Alert: Will AFC get to keep its 4 automatic berth places to FIFA WORLD CUP?

Err...why is it not fair? What difference does it make?

 

Makes all the difference in the world, what do you mean, you guys get to start earlier than all of us confederations, and you guys finish up a whole lot faster, and get to rest while other countries from other confederations have to spend their time trying to qualify for Brazil 2014 while you guys sit back when your guys' countries will have already qualified

 

AFC doesn't finish earlier. They finish their qualification about the same time the others do. The November/December preceding the WC. And the 5th placed AFC team finishes its qualification after the others.

You've confused me though. What exactly is your grouse? If you are a fan of Asian football and wish Asian teams well in the world stage, then why would something ( like you thinking that the qualification process getting over earlier for the AFC) that is beneficial to the AFC bother you?
If its good for the AFC, we should overlook it.

Just saying

 

With 2 from a 4 going to R16, FIFA will find it hard to not give the AFC the extra spot that it deserves.

Edit: Only Asian players have scored directly off a free kick in this WC

 

While Asian teams have done well during this World Cup (congrats!!), I am not sure AFC does not deserve a fifth spot. This confederation has been inconsistent, managing to pass the first round every two World Cup,a thing that has never happened to any other confed, bar Oceania (1994,2002,2010).
Using Australia to embellish AFC's run in WC06 is a little bit hypocritical since Australia qualified through OFC, by beating Oceanian teams and a South American team and were never confronted to any AFC teams.They were in 2006 in the same group as Japan (a legit AFC team). Had they been part of as Asia in what is concerning football that would have been impossible since you can't have more than one team of the same confederation (bar UEFA) in a same group. And FIFA was well aware by 2005 that Australia would join Asian confed.

Make no mistake, I'm not trying to be aggressive.AFC definitely deserves to keep its fourth auto berth. However what people fail to realise here is that Asia has basically 5 spots for the WC. It is just that the 5th failed to beat the lone OFC representant in a play-off this year, failed to beat the 4th CONCACAF representant (TnT) 4 years ago and the 15th European qualifier in 2002. In this this case Oceania (read NZ) could claim a full spot since they beat the 5th asian qualifier. Failing to beat three times in a row to beat the weakest qualifier of three different confeds shows that another spot would add quantity, but maybe not quality.

P.S:Excuse my English

 

Increase AFC's spot 5.5 for WC 2014.

With japan joining us Koreans to the knockout stages in 'African' soil, we now demand that our current 4.5 spots to be increased to 5.5 and sharing that .5 tickets with OFC of course. <------- wink wink

Wasn't this WC suppose to show the world African soccer is on the rise?. Again, there's no debating that africa has waaaaaay better individual talent. But as a team, boy oh boy are they unoriganized or what?.

Again, if Aussies didn't lose their game against the germans by 4 goals, we wouldve had 3 Asian representatives in the knockout stage.

 

Re: Increase AFC's spot 5.5 for WC 2014.

We've never done it on European soil. Those arrogant European bastards still don't wanna believe it.

 

Re: Increase AFC's spot 5.5 for WC 2014.

Great tournament so far from Asia (and Oceania). Hoping it can keep going for Japan and S Korea.

In Asia versus African teams its been 1 win and 2 draws, 0 losses. (Can N Korea keep that perfect record?)

In Asia versus Euro teams its been 3 wins 3 losses.

 

Re: Increase AFC's spot 5.5 for WC 2014.

nah 4.5 is enough. I like the way spot allocations are done right now. The only thing I want to see change is having OFC join with AFC and give us 5 spots.

 

Re: Increase AFC's spot 5.5 for WC 2014.

Yea, I think 4.5 spots is good enough unless New Zealand/OFC joins the AFC.

 

Re: Increase AFC's spot 5.5 for WC 2014.

AFC has done well right now and could claim another spot. However, this confederation is not as consistent as we might believe, since it passes the first round every two World cups.
If a fifth spot has to be given to AFC because South Korea and Japan managed to qualify for the 1/8 in 2010. Then, Asia has deserved it!
If a fifth spot has to be given to Asia by measuring the ability of the fifth asian qualifier to win an intercontinal play-off against relatively weak opponents, then, no.
the 5th asian qualifier failed to beat new Zealand this year and Trinidad and Tobago 4 years ago. AFC has done better than CAF right now in this tournament, but I am not even convinced that Bahrain (first asian non qualifier) would have been able to beat Egypt (first African non-qualifier ?) in a play-off. Why? Because of depth.

