All Things Football #7
Posted by Frankie Lally on October 19, 2009 | No Comments
The draw for the eagerly anticipated World Cup play-offs was made in Zuirch today. The draw is as follows:
Republic of Ireland v France
Portugal v Bosnia-Herzegovina
Greece v Ukraine
Russia v Slovenia
(Draws to take place on the 14th and 18th of November)
Obviously the tie that stands out there is the Republic of Ireland v France. A lot of anger and fury surrounded FIFA’s controversial decision to make this draw seeded but will those same emotions greet the news that that the Boys in Green must face Les Bleus? I hope not.
I don’t think many Irish fans are grumbling that they have to beat a team much higher in the FIFA rankings than them to make South Africa. They’re more concerned that this wasn’t confirmed before qualifying started, which should have been the case.
Of course FIFA want the traditional ‘big guns’ to go through and so they’ve allowed France to avoid the likes of Russia and Portugal. I’m just surprised that they’ve left it till recently to announce the play-offs will be seeded. To be ultra-sure that a big team doesn’t miss out, FIFA should have said two years ago that the play-offs will be seeded. Then there would be no argument from the Irish camp.
Having said that, Ireland only beat two teams in qualifying and still finished second? Wow. Do any of these teams involved in the play-offs really deserve to be at football’s elite tournament? None of them have even half-decent records against the run of the mill Eastern European teams that prop up most of UEFA’s qualifying tournaments without ever making more than the occasional good impression.
However, I think the draw is a good one for Ireland. All the pressure will be on France – with the manager’s anxiety spreading throughout the team.
With the choice having been a resurgent, tricky, astroturf-loving Russian side coached by wily Hiddink, a dour but effective Greek team playing in a similar style or the brilliant, underachieving Portuguese, Ireland couldn’t have hope for a better draw.
France are weighed down by ageing legs, expectation and a nation baying for the blood of their hapless but politically astute coach, who has kept his job even while the reasons for his staying on become less apparent by the week.
If a ‘shock’ is to come from these qualifiers, it’ll come either here or in the Portugal tie, but I’d hardly be surprised to see Ireland joining Portugal, Ukraine and Russia in South Africa.
What do you think? Comments below please.
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