FM: Wierd World Cup Stages

[Abe Sargent]

World Cup 2010 and we just got drawn. We're in Stage One with Brazil, Canada, and Zambia. (We're Ukraine). Here are the stages, and this is really wierd:

Stage A:

Brazil
Ukraine - We should easily qualify as the second team here.
Canada - Wow, Canada qualified?
Zambia - One of my club players is a starter on the Zambian squad.


Stage B: This is a nice stage, one power, a couple of solid teams of equal level, and an Asian team that can always surprise.

Belgium - Belgium or Chile? Who else will get promoted?
Chile - My two best players are Chile nationals
England - Easy Stage for England
Japan

Stage C: Easy promotion for Italy, and probably Ireland as well.

Ireland - Nice to see them back
Italy
North Korea - NORTH freakin' Korea qualifed? Wow.
Republic of Congo - Note, this is not Congo.


Stage D: Wierdest stage I've ever seen in FM

Costa Rica
Mali
Norway
Russia

Not only are several of these teams surprising to qualify (Norway, for example), but wow. Where is the power? The number one seed here, btw, is Costa Rica, who bitchslapped Mexico something good (3-1) in qualifiers.

Stage E: You will see what may be the longest shot to ever qualify for a World Cup in this stage. Not kidding. I'll put it in all caps so you won't miss it.

Angola
Argentina
Croatia
VANUATU

Stage F: After all of that craziness, it's time to see a harder, but normal stage.

Spain
USA
Slovenia - Done well in quaifiers
South Africa - Classic African power


Stage G: Easy promotion for France. There are no chump teams here, as Australia, Greece and Colombia are all possible to get on a run and do well.

Australia
Colombia - I have two club starters starting on the Colombian team
France
Greece


Stage H: Easy promotion for the Dutch.

Holland
Kuwait - Kuwait made it?
Sweden
Uruguay

Note the lack of some teams. In Asian Qualifiers, South Korea is usually a heavy, yet Noth Korea and Kuwait qualified instead. No Germany. Let me say that again. No Germany. Germany finished fourth in their qualifying group, behind Croatia, Bosnia and Slovakia. They won just three games out of ten. Ouch.

Also, no Mexico. Costa Rica owned them.

There are some long shots here, but Vanuatu making the World Cup? That's crazy. Vanuatu took out Fiji in the Oceanic finals, and then won their playoff game series against Saudi Arabia on penalty kicks in order to get in.

Wierd World Cup.

-Anxiety

[Abe Sargent]

Oh, and no Czechs and no Portugese, in case you were wondering. Portugal lost in the play in to Sweden and the Czechs came in third in their group stage to Greece number one and Romania number two.


-Anxiety

[Abe Sargent]

What's annoying to me is that we WON our group and got stuck with Brazil. France came in second, won the playoff game, and ot a much better stage draw. Sigh.

-Anxiety

[Critch]

Originally Posted by Anxiety

Not only are several of these teams surprising to qualify (Norway, for example), but wow. Where is the power? The number one seed here, btw, is Costa Rica, who bitchslapped Mexico something good (3-1) in qualifiers.

Norway aren't that unlikely to qualify. They qualified in 1994 and 1998 and reached the playoffs in the European region this time.

Originally Posted by Anxiety

Angola
Argentina
Croatia
VANUATU

I guess the problem with this one is that in real life Australia are leaving the Oceanic qualifying region after the 2006 World Cup and will be qualifying from the Asian region instead. FIFA havent decided yet what's going to happen with the Oceania region (I think) but I guess it's a bit more believable that Vanuatu could win the Oceania region with Australia out of the way.

Not sure why Vanuatu didn't play a South American team in the playoff though.

It's not that strange though, in my game England won the 2006 World Cup. As if that could ever have happened

[Butter]

Wales were quarterfinalists in the 2010 WC in my game... after that, I question nothing.

