The Edmonton Sun reports that Jack Warner has said the federation will receive an extra half or even full slot based on its recent success at the World Cup. http://www.canoe.ca/EdmontonSports/es.es-11-07-0087.html
Costa Rica did not advance although the article stated they did. But the Ticos were extremely impressive. They were in the group that had the eventual 1st and 3rd place finishers, Brazil and Turkey. They actually tied Turkey on points, but did not advance due to the tie-breaker of goal differential.
aye, but that's not the important part... the important part is the extra half or full slot in germany
3.5 I think CONCACAF deserves 3.5 berths, 4 is too many. Four would help develop experience at the WC for the extra team, but we would then be in the position of possibly having to defend the poor showing of the extra team.
Re: 3.5 agreed. I think playing ocenia for the last slot is a fair way to go. but if he was incorrect in saying costa rica advanced, what else in his story is wrong? I'm sure this fella in edmonton is quite capable, but I think i'll wait until FIFA says something before I get my hopes up.
Re: Re: 3.5 I don't know how plausable it would be, but I would personally like to see the fourth place CONCACAF team play a European team to get to the WC.
Oh my God... could you imagine? The likes of Belgium or The Ukraine travelling to the humid jungles of Guatemala or Honduras?!? The players asking "where are the valets? ... wait... WTF?!?" as they get off the bus... LOL If the CONCACAF leg came first, DAMN if that wouldn't be a culture shock for the Euro squad! At the very least, it would shut the europhiles the heck up the next time they compare a trip to Saprissa to a jaunt to the Faroe Islands or Luxembourg (no offense to the the Faroe Islands, who have been putting up a fair fight this round of Euro 2004 qualifying).
I think a trip to Tehran or Instanbul would compare pretty closely to a trip to San Jose or Guatemala City. The Euro's won't be too surprised by that. It might not be the level of comfort that they are used to, but I doubt that it will phase them too much. These are guys with loads of international experience, after all. Still, I'd like to see Oceania get 1.5 slots and Africa lose a slot. I think the respective results of Australia in the Confederations Cup and the Africans in WC 2002 show who deserves what. As for CONCACAF, I'd like to see us get another half slot. I'm not sure we deserve a full slot, yet. Maybe for 2010. Realistically, a playoff with a European team seems unlikely, since they already playoff with Oceania. I think it's far more likely that we'll have to playoff with a South American or African team.
I really don't think either would compare to say, Mazatenango. Certainly Istanbul and I'm sure Tehran have some nice 5 star accomodations. I've traveled and watched matches in the dregs of UEFA (Azerbaijan, Moldova, Albania, Georgia) and, though I haven't been to Central America, I feel confident in saying nothing in UEFA at least can compare. I'd absolutely love it if somehow England had to pay a meaningful match in Guatemala. They'd almost certainly win but Beckham and Owen would be lucky to get out physically unscathed! As for the total, I don't really have a problem with 3.5 slots as long as Asia doesn't end up with more than 4.
Hello? No Oceana team even qualified (again). Senegal was the darling of the tournament, as an African team always is. Australia and ... Papua New Guinea as the .5?
If Oceania ever gets more than .5 slots that will basically mean Australia gets automatic berths in each world cup. They should have to be tested more than having to beat NZ a couple times.
Two WC's in a row the Aussies have lost in a playoff on the away goals rule. In '98 it was Iran, and for this time it was Uruguay. Both went on to inspiring heights in the finals itself, no? I'm pretty sure the Aussies would have shown better than that. And as for the Aussies, lately they've beaten Brazil, and had several other quality games against European opponents. (I'm not up to date on their current results.) Many of the Socceroos play in Europe. Viduka at Leeds Utd. for example. And the other team of strength in that region is New Zealand, who beat the Aussies for the regional cup recently and will be appearing in the Confederations Cup next year. I think the region has shown enough quality recently to get at least a full slot. And yes, Senegal was the darling of the tournament, but how did the other FOUR African nations do? None of the others performed as well as the USA, Mexico and CR, with the possible exception of Nigeria in the Group of Death. As far as accomodations go, I'm sure you can find a 5-star anywhere you want to go. I'm talking about the stadiums and the atmosphere. I doubt that fans in Instanbul or Tehran are any less fanatical than those in Guatemala City or San Jose. I suspect a battery to the head feels about the same whether it's thrown by a Costa Rican or a Turk.
I don't know if we have earned an extra spot yet. I think if CONCACAF does well in 2006 then we should get another spot, but it should take more than one good world cup. At most we should get +.5 spots. I think that Oceana should get a guarenteed spot before we get a spot. Maybe if they moved Japan and the Phillipines into this region it would become more competitive. With regards to previous comments made about whether or not we would have to publicly defend the fourth team from possible verbal abuse from a potentially poor WC showing. Please keep in mind that the USA barely squeaked by Guatamala and Costa Rica in the Quad phase to make the HEX round. We also had a tough time outlasting Honduras in the HEX. I am positive that both Guatamala and Honduras would have earned points in the WC. They definitely wouldn't finished last. I rank the top CONCACAF teams as follows 1. USA 2. Mexico 3. Costa Rica 4. Honduras 5. Guatamala Perhaps you are right that Asia needs to lose a spot or .5 of a spot. I think CONCACAF needs one more good showing to earn it though. Keep in mind that if FIFA has a knee-jerk reaction after every world cup and starts switching spots between federations heavily, there would be a real threat of CONCACAF losing a spot if we lay an egg the next time around. The HEX is going to be extremely competitive if there are only 3 qualifying spots for 2006. Being a USA fan, I shouldn't complain about an extra spot. As a soccer fan interested in the growth of the game however, if any shifting of spots is to be done, out of fairness a spot should go to Oceana first.
