How depressing is the seeding news?

**blobbyblob** · 14/10/2009, 9:14 AM

Originally Posted by Edgar

I know a fair bit about the rankings and there are ways of improving your ranking using this knowledge. I'm already working on this with a certain FA (it's not the Romanian FA

).

Oh, and it was for free.

Win more games than you lose?

**irishfan86** · 14/10/2009, 9:18 AM

Arrange friendlies with teams that are ranked higher than they should be to try and gain points while still having a chance?

**Edgar** · 14/10/2009, 9:27 AM

Yes, that's the main idea.

And blobbyblob is right too. If you had won the friendlies against Poland, Nigeria and Australia (plus today against Montenegro) you would have been seeded.

**irishfan86** · 14/10/2009, 9:32 AM

Originally Posted by Edgar

Yes, that's the main idea.

And blobbyblob is right too. If you had won the friendlies against Poland, Nigeria and Australia (plus today against Montenegro) you would have been seeded.

Well, to be fair, while we did rest players for certain matches, we did set our team out to win against Australia for example by playing our best (fit) XI only to get blown out.

But I take your points, and if the football associations are smart, they'd take your advice on board; however, the other side of the coin is that money is also a big factor in choosing who we play against in friendlies- who will be the biggest draw, and what teams will justify the ticket prices?

**blobbyblob** · 14/10/2009, 9:48 AM

Now more than ever it kind of kills off the myth that friendlies are worthless - especially when seeding time comes around.

**jmurphyc** · 14/10/2009, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by Edgar

Yes, that's the main idea.

And blobbyblob is right too. If you had won the friendlies against Poland, Nigeria and Australia (plus today against Montenegro) you would have been seeded.

That may be true, but you can't really blame the FAI or management for that. As far as they were concerned, the playoffs weren't going to be seeded, so working on dramatically improving our ranking wasn't a major issue. Basically, FIFA completely screwed us over.

**SuperDave** · 14/10/2009, 10:03 AM

Well, friendlies are worthless in terms of Uefa rankings for Euro 2012 qualifiers as those are based on competitive games only. Obviously the current playoffs and Fifa seedings for World Cup qualifiers are based on all results, with friendly results counting less but I do see the point. The 1-0 defeat to Brazil, the 4-0 defeat to Holland.... they count against us.

**Stuttgart88** · 14/10/2009, 4:00 PM

I see FIFA said they need Ronaldo at the WC. God help Portugal's opponents so.

**blobbyblob** · 14/10/2009, 4:05 PM

Are ya serious? Sure thats crazy talk! Blatant favouritism.

But theres nothing better than something like that to give you an extra bite in a tackle.

Jesus, just give me five minutes against him!

**DeLorean** · 14/10/2009, 4:07 PM

Originally Posted by blobbyblob

Jesus, just give me five minutes against him!

Yeah, that'd frighten him

**geysir** · 14/10/2009, 4:10 PM

I wonder how FIFA will manage to get Messi there?
Surely, bar FIFA hiring a hitman ready to take out Maradonna in the next hours, they must be shi*tting bricks.

**DeLorean** · 14/10/2009, 4:12 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

I see FIFA said they need Ronaldo at the WC. God help Portugal's opponents so.

Any link Stutts?

**blobbyblob** · 14/10/2009, 7:00 PM

Originally Posted by DeLorean

Yeah, that'd frighten him

You have no idea

**twoenz** · 04/12/2009, 11:14 AM

Sorry to bring this thread up, but what's to stop Ireland sending a "team" of LoI select to play games against Vanuatu etc in order to bring ourselves up the world rankings? If we played 50 matches a year and won most of them, wouldn't that boost our points massively?

**Edgar** · 04/12/2009, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by twoenz

Sorry to bring this thread up, but what's to stop Ireland sending a "team" of LoI select to play games against Vanuatu etc in order to bring ourselves up the world rankings? If we played 50 matches a year and won most of them, wouldn't that boost our points massively?

No, because points are averaged, not added up. Playing many games against weak countries would bring your average down.