Bahrain v Uzbekistan-a fascinating decider. (No, really!)

[clapham_gull]

Do you think the Dear Leader will be making an appearance in South Africa then?

If it does, the new will probably be broken here first

The Official Webpage of The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)

Take a look, one of my favourite sites. I thought for a while it was wind up, but apparently they have some kind of international friendship thing going and this is their website.

 

[Gully]

Do you think the Dear Leader will be making an appearance in South Africa then?

Unlikely, Kim Jong Il is in fact very Ill...he could well have popped his clogs by then so unless they dig him up and fly him out there for the occasion the most nepotistic country on Earth will be represented by his anonymous son...Not Soh Il.

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

i fail to see how it's blatter's fault that portugal are only going to come 3rd in their group behind HUNGARY

pretty sure that's their fault......if you're a good side it should be fairly easy to qualify from the european spots......look how easy england are making it look........europe already has by far the most qualifying spots, what are FIFA supposed to do? give them even more?!

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Smaller nations shall (generally) improve if they are playing on the world stage, through money gained from the tournament, increased national interest, sponsorship and so on. The World Cup has plenty of places for the core continents and it is always refreshing to see a minnow make the step up.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

Yes they should, because they are shit.


If they didn't have to win ONE competitive play-off, they'd basically be guaranteed a place at every finals, now that Australia have ridiculously been allowed to pretend they are in Asia.

The reality is that Oceania is a shit region and should be made to be part of Asia. Australia always won Oceania and had to play the play-off each time. Makes much more sense to have them all play in an Asia-Pacific qualifying section

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

The reality is that Oceania is a shit region and should be made to be part of Asia. Australia always won Oceania and had to play the play-off each time. Makes much more sense to have them all play in an Asia-Pacific qualifying section

that'd be HUGE though

imagine how long it'd take, for example, Fiji, to travel to and from a qualifying match away to, for example, Syria

 

[Stumpy Tim]

that'd be HUGE though

imagine how long it'd take, for example, Fiji, to travel to and from a qualifying match away to, for example, Syria

Well Australia fly 12 hours to go to Japan? It wouldn't be that much longer. FIFA needs to deal with Oceania somehow.

 

[Seagull Stew]

Well Australia fly 12 hours to go to Japan? It wouldn't be that much longer. FIFA needs to deal with Oceania somehow.

I think it should be the 5th Asian team to play-off with the top Oceania team and the winner of that THEN has to play off with the next best placed European team. Even if it were a one legged game with the European team playing away.

New Zealand really are poor at football and not many people here really care about the game, (apart from the Premiership).

 

[Austrian Gull]

It's a World Cup. Europe and South America get enough places already. Some of the best World Cup memories come from the hapless minnows: Zaire 74, El Salvador 82 (lost 10-1 to Hungary), Kuwait 82 (Sheikh ran on the pitch to call his players off after France scored a perfectly fair goal)

But, sometimes these teams produce the unexpected and are more entertaining to watch than second-rate European countries - Algeria beating West Germany in 82, Iran drawing with Scotland in 78, Cameroon beating Argentina in 1990.

I will never forget Claudio Caniggia getting scythed down by the legendary Benjamin Massing and the Argentine keeper spilling a simple save into his net. That's part of the World Cup, not worrying about whether Sweden or Portugal can qualify.

 

[Nottseagull]

My God! Wasn't expecting any interest in this thread yesterday evening, so didn't even bother going on NSC. Only checked it now to see if any of our Antipodean friends had posted overnight.
I was originally going to post all the reults so far, but thought it might be a bit over the top! However, I'm now confident some of the contributors will be interested:

 

[pasty]

i fail to see how it's blatter's fault that portugal are only going to come 3rd in their group behind HUNGARY

You mean the current Worlds Greatest Footballer is not going to be at the World Cup?

Oh Dear


How sad


Never mind

 

[Hiney]

Bloody hell, didn't know they did this:

In the 1966 event in England North Korea famously defeated Italy at Middlesbrough's Ayresome Park.

Well I suppose I wasn't born then.

[yt]0t4tbehxqSM[/yt]

 

[Marshy]

Christ Australia won that shitty group with only 12 goals in 8 games !

BBBBOOOOOOORRRRRRRIIIIINNNNNNNNGGGGGGGG

 

[SurreySeagulls]

Lets not get the World Cup to become another Champions League fest where only the top clubs are allowed in and if they can't make in by winning their domestic league we will let them finish at least fourth to qualify for the Champions League. I don't have a problem with a smaller nations getting to the finals. It is part of the fun of the competition and lets not forget England only just beat Trinidad and Tobago last time round.

 

[Nottseagull]

Bloody hell, didn't know they did this:

In the 1966 event in England North Korea famously defeated Italy at Middlesbrough's Ayresome Park.

Well I suppose I wasn't born then.

You'll be even more amazed to learn that in the quarter final, they were 3-0 up against fancied Portugal, Eusébio and all.