Asian WC qualifiers..

[Sabry]

Japan, Iran, S. Korea, and Saudi are in.. Tough competition:

http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/...006PRLCTsn3rdS

... Even worse, one team may potentially qualify from the remaining four (Kuwait, Uzbekistan, Bahrain, N. Korea).

[IVO]

Did Egypt get eliminated in the preliminary round? Or are they in Africa?



What zone would play off against one of the four you just named?

[Sabry]

CONCACAF.

As for Egypt, thats another story all together. The African qualifiers are ridiculous compared to the Asian one (partially because CAF is incompetent - we're Africa, what else?).. They group all of the best teams together in one group, leaving other silly groups that dont even make sense (Senegal battle it out with mighty Togo, and South Africa take on the awesome Cape Verde).

Egypt's group includes Cameroon (Eto'o?), Ivory Coast (Drogba?), Libya, Sudan and Benin. However, only one team gets to qualify. Currently, the group looks as follows (all on 7 games):

Ivory Coast 16 pts
Cameroon 14 pts
Egypt 13 pts
Libya 11 pts
Sudan 2 pts
Benin 2 pts

Egypt play Ivory Coast on 16/9 for the decisive match.

Another one of the African groups includes Morocco and Tunisia, and, again, only one of those get to qualify.

Thats not my problem, I'm perfectly happy with the amount of teams we have for the WC (5)... It shouldn't be that "easy" to qualify, you need to fight for it. But I have a problem with the teams allocated to ASIA (4.5).

I'm not gonna say why, but let me just say that Egypt beat South Korea 1-0 in Seoul, Saudi Arabia 1-0 in Jeddah, and Kuwait 1-0 in Kuwait all in last month only and against their full first teams.

I think 4.5 is too much and instead maybe 1 spot should be given to some other confederation.. maybe Europe...

[IVO]

I'm guessing the CAF doesn't seed the teams? If not what method do they use?

Asia's only getting more spots because of the size of the market and they money that's flowing around.

[Sabry]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IVO

I'm guessing the CAF doesn't seed the teams? If not what method do they use?

God only knows.. They've got the weirdest system that makes the strong stronger, and the weak weaker. I think its based on the FIFA Coca-Cola world ranking (hilarious, isnt it?). The ranking thats based on who you play (even friendlies outside your continent), so that you can "tailor" your ranking as you wish.

What kind of a seeding system results in this group:

Togo, Senegal, Zambia, Congo, Mali, Liberia

and

South Africa, Congo, Ghana, Cape Verde, Burkina Faso, Uganda

and another one that looks like this:

Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Egypt, Libya, Benin, Sudan

4 out of the 6 teams in that last group have won the African Cup of Nation (Africa's "Euro") at one point!! 3 out of the 6 have won it at least once during the last 7 editions (IC, EGY, CAM), and 2 out of the 6 have won it at least once in the past 4 editions (EGY, CAM).

Welcome to Africa

[IVO]

Based on FIFA rankings Might as well just draw them all out of a hat.

I know Cameroon, Egypt and Ivory Coast have all won it in recent times but who's the fourth?

[Sabry]

Sudan

1957 Egypt
1959 Egypt
1962 Ethiopia
1963 Ghana
1965 Ghana
1968 Congo (Kinshasa)
1970 Sudan
1972 Congo (Brazzaville)
1974 Zaire
1976 Morocco
1978 Ghana
1980 Nigeria
1982 Ghana
1984 Cameroon
1986 Egypt
1988 Cameroon
1990 Algeria
1992 Ivory Coast
1994 Nigeria
1996 South Africa
1998 Egypt
2000 Cameroon
2002 Cameroon
2004 Tunisia

[HiJazzey]

Sabry,

I understand your frustration about Egypt's tough group, but don't start whining about Asia's allocation. Asia has nothing to do whatsoever with Africa's qualifying system. It's not our problem that the likes of Egypt and Cameroon might not qualify, whilst distinctly average teams from Africa do. IMO If Saudi replaced Senegal or South Africa's in their group, we would've just as easily have qualified.

