ScotsRik Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 "52 of Europe’s 53 teams will be involved in the Preliminary Draw, with the only exception being Russia who qualify automatically as hosts. They will be put into seven groups of six teams and two groups of five teams according to the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking of July 2015, with each team playing each other home and away between 4 September 2016 and 10 October 2017. "It should also be noted that UEFA have requested that England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands must be drawn into a group containing six teams." Maybe this has been discussed before - but why this?.....and how did they decide on these six countries?? Being that these seem to be the most powerful/influential nation's, Is this part of Platini's 'Week of Football' TV sales package? It means that if you want a six team group, very slight chance of it including the lowest seeded country. The four not included in this 'elite' group are Belgium, Wales, Portugal and Croatia. Did UEFA do a draw to decide this?? But really, why complicate? Why introduce a bit of bias into a pretty straight forward draw???? Maybe I have missed UEFA's explanation........has it been questioned?.....do any of you know?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khana Lagur Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Money, plain and simple. Those countries have the biggest TV audiences in Europe, so it maximises revenues. It's no longer about football - it's about money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanderer Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 (edited) UEFA are basically treating the fixtures the same as they do for the Euro draw.That is the 6 biggest TV countries and thus should be kept apart.FIFA are doing the draw, but UEFA are using their Euro model in it.... Russia will also be put into one of the 2 groups of 5 just like France are just now (as Gibraltar are not recognised by FIFA there will be 2 5 groups rather than 1). Suppose one good thing about it is that it limits the chances of a monster pot 1 and pot 2 draw... ie, no chance of Germany and Italy or Netherlands and France etc...... Edited July 24, 2015 by wanderer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donaldo87 Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Can France and Italy still go into a group with the big guns or do they have to be in a separate groups say with Romania and Wales? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanderer Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 (edited) Can France and Italy still go into a group with the big guns or do they have to be in a separate groups say with Romania and Wales? As said, they can not draw Spain, England, Germany or Netherlands..... so effectively, two from Wales, Romania, Croatia, Belgium and Portugal are going to get France and Italy regardless Edited July 24, 2015 by wanderer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScotsRik Posted July 24, 2015 Author Share Posted July 24, 2015 As said, they can not draw Spain, England, Germany or Netherlands..... so effectively, two from Wales, Romania, Croatia, Belgium and Portugal are going to get France and Italy regardless I misread the rules and only just spotted that Italy and France are Pot 2 teams!! Anyway, I don't see the bit where they cannot draw the teams mentioned from Pot 1. Does it mean that these teams must be in separate groups of six teams? If it just means they have to be in 6 team groups, then that surely could still happen with France/Italy being in the same group as say Germany/England??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McToot Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 When they're all in the same pot I don't have problem with them being in 6 team groups but to keep them apart when in different pots is a farce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanderer Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 I misread the rules and only just spotted that Italy and France are Pot 2 teams!! Anyway, I don't see the bit where they cannot draw the teams mentioned from Pot 1. Does it mean that these teams must be in separate groups of six teams? If it just means they have to be in 6 team groups, then that surely could still happen with France/Italy being in the same group as say Germany/England??? Not sure how they will put it into practice, as they got lucky with the Euro draw when the top 6 TV nations were all in pot 1.... this time France and Italy have dipped down. If they are doing it that these 6 teams must be separate, then suppose they will do what they do when the likes of Russia draw Ukraine or Armenia draw Azerbaijan.... "these teams can not be drawn together, so Armenia will go into the next group" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazziessc Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Farce is an understatement. Basically to maximise money from the qualifiers while ensuring these "big 6" get as favorable a draw as possible making sure they can qualify for the main event to again maximise money! Travisty for FIFA if any of these dont make it to Russia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grim Jim Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 http://www.uefa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=2257685.html • Due to the centralisation of media rights for European Qualifiers, England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands will all be drawn into six-team groups. They may be placed in the same group if they are in different seeding pots. Bet they aren't though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScotsRik Posted July 24, 2015 Author Share Posted July 24, 2015 Thinking about it, although it isn't clear, they must be separating France and Italy from the other 'big' teams from Pot 1. Otherwise, by ensuring Italy/France are in a group of six teams, then the chances of these 2 avoiding the afremantioned 4 teams from Pot 1 goes from 5 in 9 to 3 in 7.......and if the first of these 'got lucky' then it would be a 2/1 On chance that the second team WOULD draw one of the big guns. So although not clearly stated, it seems Wanderer is probably correct........unless they want to give themselves the best chance of a TV blockbuster supergroup! How would UEFA justify this to FIFA if not on the grounds of politcal sensitivity/safety. What a joke!