Fifa rankings released

[centre mid]

Dropped one place to 42nd (http://fifa.com/worldfootball/ranking/lastranking/gender=m/fullranking.html)

[kingdomkerry]

I guess the only way is up. Some of the teams above us are no where near us. Anyway 42nd is down to bad management. No doubt Trap will bring us back up where we belong.

[youngirish]

Cue EalingGreen to drill down our throats how great the North are doing.

[Hibernian]

Cue EalingGreen to drill down our throats how great the North are doing.

No good in been in the position they are if there not getting too major championships.

Would not loose my sleep over it one bit.

Rather be 200 in the world and get to South Africa then been in top ten and fail to Qualify.

[Serb]

I agree with the sentiment Hibernian, but the fact is, the higher our ranking, the higher seed we are going to be for our qualification groups, so it does have a direct impact on the chances of us getting to tournaments. Hopefully we can improve our rank significantly over the coming qualifying campaign (a win over Italy would certainly help :P).

[tetsujin1979]

With few teams below us competing in Euro 2008, we're not going to fall too far in the next few months, by comparison I'd imagine England will drop to 13th after the Championships end

[saint morrissey]

anyone care to explain how argentina are top for the last year or so having not got past a world cup quarter final since 1990 and not won the copa america since 1993? i think its fair to say the rankings in general are pretty flawed.

[youngirish]

anyone care to explain how argentina are top for the last year or so having not got past a world cup quarter final since 1990 and not won the copa america since 1993? i think its fair to say the rankings in general are pretty flawed.

I agree the rankings are pure drivel. The method for calculating them could best be described as flawed and at worst wholly inaccurate. Also FIFA seem to alter the way they're calculated and what matches are actually used to calculate them every few years which futher undermines any confidence I may have had in them.

Performances in the World Cup Finals and the various International tournaments hosted by the different football associations on the four main footballing continents (Europe , South America, Africa and Asia) are the only way to judge the relative merits and weaknesses of teams imo. Some friendly wins at high altitude in South America with both teams playing their reserve sides should definitely not be given any credence.

[kingdomkerry]

I agree with the sentiment Hibernian, but the fact is, the higher our ranking, the higher seed we are going to be for our qualification groups, so it does have a direct impact on the chances of us getting to tournaments. Hopefully we can improve our rank significantly over the coming qualifying campaign (a win over Italy would certainly help :P).

I dont think there is much of a difference being 2nd seed or 3rd seeds as the 2nd and 3rd seeds are more or less the same standard anyway. Obviously it would be great to be top seeds as you would avoid the big guns in the qualifying campaign. Last time we were top seeds we got Russia and Switzerland and still did'nt qualify.

[gspain]

Although I agree that the rankings are flawed we can't really argue with our current position. We haven't beaten a decent team in a competitive match in 7 years.

[TheBoss]

We play Serbia(31st) and Colombia(19th) at the time and yet, we do not lose to them, we beat a team in 19th and yet we still go down and North play no one again and seem to be going up every ranking.

[amaccann]

I think the last group of rankings updates is based on a larger time period, no?

[eekers]

I agree the rankings are pure drivel. The method for calculating them could best be described as flawed and at worst wholly inaccurate. Also FIFA seem to alter the way they're calculated and what matches are actually used to calculate them every few years which futher undermines any confidence I may have had in them.

Performances in the World Cup Finals and the various International tournaments hosted by the different football associations on the four main footballing continents (Europe , South America, Africa and Asia) are the only way to judge the relative merits and weaknesses of teams imo. Some friendly wins at high altitude in South America with both teams playing their reserve sides should definitely not be given any credence.

i'd agree the old ranking system was a balls (czechs and usa constantly being in the top 10 etc). but the new rankings seem to give a pretty accurate respresentation. friendly wins are worth a lot less than competitve matches for instance.

Ireland will go up in rankings the further when those 4 loses in a row in 2006 (chile, holland germany, cyprus) are weighted less.
Fifa ranking will be used in part to work out the seeding for the groups in south africa 2010 (if we qualify). However uefa have recently come up with their own rankings for seedings for uefa european championships. the new uefa system disregards friendlies.

[irishultra]

According to ELO, we are 30th, ahead of Scotland, Ivory Coast and Serbia.

[kingdomkerry]

Whats ELO?

[centre mid]

Whats ELO?

An early 90's band, a reincarnation of biggles of "video killed the radio star" fame

[pineapple stu]

Whats ELO?
It's an alternative rating (http://www.eloratings.net/) based on a statistical formula, similar to how chess ratings are calculated. Devised by Professor Elo. Though I don't think it weights competitions and friendlies.

Edit - it does, apologies (http://www.eloratings.net/system.html).

[SilkCut]

Although I agree that the rankings are flawed we can't really argue with our current position. We haven't beaten a decent team in a competitive match in 7 years.

Exactly. We just about beat San Marino and got our arses handed to us by Cyprus, we are lucky we are in the top 100 let alone top 50. Good news is we can only improve!!!

