The 2010 World Cup Thread

[dj_bollocks]

So with any luck we might get a somewhat friendlier qualification group - I guess we'll still be 3rd or 4th pot though ?

 

This is the one....

[BTR]

I guess we'll still be 3rd or 4th pot though ?

 

We will be in the second pot unless there is a new set of rankings due out this week that are unkind to us.

[Sonoftherock]

We will be in the second pot unless there is a new set of rankings due out this week that are unkind to us.

 

I think there is a new world ranking list released on Friday... this will decide our fate. However, we're odds on to remain in pot, as until this week we were the second ranked team in pot 2.

[Guest LondonScottish]

I think there is a new world ranking list released on Friday... this will decide our fate. However, we're odds on to remain in pot, as until this week we were the second ranked team in pot 2.

 

 

If we'd beaten Italy would we have moved into pot one?

[uni_don]

If we'd beaten Italy would we have moved into pot one?

I think we would have were Croatia to beat England.

[CtS]

If we end up in pot 1, are we allowed to moan about getting drawn against all the good teams from the pots below us?

[Guest LondonScottish]

If we end up in pot 1, are we allowed to moan about getting drawn against all the good teams from the pots below us?

 

 

Impossible.

[I.Tully]

Will the draw be televised?

[bland_flabbis]

If you look at the rankings from last month there's really no feasible way that we can move out of the second pot. I'm not entirely sure how the points are awarded, but the maximum any team gained or lost was about 100 points from the previous month and we're 278 points ahead of Turkey (the first team in the third pot).

[roosterbooster]

definetly in Pot 2 so chances of a failry reasonable draw. Unfortunatly tho only group winners qualify for the World Cup so needing to avoid France / Italy / Germany / Holland from pot 1 to stand decent chacne of topping the group. England would do, Czech's are aging a bit, and avoid probably Turkey/Denmark from Pot 3 and definetly Montenegro in pot 6 is a must avoid as they will have decent player and are only in that pot due to newly forming.

 

Pots

 

Italy

France

Germany

Spain

Netherlands

Portugal

Czech Republic

Croatia

England

take England, Czech, Croatia or Portugal from here

 

Romania

Scotland

Greece

Russia

Poland

Norway

Ukraine

Sweden

Serbia

 

 

Turkey

Denmark

Republic of Ireland

Bulgaria

Northern Ireland

Israel

Switzerland

Finland

Hungary

Northern Ireland will do - had coupel of decent wins but still basically rubbish - Finland / Bulgaria also

 

 

Bosnia-Herzegovina

Slovakia

Belgium

Cyprus

Wales

Moldova

Albania

Georgia

FYR Macedonia

dodgy pot here - Cyprus/SLovakia/Moldova - couple of difficult away trips potentially from here

 

Slovenia

Iceland

Armenia

Latvia

Austria

Lithuania

Belarus

Azerbaijan

Liechtenstein

same as pot 4 - Liechtenstein would be ideal

 

 

Kazakhstan

Estonia

Malta

Luxembourg

Montenegro

Andorra

Faroe Islands

San Marino

anyone aside Montenegro.

 

Still knowing our bloody luck our draw will be

 

Germany

Scotland

Turkey

Bosnia

Slovenia

Montenegro

 

still easier than our last group

[uni_don]

Unfortunatly tho only group winners qualify for the World Cup

Do the runners up not go into play-offs?

[fatshaft]

Do the runners up not go into play-offs?

Indeed, but that means the chance of a couple of pot 1 teams and our equivalents. No easy feat either, and remember our two previous play off attempts have put us out despite winning a leg both times.

 

We could do with pulling England out of Pot 1, that would be our best bet I think.

[wee toon red]

Do the runners up not go into play-offs?

 

The 8 best runners up go into a playoff. One runner up even misses out on that

[Westendorfer]

The 8 best runners up go into a playoff. One runner up even misses out on that

 

Yeah I heard that yesterday. What a bummer that would be.

 

Even more confusingly

Eight groups of six teams and one group of five will contest the European qualifying competition for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The nine group-winners will qualify directly, while the highest ranked eight of the nine second-placed teams will contest home and away play-off matches for the remaining four places. In determining the rank of second-placed teams, only results against those finishing 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th will be counted.

 

I suposed they have to do this with the groups not being of equal size. Play-offs will reduce even further the chance of a "small" nation getting through. Somebody pointed out that for Euro '08 all but one of the top two group seeds (Denmark) are likely to qualify when it's sorted out tonight.

 

It's getting like the old Formula One rules where only you 10 best results counted, so a driver with the most points overall didn't always win the title.

