Originally posted by Run DMB
Here's how I think the qualification should be:
AFC: 2 teams + 1 team playoff against Oceania winner
CAF: 5 teams
CONCACAF: 3 teams
CONMEBOL: 5 teams
OFC: 0 teams + 1 team playoff against AFC team
UEFA: 15 teams
So no, I don't think the Oceania winner should get an automatic spot in the WC finals, but playing the 3rd placed AFC team instead of the 5th placed CONMEBOL team would give Australia or New Zealand a better chance of qualifying. It might seem like it's not enough spots for AFC but look at this year's World Cup: China and Saudi Arabia played like ****, right now Asia has only two great teams so I think that would be fair.
Sadly it's not going to help. our first team played one game (vs france in a friendly), your plan would keep the "2 real games in a world cup cycle" alive, and that's what we're against. Anywayz, we did that thing with asia in 98 and Iran scored 2 last minute goals in melbourne to draw the game 2-2 and go through on away goals (we were the only team unbeaten in the qualifying for the world cup and not to make it).
I would rather have Australia and NZ qualify through Asia, in the group stage thingie; or have direct qualification.
With direct qualification we would have no real games with our first squad (our 4th choice team generally beats NZ, American Samoa, Tonga etc.
), but would get alot of serious friendlies, and almost certain qualification.
Through Asia, the first team would get stronger having to play many games against decent teams, as well as the friendlies if we qualify. But qualification is not certain.
With the current system, we get 2 games with a pretty un-tested team in 4 years against pretty strong opposition, who've already played 20 games togeather to get to that stage. It's a huge disadvantage that we've never been able to overcome (in 74, we had a team of part-timers who played togeather in Asia).
The current system is failing football in the Oceanic reigon, and HAS to be swapped in order for football in our region, both at club and international levels, to get any better.