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World Soccer XXIV: The Road to Rio

  • Thread starter Thread starter Priceless
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Re: World Soccer XXIV: The Road to Rio

I'd care more if this call wasn't coming from some corruptocrat.
 
Re: World Soccer XXIV: The Road to Rio

Shirtless Guy said:
interesting read on why 40 would suck for the World Cup:
http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/...-all-costs-michel-platini-sepp-blatter-102913
Click to expand...

First, I don't think the World Cup should expand. 32 is a solid number of teams, and it works out really well. If it's all about money, then play a double round robin within the existing structure, or have each knockout round sans finale be two-legs.

However, if the tournament does expand, then the more and more I think about it, the more and more I like having a knockout tournament, with the first round being two-legs. Obviously, that would require the tournament to expand to 64...something I don't see as being realistic at this point in time (if ever). Any other formulation (i.e. 40 teams where the top 24 get byes to the next round or 48 teams where the top 8 get byes) is essentially qualification to the real World Cup.

In the event that FIFA decides they must expand, then I think 36 is the number, and 6 groups of 6 is the way to go. 8 groups of 5 takes just as long, and leaves a weird set-up for scheduling, especially on the last day. 10 groups of 4 makes the draw even more important, and doesn't allow the top 2 in each group to qualify...something that simply doesn't seem just IMO. 6 of 6 at least allows the top 2 in each group to qualify, along with 4 of the remaining third place teams.

Unfortunately, I think there is significant momentum for 40.
 
Re: World Soccer XXIV: The Road to Rio

Fighting Sioux 23 said:
First, I don't think the World Cup should expand. 32 is a solid number of teams, and it works out really well. If it's all about money, then play a double round robin within the existing structure, or have each knockout round sans finale be two-legs.

However, if the tournament does expand, then the more and more I think about it, the more and more I like having a knockout tournament, with the first round being two-legs. Obviously, that would require the tournament to expand to 64...something I don't see as being realistic at this point in time (if ever). Any other formulation (i.e. 40 teams where the top 24 get byes to the next round or 48 teams where the top 8 get byes) is essentially qualification to the real World Cup.

In the event that FIFA decides they must expand, then I think 36 is the number, and 6 groups of 6 is the way to go. 8 groups of 5 takes just as long, and leaves a weird set-up for scheduling, especially on the last day. 10 groups of 4 makes the draw even more important, and doesn't allow the top 2 in each group to qualify...something that simply doesn't seem just IMO. 6 of 6 at least allows the top 2 in each group to qualify, along with 4 of the remaining third place teams.

Unfortunately, I think there is significant momentum for 40.
Click to expand...
I also think its fine the way it is, this is all just about posturing for votes but to get those votes, the cup might need to be expanded. Personally, I don't think we need to worry about it until you start seeing more teams from outside the big two confederations seriously threaten to win the tournament and more consistently get out of the group stage over the big two.

The fact that Jordan is fighting for that half spot in Asia tells you everything you need to know about Asia needing expansion. According to the horrible FIFA Rankings, Africa and CONCACAF deserve the expansion more...
 
Shirtless Guy said:
I also think its fine the way it is, this is all just about posturing for votes but to get those votes, the cup might need to be expanded. Personally, I don't think we need to worry about it until you start seeing more teams from outside the big two confederations seriously threaten to win the tournament and more consistently get out of the group stage over the big two.

The fact that Jordan is fighting for that half spot in Asia tells you everything you need to know about Asia needing expansion. According to the horrible FIFA Rankings, Africa and CONCACAF deserve the expansion more...
Click to expand...
But Asia has more money and more influence.
 
Re: World Soccer XXIV: The Road to Rio

I'm hoping that Platini is merely making an empty promise that he knows he can't implement merely to get elected, and that once he's FIFA President, he'll "discover" that he does not have unilateral power to expand the tournament and it will be "sorry, can't do it, but at least i 'tried'."

If one merely wanted to make numbers work, a 48 team field could in theory be tried:
-- 8 pools of 6
-- winner goes directly into round of 16
-- 2nds and 3rds have a play-in game to reach round of 16

However, that would make for absolutely horrid games in the pool play. There aren't enough good teams as it is to challenge the best 12 or so in the world. There really isn't much practical point to expansion at all unti we see more really good teams emerge.
 
