North Korea vs. Portugal

[pettyfog]

Yes, it is nonsense.

Just for the record, this game is being played between the 3rd and 105th 'FIFA ranked' teams.

And just for the record, I call Bullshit. Fifa isolated SA for apartheid.. yet allow this team to play?

What about that is not racist, when it comes down to it? I feel for the players and their families.. yet they benefitted from being selected for the Pony Show.

 

[Rook]

Rook clearly dislikes Europeans.

Not really but in this tourney they've been gash, acting like overpaid babies. The teams who aren't play way too negative. I do like the Sloveinan team though.

Portugal was sweet in the 2nd half. You have to give them credit for their finishing considering the finishing hasn't been good this tourney.

 

[Nordecke]

I bet the whole NK team defects after this game..

 

[ijjysmith]

Someone isnt happy

 

[Hilga]

Missed the match, I assume 2/3 of the DPRK team defected at half time?

 

[TX Bill]

I was laughing at the disparity between the rankings and how much BS it was until Portugal put seven past them.

Still, all things being equal, I think NK is a much higher quality team than the ranking indicates. I'd love to see them get three points off the Ivory Coast.

They've got some good players.

 

[jdeezy]

Yes, it is nonsense.

Just for the record, this game is being played between the 3rd and 105th 'FIFA ranked' teams.

Thing is, while I very much despise FIFA's "less than 100% transparency" w/ their rankings, seedings, & overall tendency to change policies ad hoc based on circumstances largely driven by money...

Many of these rankings/seedings are largely dependent upon some fairly straightforward components.

-results in major competitons
-results weighted against level of opposition

This is similar to Google's "secret algorithms" used to index/rank websites in order to populate natural search results. The exact algorithms may be changing & unknown, but the components are pretty out in the open (ie-relevant content, page rank, etc.).

So...for teams in non-powerhouse regions, it's very difficult to move up in the rankins. They don't get opportunities to play top teams, & it's almost impossible to gain a "seed" for WC, which dramatically reduces chances for advancement out of group stage, in turn preventing them from moving up based on discussed component of "prior recent success at major tournaments". Bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy/vicious cycle there. And FIFA is JUST FINE w/ that as it ensures continued success & inclusion from their money making, traditional powerhouses!

 

[teppic]

That is a good reply, but one thing I never understood, without wanting to offend any nations supporters, is how are the USA and Mexico so highly ranked?

I just don't really rate the Northern American standard.

And Egypt are the 12th best team in the world???? Honestly!

How can Greece be 13th if South Korea are 47th? Are Gabon (ranked 42nd) really 5 places better than the South Koreans?

I know someone is always going to be disappointed so I guess the answer is take the rankings with a pinch of salt.

And don't get me started on Israel. 26th best team in the world?? To quote Jim Royle... "My Arse!!!!!"

 

[jdeezy]

That is a good reply, but one thing I never understood, without wanting to offend any nations supporters, is how are the USA and Mexico so highly ranked?

I just don't really rate the Northern American standard.

And Egypt are the 12th best team in the world???? Honestly!

How can Greece be 13th if South Korea are 47th? Are Gabon (ranked 42nd) really 5 places better than the South Koreans?

I know someone is always going to be disappointed so I guess the answer is take the rankings with a pinch of salt.

And don't get me started on Israel. 26th best team in the world?? To quote Jim Royle... "My Arse!!!!!"

Again, I come back to my original reply & the components factored. We beat the #1 team in the world at time, in a major FIFA tournament (you can argue "major", but that's not point; FIFA considers it as such, which is all that matters). We tied Argentina I believe, when they were somewhere in 1-3 range. We beat Egypt, the African Cup Nations holders (again, major Fifa tournament factor).

Mexico has consistently advanced beyond group stages in WC as well as strong showings in Copa Libertadores & I believe possibly a Confed Cup title which included some major teams (don't quote me there though, could be wrong).

US also advanced to quarters in 2002 WC.

