Preliminary Draw of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil

[ArdeeBhoy]

Not at all.

Just think them, Turkey, the Kazaks and Armenia/Azerbaijan should all play in Asia, as you have to draw a line somewhere geographically.
The fact that some of them are flawed is just incidental.

[DannyInvincible]

As far as I know, yep. Here's an example of a swimmer pulling out of a heat at the swimming World Championships recently, for example, and here's the retribution from Israel calling for Iranians to be banned from major sports tournaments until "the regime in Tehran ends its ban on competing with Israeli athletes". It's happened in other sports too. Can't find an example of Israel playing Iran in football, but it probably helps that Israel was kicked out of AFC in 1974 (joining UEFA for the 82 qualifiers).

That's interesting. Hadn't been aware of that at all. Any idea what happened whilst Israel was an AFC member or maybe fate just never paired the two? Presumably, if Iran were ever drawn against Israel in competition and the Iranian government enforced its ban, that's when FIFA would intervene to suspend the Iranian football federation.

[pineapple stu]

I don't know when the ban came into effect. Might have been in 1979's Islamic Revolution. I'd also have thought that the ban would be in protest at Israel's activities in the Middle East, which in modern times (and here I profess a fair bit of ignorance and could well be wrong) started with the likes of the Six Day War in 1967. So you're possibly talking a fairly narrow window between Israel being in the AFC and the ban being in effect.

[DannyInvincible]

Just doing a bit more reading on the history of the Israel Football Association. They were expelled from the AFC in 1974 under political pressure from the Arab members (although the association, in contrast to other opposing competitors, don't appear to have been the ones breaching any rules; questionable actions of the Israeli state aside), later competed with the OFC and then joined UEFA in 1991. It seems the period around and after 1967 was the cause of much of the hostility towards them within the AFC. A continuation of their membership was impractical and no longer feasible, so I'm guessing FIFA were content to see Israel alone in the wilderness rather than dishing out sanctions on half the members of the AFC.

Israel had joined the AFC in 1956 and Iran seemed content to compete against them up until 1968 at least: http://www.the-afc.com/en/features-a...an-cup-triumph

In 1968, Bayati was already 37 years old and coach of the Iranian national team. It was a year that remains a landmark for the sport in Iran as Bayati led Team Melli to victory in the AFC Asian Cup on home soil.

That fact that his team had beaten Israel 2-1 in the decisive match in the heart of Tehran – the Amjadie Stadium – made it all the more sweet.

“It was tense,” Bayati told the-afc.com of the match, which was the last for both teams in the round-robin format. “It was not long after the Six Day War and this added more fuel to the fire.

“One night before the match, there was a rumour that a rich Israeli had bought all the tickets so that we would not have any fans. It was very stressful,” added Bayati, one of many legendary coaches being honoured this year by AFC as part of the Asian Coaches Year celebrations.

“So, the government decided to open the gates and allow the people to enter the stadium. They filled every corner and even the running track around the pitch.”

In fact, Iran even played against Isreal as late as September of 1974 as part of the 1974 Asian Games. Israel were awarded 2-0 victories against both North Korea and Kuwait, who refused to play against them, during the second group stage of that competition and then played Iran in the final for the last time in their history. Along with Kuwait and North Korea in football, other Arab nations, Pakistan and China refused to compete with Israeli competitors in other sports at the games. It appears other Arab and Asian football associations followed this lead and Israel soon found themselves banished by the AFC.

I imagine FIFA would have an awful lot of bother on their hands nowadays however were Israel ever to rejoin the AFC or were they to somehow meet the likes of Iran in official competition.

[boovidge]

Israel were awarded 2-0 victories against both North Korea and Kuwait, who refused to play against them, during the second group stage of that competition and then played Iran in the final for the last time in their history.

North Korea taking the moral highground as usual

[geysir]

I see Toshack has become the manager of Macedonia who just happen to be in Wales' group.
Could be a trend - hire a manager who has a few axes in his back pocket and itching to use them.

[DannyInvincible]

More importantly, how might it influence Macedonia's remaining fixtures in our current Euro 2012 qualification group? They play Russia in Moscow on the 2nd of September and Slovakia at home in the last round of games.

[zero]

i was hoping they (the macedonians) might do us a favour. not much chance of that now.

[Sullivinho]

More importantly, how might it influence Macedonia's remaining fixtures in our current Euro 2012 qualification group? They play Russia in Moscow on the 2nd of September and Slovakia at home in the last round of games.

I was hoping they'd get someone in who might provoke some early good performances but I'm not sure how inspirational they'll find Toshack. I wouldn't be surprised if they took something off Slovakia at home though, owing more to their home advantage and Slovakia's blowing hot and cold more than the manager.

