World Ranking

[Stuttgart88]

I think it's fascinating how Wales were improving so much under Speed yet both his predecessor and successor are struggling.

And I don't think results should be the arbiter. Even apart from Bale, we'd drool over a Ramsey or an Ashley Williams, plus a couple of others. I said something like 4, maybe even 6 at a stretch, Wales players might get into our team and I stand by that. My other point was that this puts things into perspective, perhaps we shouldn't be so downbeat on what we did.

[Charlie Darwin]

Would we drool over Ashley Williams? I mean, he's a good player but he's not the kind of player we'd drool over. We had John O'Shea, who was flat out more talented and achieved far more in the game, and it's only the last year or so that people have started to appreciate him. I've seen Ashley Williams play a number of games for Wales and I've never seen him stand out, but I've seen him look shaky many times.

[DannyInvincible]

Up four places to 62nd in the latest release: http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/irish/2014/0918/644679-ireland-rise-to-62-in-fifa-rankings/

[geysir]

These ranking are just ridiculously volatile.
Norway for example were in the first pot in the draw 3 years ago for WC 2014.
They finished 4th in their qual group. If the WC draw was being held today they would be in the 5th pot.

[Bungle]

If we beat Gibraltar, Scotland, USA, Poland in the next few months, then I would expect us to be comfortably 3rd seeds. If we draw/beat with Germany, beat England at the Aviva or beat Scotland home and away, then I think we could nick 2nd seeds.

I personally think we will be 3rd seeds - I think we will make good movement between now and the summer, but I don't see us taking points off Germany, beating England or taking 6 points off Scotland.

The more results like Slovenia losing to Estonia or Hungary losing to Northern Ireland the better for us. We could have done without the Czechs beating Holland as they will have taken loads of points from that.

[swinfordfc]

The Gibraltar game does not matter at all!

[swinfordfc]

Ireland women's team are 29th in the world rankings!

[geysir]

Is there any team sport (male or female), where Iceland is outranked by Ireland in world rankings?

[swinfordfc]

Is there any team sport (male or female), where Iceland is outranked by Ireland in world rankings?

Cycling - Ireland as a nation are 18th (only 3 riders) - no sign of Iceland!

[pineapple stu]

Rugby obviously (both codes)

Ireland has won the golf world cup and been runner up in the snooker world cup (both team events). Iceland hasn't.

Baseball

Cricket

Fairly sure Iceland would be crap at the aul hurling and Gaelic

Equestrian (Ireland usually top division; Iceland...not)

Hockey

Aussie Rules (not really a sport in fairness; more of a fight)

So - lots

[geysir]

Out of all those strange, rare and peculiar sports listed I'll give you hockey as the only sport worth a mention, but only the (pansy) field variety, Iceland takes the kudos in ice hockey, the man's game.

[pineapple stu]

So the definition of a strange, rare and peculiar sport is one that isn't played in Iceland?

Right so.

[Acornvilla]

So the definition of a strange, rare and peculiar sport is one that isn't played in Iceland?

Right so.
We're better at tennis too. Suck on that Iceland

Ireland are in Europe/Africa group II
Iceland have never been higher than Europe group III

[geysir]

So the definition of a strange, rare and peculiar sport is one that isn't played in Iceland?

Right so.
Well if you are actually serious (which I wasn't) and being idiotic, then yes I'd say GAA and Aussie rules would be regarded as strange,rare and peculiar in most every country outside the one country it's 99.9% played in. Perhaps that's a bizarre thought for some to take, but there you are:)

Rugby has a popularity in certain countries, cricket outside the usual suspects would be a rare/peculiar sport in most areas of Europe and it would be utterly bizarre to think that cricket or baseball could be be played in an arctic climate above any minimum kindergarten standard.

The main competitive team sports in Europe in no particular order, played in most every country, are football, basketball, handball, hockey (ice and field), volleyball, and water polo. Rugby is very popular in one traditional area but not widespread, the main european competition has little interest outside 5 or 6 unions.
Ireland is struggling at this football thing, GAA is the real national sport, a situation not unlike New Zealand where rugby is regarded as the national sport and football is a game they stuggle to play well.

