World Cup playoffs

[on the move]

Originally Posted by MOH

Oh God, this is just getting embarrassing ...

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2009/..._blatters.html

No more embarrassing as a country needing a deliberate double handball to progress to the finals.

Denmark were given Yugoslavia's place at Euro '92 with a week's notice, as they finished runners-up in the qualification group, that included Northern Ireland.

[shweeney]

Originally Posted by on the move

No more embarrassing as a country needing a deliberate double handball to progress to the finals.

controversial incidents happen in football matches all the time - its tough, but we've got to get over it. We weren't winning the match anyway.

They showed the press conference on the news - Sepp Blatter with a big grin on his face saying we had "humbly" asked could we be the 33rd team and the gathered press pack bursting into laughter - the FAI are humiliating us now.

[MOH]

Originally Posted by shweeney

We weren't winning the match anyway.

What are you ranting about? Sure weren't we 100% guaranteed to go through, hadn't the ref just decided he was going to go home early, count our goal as double, and skip the last 18 minutes of the match and penalties, only seconds before the handball cruelly denied our rightful place among the world's elite?

[on the move]

Originally Posted by shweeney

controversial incidents happen in football matches all the time - its tough, but we've got to get over it. We weren't winning the match anyway.

They showed the press conference on the news - Sepp Blatter with a big grin on his face saying we had "humbly" asked could we be the 33rd team and the gathered press pack bursting into laughter.

So what? How many of the press pack had their country dumped out of the WC by a handball?

Controversial incidents happen in football, fair enough. But any player can control a ball with his hand and set up his teammate for a tap in. The reason any player doesn't do it, is because it is illegal.

I was at the game. There were 5 offences in that passage of play, 5 injustices that referees/linesmen at the highest level of the game are trained to spot and act upon. The fact that none of them were is unforgiveable. So no, I won't "get over" it. We'll still be complaining about it for years and years to come, as we have every right to do.

[plant43]

Originally Posted by on the move

So what? How many of the press pack had their country dumped out of the WC by a handball?

Controversial incidents happen in football, fair enough. But any player can control a ball with his hand and set up his teammate for a tap in. The reason any player doesn't do it, is because it is illegal.

I was at the game. There were 5 offences in that passage of play, 5 injustices that referees/linesmen at the highest level of the game are trained to spot and act upon. The fact that none of them were is unforgiveable. So no, I won't "get over" it. We'll still be complaining about it for years and years to come, as we have every right to do.

Sounds like Costa Rica were dumped out by a bad offside decision.

In any case, if the goal had have been disallowed, I think France would still have scored. They were coming on stronger, Ireland were making more mistakes and not really retaining the ball. France stopped playing once the goal was scored.

Plus any defence with McShane in it is liable to concede at any point.

Joking aside, it looks like FIFA are going to mandate an extra official at either end for the World Cup. I think that's the best outcome we could hope for. Also I think Sepp Blatter said that the qualification process needs to be looked at again, and I think they may do away with playoffs in the future.

[on the move]

Going out to an offside is unlucky, going out to a double deliberate handball is outrageous. France were applying pressure at the time, but if we had held out for another 2 minutes, we could easily have regrouped. When France did score, obviously they were happy to hold onto it.

FIFA won't put extra officials behind the goals at the finals. Personally I don't think putting them there will make any difference. Under the current experiment, nothing has been decided by an extra official.

If they do away with playoffs, that would be a good move. I have always hated them. In Europe, if you finish second in the groups, you shouldn't have to face playoffs as well.

[Thomas Ralph]

Originally Posted by on the move

If they do away with playoffs, that would be a good move. I have always hated them. In Europe, if you finish second in the groups, you shouldn't have to face playoffs as well.

Good in theory, but there aren't enough places available for that. Unless you want to make six groups of nine teams in Europe.

[on the move]

For the last Euro qualifiers, there were no playoffs. The top two all qualified. That's how it should be. Only 1 new country has been admitted since then.

Playoffs are extra stress and expense for everyone involved.