World Cup 2006 qualifying draw

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I love this OD of tournament draws one gets around this time.

Friday's pots:

Pot one
1 France
2 Portugal
3 Sweden
4 Czech Republic
5 Spain
6 England
7 Italy
8 Turkey

Pot two
9 Holland
10 Poland
11 Croatia
12 Belgium
13 Russia
14 Denmark
15 Republic of Ireland
16 Bulgaria or
Slovenia

Pot three
17 Bulgaria or Slovenia
18 Romania
19 Scotland
20 Serbia and Montenegro
21 Switzerland
22 Greece
23 Ukraine, Slovakia or Austria
24 Ukraine, Slovakia or Austria

Pot four
25 Ukraine, Slovakia or Austria
26 Iceland
27 Finland
28 Norway
29 Israel
30 Bosnia Herzegovina
31 Latvia
32 Wales

Pot five
33 Hungary
34 Georgia
35 Belarus
36 Estonia
37 Cyprus
38 Northern Ireland
39 Lithuania
40 Macedonia

Pot six
41 Albania
42 Moldova
43 Armenia
44 Liechtenstein
45 San Marino
46 Azerbaijan
47 Faroe Islands
48 Malta
49 Luxembourg
50 Andorra
51 Kazakhstan

There will be five groups of six teams, and three groups of seven. Germany qualify automatically as hosts.

POTENTIAL GROUP OF DEATH:

England
Holland
Serbia & Montenegro
Norway
Hungary
Albania

Actually I'm a bit out of touch with who's good in Central and Eastern Europe. Maybe someone else in pot 3 is better than Serbia.

Are Norway really that crap these days that they are grouped in fourth pot? They were ranked in FIFA's top 5 not so long ago, I seem to recall.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 12:28 (twenty-two years ago)

they've been pretty poor lately and haven't qualified for the Euros

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 12:44 (twenty-two years ago)

I like the way they haven't worked out who's the shittest out of Ukraine, Slovakia or Austria yet.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 12:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Austria surely, they got spanked in qualifying. I'd much rather face Norway than Finland, and I don't think anyone fancies a trip to Kazakhstan or Azerbaijan.

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 12:52 (twenty-two years ago)

I do!

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 12:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Cor, we could have England/ROI/Scotland/Wales/NI/Faroe Islands for a big all in North Atlantic European Islands fite.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, can't we make it a love in?

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:08 (twenty-two years ago)

it's ridiculous that there are only 13 places given - after the 8 group winners is it then the 5 best runners up, quite a few decent teams are going to miss out, in favour of Venezuela, United Arab Emirates and Cotes D'Ivore who will all go out in the first round having scored no goals - still i guess it boosts things in those countries

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Steve did the last World Cup teach you NOTHING?!

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Didn't those pesky developing football nations do rather well in the last cup, steve..?

xpost!

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:16 (twenty-two years ago)

no it didn't really - the next World Cup is in Europe - i guarantee you now that the quarter finals will consist of mostly European teams, with maybe Brazil, Argentina and one African team thrown in (or one of USA, Mexico or Australia if you're going to be difficult)

has it been confirmed that Oceania get a guaranteed place now? meaning Australia won't have to face the humiliation of another play-off defeat at the hands of Turkmenistan or those plucky Bolivians

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:17 (twenty-two years ago)

i just think that while it's nice to see developing nations get more opportunities to play in the World Cup, i also feel it would be nice to see the genuine best 32 teams in the world competing.

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:21 (twenty-two years ago)

I think I love stevem.

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:21 (twenty-two years ago)

i would love it if Holland were drawn with Italy or something. and England got the other home nations...now that's a group of death (bad taste joke)

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:23 (twenty-two years ago)

You can't get through the European qualifying structure = you are not one of the top teams, in exactly the same way as Australia had no grounds to complain about not getting into the World Cup if they couldn't beat Iran over 2 legs.

The numbers are heavily in favour of the European nations, we've nothing to complain about.

― Tim (Tim), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Potential GROUP OF LIFE:

Sweden
Belgium
Scotland
Iceland
Northern Ireland
San Marino

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:38 (twenty-two years ago)

thats fair enough but my point now is that the World Cup can not be an accurate representation of the best international sides. geography is prioritised over actual quality and there's too much of a lottery scenario due to luck of the draw. i guess i am romanticising too much but in the wrong way, as in i wanted to see Holland at the last World Cup - they didn't go because they dropped points against two of the best teams in Europe at that time, but what if the qualifiers involved playing teams outside their confederation?

