Who do you want to see playing in 2006 Germany

[oakydoaks]

1. Holland (Undoubtedly :) )
2. Ukraine (Shevchenko!!)
3. Yugoslavia (or at least a part of it)
4. Iran (They did beat Ireland in WCQ playoff)
5. Colombia (It's about time)

[nowhere]

I guess you mean of teams that didn't make it this time. Czech Republic and Wales, because I'd like to see Giggs in the World Cup.

Signature - I'm a cheap bastard

[BenReilly]

Originally posted by oakydoaks

4. Iran (They did beat Ireland in WCQ playoff)
)

Not really. Ireland played an intelligent game and, let's fact it, for all practical purposes won it.

[BenReilly]

I'm hoping for the dream group:

Israel
Iran
Turkey
Greece

[kwikstah]

Palestine
Taiwan
The Confederacy

[oakydoaks]

Originally posted by nowhere
I guess you mean of teams that didn't make it this time. Czech Republic and Wales, because I'd like to see Giggs in the World Cup.

Signature - I'm a cheap bastard

Yeah, I want to see Wales too, but don't they have almost unrealistic chance to make it?
All the teams I have listed were the teams that actually had very good chances to make it this time but failed in the end.

[Alan S]

Assuming this is among those that did not make it this time.

Holland
Afganistan
Australia
Taiwan
Palestine
Isreal


the last two to give those two something to cheer for other then war.

[BWMcTell]

Originally posted by Alan S
Assuming this is among those that did not make it this time.

Holland
Afganistan
Australia
Taiwan
Palestine
Isreal


the last two to give those two something to cheer for other then war.

Not to start a controversy but Palestine isnt a country. However, for the time being, a national team made up of Israeli Jews and Arabs would be a beautiful thing. Does anyone know the exact details of the Israeli run in the WCQs? I know that they got spanked by Austria for the right to play Turkey in a playoff. But wasn't there some arguing about where the playoff would be located. I seem to remember the Austrian team refusing to play in Tel Aviv.

[BWMcTell]

Originally posted by BWMcTell


Not to start a controversy but Palestine isnt a country. However, for the time being, a national team made up of Israeli Jews and Arabs would be a beautiful thing. Does anyone know the exact details of the Israeli run in the WCQs? I know that they got spanked by Austria for the right to play Turkey in a playoff. But wasn't there some arguing about where the playoff would be located. I seem to remember the Austrian team refusing to play in Tel Aviv.

I guess I shouldn't open my mouth before I know what Im talking about; Apparantly, Palestine does in fact have a national team. Which I dont understand since there is not a State of Palestine. I dont understand how this is possible. Please somebody explain.

[tredowski]

Originally posted by BWMcTell


I guess I shouldn't open my mouth before I know what Im talking about; Apparantly, Palestine does in fact have a national team. Which I dont understand since there is not a State of Palestine. I dont understand how this is possible. Please somebody explain.

Wales, Scotland, Faroe Islands, and a bunch of others aren't independent states but it seems like they can still have a soccer team. Why not Palestine?

[BWMcTell]

Originally posted by tredowski


Wales, Scotland, Faroe Islands, and a bunch of others aren't independent states but it seems like they can still have a soccer team.

I never thought of that. I wonder what the Fifa requirements are for a national team. I mean, could a region that identifies themselves as of a seperate nationality just create their own team(like Quebec for example).

[BenReilly]

Originally posted by Alan S
Assuming this is among those that did not make it this time.

Afganistan

Taiwan
Palestine
Isreal


the last two to give those two something to cheer for other then war.

Except mine picks have some chance. Turkey has a good shot. Iran is likely as well. Israel and Greece have some hope. Of course, getting all four in one group is near impossible unless Turkey could somehow by seeded. Still, not TOTALLY impossible, like Taiwan or Palestine.

[Fender playa]

Holland(for shure)
Canada(about time)
Scotland(decent team, maybe)
Afganistan(maybe well see bin laden coach)
Yugoslavia(Could help unite the country)
Czech.rep(Nedved)

[Barca_Fan2003]

As an Israeli citizen I can explain this to you in the most unbiased way I can:

1. Palestine is not a country. Wales is not a country. Northern Ireland is still (I believe) under English control. They all have national teams because they are a separate ethnic group or a subnation if you will. The Catalans are pushing to have a separate national team from Spain. This will never fly because Spain is made of a bunch of different ethnic groups (Andalucians, Catalans, etc.).
2. Palestine still doesn't play in qualifications (I don't believe) because they don't have a football association. Israel sponsors the Palestinian teams. Also, Israeli Arabs are eligible to play on the Israeli National Team. I don't recall if any have, but I am pretty sure there have been arabs or druzzes that have played on there.
3. Israel didn't get spanked by Austria. Israel needed a win to advance to a playoff against Turkey (which they would have lost). It was
1-0 in favor of Israel until the 89th (I believe) minute when Herzog (Austria's best player) scored a goal making it 1-1 and Austria got into a playoff with Turkey and lost.
4. I hope this clears things up, but feel free to ask more.

