BS: World Cup 2010

Subject: RE: BS: World Cup seedings
From: ard mhacha
Date: 03 Dec 09 - 07:31 AM

If the seedings are related to past performances in the World Cup surely France having won it in 1998 an were finalists in 2006 would have earned a seeding this record far exceeds England who last won their one and only competition in 1966.
                           
I know the seedings are earned on meaningless friendlies, and in relation to seeding surely the most underhand form of this was the quarter final seedings two weeks before the games were played, this to ensure the so-called stronger nations avoided each other in the draw.
Blatter and Platini along with the rest of their con-men committee should be voted out next time round.

Subject: RE: BS: World Cup seedings
From: catspaw49
Date: 03 Dec 09 - 06:11 AM

Yeah.....Bands are one thing but those vuvus need to gogo. Music and noise are not the same thing........LOL....well, at least in most cases!

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: World Cup seedings
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 03 Dec 09 - 05:57 AM

2nd thoughts, Sugarfoot — I take it back re the bands: part of the folkie ambience indeed, like the songs. Still agree with Spaw, tho, about the distracting strident vuvu-wotsits...

Subject: RE: BS: World Cup seedings
From: Stu
Date: 03 Dec 09 - 04:23 AM

I like the bands; they add a sense of fun to the proceedings. If some bloke paid £75k a week can't concentrate because some muso's are playing The Great Escape he shouldn't be on the pitch. I'd much rather see FIFA spend their time getting video feedback for a fifth official and sorting out the bloody offside law so it's utterly unambiguous.

Subject: RE: BS: World Cup seedings
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 03 Dec 09 - 02:18 AM

Once again we agree, Spaw - must be something in the water! I have long thought they should clamp down also on these full brass bands with trumpets & trombones & drums [oh no, not that!] who are suffered to play on the terraces thruout the game. Must be hellish distracting for players & officials, apart from all else...

Subject: RE: BS: World Cup seedings
From: catspaw49
Date: 03 Dec 09 - 01:53 AM

I'd like to seed the ass of every South African with an exploding vuvuzela.........THe fact that the FIFA is going to allow that damned noise shows the true arrogance of the organization. I'd love to see the TV folks refuse to televise if they persist. Like a lot of others, I'll be watching with the sound off.


Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: World Cup seedings
From: michaelr
Date: 03 Dec 09 - 01:18 AM

Ah thanks, I get it now.

Subject: RE: BS: World Cup seedings
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 03 Dec 09 - 12:44 AM

... so that, to explain the term, the top teams are planted, like 'seeds', among the various groups [or, in tennis, at certain pre-determined points in the draw] to prevent their playing one another [assuming they win their earlier matches which of course doesn't always happen - 'Seed Loses' a frequent headline early in competition] too early on in the tournament.

Subject: RE: BS: World Cup seedings
From: Terry McDonald
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 07:42 PM

It's the same as in tennis - stop the top players/teams meeting at early stages of the competition in order to (theoretically) ensure that the final will between the two best ones. To keept to the tennis analogy, no one would want Federer to play Nadal in the first round of the US Open - save that for the final.

Subject: RE: BS: World Cup seedings
From: michaelr
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 07:31 PM

Can someone please explai what "seeding" means? I don't understand the labyrinthine workings of FIFA at all.

Subject: RE: BS: World Cup seedings
From: GUEST,MeadowMuskrat
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 05:56 PM

As an American soccer fan who has followed the national team for a long time, I fully expect through some FIFA magic that the USA will get a bad draw. We ususally get a superpower and/ or a host country.Friday will tell.From a non-neutral point of view I also feel we get more than our fair share of bad referee calls. I think there may be a subtle undercurrent that does not want to see the USA succeed in International soccer. Having said that I further think the glamour national sides get the benefit of questionable calls much more than they should. The competition is not a level playing field.

Subject: RE: BS: World Cup seedings
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 08:48 AM

FIFA should change the rule such that managers can only manage their OWN nation - if managers are not important to the COMPETITION, why are foreign managers employed?! And, as I've said in verse, club football should be regulated back to how it was - mostly locals in MEANINGFUL competition.

Subject: BS: World Cup seedings
From: Arnie
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 08:33 AM

For a while there it looked like England might not have been seeded for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. However, after a bit of suspense, FIFA decided on some exotic seeding ruling and we got our seeding in the end at the expense of France. It was thought that France would be seeded ahead of England, but by some FIFA sleight of hand, they ended up unseeded - just reward for 'Handball Henri' and his mates as they could now face Brazil, Italy or Spain at the Group stage and I don't think Henri's cheating will be of much help there. I know that the other home nations support whoever is playing England, but I for one am genuinely sad that no other home nation will be joining us next year - Ireland were robbed anyway and I'm sure would have won a replay against a French side who are a shadow of past French sides who never had to cheat to win a game. Nice to see that the good old US of A will be there also - there seems to be a growing number of American players in the UK league, including Mike Grella, a New Yorker who plays up front for my team.