AFC could have an increase, but only if the AFC and the OFC become one single entity!

 

Re: Increase AFC's spot 5.5 for WC 2014.

4.5 isn't fair.
It is obvious that Japan, South Korea and Australia are way ahead in Asia at the moment and the top 3 nations will secure the tickets as usual in the 2014 qualifer, so the rest of Asia (North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Uzbekistan, Bahrain, Qatar etc) have to fight for 1.5 spots? This is ridiculous. 5.5 is valid.

 

Then why Africa always has 5 spots?

1998 - Nigeria (Cameroon, Tunisia, South Africa failed)
2002 - Senegal (Cameroon, Nigeria, Tunisia, South Africa failed)
2006 - Ghana (Ivory Coast, Tunisia Angola, Togo failed)
2010 - Ghana (Cameroon, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Algeria failed)

 

50% of AFC teams need to go to the world cup R16 to get spots. If you figure its a 32 team tournament, if all the teams we have are in the top 16 then we should have more places for teams that don't make the top 16. No confederation can boast all their teams in the R16 other than CONMEBOL maybe. In Japan, Korea, Australia there's 3 teams that at 2014 should be EXPECTED to make the R16 now their reps have been restored somewhat.

Infact check the matchday thread for Japan v paraguay people for the first time are actually tipping japan.

Asia right now I think deserves the 5th automatic place, because I do think Saudi, Iran or Bahrain could cause a lot of teams trouble at the world cup.

Oh and nobody suggest joining AFC with OFC. Kudos to NZ and frankly if they alone were to join Asia I wouldn't be against it, but if they joined, it would only be a matter of time before the rest of OFC joined AFC. I don't want to have 10 other poor football nations joining it only puts more burden on an already massive confederation.

 

Africa has 5 because it has 52 members, we have 4.5 because we have 46 members, and CONCACAF has 3.5 becaause they have 35 members.

 

So, you think these nations can cause problems in a World Cup, yet they fail to cause problems in their own backyard. Interesting.

 

Re: Increase AFC's spot 5.5 for WC 2014.

If these nations aren't good enough to get through Asian qualifying, then they aren't good enough to compete in a World Cup.

But what is obvious about Japan, Korea and Australia? They are all playing in a good period at the same time. But football doesn't stay still. Iran and Saudi were obvious nations not long back. And before 1998, we all laughed at Japan. So it wasn't obvious then!

 

Re: Increase AFC's spot 5.5 for WC 2014.

Not to sure about this. Asian sides have lost in the last 3 WC qualifying play-off matches. If Asia wants a guaranteed 5th spot, at the very least they should be able to defeat the likes of New Zealand and Trinidad.

Perhaps Africa should lose a slot or .5 of a slot, but whether that should go to Asia is debatable. Frankly Conmebol look the most deserving.

 

Re: Increase AFC's spot 5.5 for WC 2014.

5.5 only if the OFC winner joins AFC's final round of qualifiers. CAF should lose 0.5 and CONCACAF/UEFA should lose 0.5 if Honduras/Switzerland finish bottom of Group H.
CONMEBOL should get 5 spots + Brazil.

 

Re: Increase AFC's spot 5.5 for WC 2014.

It's fair for the reasons already discussed.
Give Asia more spots if Iran and KSA get their act together. Korea and Japan have already proven themselves so Asia only needs the other 2 or 3 "top" teams to show themselves as well and then FIFA might be interested.

 

Iran is in turmoil. Corruption, govt meddling and lack funding has made Iran underachieve. I think when the situation in the country gets better we can do some serious damage in the WC. But you're right, we need to prove ourselves first (also KSA) and then Asia can be given another spot.

 

Re: Increase AFC's spot 5.5 for WC 2014.

That could be years before this happens. Remember your the one telling me that Iran can never win in the UAE, so how will they win at a much higher level.

P.S still waiting for your reponse in the ACL thread. Proved you wrong, eh?