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World Cup Play-Off

Caco

Village Idiot
Nov 2, 2004
1,584
1,927
No doubt most of you have heard of this. The play-off's will be seeded using the world rankings to separate teams. Bit of a kick in the teeth for Ireland, Bosnia and probably Ukraine. I wonder if FIFA would have done this if France and Portugal had have won they're group?
 

werty

Well-Known Member
Aug 8, 2005
25,074
26,310
At the moment it's Greece, Portugal, France or Russia.
 

spurs mental

Well-Known Member
Mar 10, 2007
25,075
49,234
Greece would be best I think. Although France haven't been great at all. Struggled past Faroe Islands and lost to Austria I think.
 

MattyP

Advises to have a beer & sleep with prostitutes
May 14, 2007
14,041
2,980
I don't necessarily have a problem with the play offs being seeded, however they should have announced it at the very beginning rather than changing it recently once it became apparent that there could be some big teams in there.
 

Marty

Audere est farce
Mar 10, 2005
39,885
62,562
I don't necessarily have a problem with the play offs being seeded, however they should have announced it at the very beginning rather than changing it recently once it became apparent that there could be some big teams in there.
Disagree. Play-offs should never be seeded. All these teams have finished second in their group and should all be treated as equals.

Agree that the announcement this late after seeing who's likely to be in it makes it a lot worse.
 

CaptainCat

Well-Known Member
Jan 12, 2005
7,874
56
No doubt most of you have heard of this. The play-off's will be seeded using the world rankings to separate teams. Bit of a kick in the teeth for Ireland, Bosnia and probably Ukraine. I wonder if FIFA would have done this if France and Portugal had have won they're group?

I doubt they would have. I may be a bit biased, as I support Ireland, but France and Portugal have had their chance already. Changing the rules this late on is an obvious reaction to the prospect of a World Cup without some of the big teams.

If you're seeded in your group and can't even win it, then you deserve to go through the lottery. In summary, Blatter is a ****.
 

spurs

Well-Known Member
Mar 20, 2005
766
938
Russia seem like the hardest fixture (away in sub zero temperatures on a plastic pitch).

I think Ireland would beat Greece. France and Portugal would both be tough but they've both got poor managers.

Of the non-seeded teams Ukraine and Bosnia could hopefully cause an upset.
I agree though, deciding to seed it as a couple of big teams struggle is highly corrupt. I guess they'd already put Ronolado, Messi and Henry on all the marketing posters...

Does anyone know when the playoff draw is made?
 

stemark44

Well-Known Member
Mar 17, 2005
6,598
1,829
Absolute disgrace!
Why is there no uproar about this crap?
There really needs to be a fan's Forum where we can voice our concerns over crap like this.
Its obvious that EUFA/FIFA are no longer looking after the best interests of the game.
 

Bill_Oddie

Everything in Moderation
Staff
Feb 1, 2005
19,120
6,003
On the flipside, France, Portugal, Russia and Greece will not fancy getting Ireland one little bit. Can you imagine the scenes in Ireland if they knocked out France? And with that berk Domenech in charge, it's not impossible.
 

spursandbarca

Well-Known Member
Jul 18, 2008
3,972
446
aregntina has to go to montevideo and get a result there. hopefully saint palermo doesnt save them again
 

mil1lion

This is the place to be
May 7, 2004
42,344
77,596
I hope he does. I'd hate for Messi to miss out on the World Cup. And even though i'm not a fan, i hope Ronaldo makes it too. I want to see the best players in the World Cup. Thats what its all about.
 

CrazyConrad

Viking Yiddo
Aug 22, 2003
720
631
It is a fcking disgrace and FIFA has ones more shown the world what a bunch of fcking wankers they truly are.

Changing the gameplay just to get Ronaldo, Arshavin and a shit French team to the WC? Wonder what they will do if Argentina fails?
 

Dougal

Staff
Jun 4, 2004
60,346
129,922
It's a long way back from the third pot to almost winning a group with the World Champions in it. Looks like we'll have to do it the hard way but that's how things go after years in the football wilderness :-(
 

Bill_Oddie

Everything in Moderation
Staff
Feb 1, 2005
19,120
6,003
I hope he does. I'd hate for Messi to miss out on the World Cup. And even though i'm not a fan, i hope Ronaldo makes it too. I want to see the best players in the World Cup. Thats what its all about.

True. Making it all the sadder that it already won't be graced with Zlatan, Modric, Eduardo, Berbatov, the Petrovs, Adebayor and the like.

On the plus side, it looks like Ryan Nelson should be there. :-|
 

sidford

Well-Known Member
Oct 20, 2003
11,324
29,604
It's a long way back from the third pot to almost winning a group with the World Champions in it. Looks like we'll have to do it the hard way but that's how things go after years in the football wilderness :-(

dont worry dougal have some faith mate, we're unbeaten in the group stages (yet again) this time against the world champs and would've beaten them away if robbie put that golden chance away in last few minutes (IF we could've held onto the lead for 5 minutes).
if we get portugal, greece or france over here on a cold wet and windy november night they wont fancy it at all and we're capable of drawing against most teams away from home so its not over yet!

great news though if you go to tomorrows match and send the ticket stub in to the FAI then tickets for the play off game are being sold on a first come first served basis to people who had a ticket for montenegro game so i might be lucky enough to get one for play off which would be class
 

sidford

Well-Known Member
Oct 20, 2003
11,324
29,604
I'm up for it, just very aware of our play-off record :-(

true its not great but we havnt had an experienced head like trap before so thats something.

ah its just listening to people over here you'd think we lost against italy and that we have no chance in play offs but gotta remember, if we do get one of the big 3 then we're getting them cos their performance in the group wasnt great (except maybe russia who did well in theres except against germany)
being an irish spurs fan all i have is optimism, blind unwavering unfounded optimism
 
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