Road to South Africa World Cup 2010

[valo403]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

I don't know if it's feasible to expand a continental tournament beyond 16 teams. I believe in 2016 when the European Championships expand to 24 teams, it'll be really watered down.

You're missing the point. Inviting the elite of other federations takes it out of the 'continental tournament' realm. This is obviously incredibly unrealistic, but if UEFA and FIFA got into some sort of power struggle UEFA could conceivably hijack the world cup by creating their own super tournament that doesn't include the weaker conferences.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by valo403

You're missing the point. Inviting the elite of other federations takes it out of the 'continental tournament' realm. This is obviously incredibly unrealistic, but if UEFA and FIFA got into some sort of power struggle UEFA could conceivably hijack the world cup by creating their own super tournament that doesn't include the weaker conferences.

How can I be missing the point about something obviously incredibly unrealistic?

I think we're on the same page about liking the World Cup they way it is. Can't see a power struggle. I don't know all the details but is Europe unhappy about anything right now?

I like watching the weaker teams!

[valo403]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

How can I be missing the point about something obviously incredibly unrealistic?

I think we're on the same page about liking the World Cup they way it is. Can't see a power struggle. I don't know all the details but is Europe unhappy about anything right now?

I like watching the weaker teams!

I was referring to the comments about expanding a 'continental tournament' beyond 16/24 teams. The point is that this wouldn't be a continental tournament, so the watering down isn't really a concern.

I don't know that Europe is currently upset about anything, but FIFA has shown itself to be quite the smug and arrogant organization and I won't be surprised if FIFA and UEFA become at odds over some rule that is forced through. It's a hypothetical, but with enough resentment/money it's not impossible.

I don't mind watching the supposed weaker teams, simply because often times they're not actually weaker. Soccer isn't a sport where the best team always wins, and in a short tournament the presence of those shocking upsets is fun to watch. That said, it would be fun to see a group stage where all 4 teams in every group are considered to be among the best in the world.

[Locke]

I think you're manufacturing dissent between UEFA and FIFA, theres no real evidence to suggest that they dont get along or that UEFA wants to rule the Universe as Iron Fisted Dictators.

Furthermore, I think your idea about a tournament with the best of the best is intriguing, have all of the best soccer teams from around the world come together to compete against one another to try and win a united World soccer trophy.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think they do that already.

The concept that Europe doesnt have any bad teams is pathetically flawed and arrogant, as is the idea that all of the teams from Asia and Africa are inferior.

I like watching the African teams, actually the African teams play an incredible style, one of my Favorite games ever was in the 02 World Cup with Germany against Cameroon, one of the most amazing games I've ever seen. These two went at it, it was fast, it was physical and the talent was impressive.

Sure, people like to point out the tragedy that Russia didnt make it, well, that happens, but perhaps Russia is the exception. No 'A List' European teams are missing this tournament.

I'm looking at the Qualifying rounds trying to find teams that didnt make it that I wouldnt mind seeing in the Tournament other than Russia:

- Sweden
- Czech Republic (Thats their own fault though)
- Croatia?

The fact of the matter is, is that these teams just didnt play well, and maybe thats because they arent very good right now and we wouldnt want to watch their games. Either way, 3 teams? We're going to make an issue out of 3 teams?

Not to mention that some of the smaller South American teams are easily better than some of these European teams, and the Asian and African teams dont get as much publicity.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Locke

I think you're manufacturing dissent between UEFA and FIFA, theres no real evidence to suggest that they dont get along or that UEFA wants to rule the Universe as Iron Fisted Dictators.

Furthermore, I think your idea about a tournament with the best of the best is intriguing, have all of the best soccer teams from around the world come together to compete against one another to try and win a united World soccer trophy.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think they do that already.

The concept that Europe doesnt have any bad teams is pathetically flawed and arrogant, as is the idea that all of the teams from Asia and Africa are inferior.

I like watching the African teams, actually the African teams play an incredible style, one of my Favorite games ever was in the 02 World Cup with Germany against Cameroon, one of the most amazing games I've ever seen. These two went at it, it was fast, it was physical and the talent was impressive.

