Football 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Thread

[Bus Stop Chicane]

So the quest to get to Brazil in two years time gets underway in about three and a half weeks time, so I thought I'd create this thread early for international football fans to talk about their countrie's group, fixture list and such.

I don't have the energy to type out all of the groups myself so here's a link to the details of European qualifying. However I don't discriminate and fans from all around the world can join in.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_(UEFA)

I'll start with my views on Scotland's group. Our first two games are at home to Serbia and Macedonia. Serbia is a very difficult first game and as it's at Hampden Park the pressure is already on. Personally I'll be happy with a point here so long as we then beat Macedonia. John Toshack recently quit as their manager which is a shame from a Scot's point of view as the guy couldn't organise a piss-up in a brury IMO.

I also think that if we don't finish top two in the group Levein should go as there is no superpower in the group. Croatia are good but their no Germany, Spain etc who we'd have absolutely no chance against.

Unfortunately I don't think we'll qualify but that's hardly anything new is it?

What do other fans think of their countrie's chances?

 

[Brogan]

I expect Wales won't progress past the first stage...as usual

 

[Johnny Carwash]

Have every faith that Wales are going to qualify for this World Cup in Brazil.

 

[Galahad]

I think the draw was pretty kind to both Scotland and Wales. Croatia are one of the weakest top seed teams, Serbia have some good individuals but struggle to get results, and ditto Belgium.

I don't expect either to make it, though. Have to wait for the expanded Euro 2016 I fear.

 

[FB]

Have every faith that Wales are going to qualify for this World Cup in Brazil.

sorry...

 

[mjo]

Well I think England will canter through qualifying.... but then it will go wrong.

 

[teabagyokel]

I never have confidence in England.

Reckon Belgium are a coming force - they've underperformed by a bit thusfar.

And there's always France vs Spain! (0-2)

 

[Johnny Carwash]

Good shout there teabagyokel about Belgium they have a good crop of players at the moment, and are going to be a force to be reckoned with in the coming years i think.

 

[sushifiesta]

It seems so strange that it's not Team GB after the Olympics, we'd be better off if it was as well. I think maybe I'll be more supportive of Wales, Scotland and Ireland now, I liked to see them do well before but I was pretty indifferent.

Anyway.... I can see Wales maybe sneaking through if luck goes their way, they've got one or two great players. Scottish football is in disarray so I can't see them making much progress. As for England, they should qualify, but Moldova and San Marino aside there aren't any easy fixtures (and I'm sure they'll make beating Moldova and San Marino as difficult as possible). I think Hodgson did a good job to organise the team at such short notice for the Euros and I hope he can carry it on.

 

[teabagyokel]

This map from Wikipedia is interesting - a country highlighted in red is already out of the World Cup:

There are 128 teams who still have a theoretical chance of playing in the World Cup (not including Brazil).

 

[F1Yorkshire]

I'm assuming grey denotes a country not taking part in the qualification but what does purple mean?

 

[teabagyokel]

F1Yorkshire - Member of FIFA who hasn't entered the World Cup, as opposed to non-FIFA member.

 

[Olivier]

Canada is currently fighting for a spot in the 4th round of the CONCACAF. Once there there will be 3 teams to qualify directly, I'm hoping Canada will be one of them but let's face it if we make that far we may need to go to the play-offs vs Oceania best team.

 

[Speshal]

It seems so strange that it's not Team GB after the Olympics, we'd be better off if it was as well. I think maybe I'll be more supportive of Wales, Scotland and Ireland now,

I don't think they are in GB

 

[teabagyokel]

Olivier - that is an eminently winnable group for Canada, isn't it? They've avoided the two giants of North American football, so at least they'll have a more than decent chance of making the hexagonal.

 

[Olivier]

@teabagyokel

It certainly is but it won't be an easy task, all the other teams are ranked higher than us at the moment, Canada has a good momentum going on and hasn't lost in this qualifying tournament so far. Let's see if we can keep it up come September when we have back-to-back games with Panama.

 

[Johnny Carwash]

teabagyokel do you know who that purple team is in West Africa who is not taking part?

 

[teabagyokel]

Johnny Carwash - Mauritania!

 

[Jos the Boss]

They might as well have put San Marino and Andorra in grey, also, 4 games for England this year

 

[Bus Stop Chicane]

Jos

Think you mean Moldova not Andorra, also Moldova are a bit better.

I can't wait until England play San Marino at Wembley. How on earth are the English media going to build up that game?! If England don't score at least 4 they'll have done badly.