Less European representation

[Uppercut]

I think African and Asian qualification has some games that have consequences for both regional tournaments and the WC. It'd be terrible for Europe because the four-year cycle means that if you missed out on the Euros you would have no competitive games for almost 3 years. A strong Euros performance gets you a better seeding in qualification though, so it's not completely irrelevant.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Also the Euros are usually great fun so why would you want to reduce it to qualifier status

 

[GIMH]

Should have global qualifying, it would piss all the big clubs off so I see no downside

 

[fredfertang]

I think they should let India in - anything to reduce the importance of the IPL

 

[Pratters]

I think the gap's widened, if anything.

Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Panama especially have no place in a global tournament. Costa Rica look to have gone backwards too.

I don't think anyone could realistically argue that Italy, the Netherlands or Chile wouldn't have added more in terms of competitiveness.

I don't think the gap has increased. Don't compare the weakest teams. Over all, defenses have improved and teams play structured football far more from the traditionally weaker Asian and African countries.

 

[Furball]

Should Europe have less teams in future world cups as gap between European and other sides seems to have diminished..

I don't think you understand what diminished means.

The World Cup suffers enough because of a lack of European teams.

 

[Furball]

I think FIFA have the 32 allocated spots between the confederations pretty much spot on.

I dont think 16 teams from Europe is enough when it goes up to 48 teams.

I still don't like that Oceania don't get an automatic slot.

 

[sledger]

I don't think the gap has increased. Don't compare the weakest teams. Over all, defenses have improved and teams play structured football far more from the traditionally weaker Asian and African countries.

I.e. the teams that actually quaified in this case.

I mean, yeah, why on earth do that?

 

[Pratters]

Poland also qualified, no?

 

[sledger]

Ah yes, Poland, that well known Asian/African nation.

 

[Burgey]

Ideas that involve extrapolating from Poland usually are.

Ideas which involve invading Poland aren’t all that great either.

 

[Pratters]

Ah yes, Poland, that well known Asian/African nation.

Erm what.. if you say weakest Asian or African country which qualified makes a point, the point is moot when there is a weak European team too.

 

[marc71178]

You do realise that Poland qualified by winning their group and coming ahead of Denmark and are a top seed and ranked fairly highly don't you? Just because they've been dire in 2 games doesn't make them as poor as you're making out.

 

[Pratters]

Neither Poland nor Denmark are doing well, to be fair. Probably the weakest European performances this world cup.

 

[Burgey]

Yeah but the mere fact they're Euro Trash doesn't mean they're any better than other outfits from around the world. You can say team X from wherever topped their qualifying group and have been trash for two games but are otherwise a good side. Instead what we invariably hear from the Euro ponces on here is those sides are completely ****. The fact a side is from Europe is meant to give them some ****ing mystical quality over and above sides from elsewhere. It doesn't ffs. For every **** North American, African or Asian outfit which teams go past to qualify from their confederation, there's a Faroe islands , an Israel or a Cyprus.

Basically, footballing Europhiles need to get off their high horses and realise their **** does stink. If they want extra places they can **** off and have their own tourney (which they get every four years now anyway).

 

[Pratters]

Thanks. Nothing like a good Burgey rant. Every time I feel sad, I think about the pandas rant and my life is good again.

 

[Burgey]

That was Brumby tbf.

 

[Burgey]

And fwiw (**** all), I think the amount of Euro teams there atm is probably about right, given South America is the other powerhouse and has so few countries, as noted earlier. I'm not really sold on the idea of expanding the WC to more teams, I think the number they have now is probably enough. I'd give Oceania a direct qualification spot, maybe take half a spot each away from two other confederations. It's meant to be a WC. Utterly bizarre that an entire confederation doesn't get automatically represented.

Basically, anything to keep India out of it will do me.

 

[Pratters]

India has no chance of getting to a world cup even if it is expanded to 72 teams.

 

[Burgey]

Good.