Support NeoGAF

[i_am_ben]

england vs Australia

make it happen. I remember the time Australia beat England and it was hilarious. Better than a million NPD days at once.

Of course there's a 99% chance Australia will lose in such a match but seeing how soccer is sidelined here there would be no shame in losing.

:lol

 

[criesofthepast]

Why is South Africa in pot 1? It's so retarded. The host team gets to qualify and an easier group to advance? FIFA doing everything in their power to make the home team a success. They could possibly get a draw of Slovenia, Uruguay and North Korea...

although they suck that bad that they probably won't advance no matter the group they're in.

 

[Haunted]

[...]haven't been knocked out in the group stages for over 70 years.

Don't say it like that, you'll jinx us!

I'm pretty sure Germany will end up in group with New Zealand, Switzerland and Algeria.

Best Group (to me) would be Spain, Ivory Coast, Serbia and South Korea or England, Portugal, Nigeria and Australia; worst one: whichever Germany will play in.

haha

We've almost always had an unusually strong luck of the draw, it's true. Couple that with our ruthless efficiency and reputation as a "tournament team"... yeah.


And man, seeing North Korea, Honduras and New Zealand up there while Sweden and Russia have to stay home... damn.

 

[criesofthepast]

I can't wait for my German neighbour to start waving his flag on the street and doing the good old Hitler salute to passing cars. He did this during World Cup 2006 when they won the 3rd place game. After the semi-final game against Italy (best game I've ever seen btw) you could hear him breaking glass and swearing before getting in his car and speeding off while giving us the finger as we celebrated on our porch. :lol

He scares me.

 

[Jay Sosa]

You really cannot say that the US and Australia are among the bottom 8 teams there.

They're middle of the pack.

Of course not, just kiddin'

Btw. The FIFA ranking is soo completly fucked: Ghana is 37th and Honduras 38th?

The odds would be like 1.05 for Ghana..

And betfair odds are always close to a 100%, they make money based on the revenue. They don't lay the odds they just provide a platform for people to do that.

 

[Haunted]

I can't wait for my German neighbour to start waving his flag on the street and doing the good old Hitler salute to passing cars. He did this during World Cup 2006 when they won the 3rd place game. After the semi-final game against Italy (best game I've ever seen btw) you could hear him breaking glass and swearing before getting in his car and speeding off while giving us the finger as we celebrated on our porch. :lol

He scares me.

wtf that guy is crazy

 

[cmmart]

I know Argentina is a traditional powerhouse. I know they have awesome players littered throughout their side with the likes of Aguero, Messi, Tevez, and Mascherano. However their qualification was a fucking disaster by all accounts led by a manager with the tactical acumen of a bag of rocks. I am baffled why they are in the seeded pot? Is it based on historical precedent, ranking, or just FIFA being retarded as usual?

 

[Haunted]

I know Argentina is a traditional powerhouse. I know they have awesome players littered throughout their side with the likes of Aguero, Messi, Tevez, and Mascherano. However their qualification was a fucking disaster by all accounts led by a manager with the tactical acumen of a bag of rocks. I am baffled why they are in the seeded pot? Is it based on historical precedent, ranking, or just FIFA being retarded as usual?

d) all of the above


Nah, it's based on the sketchy FIFA ranking, which counts performances over the long-term (4years). So one bad qualification round doesn't ruin a country's ranking by itself.

iirc, they've already revamped the system recently, it used to count performances over the last eight years before.

 

[bjaelke]

France

FIFA World Ranking: 7th
Odds to win: 19/1
How they qualified: Here's how
Info: Crazy manager who uses astrological signs to decide how to play. Despite that they have some great quality players.
Group Fear: They haven't been seeded so alongside Portugal they will be a team to be avoided like the plague from pot 2.

 

[Haunted]

Everyone I know will cheer for France to be eliminated as quickly and humiliatingly as possible.

 

[Dead Man]

So forgive my ignorance, but why not draw randomly for the groups?

 

[John Dunbar]

So forgive my ignorance, but why not draw randomly for the groups?

Because if one group would end up with Brazil, Spain, Italy and Germany, the rest of the tournament would be boring.

 

[cmmart]

d) all of the above


Nah, it's based on the sketchy FIFA ranking, which counts performances over the long-term (4years). So one bad qualification round doesn't ruin a country's ranking by itself.

iirc, they've already revamped the system recently, it used to count performances over the last eight years before.

thanks. it seems like the seeding should be based on more recent results from qualification.

