qualifying

[Lief 🗽]

Winnable match-ups for all the good guys (France, Romania, Iceland), and I trust Zlatan to do what needs to be done to Portugal.

[Keystone Phil]

Well, I got two of them right. Here's what I'll say...

Portugal vs. Sweden
Ukraine vs. France
Greece vs. Romania
Iceland vs. Croatia

Sorry, Gustaf. I really wanted Sweden there but I'd prefer Portugal and I think they'll squeak by the Swedes.

[Keystone Phil]

People are already hyping Iceland's chances against a weakened Croatia. I guess I could see it happening but the latter are clear favorites.

[minionofmidas]

France vs. Ukraine
Sweden vs. Portugal
Croatia vs. Iceland
Romania vs. Greece

I was hoping for

France vs Portugal, Sweden vs Ukraine (no reason to worry, the better guys - Portugal, Sweden - would win), Croatia vs Iceland, Romania vs Greece (no reason to care, I'm perfectly happy with either qualifying and not saddened with either missing out)

[Gustaf]

Well, that sort of sucked. Still prefer Portugal to Croatia though. We always do badly against the latter and decently against the former.

I think we have a non-negligible chance, but Portugal are clear favourites. Iceland could shock Croatia, but I wouldn't count on it. France should have no problem with Ukraine and Greece v Romania feels unpredictable. I have a sinking feeling Greece will slip by yet again by some weird chance.

[Gass3268]

http://soccer.si.com/2013/10/28/world-cup-spots-michel-platini-sepp-blatter-fifa/?sct=hp_wr_a5&eref=sihp

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This is almost as dumb as expanding the NCAA Basketball Tournament to 128 teams, I can't imagine this will go over well here...

[Tetro Kornbluth]

One of these days UEFA is going to split from FIFA entirely.

[Keystone Phil]

Breaking News: Blatter and Platini are idiots.

[minionofmidas]

Breaking News: Blatter and Platini are idiots.

And even they agree with you.

That is to say, Blatter agrees with you that Platini is an idiot, and Platini agrees with you that Blatter is an idiot.

[Tender Branson]

Good news:



Marcel Koller, the very likeable and good Swiss coach of the Austrian football team, has renewed his contract for another 2 years today.

It was speculated that he might go back to Switzerland after Austria failed to qualify for the WC.

Austria's football association lobbied hard to keep him.

http://kurier.at/sport/fussball/oefb-koller-bleibt-oesterreichs-teamchef/33.336.153

[ZuWo]

Good news:



Marcel Koller, the very likeable and good Swiss coach of the Austrian football team, has renewed his contract for another 2 years today.

It was speculated that he might go back to Switzerland after Austria failed to qualify for the WC.

Austria's football association lobbied hard to keep him.

http://kurier.at/sport/fussball/oefb-koller-bleibt-oesterreichs-teamchef/33.336.153

He must be a truly principled man. According to media reports the Swiss Football Association offered him an annual salary that was twice as high as what the Austrians were ready to pay.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

If anything, given that utterly mediocre teams from Africa and Asia will get to go to Brazil while several good European and South American teams are forced to stay home, UEFA and CONMEBOL should be the ones to get more slots, not CAF and AFC.

[Peeperkorn]

If anything, given that utterly mediocre teams from Africa and Asia will get to go to Brazil while several good European and South American teams are forced to stay home, UEFA and CONMEBOL should be the ones to get more slots, not CAF and AFC.

[Lief 🗽]

It's the World Cup, not the Europe vs. South America Cup.

[Peeperkorn]

It's the World Cup, not the Europe vs. South America Cup.

Well, as I said previously:

8 CONMEBOL + 23 UEFA + 1 of the rest of the World = WORLD CUP

[Gustaf]

It's the World Cup, not the Europe vs. South America Cup.

I think it makes sense to have a sports competition allow teams to participate based on merit and  equal opportunity rather than some sort of quota. Otherwise you could just do away with the competition altogether and let the title rotate between continents.

FIFA seems intent to do its best to destroy football every chance they get. Ah, well.

[Peeperkorn]

It's the World Cup, not the Europe vs. South America Cup.

I think it makes sense to have a sports competition allow teams to participate based on merit and  equal opportunity rather than some sort of quota. Otherwise you could just do away with the competition altogether and let the title rotate between continents.

FIFA seems intent to do its best to destroy football every chance they get. Ah, well.

Didn't know you opposed Affirmative Action.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

It's the World Cup, not the Europe vs. South America Cup.

There are some great teams in Africa/Asia/North America, but for the foremost tournament in the world the 32 teams should be the ones who most deserve to be in. Peru and Serbia deserve slots more than Australia or Jordan*, for instance.

*if they somehow upset Uruguay, which needless to say is rather unlikely

[Keystone Phil]

It's the World Cup, not the Europe vs. South America Cup.

Yeah but it pretty much is the latter and should be. Sprinkle a few joke teams and mediocre teams from other areas in there for fun but that's it. UEFA and CONMEBOL deserve more berths. Real fans believe that. End of story.

[Lief 🗽]

There are only 5-6 teams with a realistic chance of winning it anyway. Why not only invite them?

[Keystone Phil]

There are only 5-6 teams with a realistic chance of winning it anyway. Why not only invite them?

...don't tempt me, Lief.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

It's the World Cup, not the Europe vs. South America Cup.

Yeah but it pretty much is the latter and should be. Sprinkle a few joke teams and mediocre teams from other areas in there for fun but that's it. UEFA and CONMEBOL deserve more berths. Real fans believe that. End of story.

I really doubt the world is missing much by not having Venezuela there.

[ZuWo]

Roberto di Matteo appears to be favored to become coach of the Swiss football team now. Having been born in Switzerland he has close ties to country. He also has ample coaching experience at the international level so he might be a good pick.

[Peeperkorn]

It's the World Cup, not the Europe vs. South America Cup.

Yeah but it pretty much is the latter and should be. Sprinkle a few joke teams and mediocre teams from other areas in there for fun but that's it. UEFA and CONMEBOL deserve more berths. Real fans believe that. End of story.

I really doubt the world is missing much by not having Venezuela there.

They are a pretty solid team.

[Keystone Phil]

Roberto di Matteo appears to be favored to become coach of the Swiss football team now. Having been born in Switzerland he has close ties to country. He also has ample coaching experience at the international level so he might be a good pick.

That would be nice for them. At least he has ties to the country despite playing for Italy. I really don't like coaches that manage a national team of a country they have no real connection to. You know, trash like Hiddink.