World Cup qualification - new European format

Aerlik · October 17, 2009, 02:33:07 PM

Folks, I decided to take a gander at the final European qualification tables for next year's world cup. One thing strikes me is the incredible variance in the success of the teams and it got me thinking - is it not time we had a preliminary round(s) for Europe as is the case in Africa, Oceania, CONCACAF and Asia?

San Marino lost 10 games as did Andorra. Malta, , Moldova, Leichtenstein and Georgia, didn't win any but only managed a few draws. Albania, Luxembourg, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Faroe Isl, Montenegro and (surprisingly I suppose, based on recent past form) Iceland, only won one game. Then Estonia, Kazakhstan and Macedonia managed two.

Among the nine groups, 16 teams managed just 13 wins, and 30 draws, yet managed to lose 113 games.

Viewing those scores, it is pretty apparent there is a diabolical gap in standards. Perhaps if we eliminated the weakest teams early on, we could introduce the S.American system where groups of 10 (or whatever) battle it out. I think it would be better craic and certainly if this years CONMEBOL AND CONCACAF are to go by, it'll be very exciting right up to the end. What d'yiz reckon?

AFS · October 17, 2009, 06:45:48 PM

I wouldn't be dismissive of the likes of Montenegro or Georgia. Countries of this size probably need regular games against bigger countries to bring them on and it wouldn't be a massive surprise to see a few countries of this size qualify for tournaments over the next twenty years, especially when you see small teams like OWC giving it a decent shot.

That said, I do wonder what the micro nations get out of the situation at present. Surely regular competitive fixtures against each other, where it would be possible to accurately track progress, would be a preferable situation. I'd like the 8 or 9 smallest countries, who are the bottom seeds at present, run their own competition concurrent with the regular qualifying campaign. The winners of each competition could be allowed to compete in the regular qualifying for the next campaign.

DennistheMenace · October 17, 2009, 06:49:54 PM

Not to mention Montenegro losing quite a proportion of their players who declared for Serbia after independance.

I agree with the OP though, the likes of San Marino/Andorra offer nothing in terms of competitiveness to the qualifiying campaign and should have to play in some sort of preliminary round.

Also I think Europe should also be given more places in the WC. While I appreciate we want to see teams from all over the world I still think there are far too many sub standard teams having a better chance to get involved because of FIFA deicision for a certain quota of countries from each continent.

Bogball XV · October 17, 2009, 11:25:38 PM

Luxembourg won their game in Switzerland (who the group), and it was one of the first games in the group, so they needed the points.
Maybe a case could be made for putting all these runner up and play-off teams into a hat and drawing them out that way - Bahrain or NZ would have been a nice draw!! Unfortunately, politics of voting doesn't allow that, however, when you think about it, if that were the case and say Ireland drew NZ, we could get to the WC finals by beating Georgia, Cyprus and NZ!!

The Watcher Pat · October 18, 2009, 09:31:55 AM

Quote from: DennistheMenace on October 17, 2009, 06:49:54 PM
Not to mention Montenegro losing quite a proportion of their players who declared for Serbia after independance.

I agree with the OP though, the likes of San Marino/Andorra offer nothing in terms of competitiveness to the qualifiying campaign and should have to play in some sort of preliminary round.

Also I think Europe should also be given more places in the WC. While I appreciate we want to see teams from all over the world I still think there are far too many sub standard teams having a better chance to get involved because of FIFA deicision for a certain quota of countries from each continent.

These team's are still in Europe and therefor qualify to play in the qualifiers. How would you react if UEFA said that Ireland could not have a chance to play in the qualifiers because they aren't good enough? Just because the teams aren't world beaters doesn't rule them out....When San Marino played England a few yrs population of the country doubled and the TV companies there made enough money in that one day to run nearly all the rest of the year. Why should these country's not have that chance? All be it slim!

Celt_Man · October 18, 2009, 02:06:29 PM

Quote from: DennistheMenace on October 17, 2009, 06:49:54 PM
Not to mention Montenegro losing quite a proportion of their players who declared for Serbia after independance.

I agree with the OP though, the likes of San Marino/Andorra offer nothing in terms of competitiveness to the qualifiying campaign and should have to play in some sort of preliminary round.

Also I think Europe should also be given more places in the WC. While I appreciate we want to see teams from all over the world I still think there are far too many sub standard teams having a better chance to get involved because of FIFA deicision for a certain quota of countries from each continent.

I seem to recall that the combined Serbia and Montenegro team at the last major competition - must have been the 2006 WC - that the only player from Montenegro in the squad was the sub goalkeeper. Given that I think Montenegro are doing great work at the minute and won't remain as low seeds as they are for much longer

gallsman · October 18, 2009, 02:09:38 PM

Quote from: Celt_Man on October 18, 2009, 02:06:29 PM
Quote from: DennistheMenace on October 17, 2009, 06:49:54 PM
Not to mention Montenegro losing quite a proportion of their players who declared for Serbia after independance.

I agree with the OP though, the likes of San Marino/Andorra offer nothing in terms of competitiveness to the qualifiying campaign and should have to play in some sort of preliminary round.

Also I think Europe should also be given more places in the WC. While I appreciate we want to see teams from all over the world I still think there are far too many sub standard teams having a better chance to get involved because of FIFA deicision for a certain quota of countries from each continent.

I seem to recall that the combined Serbia and Montenegro team at the last major competition - must have been the 2006 WC - that the only player from Montenegro in the squad was the sub goalkeeper. Given that I think Montenegro are doing great work at the minute and won't remain as low seeds as they are for much longer

Vucinic and Jovetic are two absolutely top quality players. What Ireland would give for the likes of those two.

Main Street · October 18, 2009, 04:42:09 PM

After starting from scratch, Montenegro just missed out by a fraction from being in the 4th pot seeds for the Euro 2012 draw.

Cant imagine too much excitement from the top clubs about a WC qualification format being extended by 6 or 8 games over an 18 month period.
Neither do I see a 10 team group increasing levels of excitement at the end.
Was there not enough of big games last Saturday in the euro groups?
Ukr v Eng, Russ v Germ, Irl v italy, Denm v Sweden

slow corner back · October 18, 2009, 08:59:44 PM

It has been my opinion for some time now that international qualification competitions should be played over a four or five week period in May and June like the world cup or Euro championships. If there were no international breaks during the season you would free up at least a dozen dates for club league and european action allowing the season to be completed between September and April then head into two months of international action. Two weeks of friendlies followed by the real stuff. If it is all cleared up before the end of June players have two months before having to return to club action.