[Archived] England's Next Manager?

[Stuart]

I'm curious chaddy, did Georgia (137th in FIFA rankings) deserve the right to play the highest ranked British team, Wales (10th)?

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

A bit like the AFC qualifiers for the world cup then, so applying that across the board lets go the full hog each confederation have the same number of teams in the final competition 4 each (ok Oceania would struggle so 5 from UEFA, 5 from Comenbol, 4 from Concaf, AFC, CAF and 2 from Oceania) .

Be pointless England playing any qualification games when there was possibly no chance of being in the final 5 from UEFA , fair?

I don't see how weeding out the minnows relates to realocating the proportion of qualfying places for each region.

I notice the stereotype insult of English arrogance has made its way into the debate (the usual, its never prejudiced when it's insulting England) but it's got nothing to do with that. There are numerous countries in Europe with absurdly small populations. Common sense would almost dictate players from those countried should just play for a larger neighbour (e.g. Andorra players can play for either Spain or France) but whatever. If we absolutely have to include every nation as it's own independent team then fine but why not get rid of these pointless matches.

You'd actually be doing the minnows a favour as well. All their fans ever get to see is their team being battered as similar sized countries they'd have a chance against are all in other groups thanks to seeding. I'm sure they'd enjoy a properly competitive tournament with a decent prize at the end of it (as playing the big boys in qualifying would attain more value once became rarer and harder to achieve).

It'll probably never happen anyway. FIFA's money-grabbing mentality is always aimed towards expanding everything. More teams in tournaments, more countries bidding on tournaments (so more bungs), why not more teams in qualifying.

[yoda]

lets scrap the FA cup while we are at it

[Hasta]

As much as I don't like the gigantic faced Geordie, Bruce would have been a better choice than Southgate.

[chaddyrovers]

It was competitive game though i.e. a World cup qualifier and we got 3 points, so it was not pointless.

Wenger is the next England manager, Southgate is just keeping the seat warm

hasn't Wenger always said that an Englishman should be in charge of England team.

You do realise that this was the first time that Iceland have qualified for the finals of any major football tournament don't you, it was not that long ago they were ranked only 40 places higher than Malta currently are.

How do you think they improved? by only playing against teams ranked around the same in competitive games?

In your dreamworld of over hyped Premier League type world football they might never have improved.

Maybe the reason the game against Malta was not entertaining enough for you was the failure of the England team to put them to the sword, or maybe a team picked to appease sponsors was not they way to go. But I am sure it did Southgate no harm to be the next manager

I am fully aware of Iceland improve actually.

England never even got out of 1st gear in the game

lets scrap the FA cup while we are at it

different competition

I'm curious chaddy, did Georgia (137th in FIFA rankings) deserve the right to play the highest ranked British team, Wales (10th)?

I haven't seen the game Stuart so couldn't comment on the quality. But there is teams like Andorra, Malta, San Marino, etc who aren't competitive and might be serve playing each other in like 16 teams tournament with the top 4 going through to the proper group stages

[ABBEY]

You didnt even see the game but said "viewers" were bored...how did you come to this conclusion?

[yoda]

hasn't Wenger always said that an Englishman should be in charge of England team.

this is football, his contract finishes in the summer

I am fully aware of Iceland improve actually.

England never even got out of 1st gear in the game

different competition

No Sh1t sherlock, you never could recognise humour

I haven't seen the game Stuart so couldn't comment on the quality. But there is teams like Andorra, Malta, San Marino, etc who aren't competitive and might be serve playing each other in like 16 teams tournament with the top 4 going through to the proper group stages

[Hasta]

I haven't seen the game Stuart so couldn't comment on the quality. But there is teams like Andorra, Malta, San Marino, etc who aren't competitive and might be serve playing each other in like 16 teams tournament with the top 4 going through to the proper group stages

I debated this yesterday with a couple of my mates in the pub. The problem is you are looking at it from a (supposedly) top class countr's point of view.

Malta may well get roasted off the top seeds but over the last 20 years they have been competitive at times against mid-ranked teams such as Bulgaria, Hungary, Northern Ireland etc... Why shouldn't they be guaranteed to play those mid-ranked nations who they can take points from.

[perthblue02]

England never even got out of 1st gear in the game

So why was that Malta's fault?

You should be glad teams like Malta are in our group, more chance of us qualifying

[ABBEY]

chaddy says england never got out of second gear? how does he know that if he didnt even watch?

[perthblue02]

chaddy says england never got out of second gear? how does he know that if he didnt even watch?

tbf Chaddy was referring to the Georgia v Wales match with that comment I think

[frosty]

But there is teams like Andorra, Malta, San Marino, etc who aren't competitive

Malta could quite easily point out that they only lost 2-0 to England, 1-0 to Italy (twice) and 1-0 to Croatia - results which would suggest that they're competitive.

