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    World Cup Playoffs


    #2
    Ironically, Wales would have retained their seeding, had they qualified:

    http://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranki...men/index.html

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      #3
      With all other results unchanged, they'd have needed to win the last game to qualify on 20 points. On 18, they'd have lost out on GD to Slovakia.

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        #4
        Highest ranked teams that did not qualify or make the play-offs: Chile, Wales, Netherlands, USA, Scotland, Ukraine, Turkey

        I assume that New Zealand will always be the lowest ranked team that makes the play off (122 this time) due simply to no decent opposition

        2022 hosts Qatar are 97th, Russia 65th. Doubt we've ever had two consecutive hosts this shit.

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          #5
          Think of European qualifying as a golf tournament. If so, the cut was 19 points (more or less- I accept that Netherlands got that and lost out). Wales and Scotland 2 other teams who had a relatively strong finish but had left themselves too much to do.

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            #6
            Russia's FIFA ranking is also suppressed by the fact they've not played a competitive match since the last Euros. Had they been ine qualifiers I still don't think they'd have made it. When the World Cup draw was made in December 2015 they were 24th - 16th in UEFA - so would have been second seeded, but not expected to finish among 13 qualifiers. And they had a terrible Euros, whereas several other teams notably improved.

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              #7
              NI v Switzerland
              Sweden v Italy
              Denmark v RoI
              Croatia v Greece

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                #8
                Probably the best draw the Republic could get, Sweden v Italy looks a tasty one

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                  #9
                  Is it possible that some managers are in fact made of luck?

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                    #10
                    According to DG's table, that's the four seeded teams all going through.

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                      #11
                      I don't think you could make a draw in which the four seeds would not be favourites, except maybe Denmark v Sweden, which would perhaps be 50-50.

                      Apart from Sweden's task against Italy, it's fair to say, "If you can't beat these, you don't deserve to qualify."

                      At least Croatia v Greece is two countries I personally like (visited both last year) so I have a European team to support in June. Obviously Croatia have by far the better chance to get out of their group (which is another criterion by which I'd separate the seeds and non-seeds)

                      Denmark v ROI: anyone who likes football not clogball should support Denmark, although this is obviously not the cultured Denmark side of 1986.
                      Last edited by Satchmo Distel; 17-10-2017, 13:29.

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                        #12
                        Yeah, but the Danes have a secretive job market that is impervious to outsiders. So they can get lost.

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                          #13
                          Hoolahan is probably Norwich's best shot of getting a player at the World Cup this time so I'll be behind Ireland - can't see Timm Klose getting in the Swiss squad. Maybe Nelson Oliveria could push for a place on the Portugal bench, perhaps.

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                            #14
                            I'm supposed to be running a 10k around Dublin's docklands and Ringsend at the same time as the second leg, can't see that going ahead

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                              #15
                              Originally posted by antoine polus View Post
                              Yeah, but the Danes have a secretive job market that is impervious to outsiders. So they can get lost.
                              Woah, but but Berba said the Danish have the most perfect hire and fire culture that generates jobs like there’s no tomorrow. Are you saying you have to be called Soren or whatever to be part of the magic?

                              And yeah, MoN. Lucky lucky bastard. Ireland to get a 2-0 at Landsdowne. And he still won’t play Wes in the finals anyway. Not while the mighty Hendrick is around.

                              For the sake of football and the ole ole wankers infesting Dublin next year I hope it’s Denmark. But nah, everyone’s favourite old bigot will be there on the touchline.
                              Last edited by Lang Spoon; 17-10-2017, 17:25.

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                                #16
                                Originally posted by Lang Spoon View Post
                                Woah, but but Berba said the Danish have the most perfect hire and fire culture that generates jobs like there’s no tomorrow. Are you saying you have to be called Soren or whatever to be part of the magic?

                                And yeah, MoN. Lucky lucky bastard. Ireland to get a 2-0 at Landsdowne. And he still won’t play Wes in the finals anyway. Not while the mighty Hendrick is around.

                                For the sake of football and the ole ole wankers infesting Dublin next year I hope it’s Denmark. But nah, everyone’s favourite old bigot will be there on the touchline.
                                Isn't Billy Bingham dead now?

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                                  #17
                                  Maybe bigot was too strong, maybe not. Coming across like Daltrey doing “watch your backs” on TOTP is not good but, and it’s not like he’s Trapp old. If my dad said that I’d be giving him a (verbal) dig.

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                                    #18
                                    Originally posted by Satchmo Distel View Post
                                    Highest ranked teams that did not qualify or make the play-offs: Chile, Wales, Netherlands, USA, Scotland, Ukraine, Turkey

                                    I assume that New Zealand will always be the lowest ranked team that makes the play off (122 this time) due simply to no decent opposition

                                    2022 hosts Qatar are 97th, Russia 65th. Doubt we've ever had two consecutive hosts this shit.
                                    We might get there again if China hosts.

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                                      #19
                                      Originally posted by linus View Post
                                      We might get there again if China hosts.
                                      Especially if followed by the Netherlands.

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                                        #20
                                        Luxembourg co-hosting would raise the standards though.

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                                          #21
                                          Most of Russia's fall in the rankings was by October 2016. Other hosts didn't drop nearly as badly, clearly, and Brazil and France have recovered. I'm not sure that Russia, post-2018, will rise back into the top 25. Floating around the same ranking as Hungary and Norway might become the new normal for them.

                                          OTOH they might qualify via the ludicrous European Nations League Division C lucky lottery.

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                                            #22
                                            Originally posted by Diable Rouge View Post
                                            Isn't Billy Bingham dead now?
                                            Still alive and never guilty of boasting in his autobiog about leading paramilitary sing-alongs on the team bus, unlike that knob Jack Charlton

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                                              #23
                                              Guten Abend, Bonjour, Buona Sera to our friends from Svizra. Heidi's boys will enjoy the welcome at the station nearest Windsor Park:

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                                                #24
                                                Quick reminder - don't forget to boycott all these games and the World Cup finals too.

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                                                  #25
                                                  NI v Switzerland is on ESPN2 so I might have it on while doing something more life-affirming, like embalming a corpse.

                                                  That's false "play-off" glamour too because, if it were a game in the finals, I wouldn't go near it.

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