Football (Soccer) Thread

[Duque de Bragança]

La France qualifiée!!

Against the mighty Belarus with a 2-1 victory! 

Better than losing to not-so-mighty Trinidad and Tobago 2-1.

More, and back on topic. France gets seeded status for the WC draw, unlike Spain by a mere 8 FIFA points lead, or England and Italy. All of that, thanks to the infamous FIFA ranking and its quirks, this victory and a very unlikely chain of events: defeats of Wales vs Ireland, Switzerland vs Portugal, Chile vs Brazil and Peru tie with Colombia (the latter two are more surprising).
So there is something to rejoice for you.
Once again, FIFA ranking system is a mess, putting at a disavantage teams who play (more) friendlies.

This Le Monde article has all the details.

http://www.lemonde.fr/mondial-2018/article/2017/10/11/coupe-du-monde-2018-la-france-miraculeusement-tete-de-serie-malgre-la-fff_5199415_5193650.html

[Grey Fox]

Why would you advantage teams who play more friendlies? Friendlies are training & cash grab games. Worth nothing.

[dps]

Why would you advantage teams who play more friendlies? Friendlies are training & cash grab games. Worth nothing.

I can think of 3 reasons off the top of my head:

1)  You want to encourage teams to play more friendlies.

2)  You're incompetent at designing a ranking system.

3)  Someone bribed you to do it that way.

Given FIFA, those are likely listed in their inverse order of likelihood/importance.

[Liep]

WC Q Playoffs

Danmark - Irland
Nordirland – Schweiz
Kroatien – Grækenland
Sverige - Italien

I think we've got a good chance of winning the playoffs against Ireland, so maybe finally we'll get to a WC again.

[Grey Fox]

Love the Greece name.

[Duque de Bragança]

WC Q Playoffs

Danmark - Irland
Nordirland – Schweiz
Kroatien – Grækenland
Sverige - Italien

I think we've got a good chance of winning the playoffs against Ireland, so maybe finally we'll get to a WC again.

Most people would rather have Irish fans around.  Plus, Denmark-Sweden would be so much better and would guarantee a Scandinavian team. 

[Maladict]

WC Q Playoffs

Danmark - Irland
Nordirland – Schweiz
Kroatien – Grækenland
Sverige - Italien

I think we've got a good chance of winning the playoffs against Ireland, so maybe finally we'll get to a WC again.

Hopefully 

Northern Ireland / Switzerland on the other hand 

[Duque de Bragança]

Northern Ireland / Switzerland on the other hand 

Switzerland should win this one.

[Liep]

Our good national team is however not so fortunate. The union is forfeiting the qualification game against Sweden tomorrow because they won't sign an improved contract that would see the women employed on the same conditions as the men although at a much lower pay.

This results in a disqualification and there's no longer any way to qualify for the Olympics either.

[Valmy]

What does 'same conditions' mean?

[Liep]

What does 'same conditions' mean?

Basically that the Union takes on the role of employer which gives the players certain legal rights as well as the state benefits that comes from having a job.

[Valmy]

What does 'same conditions' mean?

Basically that the Union takes on the role of employer which gives the players certain legal rights as well as the state benefits that comes from having a job.

Ah. So what are they now? Basically temps or contract employees or something?

[Liep]

Ah. So what are they now? Basically temps or contract employees or something?

Something like that, they're not earning a lot from the games and that won't change, but with the new status the good players will have an easier time focusing 100% on football instead of having to work part time elsewhere to make sure they can get benefits during maternity leave, loss of job (injury) or whatever.

[Liep]

It makes a lot of sense for women's football in Denmark to give them the contract, but I guess the Union still sees women doing sports as a phase.

[Ed Anger]

Looks like Val will get the Columbus team in Austin in a few years. Columbus is balking at a taxpayer funded stadium downtown.

The old stadium is a whole 18 years old.