England have won 14 of their last 18 matches.
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England have won 14 of their last 18 matches.
Norway beat Portugal and Iceland in their last two games and beat France in the August friendly. On top of that, they finished second in their World Cup qualifying group last campaign, but just missed out on the play-offs as the "worst" group runner-up. Still though, 14th does seem a bit high considering. I'd say their win over Portugal in their last game was crucial in bagging them quite a few points.
Yeah, that explains Norways rise, they jumped up 8 places after those 2 wins.
22nd going into the round is still a bit of a mystery though. I guess they're one of those teams that wins the games they don't lose instead of picking up 6 draws in a campaign.
Does anyone remember where Ireland were in the rankings when Trap took over in May 2008??
41st in May 2008
March 2009 we were ranked 26th, the highest we've been since December 2005
In August 1993 we were ranked 6th.
57th in November 1998
http://www.fifa.com/associations/ass...r=m/index.html
No sarcasm intended, surely it is explicable through being purely formulaic? So there must be a link to the formula. The only alternative is that it's wholly subjective, in which case none of the thread readers/ commercial sponsors etc. would take it seriously?Quote:
Originally Posted by DannyInvincible
Ha ha. That gag/ coincidence just keeps on giving. Still, a good double-header in October and you could move up significantly, as others have said.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Fly
Thanks for that, but I think you overstate one game's significance. A surprise win over Slovenia and we move up 14 places; drop points in the Faroes and there'll be a corresponding fall.Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
Weren't we on the same page at the start of the tournament (ie, both being seeded third)? You're ahead on points but we do have that game in hand.
As for the neighborly rivalry/ solidarity, I doubt Foroyar/ Greenland/ the Baffin Islands are that bothered by the lack of North Atlantic respectability in Iceland's recent poor results.
Why of course there are plenty of people who have some concern at how an association team populated with Irish nationals are performing on the international stage.
I wouldn't get too snooty if I were you.Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
As someone pointed out elsewhere, there has been damn all to choose between the two teams over the last four years, as a comparison on FIFA's Rankings Tables demonstrates:
http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/ra...6&tm=9&ty=2010
That is, between September 2006 and September 2010, ROI's High/Low Rankings have been 26/51, whereas NI's equivalent is 27/59. More pertinently, ROI's Average Ranking during that period is 38.2, with NI's being 39.3.
Curiously, our Ranking towards the beginning of that period will have suffered a hangover from when McIlroy was in charge (4 years), when our Ranking/Results plummeted. Just as ROI's Ranking suffered during the middle of the term under Staunton (albeit for a much shorter period).
Beyond that, ROI have since kept their Ranking up by rarely being beaten, even though they haven't themselves beaten a Ranking team in a competitive match "since Adam was a Lad".
By contrast, NI have had more defeats/fewer draws, especially away and in friendlies, but we have compensated with several notable competitive victories against higher rated teams eg Spain (10th), Sweden (15th), Denmark (29th), Poland (29th), Slovenia Away (19th).
So there you have it: there's actually very little between the two teams' progress over a period, except that one team has "taken the tram", whereas the other has been "on the rollercoaster". And I know which of the two is the greater fun...
If you were me, I'd need an exorcism.
It's not some sort of "possession" you need to lose, just the deluded sense of your team's superiority.Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
Still, seeing as you clearly have no answer to the (footballing) point I was making, on past experience I shouldn't be surprised by your having a cheap pop at me instead.
Sad.
It depends on whether you like rollercoasters or not.Quote:
Originally Posted by EalingGreen
On the basis neither team is qualifying for tournaments, it matters not a jot IMO.
Said the ill-informed gardener to the bishop....Quote:
Originally Posted by EalingGreen
;)
True. But the fact that you find more Rollercoasters in your average Funfair than Trams must tell you something...;)Quote:
Originally Posted by OneRedArmy
Absolutely. However, that was not what Geysir was alluding to with his deluded little sneer.Quote:
Originally Posted by OneRedArmy
And that comment adds precisely what to the Rankings debate? :confused:Quote:
Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy
Says the man going on about roller coasters, trams and funfairs! And who wants to call others 'deluded'.....
;)
And what did Geysir say that was so terrible??
Er, in order to illustrate what was an entirely relevant point, I employed an easily understood metaphor (roller-coasters/trams), as subsequently picked up upon by ORA.Quote:
Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy
Whereas unless I am missing something obvious, your reference to "ill-informed gardeners" and "bishops" was irrelevant drivel.
Nothing "terrible", just a petty sneer on a Rankings thread which implied that the NI team struggles even to compare with that of the ROI, whereas the plain facts prove that our team is every bit as good* as yours.Quote:
Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy
* - Or "mediocre", or even "bad", if you prefer.
Yawn. If it's that hard, refer to your numerous error-ridden posts passim
You are confusing us otherwise.
And that comment adds precisely what to the Rankings debate?Quote:
Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy
"Us"? Speak for yourself.Quote:
Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy
NI were on page 2 last month on the FIFA rankings, now they are back on page 1.Quote:
Originally Posted by EalingGreen
Do you seriously think I give a damn if NI are on page one, page 2 or page 3?
Though I admit, last month for 2 seconds, I did wonder why they were not on page one. Your rivalry with the Republics team means absolutely zilch to me. I just don't relate or connect with it.
Though I do realise that many in the OWC are clearly obsessed to the point of irrational hatred in matters to do with the Republics team.
When will it dawn on you that most Republic fans don't give a fiddlers about the NI team and it doesn't irritate them to see another team in green do well and get the occasional day out in the sun.
Get over it if somebody remarks that you have climbed out the back pages of FIFA's rankings.
Nobody really cares.