International Football 2017-2018

[crashcarson15]

UEFA's qualification setup is absolutely horrible -- Italy have a good group stage, but because the FIFA World Rankings are awful, were drawn in the same group as Spain. They should've never been subjected to the playoff in the first place (which, to be fair, they should have done better in).

[OlavoP]

Thank god CONMEBOL's qualyfiers are the most fair system possible, that way we'll probably never have a World Cup without Brazil.

[MJWalker45]

27 minutes ago, OlavoP said:

Thank god CONMEBOL's qualyfiers are the most fair system possible, that way we'll probably never have a World Cup without Brazil.

Wait until they get 8 slots for the 2026 World Cup. CONCACAF needs to cancel their Nations League and force teams to play tougher  instead of former big name opponents.  The teams not making the World Cup this year are a who's who of soccer that thought their names alone earned them a World Cup berth.

[DS729]

This is going to be one weird World Cup... No US, No Italy, No Netherlands. Plus a lot of other good teams (Chile comes to mind) wills be sitting at home next summer. 

 

FIFA (specifically UEFA) need to fix their playoff system. It’s no fun to watch one team sit with 8 or 9 guys behind the ball across two separate legs. Both Northern Ireland and Sweden have done it, and I suspect Ireland will do the same thing tomorrow. And both of the inter-continental playoffs also had 0-0 draws in their first legs. No fun, nobody wants these games to end 0-0 and be decided on PK’s. 

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Can there be a FIFA NIT? You've got a good enough field for it.

[UnclearInitial]

:censored: :censored: :censored: :censored:

 

At least the hope is that it's the just end for a corrupt federation led by old men and petty politcs who chose a petty old man who never did anything of note as a manager. seriously some of the worst decision making I've ever seen, never calling up Jorginho and then starting him in a crucial game, starting Gabbiadini who never played in a crucial game,  half the players out of position just to play with he ex-Juve BBC, and playing Insigne and El Shaarawy a combined 45 minutes over 2 games as a result. Just awful

[OlavoP]

3 hours ago, anythinglogos said:

 

At least the hope is that it's the just end for a corrupt federation led by old men and petty politcs who chose a petty old man who never did anything of note as a manager. seriously some of the worst decision making I've ever seen, never calling up Jorginho and then starting him in a crucial game, starting Gabbiadini who never played in a crucial game,  half the players out of position just to play with he ex-Juve BBC, and playing Insigne and El Shaarawy a combined 45 minutes over 2 games as a result. Just awful

 

Italy really needs to change things up, since the title in 2006 they have been downfalling. Two eliminations on the groups stage and now they can't even qualify

[Crabcake]

6 hours ago, anythinglogos said:

 

At least the hope is that it's the just end for a corrupt federation led by old men and petty politcs who chose a petty old man who never did anything of note as a manager. seriously some of the worst decision making I've ever seen, never calling up Jorginho and then starting him in a crucial game, starting Gabbiadini who never played in a crucial game,  half the players out of position just to play with he ex-Juve BBC, and playing Insigne and El Shaarawy a combined 45 minutes over 2 games as a result. Just awful

Even De Rossi knew what he was doing more than the manager. Late in the game the Italy manager asked De Rossi to warm up and De Rossi blew up at him, screaming at him “we need to win the game, not draw it” and pointing furiously to Insigne, still inexplicably on the bench. No matter what angle you look at it, it’s not good. 

[JayMac]

18 hours ago, DG_Now said:

Can there be a FIFA NIT? You've got a good enough field for it.

Maybe this tournament can be in Qatar instead of an actual World Cup tournament.

[Still MIGHTY]

22 hours ago, DG_Now said:

Can there be a FIFA NIT? You've got a good enough field for it.

 

 

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Nice. United States Humanitarian Invitational Tournament.

 

They would sell out a weekend tournament in New York or Pasadena if they wanted to.

[BlackBolt3]

41 minutes ago, Still MIGHTY said:

 

 

[MJWalker45]

I'd rather they just set up a bunch of double headers across the US during the time other teams are in training camp for the World Cup rather than have a completely different tournament which would almost certainly not get approval from FIFA. Then again they could try some ideas like the old NASL/MLS shootout rules instead of standard PKs and another extra sub in extra time. 

[goalieboy82]

this is going to be a weird World Cup.  we might get a team that hasn't won one yet (or maybe have England win this won)

[DS729]

1 hour ago, goalieboy82 said:

this is going to be a weird World Cup.  we might get a team that hasn't won one yet (or maybe have England win this won)

I’d be legitimately surprised if a new team wins. The best sides, Germany, Brazil, France, Spain, and Argentina have all won before. The most likely would be Belgium or Portugal, which I just can’t see happening. They just aren’t as deep as some of the best sides, or have major flaws. Belgium in particular are lacking fullbacks, plus with Martinez in charge, they’re a disappointment waiting to happen. 

 

The World Cup also typically doesn’t feature as many underdogs making deep runs like in the Euro’s or AFCON. 

[Crabcake]

Also, one thing I've learned in the 3.5 years I've been a soccer fan is this - England do not win major tournaments. Doesn't matter how well they did in qualifying. It just doesn't happen. I'd be shocked to see them get past the quarters in Russia. 

[PrimalCookie]

On 11/16/2017 at 9:17 PM, DScruggy729 said:

I’d be legitimately surprised if a new team wins. The best sides, Germany, Brazil, France, Spain, and Argentina have all won before. The most likely would be Belgium or Portugal, which I just can’t see happening. They just aren’t as deep as some of the best sides, or have major flaws. Belgium in particular are lacking fullbacks, plus with Martinez in charge, they’re a disappointment waiting to happen. 

 

The World Cup also typically doesn’t feature as many underdogs making deep runs like in the Euro’s or AFCON. 

In my (albeit early) predictions, I have Belgium winning (over Portugal no less).

 

Eh. I guess I just want to see something new happen, although it will probably end with someone like Brazil or Argentina winning. As a German fan I just can't see Germany doing it this year, either. I have them bowing out in the semifinals vs Belgium.

[Corvus]

On 11/13/2017 at 2:38 PM, MJWalker45 said:

Wait until they get 8 slots for the 2026 World Cup. CONCACAF needs to cancel their Nations League and force teams to play tougher  instead of former big name opponents.  The teams not making the World Cup this year are a who's who of soccer that thought their names alone earned them a World Cup berth.

 

It looks like the CONCACAF League of Nations will be a three division set up with pro/rel and start off seeded based on "sporting level" whatever that is. FIFA ranking I guess?

 

http://www.concacaf.com/article/concacaf-league-of-nations-confirmed

 

I think this is actually a good thing if the CONCACAF nations are playing each other more often, and playing teams of similar level more frequently. One of the issues with the Canadian team is they just don't seem to play often enough. Canada should be good enough to stay in the top division, but  I think it will be a fight. Will also be interesting to see how it goes with many of the top players for all the nations being based in Europe, and also with MLS not always respecting FIFA breaks. 

[Crabcake]

This is laughable.

[officeglenn]

3 hours ago, Crabcake47 said:

This is laughable.

 

That just redirects to the front page of The Sporting News's soccer section.