FIFA, in its lust for tv money, has set up a potentially horribly unbalanced tournament.
Group A could consist of the #16, #62, #40, and the #51 ranked teams, while group B could conceivably be the #1, #2, #8, and
the #28 ranked teams. Does this sound like a good idea to anybody?
OK, I understand the idea is to have countries from different geographic regions grouped together, here is my solution.
pot 1 - same
pot 2- same
pot 3
#21 Costa Rica
#23 Poland
#36 Switzerland
#40 Ukrane
#29 Korea rep
#32 Saudi Arabia
#51 Trinidad and Tobego
#47 Serbia
pot 4
#2 Czech Rep
#3 Netherlands
#10 Portugal
#14 Sweden
#15 Japan
#19 Iran
#20 Croatia
#8 USA
Not only could you still make provisions to have the geographical variety, but you could add some suspense to the draw, having the second seeded group drawn last.
How is it that a bunch of overpaid geniouses in Switzerland couldnt figure this out after months of sitting around in a board room when an electrician in San Diego figured it out in 5 minutes?
Well to put it simply it has nothig to do with geographic reasons and everything to do with FIFA ( esp Blatter) killing the game for money.
Put simply the pots are like that so it is easier for the biggest teams to go through thus FIFA make more money in the latter stages.
Thats the thing, making an unbalanced tournament doesnt make it easier for the big teams. I did a sample draw to demonstrate my point
Here is my sample using FIFA mandates
group a
Germany, Australia, Czech Rep., Costa Rica
group b
Brazil, Tunisia, Switzerland, Serbia
group c
Argentina, Angola, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia
group d
Italy, Paraguay, Poland, Iran
group e
France, Ghana, Ukraine, Korea Rep
group f
Mexico, Togo, Sweden, Japan
group g
England, Ecuador, Croatia, Trinidad and Tobago
group f
Spain, Ivory Coast, Portugal, USA
Note the relative easy path Brazil and France have to the second round and the ''group of death'' in group f.
Now watch how much more even the tournament is with the ''Mr F method''
group a
Germany, Australia, Korea Rep, Croatia
group b
Brazil, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Sweden
group c
Argentina, Angola, Serbia and Montenegro, Japan
group d
Italy ,Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago, Czech Rep
group e
France, Ghana, Ukraine ,Iran
group f
Mexico ,Togo, Poland, Netherlands
group g
England, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Portugal
group h
Spain, Ivory Coast, Switzerland, USA
Care can still be taken to ensure geographic dispersement while making it more even, and I dont think it made it any harder on the top seeds. Some got a slightly more difficult draw, but Spain got a MUCH easier one
Got to disagree I think the US avoided the group of death. Groups C thats your group of death. Argentina are the favourites, Holland were the best European team in the qaulifiers, Ivory coast one of the best African qualifiers and Serbia are an unknown qauntity.
USA din't have it easy though but you MUST beat either Italy or Czech Rep to have any chance of qaulification.
Anyway here is who I think will qualify:
Group A
Germany
Ecuador
Group B:
England ( can you beleive I herad 1966 22 times tonight and of course how England will win the cup )
Sweden
How can you say c are the group of death? Granted, Argentina and Holland are potential tournament winners, but Ivory Coast and Serbia? You have an African nation that has never even played in the cup and the worst European team to qualify. There is only 1 game worth watching in this group, the last one. Argentina and Holland will both have 6 points and will be playing for the group win
Yes but Ivroy coast were the best qaulifying African ateam and they have some quality players. Remeber the las world cup when people asked who were Sengal and look what happend there.
Drogba, Dindane ( you wont have heard of him but you will by the end of this summer), Kalou and Toure are just some of the well know players in the team add to that a manger that has taken France, Cameroon and Tunisia to the world cup and a former African cup of nations win and Ivory coast look fromidable.
The main strength they possess is that they are organised just like Greece were in the Euro championships. I think they are a good team yes they are world cup virgins but they have players who ahve the expeirence og high pressure games and more imortantly a settled back line. The will get points in the group I guarntee it.
As for Serbia well look at the group they were in they finished ahead of Bosnia and Belgium not an easy thing to do. They drew twice with Spain. They made it to the last 16 in 98 losing to France and have never lost a competitive game under the current manager. Again when you look at the talent you see some qaulity players i.e. Kezman, Stankovic, Milosovic and Jevric plus a back four that lost one goal in ten competitive outings.
I guarnetee these teasm will cause problema and I would not be surprised if one Argentina and/or Holland lost points to them.
12-07-2005 04:16 PM
)
