World Cup 2018

[just some bloke]

Is that a similar book to "Up Pohnpei" with the two English guys who go out to coach the tiny Pacific island nation?

Quite different. It looks into a number of teams in the world near or at the bottom of the world rankings who have slim to no hope of qualifying for the World Cup and follows them each on their travels. Palestine, Antigua and Barbuda, American Samoa, Albania, that kind of thing.

[sputnik]

2018 World Cup will be held in England

Bold prediction. Based on what?

[DaveBanana]

2018 World Cup will be held in England

Bold prediction. Based on what?

Although not in England, I can see there being some huge issues with Russia hosting based on the direction things are headed with Crimea and now the likely outcome of the Malaysian flight fallout - there was a fairly large backlash over the treatment of a variety of groups within the region leading up to the Olympics, but I can't see people sticking with just popping the odd "this is a bit out of order" as it (seemingly) transpires that Putin supplied terrorists with weapons that they then (albeit mistakenly) shot a passenger plane down. I feel Russia are probably oxf*rd.

[Royal Ginger]

2018 World Cup will be held in England

Bold prediction. Based on what?

Although not in England, I can see there being some huge issues with Russia hosting based on the direction things are headed with Crimea and now the likely outcome of the Malaysian flight fallout - there was a fairly large backlash over the treatment of a variety of groups within the region leading up to the Olympics, but I can't see people sticking with just popping the odd "this is a bit out of order" as it (seemingly) transpires that Putin supplied terrorists with weapons that they then (albeit mistakenly) shot a passenger plane down. I feel Russia are probably oxf*rd.

Plenty of gum flapping but pretty much sod all else. No-one's got the balls to start throwing their weight around against the Russians. Not the UN, not the USA and certainly not FIFA.

[Sutekh]

Parliament have called Greg Dyke in for his take on the situation with regards to the awarding of both the 2018 and 2022 World Cup finals. In addition hs is being asked to comment on dismal England's latest debacle and Sepp Blatter's election so methinks that the FIFA situation is going to rumble on in various guises for a while yet.

[Reading4eva]

Too early to say who'll win it. If Hodgson gets it right we could get very close considering South Anerican sides won't have a clue how to cole with -5 conditions

[Reading4eva]

Parliament have called Greg Dyke in for his take on the situation with regards to the awarding of both the 2018 and 2022 World Cup finals. In addition hs is being asked to comment on dismal England's latest debacle and Sepp Blatter's election so methinks that the FIFA situation is going to rumble on in various guises for a while yet.

Blatter is a bloody crook everyone knows that

[From Despair To Where?]

I'm in two minds about Greg Dyke.

On the one hand, he seems to have a fair degree of integrity; his resignation from firstly Manchester United and then the BBC show a man who has quite a strong moral compass, exactly the sort of person to give an honest and well informed appraisal of the situation.

On the other hand, he comes across as a bit of a cock.

[Sutekh]

From the BBC OS

FA chairman Greg Dyke has told a panel of MPs he still hopes to introduce a controversial B league.

The 67-year-old was criticised when he attempted to introduce a new tier for Premier League second teams between League Two and the Conference in a bid to develop young English talent.

That plan was rejected by the Football League and prompted some protests from supporters.

However, Dyke told politicians: "The game is not over yet."

Dyke believes England are not helped by a lack of English players playing overseas

Dyke made his comments to a Culture Media and Sport (CMS) Select Committee on Tuesday as part of their probe into the bidding process for the 2022 World Cup, which was awarded to Qatar.

It was pointed out to Dyke that many of the Germany side that won the World Cup had played for B teams and he was asked if he felt he "could not win" following the dismissal of his proposal in June.

"I don't rule it out," he said. "A lot of Premier League clubs and particularly managers read the report and were totally in favour of the analysis."

Dyke added that there were too many "bog-standard" foreign players in the Premier League and claimed that in Germany's Bundesliga there was an "unwritten agreement" about the numbers of domestic players that play in it to get around European employment laws.

Dyke added that England are on a four-year journey with manager Roy Hodgson

He was also asked if there had been a review into England manager Roy Hodgson's performance as his side exited the World Cup at the group stage.

