Soccer Australia Propose WC 2006 Qualification Tournament

[Crowdie]

The following comes from the Soccer Australia website after a video conference meeting between the chairman of Soccer Australia, Mr Frank Lowy, and FIFA President, Mr Joseph S. Blatter:

"Mr Lowy won support from the FIFA President for the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) to propose a tournament which would involve a round-robin World Cup play-off between teams from the 5th placed South American, 5th placed Asian, 4th placed North American and 1st placed Oceania teams, with the first two teams qualifying for the World Cup. "

http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=61662

Crowdie.

[MIGkiller]

This is the fairest solution, IMO.

If not, Asia x Oceania and Comnebol x CONCACAF playoffs.

[desertfox2]

Yes, this is the fairest solution. This would make everyone happy. Australia would play 3 games instead of 2 and no away ties as they would be all played at a neutral venue. This should have been brought up to FIFA a long time ago.

[MIGkiller]

And in wich neutral venue would it be played?

I say, let it be played in Australia. If they aren't even able to qualify out of it, then they can never again whine about the automatic berth withdraw.

[Chesco United]

Germany seems a logical choice for venue. Hope this plan comes to fruition.

[mickhayafe]

Originally posted by MIGkiller
And in wich neutral venue would it be played?

I say, let it be played in Australia. If they aren't even able to qualify out of it, then they can never again whine about the automatic berth withdraw.

well put

[Auxodium]

The only complaints about the removal of the full spot was that it would greatly dent chances of the weaker nations from developing.

However this new solution is the right one.

I think they should be home/away legs but playing in a neutral venue seems logical as well.

It is a good move.

[desertfox2]

Actually, the neutral venue could be held in South Africa. Remember, they would probably play this mini tournament in late November early December of 2005, so playing up in Germany might not be the best option. A place like South Africa (who could possibly be hosting the 2010 WC) would have nicer weather and would give them a chance to show a little of what they got 5 years before they will most likely host the big show.

[Bauvafa]

It's says round robin, it would have to be home&away games. This would make it even more exciting. I like this proposal. 4 teams, 6 games (home&away), best 2 qualify, sounds very fair.

[beachesl]

Whoa!!!!!!!!!

Reality check!

What about fixture congestion? There are only two international dates in November, 2005, to play. The Concanaf 4th will have finished playing a 20 game Qualifying set of three rounds, and the Conembol 5th an 18 game roundrobin as well. We don't know how the schedule for Asia will be yet.
No way they can fit 3 to 6 games in then...think Australia would get their best EPL players for all of these, or that they would not be too exhausted if they did? Who would go to see these games in a neutral country?

I can see why Oceania is upset about having to meet the CONEMBOL rep again. However, the only solution is either to draw who the home-and-away
teams for November 12 and 16, 2005 are (the fairest), or failing that , make it Asia/Oceania and CONCANAF/SouthAmerica.

[Roehl Sybing]

Still an all-or-nothing situation for Oceania, not too much better than the Oceania/S. America playoff, and beachesl is right about fixture congestion. Would be an interesting mini-tourney if it were feasible, though.

[Crowdie]

Originally posted by beachesl
What about fixture congestion? There are only two international dates in November, 2005, to play. The Concanaf 4th will have finished playing a 20 game Qualifying set of three rounds, and the Conembol 5th an 18 game roundrobin as well. We don't know how the schedule for Asia will be yet.
No way they can fit 3 to 6 games in then...think Australia would get their best EPL players for all of these, or that they would not be too exhausted if they did? Who would go to see these games in a neutral country?

The games are played home and away not in a neutral country.

These games would be part of the WC qualifiers so the countries involved would find dates to play them on. Since the WC is the biggest tournament this qualifying tournament would take preference over other international games.

Crowdie.

[Scoey]

I agree that this seems very fair. Sort of a mini-World Cup. I've proposed this same system several times before. The issue is, of course, fixture congestion. I don't think "round robin" automatically means home and away. My understanding of "round robin" means simply that each team plays every other team. Home and away would double the number of games, making it more difficult logistically.

