World Cup Playoffs

[Liam]

The qualifiers:

Pot 1

Russia

France

Greece

Portugal

Pot 2

Ukraine

Republic of Ireland

Bosnia-Herzegovina

Slovenia

The draw is on Monday. In a late, but perfectly understandable, change of heart, FIFA have decided to seed the draw, with teams divided into 2 pots according to their desirability at the tournament. A leading FIFA official was quoted today saying how important it would be to have Portugal in the finals given that Ronaldo is such a leading player. Let's hope the refs don't read that.

[IrishBlue]

FIFA are just f**king scum! What else can be said, why not let the 4 better ranked teams go through automatically. Whats the point in a lower ranked team finishing 2nd! So annoying for a team like Ireland who have finally found a bit of team spirit and good form, to be knocked down a peg by those w**kers who favour the more successful nation! God forbid a Portugal-France match! Hope Trap can get us out of this 1, alegend in my opinion already for what he's done with an average side!

COME ON YOU BOYS IN GREEN!!

[mad_mac]

I can't believe how you'd feel if you were cheated out of many decisions, and then failed to progress at the final hurdle, just because FIFA had pre determined the teams they wanted to progress. Oh wait, didn't something like that happen to us, but with UEFA.

Meant to ask, how many games are played? Is it just one. or is it a home and away fixture?

Edited October 15, 2009 by mad_mac

[loz]

It is a undeniably a disgraceful change of strategy by FIFA however I still fancy the Republic's chances of getting through. None of the four seeded teams are in particularly good form just now. Greece would probably be the ones you would want and possibly France the ones to avoid, not so much because they are playing well, but more because they ave a habit of getting a result when it is most needed.

[Liam]

Ireland got France with the home leg first. So the nightmare scenario for us.

FIFA have decided that Monsieur Pierre De Baguette will be the referee with Jean Claude Escargot and Romaine Moules Mariniere as assistants. Monsieur Thierry Petit Pois will be the fourth official.

Just to even things up a bit FIFA are considering giving France a goal start in each leg.

Happily I believe implicity in the integrity of FIFA because otherwise it would be easy to become cynical.

[midlandblue]

It's beyond a joke, it realy is.

[Plavi26]

Bosnia got Portugal, I hope they can do this and shut Ronaldo out of the World Cup. They did great in a tricky group, and now have to play by this new rule, same as Ireland.

[PloKoon13]

I think Bosnia might give Portugal a run for their money. They've been excellent in qualifying, and Portugal have been sloppy, and are missing Cronaldo through injury.

[Liam]

Bosnia got Portugal, I hope they can do this and shut Ronaldo out of the World Cup. They did great in a tricky group, and now have to play by this new rule, same as Ireland.

I hope Bosnia win too. In fact nothing would make me happier than if the 4 less financially attractive countries won through.

[mad_mac]

Same here Liam, I'd absolutely love for this to blow up in FIFA's face. However, I'd like for Guus to do well

[just]

A leading FIFA official was quoted today saying how important it would be to have Portugal in the finals given that Ronaldo is such a leading player. Let's hope the refs don't read that.

Whoa there Tiger! That's almost a conspiracy theory!

Don't go wobbly on us now Liam. Hold on to tight to that belief in UEFA and FIFA's integrity and impartiality that you've painstakingly built up for us over the years.

And to cheer you up mate, here's a bit of good news for you.

http://msnsport.skysports.com/story/0,1952...5643767,00.html

[Liam]

Cheers Just, that has cheered me up.

Blatter aplogised yesterday for seeding the draw saying they should have clarified the rules in advance. He said that it wouldn't happen again. You couldn't make this stuff up.

You're right by the way. I feel I'm moving over to the dark side. I hope you've kept a seat warm for me.

[geezer]

You're right by the way. I feel I'm moving over to the dark side. I hope you've kept a seat warm for me.

I believe there is one seat left but it is in the upper tier and therefore puts the tenant in grave danger of being struck by a Mikel missile.

[just]

You're right by the way. I feel I'm moving over to the dark side. I hope you've kept a seat warm for me.

Liam, come and sit here right next to me. But if you need any final convincing watch the sending off in the Fulham V Roma game tonight.

Let me set the scene. Foolham, (yes that little team down the road from SW6), were leading the Italian giants Roma, managed by that very nice man Mr Ranieri, 1-0. One of the Roma players makes a surging run into the box and is brought down, but with another Fulham defender literally three yards in front of him. No way in a million years was the foul made by the last man. So, the ref blows up, awards a penno, and then unbelievably red cards the Foolham player who was in front of the ball. He realises he has got it wrong..........and..... Oh, I can't go on. All this and don't forget in the Europa League they have another ref standing behind the goal!!!

I have never seen anything so unbelievable. Watch it if you can. Read the newspapers. Whatever. But if the Ovrebo travesty didn't do it for you this will. It was one step beyond Ovrebo. It was cheating by the match officials. Pure and simple. Strong word cheating but there is no way you, G4 or anyone can reasonably explain it as anything less.

[loz]

It was a shocking red card decision.

About 30 seconds in to the video below.

[just]

Shocking but hardly suprising. There was only 14 minutes left on the clock and if the score had stayed at 1-0 Roma would have had a measly three points from three games played.

