Aussies score 346 from 50 overs....

[Kinky Gerbil]

What Fifa have done is gear up qualification so that all major football markets now have a significant chance of qualifying - including "new" football countries. That really isn't a bad thing of course, but on the flip side, how many countries are now capable of hosting the thing? South Africa is the first developing nation to host it since 1986 and they're already talking about pulling the plug on that one and letting the USA host it.

Thought the uk was a back up?

Asian group may be stronger now Australia are in it, maybe NZ should follow.

 

[Pavilionaire]

It was great to see such a big crowd for the Aussie Grand Final, and just goes to show that a bit of success at the World Cup can really galvanise the domestic game.

I'm surprised that the Saudis haven't progressed given the money in their league, the foreign stars and coaches they can attract.

I saw Brazil vs Japan at the last World Cup and the Japs matched Brazil in the first 30 or 40 mins before crumbling. Again, you might have expected more from the Japs over the last 10 years. You can say the same about the Yanks.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

It was great to see such a big crowd for the Aussie Grand Final, and just goes to show that a bit of success at the World Cup can really galvanise the domestic game.

I'm surprised that the Saudis haven't progressed given the money in their league, the foreign stars and coaches they can attract.

I saw Brazil vs Japan at the last World Cup and the Japs matched Brazil in the first 30 or 40 mins before crumbling. Again, you might have expected more from the Japs over the last 10 years. You can say the same about the Yanks.

Yanks should be reaching semis by now with the player base they have.

 

[Simster]

Yes and no when it comes to FIFA, I agree you need a spread of countries from around the globe as it is a World Cup. However I do object when Blatter starts talking about taking a place away from UEFA to give it to Asia, when from the Asian pool the Saudi's qualify every tournament and in the last 2 have been poor and offered very little to the whole thing.

I disagree. I think the World Cup has to be a delicate balancing act between including the very best in the world, and showcasing the sport in countries who need to compete against the best in the world to improve.

Asia is huge - 70% of the world's population lives in Asia. They might be crap at football but that's because it's not fully developed. However, Japan and S Korea are both becoming forces to be reckoned with on the global stage. Not only have S Korea reached the semis, but both nations can now boast world class players (Park/Nakata etc) - something that might never have happened in the days of 16 qualifying teams made up predominantly from S America and Europe.

 

[Man of Harveys]

True, the Saudis are not the greatest example of my point. But, say, the Ghanians were fantastic in Germany, beating one of established European countries, say (did they beat others? I can't remember.). I'd say the Koreans and Japanese have also earned their place there too by now.

I keep wondering: who are the European countries with a decent world cup tradition who are now - debatably - missing out on world cup finals because of these other teams coming through? Hungary?

 

[Uncle Buck]

Yanks should be reaching semis by now with the player base they have.

But they seem to struggle to produce decent strikers and creative players. Although there are high hopes for Dempsey.

Also I think they went a bit backwards as the coach Bruce (cannot remember his surname) was probably in the job too long and ran out of ideas.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

But they seem to struggle to produce decent strikers and creative players. Although there are high hopes for Dempsey.

Also I think they went a bit backwards as the coach Bruce (cannot remember his surname) was probably in the job too long and ran out of ideas.

Arena.

Didnt help they left Twellman out of the last world cup

 

[Uncle Buck]

Arena.

Didnt help they left Twellman out of the last world cup

They also seem to be incapable of tapping into their Hispanic regions.

 

[Simster]

Yanks should be reaching semis by now with the player base they have.

Give it 10-15 years.

Right now, more Americans play soccer at grass roots than baseball or any other sport - but MLS hasn't taken a proper foothold in the sporting landscape. So would you choose to earn $100k playing soccer or $2mil playing baseball. There's the problem.

However - it's most definitely changing. In 10 years time, the anti-soccer media hacks will be retired, kids grown up playing soccer will be adults and able to watch pro matches in soccer specific stadia. I know LOADS of Americans who are well into their soccer - they're simply lacking a world class professional league. But that's on its way...