[Roehl Sybing]

I like the idea, too, I think there's a lot of drama in getting those last two WC spots.

The thing is the Oceania rep will have just as much a chance of surviving the mini-WC group as they will facing the CONMEBOL rep. They can win it, but they can also lose it, and if they do lose it, it'll all lead to finger-pointing at FIFA, calls for new plans, and it will eventually come back to what Oceania needs but is probably not in the best interests of the other confederations - an automatic spot.

[Scoey]

Originally posted by Roehl Sybing
I like the idea, too, I think there's a lot of drama in getting those last two WC spots.

The thing is the Oceania rep will have just as much a chance of surviving the mini-WC group as they will facing the CONMEBOL rep. They can win it, but they can also lose it, and if they do lose it, it'll all lead to finger-pointing at FIFA, calls for new plans, and it will eventually come back to what Oceania needs but is probably not in the best interests of the other confederations - an automatic spot.

I agree that the mini-WC would just be bandaid, rather than a long-term solution. However, I do think such a format would be advantageous to Australia (Oceania...whatever). At least right now, Australia and CONMEBOL 5 would be clear favorites. Asia 5? Please. Assuming Iran doesn't get the mega-shaft in Qualifying again, you're talking about an absolute minnow. CONCACAF 4 could pose a threat, although, the way the likely contenders -- Jamaica and Honduras -- are playing now, they'd have trouble with New Zealand, let alone Australia. Jamaica is great at home, but traditionally poor away. Honduras has been crap since qualifying ended. If that tournament were played today, you'd be a fool to bet against Australia and CONMEBOL 5.

[MassachusettsRef]

If it's round-robin at a neutral venue, you only need 3 matchdays, which is only 1 more than what is available in November. Further, for some--if not all--of the teams, the last match in the group could be meaningless (already qualified/already eliminated), so it wouldn't have the affect on domestic league that some may fear.

As others have said, home and away round-robin (6 matchdays) would be almost impossible. Not only would there be fixture congestion, travel for these teams would be absolutely horrendous, since the teams are almost literally coming from the four corners of the Earth. A neutral venue, either in Germany or in the African nation that will be hosting 2010, seems most logical.

[sinner78]

Whats wrong with the two-leg playoff??
maybe the aussies havent got the bottle to play a team over two legs after previous defeats.
the round robin tournament would create an extra tournament in an already crowded schedule.

[Scoey]

Originally posted by sinner_ronald_monk
Whats wrong with the two-leg playoff??
maybe the aussies havent got the bottle to play a team over two legs after previous defeats.
the round robin tournament would create an extra tournament in an already crowded schedule.

I think you have it backwards. The two-leg format would create more congestion than the round robin tournament format. A round robin tournament format would involve 3 games per team, as opposed to 6. This could be done in 10 days or so (that's how long the group phase of the World Cup took, using the same exact format). Assume the team convenes for 4 days of training before the tournament, and factor in 1 day of travel each way to and from the tournament. That's 16 days.

With a two-legged format, you have 6 matchdays, plus, on average, probably 1 day of travel each day, each way, for ever match day. You're at 18 days right there. Considering the importance of each game, the teams would want to convene for training before each match. Conservatively, let's say each team trains for only 1 day before each match day. Another 6 days, bringing the toal to 24 days.

A two legged format is probably more "fair," but I don't think logistics would allow it.

[Crowdie]

Originally posted by sinner_ronald_monk
Whats wrong with the two-leg playoff??
maybe the aussies havent got the bottle to play a team over two legs after previous defeats.
the round robin tournament would create an extra tournament in an already crowded schedule.

The problem with a single home/away playoff, as it currently stands for the OFC top qualifier, is that they then face a South American team who is match hardened (after playing in the South American qualifiers) while they have only really played two games (either against New Zealand or Australia depending on who qualified).

Crowdie.

[DutchFootballRulez]

there'd be an issue with scheduling as far as when each nations domstic leeague plays. Obviouslyeach nation would want the tourney playedwhile there players were fittest