Football 2013-2014

[TheGayTent]

Roger Miller could have made (i think) eight WC's over his playing career, if he'd played like he did in 1990 for all of his playing career.

[pink_triangle]

We have always overhyped ourselves but lets not pretend we're that much worse than before. Shaun Wright-Philips, Stephen Warnock and Emile Heskey went to South Africa.

[pink_triangle]

It's not just because of the quality of teams, it's that African teams will be a lot more suited to the climate of the games played in Brazil. I think England will really struggle with that.

[TheGayTent]

It's not just because of the quality of teams, it's that African teams will be a lot more suited to the climate of the games played in Brazil. I think England will really struggle with that.

[kaosmark2]

We could face Switzerland. They are top seeds.

We should get out of the group with the players we have and last 16 would be par for the course. Less than that is a failure whichever way it is dressed up.

We have always overhyped ourselves but lets not pretend we're that much worse than before. Shaun Wright-Philips, Stephen Warnock and Emile Heskey went to South Africa.

Edited October 16, 2013 by kaosmark2

[kaosmark2]

Although there are questions about the African teams as well. Some people call England chokers, well look at the Ivory Coast!

[TheGayTent]

Maybe, I just think our team is weaker than before, and combined with the climate, and African teams being stronger, I think any would be difficult.

[kaosmark2]

I respect your opinion but think you're over egging the quality of the likes of Burkina Faso, Algeria, Tunisia, Cameroon, Ethiopia, and Nigeria.

[strummer77]

Exactly the overhyping has now at times turned to underhyping to a silly level. England may not be Brazil or Spain but they arent norway or austria either. I think they are still borderline top 10 in terms of their squad. I have heard some people talk about what a great job Hodgson has done to qualify, to me thats par for the course and he should be judged on the actual competition.

[pink_triangle]

I'd agree with some of those, but Cameroon are handy. I guess other continents have lucked out a lot with Ivory Coast, Senegal, Ghana and Egypt facing each other though.

[kaosmark2]

Ivory Coast have great players but have they ever beaten anyone of note? In general I cant remember many recent occasions where the African teams have taken a big scalp, I know Senegal and South Africa have beaten France but thats all that come to mind.

[TheGayTent]

Not a big team from another continent no.

[kaosmark2]

Partly of course, because they don't get to play them very often.

[pink_triangle]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-24555555

Nice football story. Makes me think I need to get myself a son. Then again I could give him the welsh nationality but not the genes to be good at football!

[TheGayTent]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-24555555

Nice football story. Makes me think I need to get myself a son. Then again I could give him the welsh nationality but not the genes to be good at football!

[thetime]

Nice to see hodgson picked some nice public relations skills up while at Liverpool.

Edited October 16, 2013 by thetime

[LondonTom]

Nice to see hodgson picked some nice public relations skills up while at Liverpool.

[strummer77]

Hodgson says some stupid things but that wasn't one of them.

Only point is, why was he telling a long joke at half time?

Edit: Piara Powar and Ouseley slagging him off now: 'Silly thing to say' and 'FA cannot ignore it'. When those two speak they seem to harm the cause more than they help it. Stupid comments looking for offence that isn't there.

Edited October 17, 2013 by strummer77

[thetime]

What did he say wrong ? He was referring to an actual monkey!!!??!!

The worlds gone fucking mad

[Essex_George]

He didn't say anything wrong,

[pink_triangle]

The hodgson story is stupid, it annoys me when (mainly) white people get offended on a blacks person behalf, to something that the vast majority of black people would not find offensive. My daughter in nursery is not allowed to sing ba ba black sheep because its considered racist, the world has gone mad. The words "black" and "monkey" are not racist words, unless they are used in a racist context.

[The Nal]

Not sure if this was posted but the guy genuinely couldn't give a fuck. An appalling dive to win a peno and then a completely OTT celebration.

[jammy2211]

Does anyone else find the use of the world rankings as a means to seed the world cup stuff nonsense? Columbia are going in the pot ahead of a Holland side who won every single qualifying game I'm assuming simply because they played more qualifiers and a major tournament more recently? Further I'm guessing qualification for things like the Confederations Cup instant gives you a boost to your chances of being higher in the rankings as you're playing competitive games no one else is. It seems weird Switzerland are somehow creeping in their too? Do they have a good friendly record or just are benefitting from an easy qualifying group?

The next dumb thing is they arn't using the past few qualifiers to count toward world cup seedings. Its why England arent a top seed (Not that I think they deserve to be per se) but it just seems crazy - especially when you consider the African teams play their most point-gaining matches in this window and they're completely discard. How in the world are African teams ever supposed to be top seeds?

The final flaw is of course Frances playoff seeding, who missed out on being high enough by a single point. Of course their group contained one less team, so whereas Ukraine got to thrash San Marino twice for the points to swing them above France, France didn't get those competitive games and FIFA didn't bother to account for this. Surely it isn't that hard to apply some logic to it rather then pretty much go off the results in the past year or so 0_o.

[kaosmark2]

Most things about the rankings system are crap. You've analysed the causes within it well, but ultimately, it's designed to protect the big nations from losing their ranking, and I think the African nations are the biggest victims there.

Belgium for instance, have managed to pull their ranking up quickly with the young talent they've been bringing through, but they've got a huge advantage because they play competitive games in Europe - ie. against big teams with high rankings. African teams can't do that, they can only play each other + friendlies and the odd world cup.

[TheGayTent]

Hmm I think the ranking system could be better too, but for different reasons.

For example, quite rightly (IMO) the seeding is cut off when it is, to prevent teams gaining points in play off matches when teams who are better that have already qualified can't.