Oceania loses direct WC place

[Alex]

FIFA's reasons for Oceania losing the spot:
Soccer Australias poor administration, and New Zealands lack of quality as a soccer nation...

Basically, the Australian soccer board, that are meant to be replaced, and are refusing to step aside, have cost us a spot...Along with New Zealand of course...bloody kiwis

 

[Alex]

Something else for all to consider...

Last World Cup, two asian teams did Ok...So because the TOP 2 Asian teams are decent, the rest of the confederation benefits???

Meanwhile the weakest team of the tournament, Saudi Arabia, came from Asia...Obviously not that much depth in the region

Basil Scarsella, who is the OFC president summed it up well, 'I don't think this is a moral, ethical or commercial decision, simply a political one which does no favours for the reputation of FIFA or the development of the game,' said Basil Scarsella, the Australian president of the confederation said.

'The excuse that it is the instability of the administration in Australia and the poor football of New Zealand is just short-term opportunism to justify a long-term decision.

'FIFA is grasping at straws trying to justify it. It is a disaster for Oceania.'

 

[culo]

ummmm, what's the problem?

Australia have not been banned from participating in the World Cup, have they? They still have the chance to qualify, just like everyone else.

They have to play a qualifying tie against one relatively good team. Seems perfectly fair to me.

I don't see people from Peru or Venezuela on here complaining that they have to play about 12 tough games against S American opposition. Australia still have it easy - they only have to play 2 real games.

This decision is cool

 

[KingPaulV]

Let me tell you by a c omparative analysis the South American qualifiers were BY FAR the toughest one where at one point or another EVERY team in the group had a chance to qualify. The quality of football is probably the highest of any qualifying group........how can South America deserve to get spots taken away.........and yes I agree and have never understood why Asia gets 4.5 except for three teams at the most (really only Korea and Japan) the rest of the continent pretty much sucks

As a matter of fact that .5 that Asia has coul make a whole place for Oceania.......

 

[Alex]

Nothing like a good old triple post

My ideal qualification places would be:

Europe-14
South America-5
Asia-4
Oceania-1
North America-3
Africa-5

I dont like play-offs, so i havent included any. HOWEVER, to do it on what I think it really should be (for some confederations, who have played more competitive soccer, play-offs would work better)...Id go:

Europe-14.5
South America-5
Asia-3.5
Oceania-1
North America-3.5
Africa-4.5

 

[wat3rf0x]

Yeah, Asia doesn't need that 4.5. Except for Korea and Japan, the rest never really made it pass the group stage.

 

[KingPaulV]

Originally posted by culo
ummmm, what's the problem?

Australia have not been banned from participating in the World Cup, have they? They still have the chance to qualify, just like everyone else.

They have to play a qualifying tie against one relatively good team. Seems perfectly fair to me.

I don't see people from Peru or Venezuela on here complaining that they have to play about 12 tough games against S American opposition. Australia still have it easy - they only have to play 2 real games.

This decision is cool

My heart shook when you said Venezuela
That's my native land........and last qualifiers towards the end we beat EVERYBODY in south America except Brazil and Argentina.......if we can do that again we have a chance.......
!!!

 

[Alex]

Originally posted by culo
ummmm, what's the problem?

Australia have not been banned from participating in the World Cup, have they? They still have the chance to qualify, just like everyone else.

They have to play a qualifying tie against one relatively good team. Seems perfectly fair to me.

I don't see people from Peru or Venezuela on here complaining that they have to play about 12 tough games against S American opposition. Australia still have it easy - they only have to play 2 real games.

This decision is cool

ARGH!!
FÚCK ME DEAD YOU PEOPLE ARE IGNORANT...

"what's the problem?"

Ive explained it OVER AND OVER again...

You ask a question, that I PURPOSEFULLY answered before you even asked, becos knew ud ask it.

I realise, that we only have two "real games" but do you think this makes it a fair system?

You keep saying that having 12 tough games, makes it a harder confederation...NO it makes it harder on the players...they have to play more, tough games, BUT when the top 4-5 teams are going thru, then having hard games doesnt make things any harder...

We want ONE spot...ONE...Playoffs dont work, in ONE game anything can happen...Leeds Utd beat Arsenal, Newcastle and Chelsea AND Man Utd this year....If you look at Leeds on a home and away basis this year (the same way a playoff is run) then they would have beatn Man Utd and Chelsea in a playoff...But I know which team I think is the better (look at the League table)..

In the last 3 qualifying campaigns, Australia have lost only 2 matches...Meanwhlie, they have held an Argentinian side, WITH Maradonna to a draw...They have beaten Uruguay, and Canada...

Anyway, Im sure that you guys will just skim over the post again, come back with the same old arguments, and questions, and consider any system that puts ur nation first, the right one...

 

[KingPaulV]

well you are also considering a system which puts YOUR nation first the best one as well. Dont blame us

I see your point but it just aint gonna happen. Aussies just need to focus all their energies on those two game, no matter who it is and be ready to give it all in the field....do that and you'll be in the world cup

 

[valioso]

australia would have made the last wc, if it wasnt because they choked against uruguay..

 

[Alex]

Originally posted by KingPaulV
well you are also considering a system which puts YOUR nation first the best one as well. Dont blame us

I see your point but it just aint gonna happen. Aussies just need to focus all their energies on those two game, no matter who it is and be ready to give it all in the field....do that and you'll be in the world cup

No, im for ANY system that is FAIR...

The current one ISNT...

