*Official* English Football Season 2009-2010

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Yea this could work. Create a second "associate memmber pool" & the best associate memebers should be involved in qualifying. Rather than all of them.

Ok, I can get on board with this. Have the top 50 nations in the world in their elite pool with automatic qualifying privileges. Then have the rest playoff against each other geographically. So the top, say, 30 of that pool can participate in qualifying for major tournaments.

The only problem being that, at a ranking of 77th, Wales are odds on to be in that top 30, despite being a worthless team.

 

[cpr]

Weaker teams should have to earn right as "official FIFA memebers" status before they earn to right to participate qualifying.

Thought that was the point of qualifying, to earn the right to play at the tournament? Or should we have qualifying for qualifying, then probably qualifying for that, etc etc, making the qualifying phases end every time Halley's Comet comes round?

 

[Jarquis]

I don't understand how anybody can seriously suggest that the 76th best side in the world should be merged because they're not good enough.
What do we do? Keep merging until we only have 64 sides, so that half can go to the world cup? Then what about those that don't make the World Cup? Do we keep on merging until we only have 32 sides? Each who are guarenteed to make the WC every time?

 

[Uppercut]

He's clearly just trolling the forum's non-existent Welsh contingent.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Basically countries that are historically richer, more populated, better equipped, and generally better at sport have earned the right an easier path to the World Cup. As few matches as possible, and as many breaks as possible. FIFA almost dropped the ball in that whole France situation, but thank God (ie Henry) that things were set straight in the end.

 

[sledger]

He's clearly just trolling the forum's non-existent Welsh contingent.

It's because in his view, jokes at Welsh people's expense don't get any worse with age....they obviously don't get any better either mind you.

 

[BoyBrumby]

He's clearly just trolling the forum's non-existent Welsh contingent.

Dicko claims to be Welsh, but suspect he wouldn't know Nai Bevan from Nerys Hughes.

& they might have only qualified once, but did make the quarter finals, putting them ahead of (to pick a few countries entirely unrandomly) Australia, New Zealand, Norway & Scotland.

 

[aussie]

They would never have had their success in the African Cup of Nations if you're profound idea of culling national teams after X amount of years with no sucess had been implemented in the mid/late 20th century.

I dont see why not. As i said Egypt traditionally do well in AFC competitions & have traditionally been one of the stronger african teams, they just seem to slip up in WCQ.

Even if as i'm suggesting teams get relegated to a sort of a "associate member status" via poor WCQ records. Being relegated solely doesn't have to be based on a WCQ record (even though WCQ are the only times football teams are tested & can be gauged properly since unlike cricket yo dont see international 3-5 match series for example). Other factors can be looked at, but in Egypt's case given that they generally have been one of the better AFC nations i certainly don't think they would have had to face any sort of relegation especially over the late decade.

T&T have come close to qualifying for the World Cup thrice, succeeding once, in a 75-year history as a footballing nation. Over the last 4 years there's certainly been no improvement, and in fact the opposite of it. Stronger teams score goals against us for fun, and we have no consistent goalscoring threat, with even our greatest striker having a poor record (Yorke) and our best player (Latapy) only having 10 or so minutes at the World Cup, in his illustrious career. Thanks for the show of support, man.

Could have sworn Kenwyn Jones was doing that for T&T ATM but fair enough. But if T&T indeed have been struggling since WC 06, they indeed should watch themselves

Just because funds are available doesn't mean they should be spent. If a player's not deemed worth the money, it's not worth spending it, regardless of what funds are available.

We have the money, just in typical Wenger fashion, we didn't agree with their valuation.

Its quite obvious Arsenal need to a strong/quality defensive mid-fielder. The transfer market for players is inflated these days, i agree with manager like Wenger & SAF for not wanting to spend like crazy given many players prices are indeed way OTT i.e Glenn Johnson. But that DM hole is a big reason why Arsenal a average againts big team, they are ***y in attack but weak in middle & defense (although the back 4 is pretty good). So if a good DM becomes available Wenger might as well bite the bullet & spend..

Though Song was fighting a lone man battle against United at times. Cesc was quiet and the less said about Denilson the better. Diarra, Toulalan and Veloso would all be decent enough buys. I think we've been linked with Toulalan a few times and know for a fact we were linked with Veloso last summer, as were Everton.

Don't actually think we need them though, Song has been brilliant this season.

He was fightning a lone battle yea, but it wasn't a situation like today againts Chelsea where you can say..."oh poor Song he is doing a great job in middle today but he is getting no back-up". IMO he genuinely looked usless againts these two big teams as he usually has done i have seen no progress with him.