[Charlie Darwin]

Ah here I was with you until water polo. Ban this blatant troll, tets.

[pineapple stu]

The main competitive team sports in Europe in no particular order, played in most every country, are football, basketball, handball, hockey (ice and field), volleyball, and water polo. Rugby is very popular in one traditional area but not widespread, the main european competition has little interest outside 5 or 6 unions.
You really are a tedious troll, "serious" or not. But I think you know that.

For what it's worth - more European countries entered the rugby world cup (40) than the basketball world cup (24). Neither Ireland nor Iceland entered the basketball world cup (neither did Austria, Switzerland, Portugal, Norway, Romania, Holland, Denmark, Bulgaria, Hungary - played in most every country, eh?). Basketball Ireland is bankrupt at the moment, but when we had a team - it was better than Iceland's.

Ice hockey? Would you stop. 46 countries in the world in their World Cup. Mostly countries with snow. Not really applicable here.

Volleyball - the north play and are about the same standard as Iceland. Can hardly be a good thing.

Water polo?! Right so Ted. Still fewer European countries entering the world Cup than in rugby.

Handball is awfully silly. There, I said it. I don't mind it - nearly played it in college - but it is awfully silly.

So - we're better at basketball. Ice hockey not applicable for climate reasons. Volleyball - a quarter of the country is as good as Iceland. Water polo - evidence of senility. Why would you play niche stuff like that anyway when you can pick up a hurl?

And what's Iceland got after all that? Handball? A game so irrelevant in Ireland we have another sport called handball? Yeah, you can keep that, thanks.

Even football is a one-off aberration.

[tetsujin1979]

Ah here I was with you until water polo. Ban this blatant troll, tets.don't think he's being a troll, some people have their own opinions on what constitutes a "proper" sport. Americans can't understand why baseball isn't massive worldwide, the French do love their boules, etc

for the record, I think Ireland plays a much wider variety of sports than Iceland, while they are stronger in some individual sports.

Anyway, back on topic.

[Acornvilla]

The main competitive team sports in Europe in no particular order

Going to throw tennis out there again, seeing as it was ignored! Ireland are decidedly on the up, our top 4 guys are all pushing around lifetime highs at the moment (teams consist of 5 players + a coach), while Iceland are nowhere to be found. You should probably look into how huge the Davis and Fed cup are. Wouldn't put it into a bracket lower than rugby, cricket or that ilk as it's huge in pretty much every major European country as well as growing in Asia and having always been a big thing in the Americas, north and south.

edit: didn't read the last line of tets post, sorry I'll shh too..

[Charlie Darwin]

don't think he's being a troll, some people have their own opinions on what constitutes a "proper" sport. Americans can't understand why baseball isn't massive worldwide, the French do love their boules, etc

for the record, I think Ireland plays a much wider variety of sports than Iceland, while they are stronger in some individual sports.

Anyway, back on topic.
I was joking, commandant :)


A game so irrelevant in Ireland we have another sport called handball?
Yeah! We don't do that with any other sports!

[pineapple stu]

Yeah! We don't do that with any other sports!
True, but I just don't think riding horses around in swimming pools lashing sticks at rubber ducks to try propel them through two upright posts at either end of the pool is really the height of our cultural contributions, so I kept shtum about water polo.

[tetsujin1979]

enough. this time I mean it.
back to talking about world rankings, etc. There's an "Other sports" section if you want to compare and contrast the sporting worlds of Iceland and Ireland

[DannyInvincible]

amaccann raised it in the Gibraltar match thread (http://foot.ie/threads/194604-Republic-of-Ireland-VS-Gibraltar-Saturday-11th-October-KO-5-00pm-Match-Thread?p=1783254&viewfull=1#post1783254), but I'm assuming games against Gibraltar won't count toward, or against, our FIFA ranking?

