Why it's the FA's fault England are not seeded

[drew]

What a load of rubbish! Even the Guardian admit that we would have been seeded had we held on to a lead in one of our drawn 'competitive' games. Would you rather England didn't play any friendlies or just played pathetic teams just to manipulate the seedings. We are lining up games against Germany and possible Argentina. Perhaps we should be playing San Marino and Lithuania every year so that we are seeded and then when we get to finals we get stuffed because our team have no experience against better opposition. If you are looking for culpability, then, as someone else alluded to, the Premier League are the main culprits.

 

[joeinbrighton]

This surely is the first time that FIFA have used the FIFA rankings as the main criteria for determining the seedings for the World Cup. Why have they decided to suddenly use this for determining the seedings when the rankings have been going for 20 years and they haven't used them before for determining the seedings?

 

[bluenitsuj]

Why does it matter if your seeded? Surely if you are good enough, you will beat any team put in front of you. If you have to play the top teams to progress then so be it.

 

[supaseagull]

Why does it matter if your seeded? Surely if you are good enough, you will beat any team put in front of you. If you have to play the top teams to progress then so be it.

A resounding this

 

[Triggaaar]

True, but it would mean England would always have a european big gun in their group. The current seeding keeps England away from the likes of Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal etc. Pop one of those in the qualifying group every 2 years and then all of a sudden England's only chance is via the play-offs.

Like when we were in Italy's group for the '98 WC and finished top, and were in Germany's group for the 2002 WC, and finished top again.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Like when we were in Italy's group for the '98 WC and finished top, and were in Germany's group for the 2002 WC, and finished top again.

Things have changed in the last 15 years. Maybe you overlooked the fact England have just made very hard work of a very average group. Reckon they'd have qualified if Italy or Germany were also in the mix?