There are many reasons why this isn't a possible group. One of which is mentioned by callumcafc, but I'm sure plenty folk would be annoyed if England weren't in the top seeds for the draw.
[cite]Posted By: Shag[/cite]We are among the top seeds with Argentina , Brazil , Germans , Dutch , Italians , Spainish and South africans
With the exception of South Africa, that looks about right (are the hosts always a top seed? I think Austria/Switzerland were for the Euro 2008, so guess they must be). I hope we avoid Portugal and Ivory Coast.
I m at sea with those ridiculous FIFA rankings.... how can France go up from 9th to 7th (oct - nov) move +73 points and England go from 7th to 9th -38 points ?? and if you take Portugal they go from 10th to 5th +139 ?? france and portugal were both in the playoffs to qualify. Also, another weird thing is that its up to the organising country to chose which rankings will determine the top seeds. What a joke
[cite]Posted By: SE7 Expat[/cite]I m at sea with those ridiculous FIFA rankings.... how can France go up from 9th to 7th (oct - nov) move +73 points and England go from 7th to 9th -38 points ?? and if you take Portugal they go from 10th to 5th +139 ?? france and portugal were both in the playoffs to qualify. Also, another weird thing is that its up to the organising country to chose which rankings will determine the top seeds. What a joke
Because they were playing competative matches (playoffs) whilst we were playing friendlies which dont carry the same number of ranking points.
[cite]Posted By: stonemuse[/cite]Strange though isn't it ... because we are a better team and didn't need the playoffs, and therefore play friendlies, we fall down the rankings
Use above link and in middle column at bottom, there is a pdf file explaining how the rankings are calculated (I dont know how to attach a pdf file to a thread)
The FIFA rankings arent worth a carrot in the long run. But to think that FIFA were considering using them to determine the seedings for the WC shows what a two bob outfit they are!
Someone else can check, but I'm pretty sure Ireland went down in the FIFA rankings in November, and France went up. You might remember Ireland as the team that lost at home 1-0 to France and then beat them 1-0 away, and France are a much higher ranked country at that.
Baffling.
Nightmare group for England would be USA, Serbia and either Nigeria or Cote d'Ivoire, I think. Unless there's an obvious dangerous European team I'm forgetting about (I don't rate France or Portugal ahead of Serbia)
Dream group would be Slovakia, New Zealand and Algeria.
Comments
Is that definite now Shag?...just that i read today that we might not get seeded as Fifa arent sure how they will work out the seeding.
With the exception of South Africa, that looks about right (are the hosts always a top seed? I think Austria/Switzerland were for the Euro 2008, so guess they must be). I hope we avoid Portugal and Ivory Coast.
England, Greece, Algeria, N Korea. Please.
What's the betting that Platini's mob end up in South Africa's group? Jammy f*ckers.
Our best case scenario would probably be North Korea, Algeria and Slovenia.
Worst case Mexico, Ivory Coast, Portugal.
What's that?
Oh............
No you haven't
Use above link and in middle column at bottom, there is a pdf file explaining how the rankings are calculated (I dont know how to attach a pdf file to a thread)
Thanks
Baffling.
Nightmare group for England would be USA, Serbia and either Nigeria or Cote d'Ivoire, I think. Unless there's an obvious dangerous European team I'm forgetting about (I don't rate France or Portugal ahead of Serbia)
Dream group would be Slovakia, New Zealand and Algeria.