[swinfordfc]

amaccann raised it in the Gibraltar match thread (http://foot.ie/threads/194604-Republic-of-Ireland-VS-Gibraltar-Saturday-11th-October-KO-5-00pm-Match-Thread?p=1783254&viewfull=1#post1783254), but I'm assuming games against Gibraltar won't count toward, or against, our FIFA ranking?

Correct - it does not count

[Stuttgart88]

Just as well. Only winning 7-0 might see us fall a few places :)

[geysir]

Maybe FIFA won't recognise Robbie's hat trick and refuse on principle to list him ahead of Ronaldo.
It might get confusing, like with darts and boxing.

[swinfordfc]

How far will Poland jump up from 70th placed after beating Germany who were no 1?

[DeLorean]

You tell us!

[swinfordfc]

I think we be moving up now a little :)

[Bungle]

On the FIFA website, there is a calculator of points. Our game against Gibraltor, doesn't count, but we should rise in the rankings with the draw yesterday. I think in terms of points we have risen from 506 to 519 points.

Looking ahead to the draw for WC 2018, there are a few european countries ahead of us that are very reachable in the coming few games like montenegro, but equally there are countries behind us that may soon overtake us like Poland and Norn iron if they continue their excellent runs. Beating nations like Germany and Greece is worth a massive amount of points.

If I was to guess, should we take 8 points off Poland and Scotland, then we would be high 3rd seeds and have an outside bet of 2nd seeds. Beating the Germans would cement us as 2nd seeds imo. Winning friendlies against the USA and England will also help massively.

It has been a funny campaign for alot of countries. The rankings could look very different this time next year. At least, it's a positive change from being the highest ranked 5th seed, as we were last year.

[swinfordfc]

On the FIFA website, there is a calculator of points. Our game against Gibraltor, doesn't count, but we should rise in the rankings with the draw yesterday. I think in terms of points we have risen from 506 to 519 points.

Looking ahead to the draw for WC 2018, there are a few european countries ahead of us that are very reachable in the coming few games like montenegro, but equally there are countries behind us that may soon overtake us like Poland and Norn iron if they continue their excellent runs. Beating nations like Germany and Greece is worth a massive amount of points.

If I was to guess, should we take 8 points off Poland and Scotland, then we would be high 3rd seeds and have an outside bet of 2nd seeds. Beating the Germans would cement us as 2nd seeds imo. Winning friendlies against the USA and England will also help massively.

It has been a funny campaign for alot of countries. The rankings could look very different this time next year. At least, it's a positive change from being the highest ranked 5th seed, as we were last year.

Think we move up to around 57th place next week

[backstothewall]

I'm guessing the north will get a hell of a jump

[geysir]

I'm guessing the north will get a hell of a jump
A type of jump one gets from a defibrillator?

[Closed Account]

Few African games to play so nothing definite yet but currently we are up 3 places to 59th.
Northern Ireland up 31 places to 40th, Wales drop to 32nd, Scotland to 36th. England drop to 20th.

[Gather round]

A type of jump one gets from a defibrillator?

Better than flatlining to death maybe...

[swinfordfc]

Few African games to play so nothing definite yet but currently we are up 3 places to 59th.
Northern Ireland up 31 places to 40th, Wales drop to 32nd, Scotland to 36th. England drop to 20th.

How you work that out joe? .... my maths are all over the place so :)

[davidatrb]

Here is what I have. Although FIFA's use a special brand of maths to calculate the rankings that don't always conform with reality.

A lot will change here before the rankings ever matter. By the time the draw comes round for the next World Cup Qualifiers the World Cup just gone will be worth only half points. I don't think England will have any problems in the end. Their ranking at the moment is low reflecting their awful World Cup, but as said, this will be less significant by next summer. The likes of Spain and Netherlands if they can't halt their run of bad form are more likely to slip into Pot 2.