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:40 (twenty-two years ago)

But the mouthwatering prospect of perhaps watching Argentina get knocked out by Iran by one goal is far more entertaining than watching Argentina join Germany, Brazil and Italy in the semi-final, isn't it?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes. Fuck Holland.

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:43 (twenty-two years ago)

steve hasn't been this otm since he said Barbara Streisand last night

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Top 10 teams in the FIFA World Rankings

1 Brazil 852 1 0 1 0
2 France 826 2 0 2 0
3 Spain 785 3 0 3 0
4 Argentina 750 4 0 5 1
5 Mexico 742 8 3 8 3
6 Netherlands 740 5 -1 6 0
7 Turkey 739 8 1 9 2
8 England 738 6 -2 7 -1
9 Germany 736 7 -2 4 -5
10 Czech Republic 735 11 1 15 5

So its obvious that Brazil should beat France in the final with Spain and Argentina making the semis - that's an accurate representation and we don't need a pesky tournament to prove it.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Just noticed: since when has Kazakhstan been in Europe?

― Ricardo (RickyT), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:45 (twenty-two years ago)

It's not like all the Uzbekis and Turkmen refuse to play them or anything.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:47 (twenty-two years ago)

when was the last time Spain played Argentina in the World Cup?

.
.
.
.
.

precisely

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Footballing 'continents' make no geographical sense though - I'd never really worked out why Israel counts as Europe.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:47 (twenty-two years ago)

It used to be part of Oceania, confusingly.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:48 (twenty-two years ago)

if you were Israel and you had a choice between playing European teams or playing teams in the Middle East...

fuck Germany and Brazil tho.

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Holland were quite properly excluded because they didn't win enough points. To look at it otherwise is madness. The World Cup has to be a selection of the best teams from each continent lined up against each other or it makes no sense.

Heaven forbid it goes any further down the Champions League road where the whole structure of the competition is geared around accommodationg those teams who think they "should" be there in favour of those who have earned it.

― Tim (Tim), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:50 (twenty-two years ago)

mexico are only in there as they play loads of crap teams, which is why the USA have such an inflated position (or did anyway)

Those rankings are bab.

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Tim OTM.

Re Israel - does it play as part of Europe for political/security reasons?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Partially, and partially because too many of the Arab nations refuse to play them.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Cos if they're in the Asia Confed, they can't actually play half the teams they'd meet as israel is recognised by those mostly Arab States. Also potential flashpoints etc. They used to be in the Oceania Confed once...

~~Australia~~ Oceania were promised a place automatically, but then Asia kicked up a storm before the last world cup as they'd lost half a place. They got their full place back, which removed half a place from South America, who kicked up a fuss, and FIFA gave them a half-place back by downgrading Oceania's full place to a half-place.

― Dave B (daveb), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:54 (twenty-two years ago)

is recognised = isn't recognised, obv.

― Dave B (daveb), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:54 (twenty-two years ago)

So if Israel DO get drawn with, say, Iran in the next World Cup... ?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Is there anyone else likely to beat Australia in the Oceania confed?

― Ricardo (RickyT), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Don't forget Iran vs USA in the last (but one?) WC. That was brilliant! (and Iran won, which made it even better)

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Ricky T - No chance, unless NZ pull off some sort of miracle, or maybe Guam

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Those rankings are bab.

bab?

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:57 (twenty-two years ago)

i suppose my gripe is no more warranted than complaining about penalty shoot-outs - but they're still annoying when the team you're rooting for (because they have a prettier kit, naturally) loses. Tim you are right, BUT Holland were still better (on paper) than half the teams at the last World Cup...(the bait's on the hook once more)

incidentally the South American confederation were outraged that they had a place taken away from them (in favour of Oceania i guess) and campaigned to have the World Cup expanded to accommodate 36 teams.

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:58 (twenty-two years ago)

New Zealand beat Australia to win a place in the Confederations Cup last Summer...an omen?

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:59 (twenty-two years ago)

How the fuck were they proposing to deal with 36 teams? Surely 40 would have made more sense?

― Ricardo (RickyT), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 14:00 (twenty-two years ago)

god knows why i complain about Holland's absence - considering who qualified directly at their expense

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 14:00 (twenty-two years ago)

N. yes, bab, surprised you didn't hear that while you were in Sheffield?

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 14:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Agreed. Has Oz football got better, or NZ football gone shit? I remember the days of Wynton Rufer.

