FIFA World Cup 2014 Qualifying

[Tender Branson]

So, Germany beat Sweden 5-3 and Austria beat the Faroers by 3-0 yesterday.

Which means we would have gone to the playoffs, if we tied Sweden.

But the loss to Sweden was not really what mattered, it's the 2 ties against Ireland and Kasachstan abroad. If we'd won those (rather easy) games, we would have been in 2nd place too.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Don't let me down, New Zealand.

[morgieb]

Wow the seeds are....interesting. I'm probably confusing how good each sides are, but are Belgium and Switzerland really worthy of seeds?

[Keystone Phil]

Wow the seeds are....interesting. I'm probably confusing how good each sides are, but are Belgium and Switzerland really worthy of seeds?

Belgium and Colombia are clearly hot teams that should impress next year but top seed-worthy? No.

[minionofmidas]

Lol FIFA. They really like their rating system do they?

Incidentally, these probably fairer rankings have Belgium and Switzerland nowhere near but Colombia tied with Italy for eightth: http://www.eloratings.net/world.html

Oh, and it appears (again, it's not been formally announced yet) that France will be unseeded for the European playoffs along with Sweden, Romania and Iceland.

[Keystone Phil]

I guess I'm hoping for...

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

[Tender Branson]

I think it will be:

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

The seeded teams are: Portugal, Croatia, Greece and Ukraine.

[Lief 🗽]

Portugal vs. Iceland

HP. Iceland needs to qualify.

[Keystone Phil]

Portugal vs. Iceland

HP. Iceland needs to qualify.

Here's one of the rare instances when I'd be ok with a Cinderella team getting in if it wasn't at the expense of a big team that I'd like to see in the Finals. So if Iceland draw Ukraine, I'm fine with Iceland going through.

[Gustaf]

I would like to see Croatia, Iceland and Sweden qualify. And then...France I guess. I really don't want Greece or Portugal. Ugh.

I really hope we don't get Croatia. They always cause trouble for us. Portugal wouldn't necessarily be so bad. They're in decline and we typically do well against them. Last WCQ we tied them in both games even as we missed qualification.

[Lief 🗽]

Ukraine is responsible for one of the worst games in the history of the World Cup (Ukraine 0-0 Switzerland, 2006), so hopefully they lose to whoever they're drawn against.

[Gustaf]

Ukraine is responsible for one of the worst games in the history of the World Cup (Ukraine 0-0 Switzerland, 2006), so hopefully they lose to whoever they're drawn against.

True. They're also responsible for Greece making it to last European Championships.

EDIT: last World Cup I mean.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

You no say Ukraine weak!

[Lief 🗽]

LOL

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Ugh, Mexico does not remotely deserve to go to Brazil next year. The Kiwis are our only hope.

[ZuWo]

Ottmar Hitzfeld, coach of the Swiss team, announced that he is not going to renew his contract after the World Cup next year. There are rumours that Marcel Koller, the current coach of Team Austria, might be in contention for the job (sorry, Austria!).

[Tetro Kornbluth]

I really doubt they will use the FIFA Rankings for the seedings, they didn't before 2010 so I expect the first pot to look like this:

Brazil, Spain, Argentina, Italy, Netherlands, Uruguay, Germany, Portugal

[Tender Branson]

Ottmar Hitzfeld, coach of the Swiss team, announced that he is not going to renew his contract after the World Cup next year. There are rumours that Marcel Koller, the current coach of Team Austria, might be in contention for the job (sorry, Austria!).

Koller was an excellent coach, it's the overall team that fumbled it (especially the away games in KAZ and IRL).

But I understand it if he wants to leave after this year, he must be really disappointed.

But hey, what about Jupp Heynckes or Andreas Herzog becoming the next Austrian coaches ?

[Keystone Phil]

I really doubt they will use the FIFA Rankings for the seedings, they didn't before 2010 so I expect the first pot to look like this:

Brazil, Spain, Argentina, Italy, Netherlands, Uruguay, Germany, Portugal

Why do you keep doing this? They confirmed that they're using the rankings. Italy and The Netherlands are not going to be seeded.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

I really doubt they will use the FIFA Rankings for the seedings, they didn't before 2010 so I expect the first pot to look like this:

Brazil, Spain, Argentina, Italy, Netherlands, Uruguay, Germany, Portugal

Why do you keep doing this? They confirmed that they're using the rankings. Italy and The Netherlands are not going to be seeded.

See the avatar; he seems to be in a certain Egyptian river.

[minionofmidas]

Yeah, it's officially confirmed as of today.

Though the Dutch may still get there... if Jordan vanquishes Uruguay somehow.

[minionofmidas]

Came across this... Rest in Peace Bruno Metsu.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

I really doubt they will use the FIFA Rankings for the seedings, they didn't before 2010 so I expect the first pot to look like this:

Brazil, Spain, Argentina, Italy, Netherlands, Uruguay, Germany, Portugal

Why do you keep doing this? They confirmed that they're using the rankings. Italy and The Netherlands are not going to be seeded.

Precedent. They've NEVER seeded anyone before who hadn't qualified for the previous world cup (So the Netherlands in 2006 was not unseeded). But it looks like I was wrong... Going to make for some interesting groups.

[Tender Branson]

I think it will be:

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

The seeded teams are: Portugal, Croatia, Greece and Ukraine.

The draw was today.

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

Got 2 pairs right.

[Tender Branson]

Prediction for the play-offs:

Portugal vs. Sweden (Go die, Sweden ... )
France vs. Ukraine
Greece vs. Romania
Croatia vs. Iceland (lulz prediction)
Uruguay vs. Jordan
Mexico vs. New Zealand