[Sonoftherock]

Pots

 

Italy

France

Germany

Spain

Netherlands

Portugal

Czech Republic

Croatia

England

take England, Czech, Croatia or Portugal from here

 

Romania

Scotland

Greece

Russia

Poland

Norway

Ukraine

Sweden

Serbia

 

 

Turkey

Denmark

Republic of Ireland

Bulgaria

Northern Ireland

Israel

Switzerland

Finland

Hungary

Northern Ireland will do - had coupel of decent wins but still basically rubbish - Finland / Bulgaria also

 

 

Bosnia-Herzegovina

Slovakia

Belgium

Cyprus

Wales

Moldova

Albania

Georgia

FYR Macedonia

dodgy pot here - Cyprus/SLovakia/Moldova - couple of difficult away trips potentially from here

 

Slovenia

Iceland

Armenia

Latvia

Austria

Lithuania

Belarus

Azerbaijan

Liechtenstein

same as pot 4 - Liechtenstein would be ideal

 

 

Kazakhstan

Estonia

Malta

Luxembourg

Montenegro

Andorra

Faroe Islands

San Marino

anyone aside Montenegro.

 

I'm hearing some chat that owning to Romania and Greeces excellent results of late, coupled with Englands loss, one of these teams may leap frog into pot 1.

[vanderark14]

anybody know what time the draw is on sunday

[thedandydon]

The ceremony starts at 3pm, although it'll probably be well after that before they get round to drawing the European teams.

Does anyone know if last nights results effected the seedings, i presume we're confirmed in pot 2?

[swaddon]

As far as I know, we're still in Pot 2 and the English are still clinging on to Pot 1.

[roosterbooster]

Englands in pot 2 same as ours which is a pity as would have fancied them greece have leapfrogged them

[arthursseat]

My Ideal group:

 

ENGLAND

SCOTLAND

BULGARIA

CYPRUS

LIECHTENSTEIN

SAN MARINO

 

Group of Death:

ITALY

SCOTLAND

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

GEORGIA

BELARUS

MONTENEGRO

 

Not that scary though even if we get a really horrible draw. I chose Ireland because they are traditionally fairly strong and I expect them to improve gratly this coming qualifying round.

[TheChimp]

My Ideal group:

 

ENGLAND

SCOTLAND

BULGARIA

CYPRUS

LIECHTENSTEIN

SAN MARINO

 

Group of Death:

ITALY

SCOTLAND

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

GEORGIA

BELARUS

MONTENEGRO

 

Not that scary though even if we get a really horrible draw. I chose Ireland because they are traditionally fairly strong and I expect them to improve gratly this coming qualifying round.

 

TBH I'd have any number of teams in ahead of Bulgaria.

[thedandydon]

Wont be able to draw England if they've dropped into our pot. Would take Greece from the top seeds though!

[Guest redbrigade]

Impossible.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/i...als/7108764.stm

 

BBC are suggesting that its not impossible for Scotland to be in pot 1 and England to be in pot 2. Rankings are announced on Friday.

[Guest redbrigade]

England will not be among the top seeds in the 2010 World Cup qualifying draw after their failure to reach Euro 2008.

 

The defeat against Croatia has seen them drop to 12th place - and they have now been leap-frogged by Greece.

 

This means they are not in the top nine European countries in the draw when it is made in Durban on Sunday.

 

They are now in the group of second seeds and could possibly face Italy, France or Germany in a potentially hazardous qualifying group.

 

Scotland have also dropped one place to 14th, meaning they will also be among the group of second seeds.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/i...als/7108764.stm

[vanderark14]

England will not be among the top seeds in the 2010 World Cup qualifying draw after their failure to reach Euro 2008.

 

The defeat against Croatia has seen them drop to 12th place - and they have now been leap-frogged by Greece.

 

This means they are not in the top nine European countries in the draw when it is made in Durban on Sunday.

 

They are now in the group of second seeds and could possibly face Italy, France or Germany in a potentially hazardous qualifying group.

 

Scotland have also dropped one place to 14th, meaning they will also be among the group of second seeds.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/i...als/7108764.stm

 

it just keeps gettin better

[Guest redbrigade]

The ceremony starts at 3pm, although it'll probably be well after that before they get round to drawing the European teams.

 

On Sunday at 16:00 CET (15:00 GMT, 17:00 local time), the eyes of the footballing world will turn to Durban for the Preliminary Draw for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa

[vanderark14]

On Sunday at 16:00 CET (15:00 GMT, 17:00 local time), the eyes of the footballing world will turn to Durban for the Preliminary Draw for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa

[fatshaft]

now that england have only this to look forward to at present it will surely be covered by Sky Sports News

It's a shame, because I genuinely believe England would have been the softest touch in pot 1. Greece are a good replacement though.

[Sonoftherock]

I will pish my pants laughing if England draw Italy or France.

 

I cannot wait till sunday now!

[vanderark14]

It's a shame, because I genuinely believe England would have been the softest touch in pot 1. Greece are a good replacement though.

 

agreed. i just said the exact same thing to a guy at work.

 

i wanted England in our group