Australia's qualification to the World Cup (Analysis) (4 Viewers)

[Paragon]

The Asian Confederation is well, eccentric, I guess. At their recent Player of the Year Awards ceremony, they declared that palyers unable to physically make it to the Awards night will be deemed ineligible. Hence, S/Korea was outraged since one the the hot faves. Park Ji Sung would be ruled out due to club obligations. Some defender from Saudi Arabia ended up winning Asian Player of the Year.

 

[stazi]

does anyone know the pots for the draw on the 9th?

 

[Paragon]

does anyone know the pots for the draw on the 9th?

The seedings/pots will be finalised by the Organising Committee on the 6th. Germany have already been assigned to Group A.

 

[Paragon]

So today's the day FIFA seeds the 32 competing teams into 4 tiers of 8 teams. Aussies are bound to be in the bottom tier as:

FIFA's secret formulation is expected to be based on a blend of performances at USA '94, France '98 and Japan/Korea 2002, plus FIFA rankings averaged out over the past three years. (TWG)

On that basis, Brazil, Italy, France, Argentina, Spain, Mexico and England could all join Germany in the top group of seeds, with the Netherlands, the United States, Czech Republic, Croatia, South Korea, Japan and Paraguay in the second group. (ESPN Soccernet)

IMO, Top 8 seeds should be:
(Based purely on recent results and likelihood of success)
1. Germany; 2. Brazil; 3. Argentina; 4. England;
5. Holland; 6. Mexico; 7. Italy; 8. France.

 

[acmilan]

To add to the above, the other 3 pots are decided such that no two teams from the same continent will be placed in the same group (apart from europe which is impossible to not have 2 teams in one group). So, afaik, australia wont necessarily be in the last pot, but it really doesnt matter since the pots dont determine which teams are the best/worst (other than the first).

 

[acmilan]

Seeds are out, nothing unexpected really, USA just missed out by a point behind Italy and Argentina. Netherlands missed out because of their lack of world cup performance in the 2002 world cup:
"Brazil, England, Spain, Mexico, France, Argentina, Italy and hosts Germany are the eight seeded teams heading the groups for the final draw of the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ in Leipzig on Friday, 9 December."

full article: http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/051206/1/5hj3_pf.html

Australia is in the 2nd pot and wont play any of the listed teams:

Pot 2 - Africa & South America & Oceania
1. Angola
2. Côte d’Ivoire
3. Ghana
4. Togo
5. Tunisia
6. Ecuador
7. Paraguay
8. Australia

 

[braad]

USA....as if they're as good as their ranking suggests (8)

like us being 49th

 

[RyddeckerSMP]

The Americans are a very underated outfit, after all they were robbed of a World Cup semi-final spot at there last outing, so they shouldn't be underestimated.

 

[stazi]

Seeds are out, nothing unexpected really, USA just missed out by a point behind Italy and Argentina. Netherlands missed out because of their lack of world cup performance in the 2002 world cup:
"Brazil, England, Spain, Mexico, France, Argentina, Italy and hosts Germany are the eight seeded teams heading the groups for the final draw of the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ in Leipzig on Friday, 9 December."

full article: http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/051206/1/5hj3_pf.html

Australia is in the 2nd pot and wont play any of the listed teams:

Pot 2 - Africa & South America & Oceania
1. Angola
2. Côte d’Ivoire
3. Ghana
4. Togo
5. Tunisia
6. Ecuador
7. Paraguay
8. Australia

Can you list whose in the other pots.
The above isn't too bad I guess. Paraguay is a very strong football nation. Tunisia is also. Although it's unfortunate we can't play any of the first 4 african nations.

 

[braad]

The Americans are a very underated outfit, after all they were robbed of a World Cup semi-final spot at there last outing, so they shouldn't be underestimated.

it's football, you cant rule anything out, but didnt their coach call us a walk-over?

 

[Paragon]

The Americans are a very underated outfit, after all they were robbed of a World Cup semi-final spot at there last outing, so they shouldn't be underestimated.

True, the US have come a very long way in recent times, domestically and internationally. Hosting the '94 tourney certainly helped speed up the process. Although it must be said that their passage to the tournament proper isn't all too difficult, but once there, they are very competitive. I'd expect them, and Mexico, to make the Top 2 of their repective groups next Summer.

 

[Paragon]

Wow, synchronised posting.

 

[Paragon]

Can you list whose in the other pots.
The above isn't too bad I guess. Paraguay is a very strong football nation. Tunisia is also. Although it's unfortunate we can't play any of the first 4 african nations.

Is it so bad we that we can't play the Africans ? I guess it would add to the whole occasion, playing reps. of different continents. But at the same time, their unpredictability cannot be underestimated, they can be complete mysteries, and their all-over-the-shop approach within the match proper can be troublesome for the Socceroos. But that obviously won't be happening.

