World Rankings

[AlaskaFox]

Russia in the top 10 is stupid too.

[Charlie Darwin]

Amazingly they take account of results, not performances.

[ifk101]

On the contrary. Iirc, Dick said he preferred to play ROI over NI because they were a "better test" (i.e. better team) for Belgium than NI.

The idea of a proposed friendly with NI was put to Advocaat which he rejected as he was on the understanding that a friendly was being arranged with us. He simply stated that he wanted to play stronger opposition, whether it be us or some other team he didn't mind. Belgium subsequently played Croatia.

Fine, that's his opinion.

Not like you to accept others' (negative) opinions on NI. Are you sure you don't have a picture of Dick as a dartboard?

But as more recent results have indicated and the Rankings reflect, there is currently damn-all to choose between which is the "better" team.

Recent results? Let's see. NI has scored 2 goals in their most recent 10 internationals, i.e. NI averages a goal every 450 minutes. In NI's 10 most recent games, they have 1 victory, 3 draws and 6 defeats. NI had to come from behind to salvage a draw against the Faroe Islands (FIFA ranking 133th) in their most recent international.

In Ireland's 10 most recent internationals we have scored 13 times, i.e. we average a goal every 69 minutes. In those 10 games we have a record of 4 wins, 2 draws and 4 defeats.

Btw Ireland's lowest ever rank on the FIFA ranking table over a 17 year period is 57th. NI's average ranking on the FIFA ranking table over a 17 year period is 72nd.

I think there's a lot to choose between the two sides, whether you take a short/ medium term perspective or a long-term perspective.

[elroy]

How we move up a place is nuts ..... we should have gone down 5 places in fairest ...... Rankings are a joke....

Am too lazy to check, but presume its a mixture of old results dropping off and the latest results been counted in that determine if we move up or down the rankings. But knowing FIFA is probably something way more complicated than that.

[ifk101]

This link on wikipedia pretty much covers everything.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_World_Rankings

[EalingGreen]

Recent results? Let's see. NI has scored 2 goals in their most recent 10 internationals, i.e. NI averages a goal every 450 minutes. In NI's 10 most recent games, they have 1 victory, 3 draws and 6 defeats. NI had to come from behind to salvage a draw against the Faroe Islands (FIFA ranking 133th) in their most recent international.

In Ireland's 10 most recent internationals we have scored 13 times, i.e. we average a goal every 69 minutes. In those 10 games we have a record of 4 wins, 2 draws and 4 defeats.

Btw Ireland's lowest ever rank on the FIFA ranking table over a 17 year period is 57th. NI's average ranking on the FIFA ranking table over a 17 year period is 72nd.

Christ! What would you be like if, say, the ROI were actually to beat a decent side?

Anyhow, I'm sure we could all subjectively manipulate statistics to "support" our prejudices, but most people don't, because:
(a ) It "proves" nothing;
(b ) It's a waste of time;
(c ) It would show us up for being sad/petty.

I think there's a lot to choose between the two sides, whether you take a short/ medium term perspective or a long-term perspective.

FIFA's subjective Ranking system, covering all matches and all teams over a four year period (weighted towards more recent years), currently ranks ROI in 32nd place and NI in 41st.

Considering that that is from a list of 203 teams, imo the difference is not significant, especially since it lands both teams firmly in the same Pot for competition seeding purposes.

But hey, if it gives you some sort of thrill, then go ahead and enjoy it (just make sure you've got the curtains drawn, so the neighbours can't see in)

[ArdeeBhoy]

Hmm, we're both mediocre.
So what's new?


Except to beg the age-old question.....

[swinfordfc]

So where does this defeat puts us in Dec rankings

[tricky_colour]

Up sh*t creek

[swinfordfc]

36th placed in December .... we are going backwards ....