Re: World Soccer XXIV: The Road to Rio

If the World Cup were expanded and quality was to be maintained, you'd end up giving most of the new slots to European teams that don't make it in but are at least somewhat competitive. You look at the European teams that miss out and they're generally a cut above teams that miss out from other places (although Africa sometimes has good teams miss out due to their qualifying format). A quick scan of teams that are already out in Europe (not to mention the four that will lose out in the playoffs) shows teams like Ireland, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Serbia, and Poland. Although even in Europe you run out of decent teams to add after awhile.

But, the pressure will be to add lesser teams from elsewhere, thereby watering down the tournament. From a numerical standpoint I think 48 works better than 40, but then you likely are adding in 16 (or 8) teams that have little chance of doing much at the Cup.
 
Re: World Soccer XXIV: The Road to Rio

FreshFish said:
I'm hoping that Platini is merely making an empty promise that he knows he can't implement merely to get elected, and that once he's FIFA President, he'll "discover" that he does not have unilateral power to expand the tournament and it will be "sorry, can't do it, but at least i 'tried'."

If one merely wanted to make numbers work, a 48 team field could in theory be tried:
-- 8 pools of 6
-- winner goes directly into round of 16
-- 2nds and 3rds have a play-in game to reach round of 16

However, that would make for absolutely horrid games in the pool play. There aren't enough good teams as it is to challenge the best 12 or so in the world. There really isn't much practical point to expansion at all unti we see more really good teams emerge.
Click to expand...

I don't trust Platini.

Keep in mind how long that tournament would be. Even playing 4 games/day, that would take 30 days for the group stage...more than double current. Thrown in a "play in round" and that adds another 4 days at 2 games/day. Essentially, the World Cup would last close to 7 weeks. Can you imagine what the clubs would do?

Bob Gray said:
If the World Cup were expanded and quality was to be maintained, you'd end up giving most of the new slots to European teams that don't make it in but are at least somewhat competitive. You look at the European teams that miss out and they're generally a cut above teams that miss out from other places (although Africa sometimes has good teams miss out due to their qualifying format). A quick scan of teams that are already out in Europe (not to mention the four that will lose out in the playoffs) shows teams like Ireland, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Serbia, and Poland. Although even in Europe you run out of decent teams to add after awhile.

But, the pressure will be to add lesser teams from elsewhere, thereby watering down the tournament. From a numerical standpoint I think 48 works better than 40, but then you likely are adding in 16 (or 8) teams that have little chance of doing much at the Cup.
Click to expand...

Agreed. If you want to expand the Cup, you move to 36, give Oceania a full spot, give a half spot to UEFA, make Concacaf's half a full spot, give CAF a full spot and a half (playing the extra UEFA half), and make the AFC's half a full spot, and CONMEBOL's half a full spot...giving us:

UEFA: 13.5 spots
CAF: 6.5 spots
AFC: 5 spots
CONMEBOL: 5 spots
CONCACAF: 4 spots
Oceania: 1 spot
Host: 1 spot

I'd also be okay with taking away UEFA's half and CAF's half and giving the defending champion an automatic spot.
 
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Re: World Soccer XXIV: The Road to Rio

Switching topics the MLS Playoffs started yesterday with Seattle beating Colorado in the Western Knockout Game, Houston host Montreal tonight in the East with the winner playing New York (and if Montreal wins they'd host the first MLS Playoff game in Canada outside of the 2010 Final). Seattle plays Portland, Salt Lake plays LA, and New England plays KC.
 
Re: World Soccer XXIV: The Road to Rio

BPL action this morning:

Stoke City goaltender Asmir Begovic scores 14 seconds into the game vs Southampton. Ball took one big hop over Southampton goaltender Artur Boric and went straight in, untouched.

Just when you think you've seen it all.
 
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Re: World Soccer XXIV: The Road to Rio

I loved the interviewer on NBCSN this morning. She asked the Fulham manager if he thought they could beat Manchester United today. "No, airhead. We're just showing up today as sparring partners for United's big game midweek. We're here to collect our paychecks and go home." What a great question!
 
Jimjamesak said:
Switching topics the MLS Playoffs started yesterday with Seattle beating Colorado in the Western Knockout Game, Houston host Montreal tonight in the East with the winner playing New York (and if Montreal wins they'd host the first MLS Playoff game in Canada outside of the 2010 Final). Seattle plays Portland, Salt Lake plays LA, and New England plays KC.
Click to expand...

Nice for NE to get the win and nice for SKC to let that old man play keeper...but it is the playoffs, maybe they should have someone under 70 playing.

He obviously is a great GK but every time I see him I have to laugh, he could go out for Halloween as bad grandpa and win every costume contest.
 
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