In an effort to make some sense of the whole ranking thing, I'm going to start my own ranking system. It should be quite eye opening. 1- Brazil - Reigning champs and loaded with talent, and they have talent behind the first string that could be a top ten team as well. 2- France: on the strength of Zidane and Henry alone, they are my number 2. Add Pires and the rest and you have a very strong team. Coaching is a problem. 3- Argentina: Loaded, same as Brazil, just with Crespo injured and Batigol getting older - but Claudio Lopez is on fire! 4- The Netherlands - This is a team to watch for in 2004. Ruud remains healthy, plus the style of play. Always fun to watch, and they just might win it again. 5- Spain: Loaded with talent, just need to learn how to win in Spanish colors. One problem for Spain is Guti needs to play - not just sit in Madrid. 6- Turkey: They might not be working with the US, but they have an arsenal of talent. I can't spell their names, but talent in abundance. 7- Germany - only just because. Team did well at World Cup, but the Bundesliga looks weak. So many of yesterday's stars are still playing. 8- United States: The up and coming team, If Clint Mathis is on form, which he wasn't in 2002 they could wreak some havoc. 9- England - just to piss them off, they are behind the US. Actually Sven Goran has lost the plot. Francis Jeffers, Wayne Rooney and Emile Heskey do not deserve to be called up. Jermain Defoe and Joe Cole should be in the squad. 10: Denmark: Always fun to watch, talented, well organized and know how to win. 11 - Italy: Should be higher, but I screwed up - call me FIFA. This team should attack, screw defense, just attack like the mother of all attacks. If they do this - they are my # 3 team. If they just sit back and play defense I hate them. 12 - Portugal- despite having former Connecticut Wolves head man Dan Gaspar working with the keepers, the tempers of the players get in the way. They do not know how to win, if they did, well they forgot. 13 - Czech Republic: Why not 14: Rep of Ireland - No Roy keane cause he's a wanker. Gritty team, not always pretty, but damn they work hard. Like US, but not as athletic. 15: Belgium: Timmy Simons, Walter Baseggio, and Wesley Sonck - talented. Plus they have the best beer in the world. 16: Mexico: A solid team, usually entertaining. I went to watch their match last night, and stupid galavision had informercials instead about computers. Who's going to buy a computer from an infomercial? Because of this - they get a suck rating. 17: Korea: I like watching them play, loads of talent, not always tactically aware, but that leads to fun games. Want to see how they do away from home. 18: Cameroon: The indomitable lions - super talented, this is just a guess - as I haven't seen them play or remember anything much about them. 19: Wales: Mark Hughes is one tough mother, plus having some talent in Ryan Giggs and fat and bald Johnny Hartson is good enough for me. 20: Western Timbuktu: Does it really matter? Not really, but thanks for reading this far. as compared to: FIFA - COCA COLA new world rankings: 1 Brazil 853 2 Spain 780 3 France 778 4 Argentina 761 5 Germany 758 6 Netherlands 752 7 Turkey 732 8 Mexico 729 9 England 725 10 United States 723 11 Denmark 704 12 Portugal 700 13 Italy 699 14 Ireland Republic 696 15 Czech Republic 685 16 Belgium 683 17 Cameroon 678 18 Paraguay 672 19 Korea Republic 668 20 Serbia and Montenegro 667
### MODERATOR'S NOTE ### This is actually off topic on the FIFA board and really belongs on The Beautiful Game board. I'll move it there with a redirect. PM with questions.
Why should that piss us off? You lot have got the obsession with England, not the other way round. Contrary to popular American opinion we really couldn't care less about the US, I think that more than anything gets up your nose. Now if you put Scotland ahead of us that'd be a different story...
I know this might sound messed up but when I rate teams I just look at the last big tournament, and when you look at that you see: Brazil - Can't argue class side France - Failed to score a single goal and went home early Argentina - England beat them and they went home early Netherlands - They didn't even make it Like I say, before you guys start slating what I've wrote I know thats not the right way to look at it and you have to look at the bigger picture but thats just the way I see it. We'll soon see how those rankings alter after next year
Look at the last qualification matches played. England is +- shite. France, Holland playing quite well. But we'll have to see if Holland are back against Czechia on saturday, who are the first real class side they're up against.
Re: ### MODERATOR'S NOTE ### No worries, I wasn't sure where to put it. I thought I saw FIFA rankings so went for that spot. Either way, my first topic in the zone.
Re: Re: Panic's World Top 20 Rankings If I put Scotland ahead of England I'd be losing my mind. If I had put the USA ahead of England prior to the last WC, I think more than a few English would be upset. Now, I think they expect it. I also think SGE is on the way out, and Glenn Roeder will replace him Could be worse, could be El Tel
You can be messed up, its okay. I would love to see the Netherlands v Czech Rep this week. I may have to adjust my ranking after this match.
Netherlands are a good side, they're a fun team to watch, but I must say that I'm proud of the US. Call me ignorant, because I don't know, but could Arsene Wenger coach the French side? He's got loads of creativity and smarts. He has a real head for the game. Plus he knows almost all of the team from Arsenal. Vive le AFC! OPArsenal
Re: Re: Re: Panic's World Top 20 Rankings I'm not a huge fan of el tel, but he wouldn't be worse than glen roeder. Even a mick wadsworth/howard wilkinson dinosoar dream team would be better then glen roeder. I don't think anyone expects anyone outside the US to rate the US above England, but readers of this board might be surprised that the US posters don't rate the US higher - they are guaranteed a semi final spot in 2006 apparently. Even though every England fan reckons England are by far the best team in the world (every England fan except the one's I've ever spoken to, but what do I know?) I'm probably going to put a bet on us not beating Liechtenstein by more than 2 goals on Saturday. I think an appalling 2-1 win is on the cards.
Re: NEWB? "Newb"? What does that mean? Lets see your top 20 and we can go from there. Don't forget Serbia and Montenegro are currently ranked # 20 by the FIFA rankings.
i like that u put turkey up relatively high. i would of probably put them in the same spot (maybe behind spain). when it comes to quality they may be better than the teams listed above them but there is no merit to putting them up there...yet. (confeds cup). imo after confeds cup the top 4 may look like 1)brazil (no particular order 2-4) Holland Turkey France
Re: Re: Re: Panic's World Top 20 Rankings They have to do more than beat England to get up in my Top 20. I think Turkey is a fun team to watch, and should be getting better as more of their players play in European competitions.
As of now, I agree. Mainly because England has been playing like shite lately, and they need a new coach. Technically England is better than USA, and when they get on a hot streak they do play better soccer than we do. But that's just my opinion.
Re: Re: Panic's World Top 20 Rankings No argument from me either. They are lacking something right now, I think its Hammers in the lineup. All Englishmen know that you have to have 3 Hammers in the lineup to win the World Cup. Defoe, Cole and Carrick, or maybe Glen Johnson.
My top 20 which is bestest of all-eth 01. Brazil 02. France 03. Holland 04. Spain 05. Argentina 06. Italy 07. Portugal 08. England 09. Turkey 10. Cameroon 11. Germany 12. Chzech Rep 13. Denmark 14. USA 15. Paraguay 16. Croatia 17. Senegal 18. Wales 19. Mexico 20. Switzerland
Re: Re: Re: Panic's World Top 20 Rankings Throw David James into the mix and that is one heck of a winning club.
Re: My top 20 which is bestest of all-eth Couple of things that I noticed. Top 9 - hard to argue with. Cameroon seems a bit high. I like the Germany ranking, and they would drop in my rankings as well. Czech Rep looks solid. I can't believe I forgot Denmark and Croatia. Senegal as well. Good stuff.