 

[bJ_Bhoy 87]

The Americans are a very underated outfit, after all they were robbed of a World Cup semi-final spot at there last outing, so they shouldn't be underestimated.

Underrated? they're in the top 10, ffs.

 

[nedzelic]

what happendcx to the tiers??? they did it by geographical location, which is a shame cos i wouldn't have minded facing togo or ecudaor (pretty much a home based team).
oh well. the best we can hope for would be:

well, we'd just love to draw the poms, but i think if we avoided the huns, the argies and brazil we should be happy. but really from that pot we couldn't hope for any better than england.

then from the asia/concafaf probably the arabs or costa rica. but again, wouldn't you just love to get the yanks, especially after arena's comments - which he tried to pure cold water over mind

and from the european pot: probably the poles. just not holland or even czechs or porkos

worst case scenario

Brazil
Australia
Holland
Korea


best case scenario

England
Australia
Poland
Saudi Arabia


i've got this feeling that we are going to get at least one of the following: iran, england, usa, korea

 

[acmilan]

Can you list whose in the other pots.
The above isn't too bad I guess. Paraguay is a very strong football nation. Tunisia is also. Although it's unfortunate we can't play any of the first 4 african nations.

Yes, sir:

Pot 1
1. Germany
2. Brazil
3. England
4. Spain
5. Mexico
6. France
7. Argentina
8. Italy


Pot 2 - Africa & South America & Oceania
1. Angola
2. Côte d’Ivoire
3. Ghana
4. Togo
5. Tunisia
6. Ecuador
7. Paraguay
8. Australia


Pot 3 - Europe
1. Croatia
2. Czech Republic
3. Netherlands
4. Poland
5. Portugal
6. Sweden
7. Switzerland
8. Ukraine


Pot 4 - Asia & North, Central America and the Caribbean
1. Iran
2. Japan
3. Korea Republic
4. Saudi Arabia
5. Costa Rica
6. USA
7. Trinidad and Tobago


Special Pot
Serbia and Montenegro

Note: Serbia and Montenegro were put in their own special pot such that there wouldnt be 3 european teams in a group and every group has a european team. This means that Serbia and Montenegro will definitely be in a group with either: Brazil, Argentina or Mexico (the non-european seeds).

 

[nedzelic]

True, the US have come a very long way in recent times, domestically and internationally. Hosting the '94 tourney certainly helped speed up the process. Although it must be said that their passage to the tournament proper isn't all too difficult, but once there, they are very competitive. I'd expect them, and Mexico, to make the Top 2 of their repective groups next Summer.

their rankings for me don't refelct their quality though. i think they're more a mid teens teams. for me mexico should be a powerhouse in football with their affection for it and population. there are paralles b/w them and brazil, culturally, and i think they should be better. as for usa, id' be more than happy to draw them. they out performed themsleves at the last torunament (namely a win over portugal) and i don't think they've got enough quality of coaches over there to do it. i'd back hiddink and our boys, (who you have to say we have, on paper, better players) over them anyday

plus, i think we have the potential to do very well this tournament as it is in europe which will suite our players (and most of the other teams players admitadely) and i really hope that we are rated as one of the main underdogs. i think we would love nothign mroe than to be disregarded a just making up the numbers. i think we would wipe a few smiles off a few smug faces and in an ideal world, kncok eng;and out of the 2nd round and get the swede sacked!!!!!!!!!! oh, that would be good
if we avoid the ducth and czcehs and porkos as one of the non seeed teasm, i think we will make it. and even with those, i would srtill back us, though, maybe not with $100 ot back it up with.

anyway, we shall see when the draw comes out on sat morning. until then, i gues there's little point in dealign with hypotheticxals and procrastinating over it all

oh well

come on auzzie!!!!!!!!!

 

[Benny_]

I'd say the best case scenario is:

France
Australia
Switzerland
T&T

Worst case scenario:

Brazil
Netherlands
Korea
Australia

 

[stazi]

I think we'll likely get the worst case scenario.
I think we have the potential to draw with Korea though. I really hope we get a worse team. Get 1 win, 1 draw and hope that we go through to the 2nd round based on that.

 

[Paragon]

for me mexico should be a powerhouse in football with their affection for it and population. there are paralles b/w them and brazil, culturally, and i think they should be better. as for usa, id' be more than happy to draw them.

I think Mexico are doing very well internationally as it is. If you look economically, they are miles behind so many countries, yet they perform consistently well, a real credit. Again, as far as 'affection + population' goes they are doing incredibly well considering all the other countries where football is practically worshipped, and have a much larger population pool to draw from.