Great results really for a country of just over 400,000 people, credit to them.

[chaddyrovers]

tbf Chaddy was referring to the Georgia v Wales match with that comment I think

I was referring to the Georgia Wales games.

I watched the England game as Why would I ever missed an England game

[ABBEY]

tbf Chaddy was referring to the Georgia v Wales match with that comment I think

apologies then

[J*B]

I was referring to the Georgia Wales games.

I watched the England game as Why would I ever missed an England game

I feel for you. I've heard watching every England game and every Rovers game is an ISIS torture technique.

[MCMC1875]

.

[chaddyrovers]

I feel for you. I've heard watching every England game and every Rovers game is an ISIS torture technique.

Oh well

[Husky]

I didn't watch the game live. Now BFS has left there's simply no reason to ever watch another yawn-worthy England qualification game. Zzzzzzzzzzzzz!

I always suggest that if you really must, just watch the highlights and do something useful with the extra hour or so you save.

[Gav]

I had high hopes for the latest generation of England recruits, especially after the Cole, Terry, Ferdinand and Lampard era where they should all have been done for high treason.

But it seems highly paid over rated modern day England footballers are incapable of stringing a few passes together and beating a bunch of part time Maltese waiters convincingly, no disrespect intended to the Maltese players by the way.

Until average players stop becoming millionaires at 20yrs old the national side is fooked, simple as that.

[47er]

Hard to believe it was a sell-out! Against Malta?

I can only assume thousands of fans bought their tickets when Sam got the job and were looking forward to a new and scintillating era in our nation's football history.

[Stuart]

I haven't seen the game Stuart so couldn't comment on the quality. But there is teams like Andorra, Malta, San Marino, etc who aren't competitive and might be serve playing each other in like 16 teams tournament with the top 4 going through to the proper group stages

What has quality got to do with them not being allowed the chances of a results against a supposed top class side?

Teams who aren't competitive? How utterly arrogant.

Malta certainly competed, as did Lithuania (117) and Georgia. Maybe Scotland (44) aren't a competitive team?

Maybe tournaments should just be made up of the top dozen teams as decided by the history books? Or maybe you could decide?

[donnermeat]

There's nothing wrong with the current system, everyone is on a level playing field. There is a ranking system in place but nothing that can definitively say team x is better than team y.

Don't like it? Then don't watch it, simple as that.

[arbitro]

The 'bigger' footballing countries get enough help from the seeding system which FIFA and EUFA use. The seeding system is pretty much there to give the likes of England the best chance of qualifying simply because they are needed for TV coverage and larger viewing figures in the finals.

[JHRover]

The 'bigger' footballing countries get enough help from the seeding system which FIFA and EUFA use. The seeding system is pretty much there to give the likes of England the best chance of qualifying simply because they are needed for TV coverage and larger viewing figures in the finals.

FIFA/UEFA's sole motivation is money. Whatever they do is ultimately with the cash in mind. Seeding is designed to ensure all the major nations qualify for all the tournaments to ensure maximum saleability to the media companies and tournament sponsors as well as full stadia. The existing ludicrous qualifying system which has far too many teams and takes far too long to complete with waste of time games between Germany and Liechtenstein is in place so that the various national teams can fill their stadia 2-3 times a year, sell their broadcasting rights and advertise their new kits.

I've a couple of friends who have gone out to Slovenia for the game tomorrow. Just to qualify to buy away tickets they have to pay a £70odd membership fee. That's before they get their hands on tickets. Just to be able to buy them they have to pay the FA money. Not for me I'm afraid. Can't blame countries like Slovenia or Malta rubbing their hands with glee when England come to town, filling their allocations, filling hotels and bars and restaurants, but as far as I'm concerned the whole process is nothing more than a money making scheme for UEFA/FIFA and the national associations to cash in on people loyally following their country.

I've been to the new Wembley 3-4 times to watch England in qualifiers/friendlies and the whole thing repulses me. £40odd for one of the worst seats in the house to watch England stroll past Moldova. £5-6 a beer for a small plastic bottle of Carlsberg. £5 a programme. Horrible, soulless, manufactured atmosphere. Its not for me at all.

[donnermeat]

I've been to the new Wembley 3-4 times to watch England in qualifiers/friendlies and the whole thing repulses me. £40odd for one of the worst seats in the house to watch England stroll past Moldova. £5-6 a beer for a small plastic bottle of Carlsberg. £5 a programme. Horrible, soulless, manufactured atmosphere. Its not for me at all.

I wouldn't drink Carlsberg if they paid ME £5 to drink it!