Possibe WC Grouping according to FoxSoccer

[TRUEAGGIE]

Interesting take on the pots.

This would be the greatest group ever for the US. Playing against France and revenging Iran.

http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/5128512

[AGF Aarhus]

So FoxSports (actually, it's an AP article) joins Kicker and Bild in Germany with creating pots beyond Pot 1 using seeding.

It's not so much that I don't believe that FIFA will do this, but why do these publications assume that they will and then not explain why they think FIFA will break with tradition?

It seems to me to be either ignorant or lazy reporting.

[MarioKempes]

So FoxSports (actually, it's an AP article) joins Kicker and Bild in Germany with creating pots beyond Pot 1 using seeding.

It's not so much that I don't believe that FIFA will do this, but why do these publications assume that they will and then not explain why they think FIFA will break with tradition?

It seems to me to be either ignorant or lazy reporting.


Perhaps they know something that we don't, but don't want to report their sources.

[Autogolazo]

This article is the most absurd yet--with Croatia as a top seed!

That invalidates the whole thing right there. We're dealing with an idiot in the writing of this one.

[Allamerican74]

Croatia won't be seeded

[bltleo]

I think it is similar stuff like from german Kicker magazine.

Looks like reporters try to make their own Grouping before the official
Draw.

Anyway it would be interesting to compare grouping from Fox or from Kicker magazine with real draw. Then we will know how they both are good. Good test for both magazines:)

Bltleo
GERMANY

[Daren Spencer]

That article was more confusing than all the BS threads combined.

I think they must have mixed up Croatia and Czech Rep when listing the seeds at the start of the article.

One more week and they mystery is over.

[bltleo]

That article was more confusing than all the BS threads combined.

I think they must have mixed up Croatia and Czech Rep when listing the seeds at the start of the article.

One more week and they mystery is over.

yes one more week and all this speculations will end..

anyway I think that kicker grouping was better than FoxSoccer grouping:)

Bltleo
Germany

[twenty]

It's kinda funny how they have both the US and England in bold in the world rankings list :)

[AGF Aarhus]

Perhaps they know something that we don't, but don't want to report their sources.
Then they should write 'an unnamed source has informed us ... ' or 'a FIFA official told us on the condition of anonymity that ... ' rather than not even acknowledging that the story is premised on a major change in methodology by FIFA.

Furthermore, such a piece of information would be quite a scoop, and you'd think that if AP, Bild or Kicker was in the possession of such information they would splash that exclusive around a bit. That's why I think it's just uninformed reporting.

[Scarecrow]

WIll be very happy once the draw is done and all the speculation about who will be in which group will be over and the speculation for who will advance from each group will begin. :)

[Mr Martin]

Yes, this was a convoluted article to read.

Yes, the lack of any explaination of why FIFA would scrap its previous selection system is a big problem with this article (and Kicker's).

Yes, I would be very pleased if the US got this draw.

Swap England and Croatia an this little fantasy is a bit more reasonable.

One more week... tic, tic, tic,... :)

[england66]

Yes, this was a convoluted article to read.

Yes, the lack of any explaination of why FIFA would scrap its previous selection system is a big problem with this article (and Kicker's).

Yes, I would be very pleased if the US got this draw.

Swap England and Croatia an this little fantasy is a bit more reasonable.

One more week... tic, tic, tic,... :)


to say they will be a little "pissed off" in England if Croatia gets seeded ahead of them would be an understatement....espicially as England kicked their ever loving arse in their last competitive game....4-2 in the euro's....

[shooter6065]

Yes, this was a convoluted article to read.

Yes, the lack of any explaination of why FIFA would scrap its previous selection system is a big problem with this article (and Kicker's).

Yes, I would be very pleased if the US got this draw.

Swap England and Croatia an this little fantasy is a bit more reasonable.

One more week... tic, tic, tic,... :)

Lack of explanation? It doesn't need to be explained as to why FIFA would "scrap" the previous system. FIFA and Sepp Blatter have come out and said (and discussed ad nauseum on the WC Seedings Board) that some teams are going to be surprised and that "economic" factors are going to come into play. That they would "scrap" the system should not surprise anybody...........they have been known to make things turn out the way they want.

[AGF Aarhus]

Lack of explanation? It doesn't need to be explained as to why FIFA would "scrap" the previous system. FIFA and Sepp Blatter have come out and said (and discussed ad nauseum on the WC Seedings Board) that some teams are going to be surprised and that "economic" factors are going to come into play. That they would "scrap" the system should not surprise anybody...........they have been known to make things turn out the way they want.
Not true, shooter. Unless I've missed something, FIFA and Sepp have restricted their hints at change ONLY to how the seeds for Pot 1 are selected. As far as I know, there has been no indication that the other pots will be subjected to seeding and not based solely on geography as in the past (and if I'm mistaken, sorry, but I've seen nothing to suggest that I am).

[grandinquisitor28]

Interesting take on the pots.

This would be the greatest group ever for the US. Playing against France and revenging Iran.

http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/5128512

From what I've read, it doesn't appear that this is anything like how it will work either, but it is pretty interesting that Fox Sports, and the Soccernet Mock Draw's have both been rather US-Friendly. All the analysis I have done (limited though it may be) suggests that we've basically got a 50/50 chance of drawing a group that anyone without bias would say we've got a nice chance of advancing out of. Hopefully we'll get lucky one more time where it counts.

Like Aarhus, I just don't understand, why all of the publications thus far have reached into less likely scenario's to do World Cup draws, very strange, I keep wondering whether this is a product of their ignorance and lack of research (much like the horrendous World Cup Preview's coming out of Europe four years ago), or if they're more on the right track understanding that Fifa's seeding and draw process have a helluvalot more to do with a bureaucracy's whims and random fancy's than actual logic or precedent.

[Davids26]

Not true, shooter. Unless I've missed something, FIFA and Sepp have restricted their hints at change ONLY to how the seeds for Pot 1 are selected. As far as I know, there has been no indication that the other pots will be subjected to seeding and not based solely on geography as in the past (and if I'm mistaken, sorry, but I've seen nothing to suggest that I am).

Therein lies the problem. If FIFA were to seed all four pots it would be a lot less, random if you continued to go with only two Euro teams in a group and no double-up's from the other Confederations.

FIFA's goal should be to give the top 8 (whomever they may be) separate groups and stick to their precedent of separating teams based on geography. I'd be disappointed to have to play T&T again at the World Cup, even if it meant 3 points.

THe one piece of info I found interesting and wasn't aware of (not even sure if its true) is that the writer mentioned that it's up to the Organizing Committee to assign the seeds, not FIFA. I'm sure FIFA has some sort of role in this but if that were the case I could see the German Organizing Committee wanting to have Holland as a seed before Mexico... If their was a way they could change the formula just a tad to put Holland ahead of Mexico, I think they would and thats perhaps why they're waiting so long to announce the seeds. Just a guess though.

[csctn]

Croatia as a #1 seed?! I stopped reading the article at that point.

[Adam Zebrowski]

if mexico and croatia were switched, then the groups look plausible...

bigsoccer needs to have a contest, ALL expenses paid trip to the WC for the person who perdicts ALL 8 groups successfully...

one ATTEMPT per person....

[Sean_94]

Isn't Brazil assured of Group F?