Pommy
Coach
- Messages
- 14,657
The alternative is you have a straight draw and risk having France put 100 points on someone like Latvia or Norway which isn’t good for anyone.
Having a seed system isn’t unique to league or a bad system.
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Rankings in league are generally taken with a grain of salt, I will use the Cook Islands as an example. Theres no doubt they can put together a formidable team, good enough to challenge the top teams, problem is, they hardly play but when they do, they play top teams like Samoa, PNG, Tonga and Fiji, all of whom they usually have to beat to qualify for the World Cup. Those teams are better than the ones the European and particularly the American teams have to play but when they lose, they dont get a 2nd bite at the pie like the others.
I've got no problem with the seed system, only problem I have are some teams given more than one chance to qualify while others only given one chance. Stick with the seed system, have the winner and/or runner up of the lower tier comp move up to the higher tier qualifying comp and who ever finishes in the top ranking spots take the world cup births, the road ends for the others.
I didn't mean the actual rankings, I meant the standard of each country.
Yes, but that doesnt explain why a Country like the Cook Islands is never given a 2nd chance when they have to play better teams than the European and American teams.
We are treading on dangerous ground when we make exceptions for some and not for others. Its a bit like our rules for the game, different rules for Internationals and club footy. Give every team equal opportunity to qualify regardless of population size or their financial situation as you're not always guaranteed success with bigger, more richer Countries when it comes to a minor sport like league.
Some would say the Cooks have it easy, as they only have to win 1 match in order to qualify, whereas there are some European teams that have to play as many as 7-8 games (and win) in order to get in.
I beg to differ, theres nothing wrong with giving everyone equal opportunity. Also, if smaller island Nation Niue can organise a tour to South Africa, Im sure the Cooks can pull something out of the bag.
Hmmmm...as opposed to facing a sudden death against the might of Fiji, PNG, Tonga and Samoa....Im sure those European and American teams are glad they dont have to play against their opposition as theres no easy games.
You will never get a perfect system. And as mentioned above, their tiny populations aren't helping their cause either.
Correct about the perfect system but I still think everyone should be given equal opportunity regardless of population size or financial restraints. Thats fair to me.
Like I've said before. Everyone should get an equal opportunity to qualify for the World Cup. If you lose your qualifier games then you shouldn't be given a second chance to re-qualify when others arent afforded the same opportunity. The teams who miss out on the America's and European qualifications get a 2nd chance, the Asia/Pacific dont, yet the Pacific have the toughest teams to overcome.
Yes, the only reason why theres no Pacific qualifiers this time is because all the P.Is teams made it to the quarters at the last World Cup. Usually they have a sudden death like the last one with Tonga v Cooks and no repechage for the loser.