 

[Dead Man]

Because if one group would end up with Brazil, Spain, Italy and Germany, the rest of the tournament would be boring.

Ah, fair enough. Thanks.

 

[Puck]

Oi Oi Oi

I really hope we get a good group, going to be very disappointed if we bow out first stage after going well in 2006.

 

[Bleepey]

Come on Nigeria please don't be shit.

 

[`Moe Joe.]

Pot 1 (Seeds)
South Africa, Germany, Brazil, Italy, Spain, England, Argentina, Holland.


DEATH. It doesn't matter whose picked from the above. Its DEATH. But give us Italy for revenge.

Pot 2 (Europe)
France, Portugal, Slovenia, Switzerland, Greece, Serbia, Denmark, Slovakia.


Bold is 3/8 chance, Italic Bold (teams who are beatable but strong) combined with bold is 6/8. In other words, no France or Portugal, please.

Pot 3 (Africa and South America)
Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria, Algeria, Paraguay, Chile, Uruguay.

They all have their stars and they all have their liabilities. Nigeria, IMO, are definately overrated and as an Everton supporter, I will tell you that their captain Joseph Yobo is as SILENT AS A MOUSE.


Sucks as an Australian, American or Mexican, but with a bit of luck and fight it isn't that bad! At least there's only 2 power teams and those happen to be in pot 2. And hey with a bit more luck, Slovakia or Slovania may be attained from pot 2! Coulda been worse.

 

[Rayven_king]

Come on Nigeria please don't be shit.

I never know which nigeria will show up at these things :lol

 

[speedpop]

Australia to be drawn into Italy's group for hilarity and vengeance purposes. You saw it here first!


Another interesting fact boys and girls: Brazil are the only team to ever win the World Cup outside of their own continent.

 

[Zutroy]

I cheer on Spain every world cup (since Scotland never make it) so hopefully they will actually do it this time!

 

[Bleepey]

I never know which nigeria will show up at these things :lol

Nigeria are unpredictable, you can put them in the group of death and they will hold weight like they did in the group of death like in the world cup before last, and then at other times they may not qualify like in the last World cup.....

 

[Shito]

Everyone I know will cheer for France to be eliminated as quickly and humiliatingly as possible.

Warning pal: we're never as good as when we're bullied and heavily criticized! ^^

(but yeah, I can see us badly losing and not even getting out of our group...)

 

[ColR100]

Can't wait.

Love the description of the Spanish. :lol

Ivory Coast to be the biggest underdogs I feel, might be worth a gamble on them come next summer.

 

[Cohsae]

Australia to be drawn into Italy's group for hilarity and vengeance purposes. You saw it here first!


Another interesting fact boys and girls: Brazil are the only team to ever win the World Cup outside of their own continent.

God imagine the hype for THAT game.

 

[Haunted]

Warning pal: we're never as good as when we're bullied and heavily criticized! ^^

(but yeah, I can see us badly losing and not even getting out of our group...)

I'd give France a much better chance if it weren't for Domenech. He isn't doing the team any good, the qualification was pitiful.

 

[speedpop]

I think I'll just go for the usuals: home country, Netherlands, Germany, whichever team is playing the flashiest, and Chile (once again yay!)

 

[Shito]

I'd give France a much better chance if it weren't for Domenech. He isn't doing the team any good, the qualification was pitiful.

I think everyone pretty much agree with this...
At least the guy has been quite funny, now he's just boring.

 

[xbhaskarx]

Great thread, bookmarked.

Go USA!

I have decided the random teams I will be rooting for this year are Chile, Japan, Ivory Coast, and Netherlands.

Rooting against France and Italy.

How the hell did North Korea qualify??

 

[Moundir&Tony>you]

Spain

FIFA World Ranking 1st
Odds to win: 6/1
How they qualified: Won every game of their qualification group, topping the table.
Info: The best strike partnership, midfield, and goalkeeper arguably in the world right now. Despite never wining the World Cup their recent first ever victory in the European Championship means this team are able to overcome such obstacles. They will go into the tournament as favourites.
Group Fear: Avoid at all costs. You wont know whether to cheer or cry as they run rings around your team. They will destroy you.

Euro 1964 says hi .

