Mighty Wales

[HORN]

Mighty Wales

Wow. So potentially more people might go to a friendly than a competitive match? My oh my. I am so out of touch.

[E10 Rifle]

Mighty Wales

I think that there will end up being a lot of closely-contested matches in Euro 2016, because a lot of the teams who look set to qualify appear evenly-matched, but that the standard of play in most of those games won't be great.

I'm not so bothered by that. Close, competitive games are what tournaments need - though there is a fear that this expanded tournament will, on other occasions, lead to the sort of tedious mismatches that make the group stages of the rugby and (to an extent) cricket world cups so interminably dull.

The main reason I oppose the extension of it is that it drags out the tournament so long, making it feel less like a compact and epic event. And because the possibility of third-place teams qualifying for the knockouts deadens it even more.

[ad hoc]

Mighty Wales

BDG does Wales http://www.theguardian.com/football/picture/2015/sep/08/david-squires-on-the-wales-football-team?CMP=share_btn_tw

[Ray de Galles]

Mighty Wales

HORN wrote: Wow. So potentially more people might go to a friendly than a competitive match? My oh my. I am so out of touch.

I think it's more that the FAW are more likely to give up the advantage of a packed Cardiff City Stadium for a friendly that for a competitive game.

I'm sure we could have sold 60,000+ tickets for the recent home qualifiers against Belgium and Israel but we wisely chose not to switch.

[Ray de Galles]

Mighty Wales

ad hoc wrote: BDG does Wales http://www.theguardian.com/football/picture/2015/sep/08/david-squires-on-the-wales-football-team?CMP=share_btn_tw

It looks like we've finally made it after all, the ultimate honour.

Jones the Steam with the flag is one of my all time favorite BDG images, he may have to make it a full colour t-shirt if we qualify.

[Bored Of Education]

Mighty Wales

Thank you, Harry, I missed the second appearance of Jones the Steam.

[Ray de Galles]

Mighty Wales

He's even picked up on the fact that Taylor often favours his right foot with the last frame, the whole image still made me shudder a little.

[Duncan Gardner]

Mighty Wales

Interesting point by Calx about there being only 10-11 Euro sides being worth watching. Given that almost all even of them seem to have half a squad playing in the English Championship, you're left with second-grade players in scratch sides by definition. So, third-rate football.

The UEFA organisers of tournaments up to 1976 weren't completely daft, maybe?

Just to repeat my point about easy qualifying groups- Germany and Portugal, like England, haven't been drawn with another of the big seven since 2002.

[ursus arctos]

Mighty Wales

I'm sadly deficient in Ivor the Engine knowledge, but the mere existence of a character named Jones the Steam has me intrigued.

[Ray de Galles]

Mighty Wales

His gritty back story.

[Jah Womble]

Mighty Wales

It is just that people are complaining about more because Wales have suddenly gone above England.

I suspect that the majority of eyebrows are raised by Wales's 'generally' lofty position, less so that it puts you guys above England. (Those in the latter camp would likely point to England's slightly better previous record in world football - not that this affects the current rankings, obviously.)

It's all good with me, anyway - as is Norn Iron's return to some level of prominence. I was born in Belfast and have a fair bit of Welsh in me as well. Ohff, missus.

[Bored Of Education]

Mighty Wales

I think that the prominence - and this thread - about the supposed new ludicrous nature of the FIFA rankings in Britain, at least, is completely down to Wales leapfrogging England. As I say, I am not saying that the FIFA rankings aren't ludicrous, it is just that they always have been, something that has perviously been shown by England's long -term camping in the top 10. There have been other examples as well.

[Jah Womble]

Mighty Wales

Not sure I agree. England haven't won anything in almost fifty years, sure, but to suggest that the team shouldn't at any time be anywhere near the world's top ten seems a little ambitious to me. (In any case, England have frequently dipped below it, as this chart shows: http://www.englandfootballonline.com/teamrank/rankfifa.html.)

But, besides that, I'd rather thought (as suggested earlier) that everyone on OTF disliked England anyway, so a thread to bemoan the country's fortunes as compared to Wales seems a little unlikely.

[Sean of the Shed]

Mighty Wales

Your fixation on everything being instigated by the English is somewhat worrying. I know it's the only nation you share a border with, but beyond there is an entire continent that is equally perplexed by Wales's sudden leap in stature.