In a finals tournament, israel against another country might be less of a problem; as qualifying takes place home and away, the Israeli team would struggle to get into the arab States as they would be non-citizens with no passport deemed valid by the arab state.

Stevem - they weren't better, cos they never played them competively. Because they weren't there. Hence subjective judgement based on meejar wanking over the dutch.

No need anymore for regional qualifying; comes from a pre-jet age. Nowadays we could dispense with this and end the regional BS and have every team in a group of 6 or 7 - All FIFA members / number of places up for grabs.

― Dave B (daveb), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 14:01 (twenty-two years ago)

http://62.232.35.140/files_football/BABB_Phil_19981213_NF_R.jpg

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 14:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Israel has been 'in Europe' since around 1990-ish, having been kicked out of the Asian federation in 1976 as a somewhat unfair 'punishment' for the fact that so many Arabic countries, as well as India, refused to play them.

It's worth pointing out that - political considerations aside, ok ? - it is arguable that culturally speaking Israel is far more European than Asian anyway, and is closer geographically than most of the -jans and -stans that the break-up of the USSR resulted in..

― darren (darren), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 14:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Nowadays we could dispense with this and end the regional BS and have every team in a group of 6 or 7 - All FIFA members / number of places up for grabs.

but then we'd have a lot more European teams qualifying ;)

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 14:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Steve the only sort of people who think the Holland kit is pretty are the sort of people who think that the shirt you wore to the last FAP was a good idea.

Dave if you went forward on a non-regional basis then FIFA would presumably have to stump up travel / accommodation costs for all the teams because they might prove prohibitively expensive for smaller FAs, yesno?

― Tim (Tim), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 14:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Holland's kit is classic, i kill you with clogs

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 14:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Oz footie has got a lot better Dave, especially with top clubs pouring money into feeder clubs or linking up in scouting deals, hence they can afford to get better coaches, pay decent wages to get the occasional furriner over (when I watched Perth Glory they had a Brazilian winger, and Northern Spirit who they were playing featured Nicola Berti). It's not only British teams either, various European teams are doing the same, especially Ajax, who've got teams in Sydney and in South Africa too - just look at some of the talent they're unearthing, Pienaar is one who springs to mind who came through the feeder club and is now a first team regular.

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 14:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Skipping 130 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Hooray!

― Matt (Matt), Friday, 5 December 2003 17:49 (twenty-two years ago)

woohoo - Home Internationals are back-ish!

― Dave B (daveb), Friday, 5 December 2003 17:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Fuckin' hell.

― Pete (Pete), Friday, 5 December 2003 17:49 (twenty-two years ago)

excellent group - and the love affair with Poland is back too

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 5 December 2003 17:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Dave - why couldn't we have been in 1, 2 or 3??

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 5 December 2003 17:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Group 6
ENGLAND
Poland
Austria
WALES
NORTHERN IRELAND
Azerbaijan

― Lynskey (Lynskey), Friday, 5 December 2003 17:50 (twenty-two years ago)

It's got everything! Home internationals! Cheap travel saving £££££s for the hard-up FA! Poland and clownish goalies. Trip to the mysterious poverty stricken east. And Austria too. Wow. Like, WOW!

― Dave B (daveb), Friday, 5 December 2003 17:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Piss easy group I think, the only downside is the home internationals might be trickier than they might be otherwise. But hey, our best players are used to playing at Cardiff.

Dave was invoking the Ted Rogers rule. Cannot be in groups 3,2 or 1.

― Pete (Pete), Friday, 5 December 2003 17:51 (twenty-two years ago)

we should qualify from that, I'd have thought.

― Matt (Matt), Friday, 5 December 2003 17:51 (twenty-two years ago)

We were told that be would be in a group of 6. Don't know why.

― Dave B (daveb), Friday, 5 December 2003 17:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Fantasticotico!

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 5 December 2003 17:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Is a beautiful draw, yes. hard, but interesting. And beautiful.

― Sven Goran Eriksson (daveb), Friday, 5 December 2003 17:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Poland are at their best since the 70s

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 5 December 2003 17:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Austria probably have a three or four new wunderkids breaking thru just...about...now too

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 5 December 2003 17:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Arse.

― Lara (Lara), Friday, 5 December 2003 17:55 (twenty-two years ago)

kin ell Steve. The draw is 5 minutes old and you're having a downer about the death of English football etc.

