QuoteI see what you mean...
I believe so, but I think the the big issue, last I read, was that there was no pitch/stadia at all that would come close to the minimum standards.
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
This is a good, if slightly out of date, article on some of the complications thst severely effect how countries get on in the recognition process (and why Kosovo may not benfit from any precedent that Gibraltar has set, unfortunetly): http://nextfifapresident.blogspot.ie...-and-fifa.html
"Thus we have Kosovo, recognized by FIFA as a nation that may play other FIFA nations, but not allowed to join UEFA; Greenland, unable to join UEFA but having received FIFA assistance; Gibraltar, desperate to join both UEFA and FIFA but opposed by Spain and a hastily written rule; and the Faroe Islands, fully fledged UEFA and FIFA members."
I would say Greenland could get entry if they make the most of the financial assistance, but Kosovo remains in a diplomatic limbo.
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
Heard Greenland have one astro' pitch but it appears not?
Kosovo appear to have more of a legitimate claim as it this stage it should really only be independent sovereign states, not dependencies or colonial theme parks...
The terrain and pitches pictured do look kind of astronomical...Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy
Kosovo isn't recognised as an independent, sovereign state though. If Faroe's can be members, then legally speaking Greenland should be too.
It's just they don't have the capability to do so. I was just reading back on that "Outcasts: The Lands FIFA Forgot" book, which has a chapter on Greenland. They can only play outdoor football three months out of the year, and their league has to be regionalised since the road network isn't safe enough to allow anything else. The grand final switches locations every year, and a while ago it was in a place that required the competing teams to take a week long boat journey to and from. A few years, three players
travelling on a boat to play in such a fixture went missing and were later found frozen to death.
They play on sand pitches, lacking grass, but have enough funding now to have built an Astroturf pitch that Blatter approved off. Coca Cola had a sponsorship deal with the national team for a while at least, since Greenland is one of the few places on Earth they don't have a dominant share in the soft drink market.
The Football Association of Greenland (Yup, FAG) did make moves to apply for FIFA membership, but claim Blatter and co went cold on them after some promising early discussions. Their chairman suggests it was, as always, to do with worries over places like Kosovo, Gibraltar and others using such moves as precedent.
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
AFAIK, the difference between the Faroes and Greenland is that the Faroes applied for (and got) FIFA membership before a rule came in which would have said they couldn't get membership. Gibraltar applied for membership before the rule came in too; it was just blocked till now, which is why they've finally been allowed in. Same won't hold for Greenland.
Kosovo you'd have to imagine will be members in due course, even if they're politically controversial.
You'd imagine Kosovo will become a UN member sooner rather than later. Serbia are still angling for EU membership, which is probably dependent on recognising Kosovo's sovereignty, and you'd imagine Russia's opposition to Kosovo's membership is based purely on their designs on keeping Serbia within their own sphere of influence. Once Serbia and Russia reach some sort of compromise over EU membership, the barrier to Kosovo's independence will gradually fade.
Greenland's membership will be much more problematic and may come through entering another association before UEFA eventually relaxes its UN rule.
The one thing Greenland does have in its favour is that it's hard for their clubs to compete in the Danish league given the distances involved. That's basically how come Tahiti are in FIFA despite not being a country; can't expect their clubs to compete in the French league.
On that exact point, the officials quoted in the book I mentioned before opposed this idea, on the grounds that they weren't interested in one two-legged play-off against some Caribbean team once every two years. They wanted what the Faroe's have - regular football which has enhanced the sport (relatively speaking) on the islands.
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
They may have to settle for second best though. I can't imagine too many UEFA members would be thrilled about having to go to Greenland for a qualifier.
Yes. But the Faroes are members under old rules. If they were to apply today they may not be accepted.
EDIT: As His Royal Pineappleness said.
Last edited by BonnieShels; 08/07/2013 at 1:41 PM.
DID YOU NOTICE A SIGN OUTSIDE MY HOUSE...?
They'd play in CONCACAF surely?
DID YOU NOTICE A SIGN OUTSIDE MY HOUSE...?
Ha . And yes.
His Royal Pineppleness (sic)!
Hmm...
I could get used to that, I think!
I see Martinique beat Canada in the Concacaf Gold Cup the other day. They're in Concacaf but not part of FIFA.
"Jacques Santini...will be greeted in every dugout of the country by "one-nil, one-nil" - Clive Tyldsley, 89th minute of France-England June 13, 2004.
"Ooooohhhh Nooooooo" Bobby Robson 91st minute.
With this cracking last-minute winner, no less:
TBF Canada are absolute muck
I would have thought by now that Canada would have seen come improvement with 3 MLS teams but it looks like they've gone backwards.
"Jacques Santini...will be greeted in every dugout of the country by "one-nil, one-nil" - Clive Tyldsley, 89th minute of France-England June 13, 2004.
"Ooooohhhh Nooooooo" Bobby Robson 91st minute.
Article about managing the minnows in current When Saturday comes:
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