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazziessc Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 http://www.uefa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=2257685.html Bet they aren't though. Ofcourse not. That would mean their money spinners dont get there You'd think with all the corruption allegations they would do all they could to minimise favoritism and make the draw as fair as possible for everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanderer Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Farce is an understatement. Basically to maximise money from the qualifiers while ensuring these "big 6" get as favorable a draw as possible making sure they can qualify for the main event to again maximise money! Travisty for FIFA if any of these dont make it to Russia. Sure the Netherlands are not thinking that at the moment. Suppose it means every group (bar the 2 5's) get a "big" pay day..... rather than some "unattractive" top seed who will bring a car load of fans across. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanderer Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Thinking about it, although it isn't clear, they must be separating France and Italy from the other 'big' teams from Pot 1. Otherwise, by ensuring Italy/France are in a group of six teams, then the chances of these 2 avoiding the afremantioned 4 teams from Pot 1 goes from 5 in 9 to 3 in 7.......and if the first of these 'got lucky' then it would be a 2/1 On chance that the second team WOULD draw one of the big guns. So although not clearly stated, it seems Wanderer is probably correct........unless they want to give themselves the best chance of a TV blockbuster supergroup! Sure that is how I read it in the original proposal, but then when the seeds were announced it just so happened that 5 of the big 6 (with the exception of France) were all pot 1 teams.... maybe UEFA have revised it since Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tartanpar Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 (edited) Italy and France can be drawn with any team in pot 1. They only think that is being fixed is the 5 top money earners for UEFA will not be in one of the 5 team groups (they don't want them playing 2 less games than everyone. The same thing happened at the last euro draw too. I am hoping we get drawn in one of the smaller groups but in the one that Russia are placed for friendlies. Edited July 24, 2015 by tartanpar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norsefox Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Italy and France can be drawn with any team in pot 1. They only think that is being fixed is the 5 top money earners for UEFA will not be in one of the 5 team groups (they don't want them playing 2 less games than everyone. The same thing happened at the last euro draw too. I am hoping we get drawn in one of the smaller groups but in the one that Russia are placed for friendlies. You only lose a minnow. I'd rather we drew Malta/San Marino so we have an opportunity to experiment a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bennyal Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 You only lose a minnow. I'd rather we drew Malta/San Marino so we have an opportunity to experiment a bit. Would rather experiment in a friendly against the future hosts in Russia, points come before performances Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tartanpar Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 You only lose a minnow. I'd rather we drew Malta/San Marino so we have an opportunity to experiment a bit. No my reason for wanting a 5 team group is to guarantee avoiding France and Italy from pot 2 and Spain, Germany, England and Netherlands from pot 1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanderer Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Would rather experiment in a friendly against the future hosts in Russia, points come before performances I am actually impressed that France are actually going ahead with this requirement (I do not think it was a case of they must play the 5 group teams, just they get first refusal) as they are playing them all (Denmark, Armenia, Serbia, Portugal and Albania) but Denmark seems to be the only one they are playing in a double header.... rest (with exception of Portugal) have all been friendlies in out the way places in France. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donaldo87 Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 No my reason for wanting a 5 team group is to guarantee avoiding France and Italy from pot 2 and Spain, Germany, England and Netherlands from pot 1. This! Not to mention avoiding potential baw ache pot 6 teams like Kazakstan and Georgia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tartanpar Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 (edited) I am actually impressed that France are actually going ahead with this requirement (I do not think it was a case of they must play the 5 group teams, just they get first refusal) as they are playing them all (Denmark, Armenia, Serbia, Portugal and Albania) but Denmark seems to be the only one they are playing in a double header.... rest (with exception of Portugal) have all been friendlies in out the way places in France. I don't think it is optional. It is all part of the TV deal.It would be mad for them not to as they wouldn't have any European teams to play for 2 years (except on a couple of dates). No much preparation to host a tournament and warm up with games v non European teams. Edited July 24, 2015 by tartanpar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristolhibby Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Italy and France can be drawn with any team in pot 1. They only think that is being fixed is the 5 top money earners for UEFA will not be in one of the 5 team groups (they don't want them playing 2 less games than everyone. The same thing happened at the last euro draw too. I am hoping we get drawn in one of the smaller groups but in the one that Russia are placed for friendlies. This. Groups of Death are possible, just not in groups of 5. J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McDange Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Scotland's rankings since 1993. http://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/associations/association=sco/men/index.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackhayes17 Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Romania, Bosnia, SCOTLAND, Faroe Islands and Estonia please. Would be a bra group Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daddybuc16 Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Brutal. The draw fixed before its even taken place. off fifa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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