― In the Name of God, Go! (daveb), Friday, 5 December 2003 17:55 (twenty-two years ago)

In the excitment, we've missed Turkey and Greece being paired up. And latvia and Estonia with russia! And Luxembourg and Liechtenstein must fancy their mutual chances of getting a famous win or two for the first time ever.

― Dave B (daveb), Friday, 5 December 2003 17:57 (twenty-two years ago)

no it's just to counter all those who'll say England will win the group easily. don't underestimate those plucky Poles...

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 5 December 2003 17:59 (twenty-two years ago)

And we can't overlook Serbia Montenegro versus Bosnia Herzegovina: The game so big, they couldn't find a scoreboard big enough.

― Dave B (daveb), Friday, 5 December 2003 17:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Group 2 is the group of maim - i can see Ukraine coming thru as much as anyone else

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 5 December 2003 18:00 (twenty-two years ago)

So, sweepstake on which ones will see England fans banned from? I reckon NI and wales will be tasty.

― Burberry Cretin (daveb), Friday, 5 December 2003 18:00 (twenty-two years ago)

yeh the downside is we will not stop hearing about how 'England could be kicked out of the tournament if there is any trouble...' - as if the same didn't/shouldn't apply to any other countries there

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 5 December 2003 18:05 (twenty-two years ago)

we're not going to top the group, anyway! the swiss were way better than us last time, but i could see us improving. second spot is definitely within our reach.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Friday, 5 December 2003 18:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Bless the optimism of youth - I bet you also support Liverpool....

― Lara (Lara), Friday, 5 December 2003 22:31 (twenty-two years ago)

I think that's a good group, where we can consider ourselves pretty strong favourites. Poland are pretty good, but I think we can handle them, and the rest are not very scary.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Friday, 5 December 2003 23:03 (twenty-two years ago)

OK, no-one else cares about Scotland but me, but here goes:

Italy
Slovenia
Scotland
Norway
Belarus
Moldova

I hate this. Hate it. Italy, like Germany last time around (Euro 2004), are the team we will raise our game against and should do OK. They aren't the team they once were (if Wales can do it...). There are a couple of unknown quantities there in Moldova and Belarus, and we've never played Slovenia before. They just failed to qualify for Euro 2004 going out narrowly to Croatia, and there's no shame in that (unless getting horsed 6-1 by Holland) so will probably be our biggest threat for second place (despite confidence above, I think Italy will top the group). Norway, I have no idea about. They beat us at France 98, but I think we're better than we were then.

However, there are too many unknowns there, and that's where Scotland always cock up (see Zaire, Iran, Costa Rica, Faroes etc etc). My first reaction was that I would have liked us to have been the Austria in Group 6. But now I'm not so sure.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 6 December 2003 10:23 (twenty-two years ago)

well it could have been worse. i dont know, i'm quietly pleased with bertie, and these teams (excepting italy of course) seem like a good bunch to play when your building a team. i'm quite optimistic about the next couple of years for the first time in ages (oh and even though we got beat seeing firhill on national tv made my week!)

― zappi (joni), Saturday, 6 December 2003 11:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Northern Ireland v. Azerbaijan = the match where NI break their duck i reckon.

― MarkH (MarkH), Saturday, 6 December 2003 13:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Scotland's draw looks very rough. Besides Italy, Slovenia and Norway could finish above you, and Moldova aren't among the weakest in the last pot.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Saturday, 6 December 2003 16:04 (twenty-two years ago)

I once saw Scotland play Italy in a World Cup qualifier. It was 0-0.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Sunday, 7 December 2003 13:50 (twenty-two years ago)

MArk, we had to be in a group of six, as our FA along with Spain, Italy, Germany, and we think Holland, did a deal where they all got the smaller groups, so they'd have less qualifiers to play.

― Vicky (Vicky), Sunday, 7 December 2003 14:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Group 6 is, like, an entire group full of the sort of teams England will underestimate and draw 1-1 with. But its a great draw - absolutely loaded with deep historical rivalries and political tension - England vs N Ireland! Greece vs Turkey! Serbia vs Bosnia!

A winter trip to Azerbaijan doesn't exactly sound like an attractive prospect either. I just looked at Azerbaijan on the map. Like, in what universe is that Europe?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Sunday, 7 December 2003 18:29 (twenty-two years ago)

We were told that be would be in a group of 6. Don't know why.

