Not sure we have five teams! Carlisle, Barrow, Workington, Kendal maybe (they did play Man Utd Reserves once)......
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[Football] European dominance
- Thread starter Wilko
- Start date
Not sure we have five teams! Carlisle, Barrow, Workington, Kendal maybe (they did play Man Utd Reserves once)......
Exactly!
studio150
Well-known member
Sepp has already fixed it..................Qatar
Think what you want. The facts are that it will be 16 European teams (up from 13) under the new proposal so one third of the competition for 10% of the world's population. I like the fact that more non European teams will get in*. Football is the only truly global sport, and the WORLD Cup should reflect that, even if it means some middling European sides missing out, and Holland and Italy are middling European sides despite their history.
*Not that I am convinced the World Cup should expand to 48 teams.
Tyrone Biggums
Well-known member
Plenty of people from non European backgrounds playing in the European teams though.
The French teams looks a large % of African heritage. Would the French be any good without those players?
The French teams looks a large % of African heritage. Would the French be any good without those players?
Your Mum
Well-known member
- Dec 22, 2016
- 484
...your mum
Nixonator
Well-known member
South America is rich with great footballing nations.
Uruguay have always been that way, I remember when I was growing up Paolo Montero was probably the dirtiest player in football. Doesn't mean he wasn't good or they aren't a great side who produce fantastic players - Recoba, Redondo, Suarez, Cavani and Godin who has been the best CB I've watched for the last 10 years to name a few.
Panama qualified through CONCACAF which is why we will have Mexico at most world cups, and USA/Costa Rica close behind.
South American qualifying (COMMEBOL) is always very competitive, for example Peru only scraped through a playoff while Chile and Paraguay missed out by 1 point.
So I disagree, World Cups would be better all round with every South American team in it.
Uruguay have always been that way, I remember when I was growing up Paolo Montero was probably the dirtiest player in football. Doesn't mean he wasn't good or they aren't a great side who produce fantastic players - Recoba, Redondo, Suarez, Cavani and Godin who has been the best CB I've watched for the last 10 years to name a few.
Panama qualified through CONCACAF which is why we will have Mexico at most world cups, and USA/Costa Rica close behind.
South American qualifying (COMMEBOL) is always very competitive, for example Peru only scraped through a playoff while Chile and Paraguay missed out by 1 point.
So I disagree, World Cups would be better all round with every South American team in it.
- Thread starter
- #50
I am not saying they should not be in it, what I am saying is that they have fallen some way behind European teams and their old school tactics seems very dated and tired.
DumLum
Well-known member
Maybe time Fifa adjusted their ranking system.
Points for beating South American team x1
Points for beating Uefa team x0.99?
Points for beating South American team x1
Points for beating Uefa team x0.99?
Nixonator
Well-known member
I don't really agree, I hate that sort of thing as much as the next englishman but it's just part of the game. Rather than sitting on our high horse acting with nobility, it finally seems like we are trying to become part of the modern game. Some will see that as lowering ourselves to their level and abandoning principles but it's high time we did so in my opinion, the rest of the world have absolutely no intention of adhering to our notion of fair play and respect so **** it.
The South American teams weren't really outplayed either in most instances. Belgium were lucky against Brazil and if it wasn't for Hazard producing a performance like that it would have been far more difficult for them. The French didn't have to deal with an in-form Cavani which is akin to us losing Kane. Colombians played us without James which gives them a whole new dynamic to their midfield. Peru played well, unlucky not to make the knockouts. Argentina, despite a slow burn showed us why they are in the tournament vs France.
One World Cup in Europe is a bit soon to drawing conclusions. Last time out in South America, 4 out of 5 South American teams made the last 16; 3 out of 4 Central and North American teams also made the last 16.
The dominance of set pieces at this World Cup has caught the smaller in stature teams out, but it is to be seen whether this carries on and is a consequence of VAR, or just an anomaly for this World Cup.
The expansion to 48 clubs is not for the benefit of European teams though. Three more is just a sop to keep Europe quiet - the aim is clearly to get more African and Asian teams in.
And more money in the coffers of corrupt FIFA.
Yes, agreed. I just do not agree with you that it is a problem having more teams from those continents. As a global sport, it's premier competition should represent the World, not simply who are the best 32 or 48 teams regardless of where they are from.
Isn't that what the qualification stuff is for though?
Yes, to find out who are the best 5 teams from Africa, best 5 teams from Asia, best 13 teams from Europe etc etc. The finals themselves are there to see who are the best overall. I cannot see why people do not understand this. Global sport = teams from all over that globe. How shit would the World Cup be if it was basically the Euros plus Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Colombia? Because that is basically what a lot of people are advocating on here.
The problem is having 48 teams, no matter where they come from.
Yes, and to make it a truly global competition, make the qualifying stages global - no more African qualifiers, American qualifiers, et., just pools of 5 or 6 teams from wherever. That only involves 4 or 5 away trips over two seasons after all, and inter-continental air travel is, I am told, quite commonplace these days. It's not like we'd be asking the teams to pedal to the moon on broken bicycles........