[ad hoc]

Mighty Wales

From my perspective the ludicrousness of the FIFA rankings is all about the fact that Romania find themselves 7th. I don;t see much of Wales, so I have no idea whether their ranking reflects reality, but I do see a lot of Romania and they are, quite frankly, fucking ropey.

[Jah Womble]

Mighty Wales

Yes, that is an odd one. Portugal in 6th is also slightly head-turning.

[Patrick Thistle]

Mighty Wales

Big Dave's Gusset has applied his genius to Wales' current status.

[3 Colours Red]

Mighty Wales

Jah Womble wrote: Yes, that is an odd one. Portugal in 6th is also slightly head-turning.

Precisely - people go on about us being a one-man team...

[Mr Beast]

Mighty Wales

The suspicion is that the rankings are wank and always have been. I seem to remember that Mexico were rated second in the world or something ludicrous for a long time - and they could be treated as a joke except that they matter. They affect the likelihood of qualification - the World Cup will be nowhere near as easy* for European qualifiers.

In the case of Wales, I don't think they are currently the fifth best team in Europe but it doesn't matter what I think. If you go undefeated in your group and beat Belgium, your ranking is going to improve whatever the system for calculating it.

*Apart from fucking Scotland obviously

[Borracho]

Mighty Wales

The rankings are also wank because they use friendlies, where most players aren't trying particularly hard, to calculate point dividends.

That's how Norway (most recent qualification for a tournament: Euro 2000, went out in the first round) ended up being a top seed for Brazil 2014.

[Bored Of Education]

Mighty Wales

Sean of the Shed wrote: Your fixation on everything being instigated by the English is somewhat worrying.

Well, as has been mentioned, there have been many odd FIFA rankings in the past - mentioned in other threads - and now - Romania, Portugal (as has been mentioned) even Belgium still being mentioned however this is the only thread exclusively based on Wales' and their being above England. That this thread has been started by an English poster (albeit to congratulate us, I am sure) and was contributed mainly at the start by non-Welsh posters says something. The press about this has all been about Wales leapfrogging England when Wales supporters have been worrying about the matches last week and actually qualifying. Along with the media one-eyedness and/or condescension (plus ça change) and, anecdotally, pub talk, it is being seen through a lens of ridiculous FIFA rankings and the relationship with England.

As I have said, FIFA rankings have always been ridiculous and I don't see much celebration of our position amongst Wales supporters. Maybe if we didn't actually have football to worry about it would be different.

I know it's the only nation you share a border with, but beyond there is an entire continent that is equally perplexed by Wales's sudden leap in stature.

Oh, really? Where's that been then?

[Bored Of Education]

Mighty Wales

Green Calx wrote: The rankings are also wank because they use friendlies, where most players aren't trying particularly hard, to calculate point dividends.

That's how Norway (most recent qualification for a tournament: Euro 2000, went out in the first round) ended up being a top seed for Brazil 2014.

Not forgetting Brazil benefitting from their numerous world tours of friendlies.

[caja-dglh]

Mighty Wales

Sean of the Shed wrote

I know it's the only nation you share a border with, but beyond there is an entire continent that is equally perplexed by Wales's sudden leap in stature.

Bored of Education wrote:
Oh, really? Where's that been then?

Round about here.

[Ray de Galles]

Mighty Wales

Green Calx wrote: The rankings are also wank because they use friendlies, where most players aren't trying particularly hard, to calculate point dividends.

Wales have actually been avoiding friendlies recently, lest they harm our ranking and place in Pot One of the WC qualifying draw.

[Jah Womble]

Mighty Wales

As I have said, FIFA rankings have always been ridiculous and I don't see much celebration of our position amongst Wales supporters. Maybe if we didn't actually have football to worry about it would be different.

Exactly - the celebrations can begin once Wales have nailed qualification. But, regardless of what folk may think of the FIFA rankings, the position Wales find themselves in right now is worthy of note (particularly when one considers that they were as low as 117th as recently as 2011). Don't know about the press (who, let's face it, don't really let anyone off the hook these days, least of all England) but it's that fact that is likely behind this thread's existence, rather than purely a comparison with England. There's a bit more to consider than that.