Yet again one of the leading european clubs find themselves in danger of elimination and the UEFA match officials give them a helping hand.

[Liam]

Liam, come and sit here right next to me. But if you need any final convincing watch the sending off in the Fulham V Roma game tonight.

Let me set the scene. Foolham, (yes that little team down the road from SW6), were leading the Italian giants Roma, managed by that very nice man Mr Ranieri, 1-0. One of the Roma players makes a surging run into the box and is brought down, but with another Fulham defender literally three yards in front of him. No way in a million years was the foul made by the last man. So, the ref blows up, awards a penno, and then unbelievably red cards the Foolham player who was in front of the ball. He realises he has got it wrong..........and..... Oh, I can't go on. All this and don't forget in the Europa League they have another ref standing behind the goal!!!

I have never seen anything so unbelievable. Watch it if you can. Read the newspapers. Whatever. But if the Ovrebo travesty didn't do it for you this will. It was one step beyond Ovrebo. It was cheating by the match officials. Pure and simple. Strong word cheating but there is no way you, G4 or anyone can reasonably explain it as anything less.

Just, I am honoured to think I'll get a seat at the top table. There is no doubt but that decision is more evidence for the prosecution. By the way I enjoyed your post about the Eurovision. What is the Europa League? Euro It's a Knockout?

[just]

After the latest Roma V Fulham fix tonight I was going to start a new thread entitled:

YetAnotherDodgyUefaRef 2 Foolham 1

But I thought I'd just keep the ball rolling in this one. Read the comments at the bottom of the post match piece, strike any chords?

http://msnsport.skysports.com/story/0,1952...5676464,00.html

Yet again, (as in the 1st leg), our little local neighbours were much the better team and deservedly took the lead against one of the biggest names in european football the mighty Roma. Only to be, (as in the 1st leg), violently arse raped and forced to lick their own stink off the tip of his bell-end by another incompetent, (incompetent or corrupt?), UEFA referee intent on doing everything in his power to do the right thing and ensure the Italian giants still kept a foothold in the competition. I'm sorry if my description is a bit graphic and in bad taste, but I'm afraid there are still some imbeciles out there who believe that these competitions are a fair and even contest presided over by impartial officials. How deluded those poor souls are. The ethos of "may the best team win" was long ago discarded by UEFA and FIFA in favour of "may the most commercially lucrative and historically glamourous team win". Indeed if Foolham had been playing lesser lights from from Serie A, such as Palermo or Catania, the ref tonight would probably not have felt so inclined to intervene on behalf of his employers interests.

But apart from wondering whether it's West London teams they particularly enjoy targeting, this latest attack should scare all Chelsea fans. Because I suspect some think our abusers can't damage us any further after Frisk and Ovrebo. Perhaps some thought that the serial rapists couldn't strike in the same place again. But personally, I live in dread that the later rounds of the CL next year could see us being stalked again.

Which brings me round to the Ireland verses France playoff. Because I believe that Ireland and my friends Liam, Clubhappy et al. are all being groomed by Mr Blatter and his FIFA gangbangers. They have already been subjected to some unwanted, rough touching-up in the shape of the seeding fiasco to favour the bigger nations, and now Blatter and the gangbangers are fully aroused and ready to slap them around and slip in the full length. I'm sorry guys. There is nothing you can do to stop the hurt that I think is coming other than drawing the curtains, smearing some Vaseline around the tender parts and biting down hard on the pillow to try and stop the cries of anger and frustration. But as much as it's going to hurt remember this. You aren't the first and you won't be the last to become a victim of these criminals.

PS: Liam I truly, truly hope I am proved wrong on this. Because apart from having an Irish father, I desparately need a David V Goliath result like Irleand knocking out France, fairly and squarely, to restore my faith in fair and honest UEFA / FIFA competition.

Edited November 6, 2009 by just

[Liam]

Reading that Just I felt my arse cheeks involuntarily clench. I'm prepared for the worst I have to say.

[just]

If I have any advice Liam it's don't struggle, kick and scream. They enjoy it more when you struggle and scream. Mourinho, Drogba and Boswinga tried that approach and look what they did to them.

Edited November 6, 2009 by just

[TheWestwayWonder]

Despite the powers that be tilting the field against them, I too think that the RoI can pull this out. If for no other reason than Trappatoni's acumen compared with someone like Domenech.

All the ingredients are there. France have underachieved, Ireland have been handed a raw deal, and im sure fans, players and staff are all ready for blood. If they can use that, and if there is any sense of justice in the world, who knows what will happen?

[midlandblue]

I'm inviting a load of family and friends round to mine to watch the match on Saturday

I have flags, balloons etc. at the ready as well as heaps of the black stuff.

Looking forward to a good evening

[Valerie]

Not a drop of Irish blood in me (as far as I know anyway), but I will be going green this internationals break!

[german-blue]

Im hoping to see Russia going through, they deserve it. And I wouldnt want a WC without them. Dont think Ireland is going to have a chance against France unfortunately. Would be nice to see Portugal fail but this would also mean Deco, Carvahlo and PF wouldnt be able to go to the WC.

[kalpitv]

Russia 2 Slovenia 1.

Apparently, Zhirkov could have scored the goal of the century against Slovenia?

Does anyone have a link to the video highlights of this game?