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

They have tried with the introduction of Club Deportivo Chivas IN THE MLS

 

[Uncle Buck]

True, the Saudis are not the greatest example of my point. But, say, the Ghanians were fantastic in Germany, beating one of established European countries, say (did they beat others? I can't remember.). I'd say the Koreans and Japanese have also earned their place there too by now.

I keep wondering: who are the European countries with a decent world cup tradition who are now - debatably - missing out on world cup finals because of these other teams coming through? Hungary?

Africa is a region that has for a while had a rough deal with qualifying spaces, although it is better now. The last World Cup was probably poorer due to the abscence of Cameroon and an inform Eto, but they messed up the qualifying at the death.

 

[Pavilionaire]

There are a number of European teams who've made their mark in the past but miss out on the WC - Russia, Belgium, Denmark, Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary.

However, when you think about it Europe can't complain, as it's not as if any really decent sides are missing out. I think the balance is about right.

 

[Simster]

Arena.

Didnt help they left Twellman out of the last world cup

They picked Brian Ching instead - off the back of a successful MLS campaign for Houston Dynamo. IMO, Ching is more limited than Twellman, but scored more because he was in a better team. I'd have gone for Taylor Twellman myself.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Give it 10-15 years.

Right now, more Americans play soccer at grass roots than baseball or any other sport - but MLS hasn't taken a proper foothold in the sporting landscape. So would you choose to earn $100k playing soccer or $2mil playing baseball. There's the problem.

However - it's most definitely changing. In 10 years time, the anti-soccer media hacks will be retired, kids grown up playing soccer will be adults and able to watch pro matches in soccer specific stadia. I know LOADS of Americans who are well into their soccer - they're simply lacking a world class professional league. But that's on its way...

The David Beckham rule will help no end - plus the big sponsorship deals are starting to come in.

They need to stop moving the teams around as well.

Miami Fusion had a massive following.

 

[Simster]

There are a number of European teams who've made their mark in the past but miss out on the WC - Russia, Belgium, Denmark, Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary.

However, when you think about it Europe can't complain, as it's not as if any really decent sides are missing out. I think the balance is about right.

What he said.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I keep wondering: who are the European countries with a decent world cup tradition who are now - debatably - missing out on world cup finals because of these other teams coming through? Hungary?

Scotland

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

They picked Brian Ching instead - off the back of a successful MLS campaign for Houston Dynamo. IMO, Ching is more limited than Twellman, but scored more because he was in a better team. I'd have gone for Taylor Twellman myself.

Some of Chings goals from last year are class (look on youtube).
Im surprised noone has taken a chance on Twellman in England.

 

[Simster]

The David Beckham rule will help no end - plus the big sponsorship deals are starting to come in.

They need to stop moving the teams around as well.

Miami Fusion had a massive following.

Toronto have sold 14,000 season tickets for their inaugural season in MLS

And they have stopped moving teams around - San Jose got moved only because the politicians dicked them around over a SSS. Real Salt Lake are staying now that Checketts has negotiated a new SSS deal. I think that leaves Kansas City & Washington as the last teams without SSS sorted out. And there is no way they'll move Washington - they really do have a proper fan base and have just been bought out by a local group.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Canada had been after a team for ages tho.

Reckon its the signing of Carl Robinson that did it.

 

[Man of Harveys]

how many countries are now capable of hosting the thing?

I've really got a big problem with the way that the hosting of the two big sports tournaments is handled. You get governments applying in order to make themselves popular, then rushing around like mad blowing money like crazy to deliver an 80,000 seat athletics track on time. I honestly wouldn't have the slightest problem if they ALWAYS held these events in the same place if the hosts fancied it, and it had been good there before, especially the Olympics. The money saved on building entirely new stadia, say, could go on coaching or facilities for up and coming countries.

Apparently (and I've no idea how they measure these things) the Sydney Olympics were twice as big as the Barcelona ones, which were only in 1992. I'd praise Fifa for getting "new" football countries to the tournament but I think the South Africa world cup is looking a well-intentioned but very bad call, ultimately. Is it definitely not happening there?