For Ireland, I think we will improve. Gibraltar and German games didn't really help our rankings. (Gibraltar not recognised by FIFA). Results against the likes of Poland and Scotland will give us a good boost though. I do worry about our friendlies, against USA next month and England next year.

21692170

[Closed Account]

Here's my workings swinfordfc.....



Rnk
Old Rank
Pts
Old Pts
New Pts
Up/Down
UEFA


1
1
Germany
1765
1669
0
1


2
2
Argentina
1631
1565
0



3
3
Colombia
1488
1420
0



4
5
Belgium
1444
1388
1
2


5
4
Netherlands
1456
1375
-1
3


6
6
Brazil
1291
1307
0



7
9
France
1202
1191
2
4


8
7
Uruguay
1243
1184
-1



9
11
Portugal
1150
1175
2
5


10
8
Spain
1228
1119
-2
6


11
13
Italy
1068
1064
2
7


12
10
Switzerland
1175
1063
-2
8


13
12
Chile
1100
1060
-1



14
19
Croatia
928
1002
5
9


15
20
Algeria
926
985
5



16
15
Costa Rica
988
974
-1



17
16
Mexico
963
954
-1



18
14
Greece
1052
946
-4
10


19
24
Ukraine
855
920
5
11


20
18
England
935
919
-2
12


21
22
Côte d'Ivoire
879
880
1



22
26
Romania
837
876
4
13


23
28
Czech Republic
812
870
5
14


24
17
USA
936
862
-7



25
40
Slovakia
616
861
15
15


26
25
Bosnia and Herzegovina
851
837
-1
16


27
21
Ecuador
889
826
-6



28
34
Iceland
646
816
6
17


29
39
Austria
622
810
10
18


30
23
Russia
875
792
-7
19


31
27
Denmark
833
763
-4
20


32
29
Wales
714
715
-3
21


33
31
Tunisia
701
697
-2



34
36
Senegal
645
687
2



35
53
Slovenia
555
683
18
22


36
29
Scotland
714
674
-7
23


37
32
Sweden
662
646
-5
24


38
33
Ghana
661
644
-5



39
37
Nigeria
642
625
-2



40
71
Northern Ireland
435
625
31
25


41
70
Poland
436
621
29
26


42
61
Egypt
513
615
19



43
64
Israel
498
615
21
27


44
34
Serbia
646
614
-10
28


45
38
Turkey
637
614
-7
29


46
48
Guinea
557
614
2



47
45
Albania
571
604
-2
30


48
41
Cape Verde Islands
604
600
-7



49
42
Cameroon
601
600
-7



50
86
Trinidad and Tobago
374
598
36

[Closed Account]