[Edgar]

With few teams below us competing in Euro 2008, we're not going to fall too far in the next few months, by comparison I'd imagine England will drop to 13th after the Championships end

More like 15th.


anyone care to explain how argentina are top for the last year or so having not got past a world cup quarter final since 1990 and not won the copa america since 1993? i think its fair to say the rankings in general are pretty flawed.

They will drop to 6th in July.

Probable top 50 -> link (http://lucrurineinteresante.blogspot.com/2008/06/fifa-ranking-probable-top-50-in-july.html).

[John83]

According to ELO, we are 30th, ahead of Scotland, Ivory Coast and Serbia.
Interesting. Anyone up for working out our expected score (and those of our rivals) in the World Cup qualifiers?

[beepbeep]

'Montenegro coach Zoran Filipovic has every right to be pleased with his team's recent performances. This year the Montenegrins have played three friendlies against higher-ranked teams, winning two and only losing to UEFA EURO 2008 participants Romania. However, despite this setback, the Montenegrins have risen eight places in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking and now sit in 142nd.'

i can bet me house that these will spring a few surprises in our group.....and probably it will be against us.

[pineapple stu]

Interesting. Anyone up for working out our expected score (and those of our rivals) in the World Cup qualifiers?
Three points for a win makes it fairly ambiguous, I think.

In chess, you can work it out because a win is worth twice a draw, and it doesn't matter whether you win one or draw two to bring you to your expected percentage. It does here. Two teams can get the same percentage but different points.

[John83]

Three points for a win makes it fairly ambiguous, I think.

In chess, you can work it out because a win is worth twice a draw, and it doesn't matter whether you win one or draw two to bring you to your expected percentage. It does here. Two teams can get the same percentage but different points.
Unless it's calculated from the points.

Hmm... just checked, an it's not. Never mind.

[TheBoss]

'Montenegro coach Zoran Filipovic has every right to be pleased with his team's recent performances. This year the Montenegrins have played three friendlies against higher-ranked teams, winning two and only losing to UEFA EURO 2008 participants Romania. However, despite this setback, the Montenegrins have risen eight places in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking and now sit in 142nd.'

i can bet me house that these will spring a few surprises in our group.....and probably it will be against us.

They are good at going forward, if you stop that, we should beat them easily at Home but over there, we need to score an early goal and probably win 2-0 from that.

[Edgar]

Ireland could overtake Northern Ireland in the October rankings (preview (http://lucrurineinteresante.blogspot.com/2008/09/fifa-ranking-october-2008-preview-ii.html) and probable ranking (http://lucrurineinteresante.blogspot.com/2008/09/fifa-ranking-october-2008-probable_08.html)).

[Edgar]

Didn't happen tough -> link (http://lucrurineinteresante.blogspot.com/2008/09/fifa-ranking-october-2008-preview-iii.html).

[kingdomkerry]

Who cares if the orangies are ahead of us in the rankings, we have a great chance of qualifying for the WC again. They have no chance.

[swinfordfc]

lads,

we gone over 700 points for the first time in a long time - we moving in the right direction and a win against cyprus next month will continue the upward movement! ;)

[Edgar]

8 months is not such a long time. You had 703 points in February 2008 (http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/ranking/lastranking/gender=m/fullranking.html#confederation=27275&rank=166).

[EalingGreen]

Who cares if the orangies are ahead of us in the rankings, we have a great chance of qualifying for the WC again. They have no chance.
I think you'll find the Dutch have every chance of qualifying...:rolleyes:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3205/2605402440_c3b596cb5e.jpg?v=0

[swinfordfc]

lads,

am i correct that if we win on wednesday, we up to 32th in the world rankings?

[geysir]

The probable 32nd place in the November rankings that Edgar linked to here (http://www.football-rankings.info/2008/10/fifa-ranking-november-2008-probable.html), is based on probable results here. (http://www.football-rankings.info/2008/10/fifa-ranking-november-2008-probable_09.html)
From a very quick glance, at least we will climb above Lithuania and NI from the UEFA teams.
Both have had results worse than expected but Poland and Serbia have done better than expected.

[swinfordfc]

The probable 32nd place in the November rankings that Edgar linked to here (http://www.football-rankings.info/2008/10/fifa-ranking-november-2008-probable.html), is based on probable results here. (http://www.football-rankings.info/2008/10/fifa-ranking-november-2008-probable_09.html)
From a very quick glance, at least we will climb above Lithuania and NI from the UEFA teams.
Both have had results worse than expected but Poland and Serbia have done better than expected.

thanks! :o hope we win!

[Edgar]

It did happen.

Republic of Ireland 36th
Northern Ireland 42nd

FIFA Ranking (http://www.football-rankings.info/2008/10/fifa-ranking-november-2008-preview-ii.html): November 2008 preview (II).

[geysir]

At least we are doing better than the economy, the slump has been firmly halted and we are looking at our next target to overcome, Scotland.
It would take good run of home wins and 4 away points for us to have a chance to get up into the dizzy heights of second seed territory.

Looks like NI will be doing well to stay above 5th seed territory.