World Cup Discussion Thread - Day 1 (14 June)

[cwy21]

KSA is sooooooooo bad in defense.

 

[SpursD22]

Golovin is good. Beautiful cross again

 

[TheChosenOne]

I think Duff's punditry is top drawer.

He's on my shit list as he turned us down years ago.

 

[Wellspurs]

I can see the price of petrol going up after this result.....OPEC meets tomorrow

 

[rez9000]

I think with the expansion to 48 you could leave them all with a chance, indeed a better chance than now. 24 European teams would mean 24 non-Europeans as opposed to 18 at the moment, while also having much more balance in my opinion.

Well, again seeing it from the perspective of non-European nations, UEFA has 55 members. That's about a quarter of the nations that are affiliated with FIFA. Why should Europe get half the slots available at a World Cup when they only represent a quarter of the countries?

I do understand the quality argument and do agree with it to an extent. But from the perspective of those who aren't European, it may look like the World Cup is being turned into a tournament in which Europe (along with a couple of South American countries), compete amongst themselves, with the other nations brought in just to provide cannon fodder.

 

[tototoner]

Russian coach with a Sherwood salute

 

[jonathanhotspur]

He's on my shit list as he turned us down years ago.

I was put out over that, too, but I think he says really perceptive things, and puts the boot in like the best of them.

 

[werty]

No more goals, please.

 

[LexingtonSpurs]

But from the perspective of those who aren't European, it may look like the World Cup is being turned into a tournament in which Europe (along with a couple of South American countries), compete amongst themselves, with the other nations brought in just to provide cannon fodder.

How is that different than now?

 

[Saoirse]

Well, again seeing it from the perspective of non-European nations, UEFA has 55 members. That's about a quarter of the nations that are affiliated with FIFA. Why should Europe get half the slots available at a World Cup when they only represent a quarter of the countries?

I do understand the quality argument and do agree with it to an extent. But from the perspective of those who aren't European, it may look like the World Cup is being turned into a tournament in which Europe (along with a couple of South American countries), compete amongst themselves, with the other nations brought in just to provide cannon fodder.

That's already what it is though. How many teams outside Europe and South America manage to make the semi-finals? The Africans get five places despite never reaching the last four, the Asians as far as I can recall only managed it while hosting, and North America's odds don't look good either - we often get a single quarter finalist from those three continents combined. Frankly a lot of them have severe corruption and interference issues which means no amount of investment or places is going to change that. Adding yet more of them - teams even worse than this Saudi side (the next best Asian team who didn't make it is Syria) - is just going to result in very predictable and boring group stages.

 

[Mattspur]

Well, again seeing it from the perspective of non-European nations, UEFA has 55 members. That's about a quarter of the nations that are affiliated with FIFA. Why should Europe get half the slots available at a World Cup when they only represent a quarter of the countries?

I do understand the quality argument and do agree with it to an extent. But from the perspective of those who aren't European, it may look like the World Cup is being turned into a tournament in which Europe along with a couple of South American countries, compete amongst themselves, with the other nations brought in just to provide cannon fodder.

FYP

 

[rez9000]

How is that different than now?

That's already what it is though. How many teams outside Europe and South America manage to make the semi-finals? The Africans get five places despite never reaching the last four, the Asians as far as I can recall only managed it while hosting, and North America's odds don't look good either - we often get a single quarter finalist from those three continents combined. Frankly a lot of them have severe corruption and interference issues which means no amount of investment or places is going to change that. Adding yet more of them - teams even worse than this Saudi side (the next best Asian team who didn't make it is Syria) - is just going to result in very predictable and boring group stages.

No, absolutely. I'm not arguing that position myself - I'm just presenting a possible perspective that those outside Europe (+Brazil & Argentina) may take if half the slots are reserved for Europe. But that said, half is too much. If I've understood correctly, 18 of 48 will be reserved for Europe. That's just over a third. That seems about right.

 

[Saoirse]

I mean, we saw with the Euros that there can be huge upsets. Two very small nations made it for the first time, Iceland and Wales. One made the QFs and the other the SF. They beat much more fancied sides, it was exciting. I can't see the weakest sides here replicating that.

 

[yankspurs]

After 1 day, weve got the wave and a god awful football match. Poor day for football

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Mark Shattenburg as I like to call him

Is it my imagination or have you not been around here for ages?

 

[Saoirse]

No, absolutely. I'm not arguing that position myself - I'm just presenting a possible perspective that those outside Europe (+Brazil & Argentina) may take if half the slots are reserved for Europe. But that said, half is too much. If I've understood correctly, 18 of 48 will be reserved for Europe. That's just over a third. That seems about right.

16 of 48 I believe. I'm more concerned that we're going to see 24 out of 48 sides come from Africa, Asia, NA or New Zealand, compared to 13-15 (normally the lower end of that) from 32 right now. The worst sides from those 13 this year are seriously not very good. Adding in another 11 who are even worse is going to be silly.

 

[rez9000]

Is it my imagination or have you not been around here for ages?

Yeah, I've not been around for a few years. Only came back yesterday.

 

[Hakkz]

I mean, we saw with the Euros that there can be huge upsets. Two very small nations made it for the first time, Iceland and Wales. One made the QFs and the other the SF. They beat much more fancied sides, it was exciting. I can't see the weakest sides here replicating that.

The football certainly wasn't.

 

[spurs mental]

Rte2 'pundits' in the studio today.

Damien Duff, Liam Brady and Eamon frickin Dunphy

I'm just watching for Apres Match

 

[rez9000]

16 of 48 I believe. I'm more concerned that we're going to see 24 out of 48 sides come from Africa, Asia, NA or New Zealand, compared to 13-15 (normally the lower end of that) from 32 right now. The worst sides from those 13 this year are seriously not very good. Adding in another 11 who are even worse is going to be silly.

But then we go back to the problem of the not-very-good countries questioning why they should bother participating if they're penalised for doing so...

It's part and parcel of every competition - there will be those who are good and those who aren't. If we prune the Saudi Arabia's in the name of entertainment this time, then we'll be pruning the likes of Mexico next time, and then England the time after that, and on and on.