I dont care if they throw us in with Asia, as long as we're treated exactly the same as the Asian nations are, AND the rest of the Oceania nations ALSO compete with Asia...

Thatd mean 5 spots for AFC/OFC which would be much better IMO...BUT the problem is getting eonugh money for teams like Fiji, and Tahiti to travel to Asia to pla ymatches...

 

[Caponedawg]

How the hell does Asia have more qualification spots than North America. A nice squad like Honduras or Nicaragua get screwed so China or Saudi Arabia get direct qual then maybe Iran or Iraq or someone. I thought our regions performance in the last WC US quarters, Mexico 2nd round, and Costa Rica tied on points with Turkey but was eliminated due to goal differential warranted at least another spot. Africa also gets screwed. Blatter you bastid.

 

[Alex]

Originally posted by Caponedawg
How the hell does Asia have more qualification spots than North America. A nice squad like Honduras or Nicaragua get screwed so China or Saudi Arabia get direct qual then maybe Iran or Iraq or someone. I thought our regions performance in the last WC US quarters, Mexico 2nd round, and Costa Rica tied on points with Turkey but was eliminated due to goal differential warranted at least another spot. Africa also gets screwed. Blatter you bastid.

I agree, excpet for the "Africa gets screwed" part...

I think 5 places is plenty at the moment for Africa...Its more than the number of really competitive teams that they have...

As I said, take half a spot off Asia, and give it to Oceania to make a full spot..its only ONE full spot...

Id have North America on 3.5 still though, although Id consider making them 4, and giving Asia only 3.5...Really asia got more spots, because of teh success of their top 2 teams...BUT having two good teams doesnt make the rest of the confederation any better...They already had more than two spots, so it shouldnt matter how their best two teams go..

 

[Punkt]

Originally posted by Alex

As for Africa deserving more...I disagree again...Apart from a few at the top, African nations are relatively weak...

africa have many nations with same level of australia and even better:
ivory coast, algeria. ghana, angola, zambia. zimbabwe, egypt, morocco, DR Congo...

oceania doesn't deserve a direct place in WC. please your confederation is crap! samoa, tahiti, fiji, vanuatu, give me a break
san marino are much better than these countries.
i think that australia and new zealand should play in AFC.

 

[wat3rf0x]

With Oceania getting one full spot, it'd mean Australia qualifying for every world cup. I agree that it would be a good idea if Asia and Oceania group and get 5 spots.

 

[SnYper]

I agree with the decision, Australia doesn't deserve a spot in the world cup at the cost of losing a South American nation.

However, I can accept a direct route for Oceania at the expense of an Asian place. This is what should have happend.


Now that two playoffs have been confirmed. I haven't read anywhere about which confederations will be playing each other. I prefer the a North America/South America and Asia/Oceania playoff format. The rivalry is intense and for travel and time change reasons it would favour all of the confederations. Again, this is my opinion, who knows what FIFA will do.

 

[pasion1]

Originally posted by valioso
australia would have made the last wc, if it wasnt because they choked against uruguay..

sorry .....uruguay chocked in the first game against australia (losing 1-0 in a fluke PK)

then we regained our game and showed why Australia shouldnt have a direct spot to the WC.


Australia shouldnt have a direct spot. Its hard enough to even reach 5th place in South america. We should be the ones complaning.
I mean, just look at the last time......
Uruguay played 2 years of a rough and intense qualification to just lose 1 game to Australia and be out?

You just cant have it THAT easy to qualify. I mean, the 2nd hardest team is New Zealand, and Australia ran over them last year.

 

[LazioEagle]

As expected

 

[culo]

Originally posted by Alex
You keep saying that having 12 tough games, makes it a harder confederation...NO it makes it harder on the players...they have to play more, tough games, BUT when the top 4-5 teams are going thru, then having hard games doesnt make things any harder...

I don't keep saying that. I never said it once.

Originally posted by Alex
We want ONE spot...ONE...Playoffs dont work

Try telling the 8 European nations that have to play 10 tough qualifying games, then a play-off

Originally posted by Alex in ONE game anything can happen...

Yes, in one game, Australia have a great chance to win. I wish my nation only had to win one game to qualify.

Originally posted by Alex In the last 3 qualifying campaigns, Australia have lost only 2 matches...

I think this kinda proves the point that the OCeanic section is laughably poor. Oz have only lost 2 matches because they've only played against 2 decent nations.

Anyway, Im sure that you guys will just skim over the post again, come back with the same old arguments, and questions, and consider any system that puts ur nation first, the right one...

I don't see my nation being given a qualifying group against Andorra, Leichtenstein, San Marino, Malta and Luxembourg, then a play-off agaisnt Paraguay.

It seems to me that you are the one who is putting your nation first with no consideration for anyone else. You clearly haven't read my first post. I am European yet was stating a case for nations like Venezuela and Peru. They have to perform close to a miracle in order to qualify for the Finals. They'd have to win many qualifying games, playing against the top S. American teams. Australia only need to win one game, against, the 5th ranked team. I think most nations in the world would jump at that chance.

The Oceanic section is piss-poor and is not worthy of an automatic spot just on the grounds that they exist. Maybe when the day comes that the likes of Fiji and Vanuatu show that they can compete at a much higher level, then an automatic spot will be deserved.

The only thing I'd say in favour of Oz is that their play-off should be against an Asian team, not a S. American one.

 

[SnYper]

For the record, South american qualifying is 18 games total. With the playoff, Uruguay totaled 20 games to qualify for the world cup, the longest and most difficult path of all the teams in the world. That just one more reason why today's decision was a good one.