[Cymro]

If Toshack's Wales is anything to go by, Macedonia will now lose most of their matches by 1 goal despite having 55%+ of the the possession as a matter of routine, whilst never failing to take maximum points from the smaller teams. But Macedonia have better strikers than us, so maybe it'll be different for him there.

Under Toshack we played Slovakia twice with results of 1-5 and 5-2. So anything could happen there.

[ifk101]

Sweden really aren't all that good. They are well organised and can be a physical threat. But they have big weaknesses at the back, their best defenders are past it Mellburg (33) Majsterovic and Petter Hanson (both 34), their only reliable defender with a bit of pace is the lad at Genoa Grandquist. In midfield they have a lot of average ball winners, but a lack of creativity. Wilhelmsonn looked like a promising player but has utterly stagnated since he moved to the Middle East, Kallestrom is ok but not massivly creative, he's no Johnas Turn he's a bit of a poor man's Hackan Mild. There is a lot of hype about Albin Ekdal, but he's yet to play for them and he hasnt set the world alight in a very mundane Juventus side. They do have Ibrahimovic upfront and Elmander too, but these are both immobile strikers and if we can cut of the creativity they shouldnt be too much of a handfull, they've no real pace which is a good thing looking at our back line. I'd be more worried about Rosenburg or Markus Burg running at our center backs, but they've faced pacier attackers in the past and shut them out. We should be beating the Swedes at home and aiming for a draw away. They were lucky to get to Euro 2008, getting a 3-0 default in Copenhagen against the Danes after a mad home fan struck the ref, which caused the game to be abandoned. If the Danes had won that they would have finished ahead of Sweden and made it to Euro 2008. Northern Ireland beat the Swedes 2-1 in Windsor Park and drew 1-1 away. In WC2010 qualification they were beaten home and away by the Danes 1-0 home and away, drew 0-0 with Portugal home and away and drew 0-0 in Albania. People are saying their current form (in Euro2012s) good, to an extend that's true, but theyve yet to face their hardest away games (aside from in Holland where they went down 4-1), their remaining games are Hungary away, Finland away, Holland at home and San Marino away, I'll be surprised if they get more than 4-5 points from those.

Petter Hansson hasn't played international football in a while - not sure if he is injured or retired from international duty.
Andreas Granqvist didn't make the grade at Wigan.
Mellberg and Majstorovic are the first choice centre halves.
Albin Ekdal isn't really on the international radar yet. Doubtful if he'll get much game time with Juventus this season.
Hasn't really happened for Källström at international level. Sweden's creative force would be Anders Svensson (ex Southampton).
Sebastian Larsson and Elmander would be names familiar to those that follow the British leagues.

Individually Sweden aren't great. Dodgy goalie, full backs aren't great, centre half pairing are well into their thirties. Midfield has a couple of good players but no world beaters. Probably Sweden are strongest up front where they have plenty of options.

[Closed Account 2]

Was Hannson not on the bench for that 4-1 defeat in Holland ? I thought I saw him on the bench when I watched the game...

[ifk101]

Was Hannson not on the bench for that 4-1 defeat in Holland ? I thought I saw him on the bench when I watched the game...

Yes you are correct. He was brought into the squad as they were short of defensive cover for that game. Don't think he has been included in any squad since and hasn't played a game in the last few years. Jonas Olsson (West Brom) and Granqvist would certainly be ahead of him in the pecking order.

[eekers]

So much for Sweden. Lost to Hungary the last day and now its taken them 65mins to score against San Marino.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Yes, but we'll get humped by Deutschland....

[the bear]

Not at all.

Just think them, Turkey, the Kazaks and Armenia/Azerbaijan should all play in Asia, as you have to draw a line somewhere geographically.
The fact that some of them are flawed is just incidental.

i would of thought they would prefer to play in asia as they would be much more likely to ever qualify

[ArdeeBhoy]

Well, exactly. More fool them.

[Charlie Darwin]

Not at all.

Just think them, Turkey, the Kazaks and Armenia/Azerbaijan should all play in Asia, as you have to draw a line somewhere geographically.
The fact that some of them are flawed is just incidental.

I think you'll find thee is a line drawn right down the middle of Istanbul.

[Closed Account 2]

So much for Sweden. Lost to Hungary the last day and now its taken them 65mins to score against San Marino.

They are no great shakes at all. I would fear the Austrians as much as the Swedes and Alma-Alta could be as difficult away as Stockholm.

[ArdeeBhoy]

I think you'll find thee is a line drawn right down the middle of Istanbul.

Which would exclude all those four for starters....