"I think he's been on holiday," said Dyke, before adding: "I thought Roy Hodgson did quite a good job."

Dyke was also asked if he thought England would never win another World Cup.

"Never say never," he said. "But it's difficult - 33% of players in the Premier League are qualified to play for England.

"Really in the top six clubs last year it was down to 23%. If you look at transfer activity this year - apart from a couple of Southampton players that have gone to Liverpool or United - everyone else that has come in has come from overseas.

"It's going to get tougher and tougher until we do something about it."

On the subject of world governing body Fifa, Dyke added that England would not bid for another World Cup while Sepp Blatter remained president and jokingly referred to a June meeting of Fifa's congress as "like something out of North Korea - hail to the leader".

[maffff]

American Samoa. The only national football association with the balls to select a transgender player.

Have you also read this?



It is a football obscurantists wet dream.

I haven't, but I enjoyed this

.

Slightly gutted Pohnpei are non-FIFA or that's where my money would be going.

[Brum Royal]

+1 for Up Pohnpei. I really enjoyed it.

[From Despair To Where?]

American Samoa. The only national football association with the balls to select a transgender player.

Have you also read this?



It is a football obscurantists wet dream.

I haven't, but I enjoyed this

.

Slightly gutted Pohnpei are non-FIFA or that's where my money would be going.

Not read either but, as far as I can remember, the author did an article for WSC about American Samoa about a year ago in the wake of Thomas Hitzelberger coming out as part of a wider look at LGBT issues.

[just some bloke]

Some early results in:

Bhutan pulled off a win in its first ever World Cup game, beating Sri Lanka away, 1-0

India beat Nepal 2-0 at home

Mongolia fell to Timor-Leste 4-1

Cambodia beat Macau 3-0 at home.


Bhutan have to be happy with that. The lowest ranking side at 209th pulling off a shock against No. 179 Sri Lanka on their home manor.

Congratulations to Bhutan!

[just some bloke]

CONCACAF is off the mark now too. Some early results in as baseball-loving Nicaragua thumped Anguilla 5-0 and everyone's favorite tax haven the Turks and Caicos Island falling 6-2 St. Kitts and Nevis.

[just some bloke]

The British Virgin Islands need to overturn a 3-2 first leg deficit in Dominica today to avoid becoming the first home nation to crash out.

[just some bloke]

I'm detecting a distinct lack of interest in the very early qualification stages of the 2018 FIFA tourney

Nonetheless I plug away with the news that Montserrat face Curacao today in the capital Plymouth in an attempt to overturn a 2-1 deficit in this all-Caribbean first leg CONCACAF tie. Kick off is at 11:30pm UK time so I doubt many Nobbers will be staying up to watch it. I'll try and remember to post the result here so you can log in first thing and see if Montserrat made it or not.

National pride is at stake here as this is a British overseas territory facing off against a Dutch one, so I assume we're all rooting for the Montserratians.

Watch this space

To close the circle on the previous post, sadly the British Virgin Islands could only manage a 0-0 draw against Dominica and crashed out :

[just some bloke]

Montserrat didn't make it

They battled bravely against Curacao and held them to a 2-2 draw but bowed out 4-3 on aggregate.

It was a bad night for the UK overseas territories, with the Cayman Islands crashing out on away goals to Belize, and Anguilla unsurprising unable to overturn their 5-0 first leg deficit to Nicaragua, eventually falling 8-0 on aggregate.

Meanwhile in Asia I note with interest that Chinese Taipei went through against Brunei, over-turning a 1-0 defeat at home in the first leg to go through 2-1 with an impressive away win at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium a couple of weeks ago. Could cause a diplomatic headache for FIFA if they continue to progress and meet PR China in the group stages.

[Royal Ginger]

Very good, i am reading, but struggling for enthusiasm until the heavy hitting OFC gets underway. American Samoa v The Cook Islands has classic written all over it.

[10539.4 Miles Away]

Bump

[double d]

Any updates? Having watched that documentary about American Samoa, they are my team now (until the real games kick off).

What was that book posted on page 1? Cannot find what everybody it talking about, and sounds like a good 'un.