51
54
Hungary
548
561
3
31


52
44
Iran
572
560
-8



53
48
Japan
557
559
-5



54
47
Peru
563
558
-7



55
59
Mali
526
550
4



56
55
Panama
540
546
-1



57
67
South Africa
458
539
10



58
46
Bulgaria
570
532
-12
32


59
62
Republic of Ireland
506
519
3
33


60
48
Congo
557
515
-12



61
65
Finland
491
510
4
34


62
43
Montenegro
591
504
-19
35


63
58
Uzbekistan
530
498
-5



64
63
Korea Republic
501
496
-1



65
83
Gabon
392
482
18



66
76
Norway
421
481
10
36


67
56
Honduras
535
480
-11



68
80
Antigua and Barbuda
411
478
12



69
57
Guatemala
534
466
-12



70
48
Burkina Faso
557
463
-22



71
75
Sierra Leone
424
447
4



72
68
Libya
455
440
-4



73
69
Jordan
450
434
-4



74
52
Armenia
556
432
-22
37


75
60
Paraguay
514
423
-15



76
73
United Arab Emirates
430
413
-3



77
73
Congo DR
430
402
-4



78
79
Uganda
418
398
1



79
90
Iraq
357
393
11



80
72
El Salvador
431
392
-8



81
76
Oman
421
391
-5



82
66
Venezuela
476
388
-16



83
88
Zambia
365
381
5



84
78
Benin
420
375
-6



85
81
Estonia
403
369
-4
38


86
87
Morocco
371
369
1



87
96
Qatar
342
369
9



88
97
China PR
341
369
9



89
84
Australia
390
359
-5



90
93
Rwanda
349
356
3



91
85
Cyprus
388
348
-6
39


92
82
Saudi Arabia
402
341
-10



93
99
Latvia
333
340
6
40


94
91
Botswana
356
339
-3



95
92
Zimbabwe
353
332
-3



96
98
Malawi
340
311
2



97
94
Bolivia
346
310
-3



98
89
Belarus
364
301
-9
41


99
100
Jamaica
321
284
1



100
95
Azerbaijan
344
233
-5

[Closed Account]

That would have the pots for World Cup Qualification like this (only done to rank 100)


Pot 1
Pot 2
Pot 3
Pot 4
Pot 5


Germany
Greece
Russia
Serbia
Armenia


Belgium
Ukraine
Denmark
Turkey
Estonia


Netherlands
England
Wales
Albania
Cyprus


France
Romania
Slovenia
Hungary
Latvia


Portugal
Czech Republic
Scotland
Bulgaria
Belarus


Spain
Slovakia
Sweden
Republic of Ireland



Italy
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Northern Ireland
Finland



Switzerland
Iceland
Poland
Montenegro



Croatia
Austria
Israel
Norway




So quite a bit of work to do to get to pot 3.
Incidentally, this excellent site has done 10000 simulations and predicted what the pots will be
http://www.football-rankings.info/2014/09/2018-fifa-world-cup-seeding-uefa-10000.html
For Ireland it's
Pot 5
13 %
Pot 4
48%
Pot 3
34%
Pot 2
5%

[ArdeeBhoy]

Bloody hell Joe.


Better than flatlining to death maybe...
Aye, or being flattened...
;)

[swinfordfc]

That would have the pots for World Cup Qualification like this (only done to rank 100)


Pot 1
Pot 2
Pot 3
Pot 4
Pot 5


Germany
Greece
Russia
Serbia
Armenia


Belgium
Ukraine
Denmark
Turkey
Estonia


Netherlands
England
Wales
Albania
Cyprus


France
Romania
Slovenia
Hungary
Latvia


Portugal
Czech Republic
Scotland
Bulgaria
Belarus


Spain
Slovakia
Sweden
Republic of Ireland



Italy
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Northern Ireland
Finland



Switzerland
Iceland
Poland
Montenegro



Croatia
Austria
Israel
Norway




So quite a bit of work to do to get to pot 3.
Incidentally, this excellent site has done 10000 simulations and predicted what the pots will be
http://www.football-rankings.info/2014/09/2018-fifa-world-cup-seeding-uefa-10000.html
For Ireland it's
Pot 5
13 %
Pot 4
48%
Pot 3
34%
Pot 2
5%

Joe ...... you are the man! .... Thanks

[swinfordfc]

Going by this ... we need to win in Scotland and win the USA game as well! (Scotland more importantly of course)

[Closed Account]

Looks like we will be in 61st position. Mmmmm would love a drink of Um Bongo for some reason.
http://www.football-rankings.info/2014/10/fifa-ranking-october-2014-final-preview.html#more

[BonnieShels]

It just goes to show what a crock of sh!t that World Cup draw that had Norway in Pot one was. They're below Finland and yet we're just above the Finns.

Also is this the first time we have been ranked below England, Wales, the IFA team and Scotland at the same time?