Even if you gunner fans rate Song fine. But clearly he needs another quality DM back-up instead of Diaby.

 

[sledger]

I dont see why not.

Them not having a team due to the revocation of their national status would have been a considerable hinderance to their aspirations of winning an international tournament tbh.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Could have sworn Kenwyn Jones was doing that for T&T ATM but fair enough. But if T&T indeed have been struggling since WC 06, they indeed should watch themselves

Well I guess you're swearing based on never watching T&T football, because I doubt you've ever seen Kenwyne Jones score an international goal. He only has 5 in 45 matches due largely to a general lack of service (Carlos Edwards aside). Way to get involved.

Anyway, I'm quietly confident that your Nazi qualification rules won't come into place any time soon. Not while we have our own crazy dictator, in Jack Warner.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

So if a good DM becomes available Wenger might as well bite the bullet & spend..

Nah, because that still doesn't necessarily make the player worth the money. For one, as much as you think otherwise, Arsenal is not just one player short of winning a title.

 

[aussie]

Them not having a team due to the revocation of their national status would have been a considerable hinderance to their aspirations of winning an international tournament tbh.

Revoking of offical FIFA/AFC status wouldn't mean they would have to stop playing. They would just be relegated to a "associate memeber" pool instead of playing regularly with the upper echelon of AFC members.

When WCQ comes around, if they improve & are amongst the best associate memeber countries in a probably associate member competition. They would then earn the right be part of WCQ instead of automatically being in WCQ, without showing no signs of improvement.

 

[sledger]

Nah, because that still doesn't necessarily make the player worth the money. For one, as much as you think otherwise, Arsenal is not just one player short of winning a title.

Failure to score goals being a much greater concern than replacing an already competent player at any rate.

 

[marc71178]

Without showing no signs of improvement?

How does that fit in with the FACT that teams don't improve?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Failure to score goals being a much greater concern than replacing an already competent player at any rate.

No, son. The attack is already well ***y, innit.

 

[aussie]

Nah, because that still doesn't necessarily make the player worth the money. For one, as much as you think otherwise, Arsenal is not just one player short of winning a title.

4 i'd say. Two strong DMs & tall goal-scoring forward who can score 20+ goals a season consistently - which indeed can be RVP & a better GK.

But they got to buy fast since Fabregas could very & be gone soon if he gets frustrated by the lack of winning anything. Then they will be even worse off.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Revoking of offical FIFA/AFC status wouldn't mean they would have to stop playing. They would just be relegated to a "associate memeber" pool instead of playing regularly with the upper echelon of AFC members.

When WCQ comes around, if they improve & are amongst the best associate memeber countries in a probably associate member competition. They would then earn the right be part of WCQ instead of automatically being in WCQ, without showing no signs of improvement.

And how in the world is Wales not already in that pool? Any top 100 team in the world definitely deserves to participate in qualifying.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

4 i'd say. Two strong DMs & tall goal-scoring forward who can score 20+ goals a season consistently - which indeed can be RVP & a better GK.

But they got to buy fast since Fabregas could very & be gone soon if he gets frustrated by the lack of winning anything. Then they will be even worse off.

Without even touching on the likelihood of Fabregas going this summer...

So what you're saying is that they can't just bite the bullet and overpay for the DM, because they need more than just a DM? Well now this is a whole new ballgame!

 

[sledger]

No, son. The attack is already well ***y, innit.

Not as ***eh as ***eh Liam Camps imo.

 

[aussie]

And how in the world is Wales not already in that pool? Any top 100 team in the world definitely deserves to participate in qualifying.

Are they 100 top teams in world football? No.

Why is so much emphasis being placed on the fact that Wales are the 76/77th best side in world?. You have to look at it via their respective confederation, in which a team would be relegated to an "associate member" pool via confederation.

Thus these hypotetical pre WCQ matches would occur amongsts confederation members. (But of course the associate pool members, could/would still have your normal international friendly match vs teams of another conderation). Just like how in cricket we have the intercontinental cup amongst associate members.

Without even touching on the likelihood of Fabregas going this summer...

So what you're saying is that they can't just bite the bullet and overpay for the DM, because they need more than just a DM? Well now this is a whole new ballgame!

They need DM now, so if they have to overpay for him go for it just like how SAF & Benetiz overpriced for Carrick & Johnson. Thats is one player they need ATM. They dont neccesarily have to overprice for the other hypotetical buys since if we think realistically they dont really need to buy anyone else.

But by no means is them getting that quality DM going to make them win the league IMO. United/Chelsea will still be superior next season & City's cash flow can potentially bring them on par with Arsenal.