PELE BITE MY BALLS!!!
With
World Cup Qualifying very much on everyone’s minds this week, I couldn’t help
but notice thousands of miles away from the cold, damp and drizzle of Ireland,
that in the relatively mild sixty degree heat of a pacific south-western
climate, New Zealand had clinched the World Cup Qualifying Oceania group with a
last gasp 94th minute winner over New Caledonia. The 2-1 win was
secured via Ipswich Town’s Tommy Smith, one of just 6 players not turning out
in their national league (others include Wilson Reid of West Ham & Chris
Wood of Leicester City.)
The
victory meant, even 15 months before the great and the good (and let’s face it
the bad), converge on a busseling Brazil... the Kiwi’s are within 180 minutes
of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup.
They
will now wait to see the 4th placed team that comes out of the
CONCACAF group....currently Honduras.
Fair
Dues. Well Done. Pat on the back for a possible back-to-back World Cup
campaign?
Hmmm
not really. With New Zealand ranked 88th in the world, having just
about seen off a side placed 103rd, in a group which had 11
countries ranging in ranking between #88 – 202, it wasn’t exactly back against
the wall stuff for Ricki Herbert’s side. The Kiwi’s could enjoy a 6-1 win over
the Solomon Islands (ranked 147) And a pedestrian 3-0 cruise past Tahiti (rank138)
before finally winning the group with that late late victory v New Caledonia.
And yes New Zealand went to to a fabulous 2010 World Cup , can we use the term -Flash in the Pan? Maybe- Maybe not.
Now
I know we are in Europe, and yes it’s obvious we cannot get a chainsaw, cut us
away from the six counties about us and paddle our way down to the Pacific
South West and compete there but I’ve always had a problem with the amount of
places available to European countries when it came to the global game.
Take
the CONCACAF group which traditional houses the talents of countries like
Mexico, Costa Rica & the USA. On a world-wide scale it’s important to make
sure there’s at least one representative North/Central America or Caribbean but
the standard of many countries involved leave a lot to be desired.
Mexico
and the States remain the only Top 30 sides from this zone in FIFA’s current
ranking system, which is commendable however the ranking still owes to a
majority of games against inferior CONCACAF opposition – this can be explained
with the fact Panama and Haiti are top 50 ranked.
Though
the group has 35 official countries competing, 23 aren’t top 100 and range from
110-207. Ultimately it will mean three countries qualifying for Brazil 2014 and
you can bet your life it won’t be Guatemala or Montserrat!
As
mentioned it Honduras (world ranked 49) who could meet New Zealand. The Kiwi’s
main nemesis for years , Australia ,
have moved to the Asian Qualifying campaign for 2014 (when you beat Tonga 33-0
you know it’s time to try get a decent side outside of Oceania) and will be
among the favourites to make Brazil. Again there are 43 teams taking part in
Asia however only 3 are top 50 ranked (Japan, South Korea & the Socceroo’s) and along with North Korea and Bahrain all 5 sides have a bye into the final round
of competition to see who comes out of Asia. It all means despite countries
like Jordan, Oman, Nepal & Yemen taking part, there will be four direct
places from the Asian Qualifying Group.
Pele’s
once said ‘An African team will win the World Cup in his lifetime’. Unless you’re
planning to live until your around 167 years of age they will oh great one,
that’s bollox – much like the African World Cup qualifying groups.
Their
group stages consist of 10 groups of 4, with the group winners advancing to
five knock out ties to determine the quintet that make Brazil. It has 52 teams competing,
though many of the higher ranked sides Ivory Coast, Cameroon, South Africa get a
bye to the 2nd round. Although a lot of these sides are shocking
(only 6 of the 52 sides are top 50 and 28 aren’t even top 100) it’s a global
game so Africa has to be represented I guess, but since Pele’s revelation
African sides have flattered to deceive.
South
America has its usual four and of course the host nation. It consistently throws
up the old favs as well (unless Bolivia qualify for playing 47,000 ft above
ground), but no-one will complain watch one Lionel Messi on the world stage nor
the amount of placings, considering one went the minute Brazil was drawn out 5
years ago.
I’d
never complain about this group as the winner of next year’s World Cup will
come from Europe or South America, save you money, forget your outsiders – the winner
WILL come from Europe or South America.
And
to Europe. Despite the poor start we’ve made to our World Cup group, the
process of getting to Brazil was always going to be tough. Europe has a total
of 53 countries in nine groups with just 13 places up for grabs and per group
has the most amount of top 50 ranked sides, (26 in the top 50) but despite this
there will be some notable talent missing out on Brazil 2014.
Options?
Why
not place a European team against the 5th placed African side? Or
play-off v an Asian side like Ireland v Iran 2002? Jesus they’ve even taken the
best placed runners up segment in Europe!! Much of this is down to Blatter’s
love of fellatio-ing small developing countries, especially in Africa and
though I think we’ll fall short of Brazil, I don’t exactly want to be watching Uganda
v British Virgin Islands on television next summer!
All that said, New Zealand were still the only unbeaten team at the 2010 World Cup.
ReplyDeleteThat's true - and give them their dues. I just feel there should be more places in Europe.
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