[Sabry]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiJazzey

Sabry,

I understand your frustration about Egypt's tough group, but don't start whining about Asia's allocation. Asia has nothing to do whatsoever with Africa's qualifying system. It's not our problem that the likes of Egypt and Cameroon might not qualify, whilst distinctly average teams from Africa do. IMO If Saudi replaced Senegal or South Africa's in their group, we would've just as easily have qualified.

I said I have no problem with the allocation to CAF, its ideal because the qualifiers shouldn't be as easy as playing Uzbekistan and North Korea. Fact is, the Asian qualifiers are poor compared to every other continent.

You're mixing things together, I was replying to Ivo's question of whether Egypt qualified or not. Egypt had nothing to do with the initial discussion (read the first post).

But anyways, how many players from the qualified Asian teams are at the same level of Eto'o, Drogba, Martins, Kanoute, Jaidi, Mido, Diouf, Okocha, McCarthy.......?

[Edgar]

Senegal, South Africa, Cameroon, Nigeria and Tunisia were seeded due to their qualification to the 2002 FIFA WC. The remaining 25 teams were classified on the basis of the FIFA World Rankings as of 19 November 2003.

Pot A: Senegal, South Africa, Cameroon, Nigeria, Tunisia
Pot B: Egypt, Morroco, Zimbabwe, Congo DR, Mali
Pot C: Algeria, Cote d'Ivoire, Zambia, Kenya, Burkina Faso
Pot D: Ghana, Angola, Libya, Togo, Guinea
Pot E: Malawi, Uganda, Gabon, Sudan, Liberia
Pot F: Rwanda, Congo, Botswana, Benin, Cape Verde Islands

Egypt are already out of the running. Too bad for the Pharaos.

The FIFA Ranking is also used by AFC and OFC. I don't know the algorithm for CONCACAF and UEFA.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sabry

Japan, Iran, S. Korea, and Saudi are in.. Tough competition:

http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/...006PRLCTsn3rdS

... Even worse, one team may potentially qualify from the remaining four (Kuwait, Uzbekistan, Bahrain, N. Korea).

Actually, there will be a two-legged play-off between Kuwait and Bahrain. The winner will then play another two-legged play-off against the 4th team in CONCACAF (Costa Rica, Guatemala, Trinidad & Tobago or Panama. I don't think Mexico or USA will finish 4th.)

[hornyspanker]

hold it rite der, CONCACAF does not deserve 4.5 spots, i say they only deserve 2.5

[Edgar]

CONCACAF has 3.5 spots -> link

[hornyspanker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by _Edgar_

CONCACAF has 3.5 spots -> link

ops sry, but they still deserve only 2.5 spots XD

[croatian batman]

Which do you people think is worse

Concaf or AFC.

I think USA and Mexico are better any team in Asia but after the 3rd team AFC is much better than CONCAF

[dian]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sabry

Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Egypt, Libya, Benin, Sudan

4 out of the 6 teams in that last group have won the African Cup of Nation (Africa's "Euro") at one point!! 3 out of the 6 have won it at least once during the last 7 editions (IC, EGY, CAM), and 2 out of the 6 have won it at least once in the past 4 editions (EGY, CAM).

Welcome to Africa

Unfortunately, Cameroon, Egypt are in the same group. Not to mention this group still has Ivory Coast.

[dian]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sabry

But anyways, how many players from the qualified Asian teams are at the same level of Eto'o, Drogba, Martins, Kanoute, Jaidi, Mido, Diouf, Okocha, McCarthy.......?

Yes, you're right. Remember the last WC in Japan-Korea? Germany beat Saudi Arabia: 8-0! I think Saudi Arabia, along with South Korea, is the country that always qualifies in the last 4 or 5 WC.

[hornyspanker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by croatian batman

Which do you people think is worse

Concaf or AFC.

I think USA and Mexico are better any team in Asia but after the 3rd team AFC is much better than CONCAF

well said. but i heard china (got eliminated) draw wif costa rica (3 in concaf) recently :p

[Usmank]

Asian football has improved alot in recent years since Wc 2002