And b/c of the unique challenges of playing on the road in our region, 2nd tier teams (honduras, costa rica, etc.) can pull out results from time to time against U.S./mexico, thereby helping their rankings. In contrast, UEFA is set up to push through powerhouses much more easily, & venue/road games don't present same challenges as a hostile mexican/central american game. Trust me, ANY European team would struggle at mexico's azteca, w/ altitude, urine thrown on you, etc.

And greece had its Euro run. Again, consistent w/ the "major tournament success" factor.

 

[teppic]

Well the confederations Cup is a nonsense tournament.

The USA only qualify for it because they beat Mexico. I'm not sure who else give the US trouble up there so forgive my simplicity on the matter. So if FIFA give out double points for that then I have to raise an eyebrow.

However I believe the US are a good side, and I'm not going down the ragging the US road.

Greece were the Euro champions 6 years back. And they were dog awful. So bad in fact they did not then qualify for the World Cup in 2006.

To have them ranked as the 12 best team on the planet is just strange.

Israel.. have they even qualified for a World Cup? Why are they the 26th best team? Have they ever qualified for any major tournament? I don't even know if they qualify in Europe, Africa or Asia. That is how bland they are.

Finally Gabon. Now I'm going to compare them to South Korea to try and understand FIFA's thinking.

South Korea have qualified for 6 World Cups on the trot. In 2002 they were semi finalists.

In qualifying for this tournamnet they topped their qualifying group without losing a match.

Gabon finished behind the first team to be knocked out in SA.

FIFA rankings decision? Gabon better than South Korea and Japan. Although I agree with them being better than Scotland~!

At the end of the day it really does not matter. It's just the first time I've actually looked at the rankings in detail.

Good luck one and all!

 

[Allezfan]

Well the confederations Cup is a nonsense tournament.

The USA only qualify for it because they beat Mexico. I'm not sure who else give the US trouble up there so forgive my simplicity on the matter. So if FIFA give out double points for that then I have to raise an eyebrow.

However I believe the US are a good side, and I'm not going down the ragging the US road.

Greece were the Euro champions 6 years back. And they were dog awful. So bad in fact they did not then qualify for the World Cup in 2006.

To have them ranked as the 12 best team on the planet is just strange.

Israel.. have they even qualified for a World Cup? Why are they the 26th best team? Have they ever qualified for any major tournament? I don't even know if they qualify in Europe, Africa or Asia. That is how bland they are.

Finally Gabon. Now I'm going to compare them to South Korea to try and understand FIFA's thinking.

South Korea have qualified for 6 World Cups on the trot. In 2002 they were semi finalists.

In qualifying for this tournamnet they topped their qualifying group without losing a match.

Gabon finished behind the first team to be knocked out in SA.

FIFA rankings decision? Gabon better than South Korea and Japan. Although I agree with them being better than Scotland~!

At the end of the day it really does not matter. It's just the first time I've actually looked at the rankings in detail.

Good luck one and all!

Yeah, that is odd.

Israel are in UEFA (we were in their group for the 2008 european championship qualifiers) but they haven't reached a major tournament since 1970. Gabon have never qualified for the World cup and have only got past the first round of the african nations once. No way are either better than the Japanese or the South Koreans.

It has to be that asian nations are given less points than countires from other continents which is bizarre.

Egypt being 12th I would defend though. They smash everybody in the african nations every time it's held.

 

[Rook]

I don't have a problem with some of the African teams rankings. I also think that Africa is the most difficult confed to qualify as if you lose 1 and that could be it right there.

Asia's problem has been that they were all rated low and so when then play each other so no one gets a bump. NK despite the score is a decent team and probably should be rated around 50. If you beat a team ranked 50 twice like SK did then on that alone you'd be already be around 30-35. SK will move up in the rankings alot and if they build on that with an Asian cup then they'll be top 20. In the end I don't think matters, one of from asia or Africa will get a No.1 seed for a long time. The only non-Euro non-SA member who can get a No1 seed the next WC is Mexico.