[Kingdom]

That would have the pots for World Cup Qualification like this (only done to rank 100)


Pot 1
Pot 2
Pot 3
Pot 4
Pot 5


Germany
Greece
Russia
Serbia
Armenia


Belgium
Ukraine
Denmark
Turkey
Estonia


Netherlands
England
Wales
Albania
Cyprus


France
Romania
Slovenia
Hungary
Latvia


Portugal
Czech Republic
Scotland
Bulgaria
Belarus


Spain
Slovakia
Sweden
Republic of Ireland



Italy
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Northern Ireland
Finland



Switzerland
Iceland
Poland
Montenegro



Croatia
Austria
Israel
Norway




So quite a bit of work to do to get to pot 3.
Incidentally, this excellent site has done 10000 simulations and predicted what the pots will be
http://www.football-rankings.info/2014/09/2018-fifa-world-cup-seeding-uefa-10000.html
For Ireland it's
Pot 5
13 %
Pot 4
48%
Pot 3
34%
Pot 2
5%

Jesus H Christ I just wasn't aware things were so bad. There has been such a levelling in European football in recent years it's not funny. One 'off' result is going to be harmful to a lot of nations - but obviously a great start (such as the North's) can be a catapult. I checked the last few pages, but couldn't see a cut-off point, but the 2018 site is suggesting the end of July 2015 as when the draw will be made. That seems a little early for Europe but I guess it all has to be done at the same time to take into consideration Africa Asia and Oceania.

So that gives us USA, Scotland, Poland, Scotland, England to get up into Pot 3....double-Jesus.
13 spots for Uefa...surely they'll continue with 9 group winners, worst runner-up eliminated and then playoff between the remaining 8? It'll be hard to qualify for that.

Russia won't be counted, so that means Serbia move up into Pot 3 from the above list.
Funny that given ourselves and Scotland face each other and England, there is more than just euro 2016 at stake.
Of the current teams in Pot 4 ahead of us:
Montenegro have Russia twice and Sweden (they've been in poor form anyway, so they surely will drop a few places)
Albania have Serbia and Armenia - hard to see them maintaining their good form, also likely to drop places.
Hungary have Finland twice and Greece - (and the Fins are in pot 3 too) so one way or the other, someone is going to be susceptible to losing places.


From Pot 3 teams,
There are so many permutations to come, but looking at it objectively,
Israel have a horrid run of fixtures, and I can see them dropping down,
Iceland have the Czech's twice as well as the Kazakhs at the height of summer away;
Turkey though have the Kazakhs twice and Latvia;
Wales have Belgium twice and Israel, so despite their relatively good start, they should drop too;
Finland have Hungary twice, and the North;
Austria have the Russian's twice, and Liechtenstein; ;
Bulgaria have Malta twice and Italy - surely they're safe; ;
Slovakia unfortunately have Lux, and Macedonia twice, so they will surely stay pot 3.

All that is irrelevant though if we don't produce our own results. One win and a two draws from the competitive games and a win and a draw from the friendlies should see us very strong in Pot 3 - regardless of other results. And without a win and two draws in the comp games, we're in trouble anyway for 2016.

Does anyone here feel the FAI are aware of these permutations - or would they even care?

[Stuttgart88]

So, should O'Neill and the FAI not have sought out easier friendlies? It's all well and good picking hard opposition to assess and improve your team but really we should have chosen teams we can beat, or even not play some games at all?

[Kingdom]

So, should O'Neill and the FAI not have sought out easier friendlies? It's all well and good picking hard opposition to assess and improve your team but really we should have chosen teams we can beat, or even not play some games at all?

Well one thing that strikes me when looking at the Euro 2016 fixtures, is how many of the pot 3&4 teams played their easier matches first.....

[Charlie Darwin]

Well one thing that strikes me when looking at the Euro 2016 fixtures, is how many of the pot 3&4 teams played their easier matches first.....
Good job the FAI had the foresight to frontload our campaign with the three group whipping boys.

[BonnieShels]

Well one thing that strikes me when looking at the Euro 2016 fixtures, is how many of the pot 3&4 teams played their easier matches first.....


Good job the FAI had the foresight to frontload our campaign with the three group whipping boys.

UEFA sorted the fixtures for this campaign centrally.

[Charlie Darwin]

Good job the FAI had the foresight to instruct UEFA to sort the fixtures centrally.