Sure, people like to point out the tragedy that Russia didnt make it, well, that happens, but perhaps Russia is the exception. No 'A List' European teams are missing this tournament.

I'm looking at the Qualifying rounds trying to find teams that didnt make it that I wouldnt mind seeing in the Tournament other than Russia:

- Sweden
- Czech Republic (Thats their own fault though)
- Croatia?

The fact of the matter is, is that these teams just didnt play well, and maybe thats because they arent very good right now and we wouldnt want to watch their games. Either way, 3 teams? We're going to make an issue out of 3 teams?

Not to mention that some of the smaller South American teams are easily better than some of these European teams, and the Asian and African teams dont get as much publicity.

See my many instances of saying that this is hypothetical, incredibly unrealistic, and that there are no signs of any current divide between FIFA and UEFA.

Thanks.

[SeoulFire]

Tangent fest.

[Pagal4321]

Sweet!!
Guaranteed games are Cameroon vs. Netherlands and Portugal vs. North Korea.

We sat and watched the draw in out hotel room and my buddy, who is a huge Portugal fan, was jumping up and down hoping Portugal didn't go to an earlier group. Was funny stuff.

The round of 16 games we are going to go to, can be guessed (if the favorites win), so hopefully Brazil wins their group. To see Spain, I need them to finish 2nd...unlikely. That's all I can remember off the top of my head.

The Quarterfinals are a complete crapshoot to guess.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by valo403

See my many instances of saying that this is hypothetical, incredibly unrealistic, and that there are no signs of any current divide between FIFA and UEFA.

Thanks.

Fair enough.

[DJ_NAV]

Anyone from CP going? If you are do you mind sharing what your costs are? I am thinking of going to Brazil for the WC in 2014.

[GirlySports]

Cool

Borut Pahor, the Slovene prime minister, vowed he would clean the players' shoes if Slovenia, population 2 million, knocked out Russia, population 142 million, in qualification. It did in November, and the prime minister kept his promise.
"To Africa," wrote the Slovene newspaper Dnevnik, "with clean shoes."

[SebC]

Originally Posted by DJ_NAV

Anyone from CP going? If you are do you mind sharing what your costs are? I am thinking of going to Brazil for the WC in 2014.

I'd love to know how the ticketting process works. I too would love to go Brazil in 2014. Pagal4321 seems to be going!

[Locke]

Originally Posted by SebC

I'd love to know how the ticketting process works. I too would love to go Brazil in 2014. Pagal4321 seems to be going!

Dirty whore. Yeah. Yeah I'm jealous.....

[Pagal4321]

Originally Posted by DJ_NAV

Anyone from CP going? If you are do you mind sharing what your costs are? I am thinking of going to Brazil for the WC in 2014.

I assume you are talking about ticket costs. Becuase flight and accomidation would most likely be different, but just know you will get gouged on both of them!!

The tickets were done as a lottery, each application can have up to 4 people on them. You can pick to follow a team, or pick singular games (keep in mind, you don't know who is in what group at the time of the application). You then pick between 3 categories of seats, A being the best and C being the worst. And the maximum number of games you could apply for was 7.

The application I was on with my friends, we got 7 games. 2 wound robin games, 3 round of 16 games and 2 quarterfinal games all in category A (I think they might have moved us to category B for 2 games) and all that set us back roughly $1,400.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Pagal4321

I assume you are talking about ticket costs. Becuase flight and accomidation would most likely be different, but just know you will get gouged on both of them!!

The tickets were done as a lottery, each application can have up to 4 people on them. You can pick to follow a team, or pick singular games (keep in mind, you don't know who is in what group at the time of the application). You then pick between 3 categories of seats, A being the best and C being the worst. And the maximum number of games you could apply for was 7.

The application I was on with my friends, we got 7 games. 2 wound robin games, 3 round of 16 games and 2 quarterfinal games all in category A (I think they might have moved us to category B for 2 games) and all that set us back roughly $1,400.

Dont you mean 'wound wobin'?

[DJ_NAV]

1400$ is not bad i guess for 7 pairs in the A category. Thanks for the info.