Well, you certainly have to take into account the whole experience, from radio stations blaring all night outside your hotel room to the 3 hour bus ride through Guatemala. And I'm not sure about Tehran but I don't think the fans in Istanbul are as into hurling objects at opposing players as they are in Central America. In any case, the referees I've seen in Istanbul manage to keep control of things better than in Central America. Part of that's just better officials, but for my money I do think Central America is the most intimidating place for a referee. As for Oceana, from a pure "diversity" stand point I'd love to see them in but I just can't see it as long as it means Australia vs New Zealand wit the winner going to the World Cup. That lack of competition is what makes the Womens Gold Cup/WC qualifiers such a bore. But in the womens game they really have no choice if they want more than 8 teams in the WC.
I'm sorry, I'm still having a hard time believing Jack-ass Warner, or the fact that he's got any political clout at FIFA, regardless of his four votes for Blatter. Remember, he is the guy that pressed Pendergast onto the rest of the world in Japorea, and Pendergast responded with a howler for Belgium. Jack-ass really likes to hear himself talk.... That said, I think 3.5 is appropriate for CONCACAF.
Why does everyone keep saying this?? New Zealand won the last Ocenia Nations Cup (or whatever it is called), and I think they may have won the one before that...Granted, those are the only 2 teams worth a flip in that part of the world, but it wouldn't be a cake walk for Australia.
Nigeria was winless but they did play solid D in front of their goalie this time around. Still, I'd like to see Oceania get 1.5 slots and Africa lose a slot. I think the respective results of Australia in the Confederations Cup and the Africans in WC 2002 show who deserves what. I'd like to see CAF lose half a slot and be forced into a playoff w/ either eastern europe or Oceana. I still don't think oceana deserves a full slot yet untill they can win a playoff. I'd like to create a natural rivalry and create a playoff w/ the .5 taken from the prev wc winners going to concacaf & the other .5 going to comebol. A playoff b/w the two could sell huge TV revenue. I'd hustle up $50 for PPV. Comebol has earned an extra slot anyway & IMHO, africa is disproportionably represented since they are FIFA's little darling 4 hand outs.
I agree with the 3.5 for CONCACAF, no instant 4th spot yet. Friggin' put Oceania into the Asian qualifying groups, no free pass to the WC. Maybe take the top two from Oceania (uh, Australia and New Zealand every 4 yrs?) after they beat up the little islands in qualifiers and put them into a 2nd stage qualifier with the top Asian nations. This way they can show us their "I know we coulda done better than (insert middle of the pack SA country here)" selves by winning/coming in 2nd place in groups in Asia to qualify. Hell, this way both NZ and OZ could qualify for each WC. Yes, OZ has players in the EPL, so is half the national team from France and look what happened to them...
WC 1998 15 Europe 5 Africa 5 Conmebol 4 Asia 3 Concacaf I can't remember who had the playoffs, this is just how it wound up. WC 2002 14.5 Europe (won other half from Asia to take 15) 5 Africa 4.5 Conmebol (won other half from Ocean to take 5) 4.5 AFC (lost half to Europe) 3 Concacaf 0.5 Oceana (lost half to Conmebol) The politics AFC is lobbying to keep from losing the half that they had by arguing that they deserve 5. Oceana is lobbying that they deserve a full spot because they don't get in with a half spot. Concacaf is lobbying that they deserve another spot due to their strong performance. WC 2006 Here's my thoughts on what WC 2006 should see. 14.5 Europe 4.5 Africa 4.5 Conmebol 4 Asia 3.5 Concacaf 1 Oceana Neither Europe nor Conmebol deserve to lose the half slots that they currently have. Concacaf definitely deserves another half spot based upon world rankings and their past performance. Arguably, Oceana deserves a full spot. So, if Concacaf & Oceana deserve another spot but Europe and Conmebol don't deserve to lose one, then that only leaves Asia and Africa to give up half a spot. 4th place Concacaf plays 5th place Conmebol. 15th place Europe plays 5th place Africa. There are those that will say that Africa doesn't deserve to lose a spot and there will be those that say Asia doesn't deserve to lose it's half spot. In the last 3 World Cups... 94 Africa had 3 teams, 1 advanced, avg rank was 18 Asia had 2 teams, 1 advanced, avg rank was 15.5 Concacaf had 2 teams, both advanced, avg rank 14.5 98 Africa had 5 teams, 1 advanced, avg rank was 21 Asia had 4 teams, none advanced, avg rank was 27.3 Concacaf had 3 teams, 1 advanced, avg rank 22 2002 Africa had 5 teams, 1 advanced, avg rank was 19.6 Asia had 4 teams, 2 advanced, avg rank was 19 Concacaf had 3 teams, 2 advanced, avg rank 12.7 Total Last 3 Cups Africa has had 13 teams and only 3 have advanced. Overall average finish 21.2 (wt avg based upon if 94 had 32 teams). Asia has had 10 teams and 3 have advanced. Overall average finish 22.7. Concacaf has had 8 teams and 5 have advanced. Average finish has been 17.8. Some factors that need to be considered -- 2 of Asia's 3 advancers were host teams. 1 of Concaf's 5 advancers was a host. Even with having more hosts than anyone else, they still have the lowest overall ranking in the World Cup. There is no way they deserve another half slot (for a total of 5 like they want) and they probably deserve to lose a half spot. Africa is next weakest and should be the other one to lose a half spot.
Wrong. Very wrong. Uruguay spanked the socceroos 3-0 in Montevideo, after they won the first leg 1-0 in Australia. Oceania deserves .25 places like they did in 1995 and previous