Weren't England, France, Spain and Italy all excluded from the 7-team groups in order to cut down on fixtures because they have loads of clubs involved in European games?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Sunday, 7 December 2003 19:28 (twenty-two years ago)

ahem dude, see above

― chris (chris), Sunday, 7 December 2003 21:21 (twenty-two years ago)

four weeks pass...

Bye bye israel!

-- Dave B (dave.boyl...), December 5th, 2003 5:48 PM.

Just re-reading this and want to re-assure the world that I am not anti-semitic, nor do I question the right of Israel to exist.

― Dave B (daveb), Tuesday, 6 January 2004 20:12 (twenty-one years ago)

you must now purchase the Dana International comeback album to fully absolve the guilt

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 6 January 2004 20:44 (twenty-one years ago)

I feel no guilt. Well, not for that anyway.

― Dave B (daveb), Tuesday, 6 January 2004 20:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Tell us more Dave

― Daniel (dancity), Tuesday, 6 January 2004 23:14 (twenty-one years ago)

I was thinking of the Les Wallace picture in the darts thread. Mea Culpa, Steve.

― Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. (daveb), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 09:28 (twenty-one years ago)

from bbc.co.uk

England's fixtures
4 September, 2004 - Austria (a)
8 September, 2004 - Poland (a)
9 October, 2004 - Wales (h)
13 October, 2004 - Azerbaijan (a)
26 March, 2005 - Northern Ireland (h)
30 March, 2005 - Azerbaijan (h)
3 September, 2005 - Wales (a)
7 September, 2005 - Northern Ireland (a)
8 October, 2005 - Austria (h)
12 October, 2005 - Poland (h)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern Ireland's fixtures
4 September, 2004 - Poland (home)
8 September, 2004 - Wales (away)
9 October, 2004 - Azerbaijan (away)
13 October, 2004 - Austria (home)
26 March, 2005 - England (away)
30 March, 2005 - Poland (away)
3 September, 2005 - Azerbaijan (home)
7 September, 2005 - England (home)
8 October, 2005 - Wales (home)
12 October, 2005 - Austria (away)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wales' fixtures
4 September, 2004 - Azerbaijan (a)
8 September, 2004 - Northern Ireland (h)
9 October, 2004 - England (a)
13 October, 2004 - Poland (h)
26 March, 2005 - Austria (h)
30 March, 2005 - Austria (a)
3 September, 2005 - England (h)
7 September, 2005 - Poland (a)
8 October, 2005 - Northern Ireland (a)
12 October, 2005 - Azerbaijan (h)

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 15:29 (twenty-one years ago)

oh no the poles, emylyn hughes all over again etc...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 15:45 (twenty-one years ago)

i'm not sure if it's a good idea for England to play the two toughest teams at home in their last games - they were crap against Greece in the final game but played superbly in Rome and Istanbul where there was more pressure on the home nation.

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 15:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Steve - Wales are stronger than Austria - they got spanked something like 7-0 last season by Spain.

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 17:42 (twenty-one years ago)

i'd say they're about the same right now but i expect Austria to pose a bit more of a threat, esp. at that late point in the qualifying process. i hope Wales surprise me and i'm sorry to be pessimistic about them but after that Russia defeat i hope you'll forgive me.

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 17:51 (twenty-one years ago)

meanwhile ol' Chick Young has a point of sorts

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 18:17 (twenty-one years ago)

I guess it's kind of tongue in cheek - I'd love that idea too, but the financial costs for smaller nations of jetting round the world for qualifiers, as well as clubs being unhappy enough about losing players to internationals, make it impractical. Also, it's environmentally pretty irresponsible.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 18:45 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm not sure I approve of this notion of nations fannying around with the fixtures in order to suit Wales. If Giggs is suspended for your hardest two games, tough shit. Its a punishment.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 18:56 (twenty-one years ago)

well to be fair, if the other nations aren't going to object without a good reason, then i think it's fair enough esp. as the Giggs ban seems a bit harsh anyway. and i really want to see him play against England. the way they decide the order of fixtures seems to be based around taking into account each nation's personal preferences anyway - as far as i know it's not randomly generated (obv. there is an attempt to stage the bigger 'decider' games at the end of the process).

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 20:51 (twenty-one years ago)

one year passes...

the concretes! amazing!

― cozen (Cozen), Wednesday, 30 March 2005 19:59 (twenty years ago)

The draw section of this thread is beautiful. I like how the Irish people are like "arse, we got France..."

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 30 March 2005 22:45 (twenty years ago)

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