[oakydoaks]

Originally posted by Fender playa
Afghanistan

(maybe well see bin laden coach)


I doubt it.

[Craig the Aussie]

Further to what Barca says, if you have a football federation that is recognised by FIFA as independent, then you can compete. You do not have to be a 'country'. That's why the British countries, Faeroes, Hong Kong etc compete separately.

It should be remembered that in soccer, like most sports, a player does not represent their 'country', they represent a controlling body of their sport.

[MassachusettsRef]

Originally posted by Barca_Fan2003
1. Palestine is not a country. Wales is not a country. Northern Ireland is still (I believe) under English control. They all have national teams because they are a separate ethnic group or a subnation if you will. The Catalans are pushing to have a separate national team from Spain. This will never fly because Spain is made of a bunch of different ethnic groups (Andalucians, Catalans, etc.).
2. Palestine still doesn't play in qualifications (I don't believe) because they don't have a football association. First, it's more correct to say that Palestine is not a state, as some could argue that it is a country (and definitely is a nation). Those words are too often interchanged when they shouldn't be.

Secondly, though some Irish and even some Scots will disagree, technically speaking, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland aren't under "English control" in the way that Palestine is under Israeli control. The internationally recognized state is the United Kingdom. England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and some other small places like Jersey and the Isle of Man make up the UK. The UK, however, does not have a national team. Before FIFA was formed, the four "home nations" were already playing as separate entities. They kept that tradition, even though Scotland, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland are no more internationally recognized than Quebec or California would be (with some obvious exceptions).

Basically, areas that aren't internationally recognized states can have national teams for a variety of different reasons (Hong Kong, Taiwan, the home nations, Palestine, Macao, Greenland, etc.) while some similar places don't (Gibraltar, Vatican City, Monaco, etc.). The FIFA rules that govern this are somewhere on its site (I read them when Palestine was admitted to FIFA) but they are hard to find.

I know two things for certain, though. The first is that a national association must be a member of a confederation before becoming a member of FIFA. The second thing is that "controlling countries" can basically veto one of their possessions joining. So, because Spain has blocked its admission to UEFA, Gibraltar cannot apply for FIFA membership. Palestine, however, was admitted to the AFC, where Israel has no say, and no ability to veto its admission. I believe a simliar process took place for Taiwan, which was originally a member of the OFC and not AFC.

Finally, as to your second point, you are incorrect. Palestine, starting in 2002, began competing in AFC Qualifiers for the right to play in the Nation's Cup and the World Cup. They also certainly have a football association, as associations are admitted to confederations and FIFA, not just countries.

[BWMcTell]

Originally posted by Barca_Fan2003
As an Israeli citizen I can explain this to you in the most unbiased way I can:

1. Palestine is not a country. Wales is not a country. Northern Ireland is still (I believe) under English control. They all have national teams because they are a separate ethnic group or a subnation if you will. The Catalans are pushing to have a separate national team from Spain. This will never fly because Spain is made of a bunch of different ethnic groups (Andalucians, Catalans, etc.).
2. Palestine still doesn't play in qualifications (I don't believe) because they don't have a football association. Israel sponsors the Palestinian teams. Also, Israeli Arabs are eligible to play on the Israeli National Team. I don't recall if any have, but I am pretty sure there have been arabs or druzzes that have played on there.
3. Israel didn't get spanked by Austria. Israel needed a win to advance to a playoff against Turkey (which they would have lost). It was
1-0 in favor of Israel until the 89th (I believe) minute when Herzog (Austria's best player) scored a goal making it 1-1 and Austria got into a playoff with Turkey and lost.
4. I hope this clears things up, but feel free to ask more.

Thanks Barca. I truly appreciate the info. For some reason I thought Israel lost to Austria 7-0. I think I am getting my qualifiers confused. Maybe Austria lost to Turkey 7-0.

[type_32]

Originally posted by BWMcTell


Thanks Barca. I truly appreciate the info. For some reason I thought Israel lost to Austria 7-0. I think I am getting my qualifiers confused. Maybe Austria lost to Turkey 7-0.

You're getting warmer--Turkey beat Austria 6-0 (0-1 and 5-0).

[mr magoo]

India need to be given automatic entry into the 2006 world cup because the last time they qualified (1950 i think) they were refused entry into the tounament because they wanted to play in bare feet for this they should have automatic entry.

Afghanistan should go so the people have somthing to think about other than when the next wayward bomb is going to hit them.

Holland should go because it about time they one the thing it would be nice to see another team into that exclusive club called the world cup winners.

Austrailia should go because they keep getting shafted and having to play extra play-offs. they should have automatic entry for 1 oceania tem.