 

[Error]

http://goal.com/en/news/1863/world-...d-diego-maradona-to-gatecrash-world-cup-draw-

Argentina coach Diego Maradona could gatecrash the World Cup draw in South Africa on Friday disguised as a journalist, according to reports in Italy.

:lol

 

[Haunted]

How the hell did North Korea qualify??

Iran didn't manage a single away victory and North Korea secured a direct qualification by beating Saudi-Arabia.

 

[neorej]

Great thread, bookmarked.

Go USA!

I have decided the random teams I will be rooting for this year are Chile, Japan, Ivory Coast, and Netherlands.

Rooting against France and Italy.

How the hell did North Korea qualify??

They dropped some massive bombs in the qualifiers.

 

[Wes]

Euro 1964 says hi .

Meh.

 

[scorcho]

Everyone I know will cheer for France to be eliminated as quickly and humiliatingly as possible.

not with the hand that defeated ireland in full ball juggling form!

go france! go USA!

 

[Moundir&Tony>you]

Meh.

 

[jpderrida]

Chile's coach is superb. I think Chile will make a great appearance at the World Cup.

 

[Zozz]

I hope to see some new some new faces shine this year. Will be looking forward to the cup.

 

[iapetus]

Warning pal: we're never as good as when we're allowed to get away with blatant cheating

Fixed.

 

[Gamecocks625]

The US is going to get screwed again, I can feel it.

 

[Falch]

Didn't we all expect France to be seeded in pot 1 instead of the Netherlands?

Not that I'm complaining, I'm glad we're in pot 1.

 

[Arjen]

Didn't we all expect France to be seeded in pot 1 instead of the Netherlands?

Not that I'm complaining, I'm glad we're in pot 1.

Yeah that what i thought to.
But we're probably be in the Group of Death anyway, just like Euro 2009 and the previous WC.

 

[Shito]

Fixed.

Haha, that's low.

Didn't we all expect France to be seeded in pot 1 instead of the Netherlands?

Not that I'm complaining, I'm glad we're in pot 1.

I think they just changed the way of selecting the seeds today, insisting on the fact that it's not a punition towards France. So, well, I guess by denying it they're admitting it is indeed a punition. ^^

 

[Mr Cola]

awesome awesome awesome

a chance for my 4 yearly ritual of watching every minute i can till england get humiliated and kicked out by a far suprerior team

The best thing about the world cup though is seeing which team goes on an insanely good run completely contrary to their prior performances and their world ranking. Theres always one team and its always the story of the tournament.

That and seeing France go out

 

[DrForester]

Awesome OP.

Any words on what US channels will be showing? FSC? ESPN?

 

[Cellbomber]

Nice op wes!!

I'm sure they already have papers printed in N. Korea about the 2010 victory!

 

[operon]

Hoping Spain does well, will be shouting for England as well, just don't want to hear about them winning for the next billion years afterwards like the spirit off '66

 

[Mr Cola]

Hoping Spain does well, will be shouting for England as well, just don't want to hear about them winning for the next billion years afterwards like the spirit off '66

It is hell being an englishman the weeks leading up to the tournament, hell, the newspapers for the last 3/4 tournaments have always focused on ONE player, usually one who is injured and fighting to make it, and build them up as a saviour.

Ill call it now, we wont win and thats fine, just so long as the French/Germans or Portugual doesnt win im calling it a victory now

 

[Owensboro]

Incredibly awesome OP West. It really helps someone like me who doesn't follow world football (READ: Dumb American) and doesn't really know that much about the competition other then the teams the USA has actually played. I'm so pumped for the draw on Friday, I can't believe it happens at noon EST. That's going to be the best lunch ever.

USA! USA! USA!

 

[iapetus]

will be shouting for England as well, just don't want to hear about them winning for the next billion years afterwards like the spirit off '66

I don't think you have to worry about that.

 

[operon]

It is hell being an englishman the weeks leading up to the tournament, hell, the newspapers for the last 3/4 tournaments have always focused on ONE player, usually one who is injured and fighting to make it, and build them up as a saviour.

Ill call it now, we wont win and thats fine, just so long as the French/Germans or Portugual doesnt win im calling it a victory now

Aye you have to avoid the Sun newspaper big time leading up to it big time. Reckon we'll be listening about rooneys toes or something, we might even learn anotehr word, like how we learnt about metatarsel