[ice4277]

I'm assuming this is on FM06, which I haven't played, but something I've noticed on 05 and previous versions is that in some of the qualifying regions, particularly Asia and Africa, the powerful teams get grouped together in qualifying groups, thus diluting the field of qualified teams. Off the top of my head, in the game I'm playing right now, the African Section of qualifying for the 2018 Cup has Cameroon, Nigeria, South Africa, Morocco, and Algeria in one group.

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by Critch

Norway aren't that unlikely to qualify. They qualified in 1994 and 1998 and reached the playoffs in the European region this time.

When I look at the Norwegian team in FM in 2010, it looks lousy, so I assumed that it was lausy recemtly. Still, a Mali, Costa Rica, Norway, Russia Stage is wierd.

-Anxiety

[Abe Sargent]

Here's an interesting little thing:

In the qualifiers, England was in a group with Norway, Northern Ireland, Wales, the Faroe Islands, and Latvia. (No wonder Norway got second and then won a playoff game against Iceland to get in the WC).

England went 9-0-1. Who beat England in a game?

Norway? Nope.

Latvia? Nope

Wales? Northern Island? No chance for other UK "powers" against England.

The freakin', laughing stock Faroe Islands defeated the mighty English 1-0. Wow.



-Anxiety

[cartman]

Originally Posted by Anxiety

The freakin', laughing stock Faroe Islands defeated the mighty English 1-0. Wow.

Was the game played in the Faroe Islands? They are known to play extremely tough at home, having in the past beaten Austria 1-0 and a couple of ties with Scotland.

[3ric]

I'm sure the Oceanian winner is facing an Asian team in the future World Cup qualifying playoffs, instead of a South American. When Australia beat Uruguay to qualify this year, it was the last time they had to go that route (I think, somebody correct me if I'm wrong)

[Critch]

Originally Posted by 3ric

I'm sure the Oceanian winner is facing an Asian team in the future World Cup qualifying playoffs, instead of a South American. When Australia beat Uruguay to qualify this year, it was the last time they had to go that route (I think, somebody correct me if I'm wrong)

The change is that Australia have left the Oceania Federation and will now go through the full Asian qualification, and will play in the Asian Cup. FIFA still haven't announced what will happen with the remains of the Oceania region, I think.

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by cartman

Was the game played in the Faroe Islands? They are known to play extremely tough at home, having in the past beaten Austria 1-0 and a couple of ties with Scotland.

Yes

[BreizhManu]

Originally Posted by Critch

The change is that Australia have left the Oceania Federation and will now go through the full Asian qualification, and will play in the Asian Cup.

And since then it's extremely "hard" to win something when you're managing new zealand :

http://martin.manuel.free.fr/images/new%20zealand.jpg

World cup will be ours !

[Abe Sargent]

Bout to start the World Cup. Here are my predictions, top then second:

Stage A: Brazil, Ukraine
Stage B: England, Chile
Stage C: Italy, Republic of Congo
Stage D: Umm....Costa Rica and Norway
Stage E: Argentina, Croatia
Stage F: Spain, USA
Stage G: France, Colombia
Stage H: Holland, Sweden

Let's see what happens.

-Anxiety

[Abe Sargent]

We tied Brazil 3-3 on an amazing offenive game. We had 16 shots, 11 of which were on target, they had 19, 9 of which were. It was a very back and forth game.

Now we have a chance of winng the group, which is helpful because then, hopefully, we won;t draw England in the knockout stage.


----------


Chile defeated Belgium, which makes my prediction of them getting promoted very likely. Congo DR won over N Korea 4-1. Norway won over Mali 2-0. Predictions are looking good. USA beat Spain. Colombia took out Australia.

----------

We defeated Canada (Shevchenko notched a 70 yard goal) 2-0 and Brazil defeated Zambia 3-0, so they are ahead on GD. Now we need to crush Zambia while Canada trips up Brazil. Doable.

-------------------

Ireland defeated Congo DR, so it doesn't look like that prediction will hold. We'll see what happens elsewhere

-------------------

We defeat Zambia 5-1, scoring four goals in the last twenty minutes of the game. Brazil defeated Canada just by one goal, 2-1, so we won the stage.


-----------------


Here is who qualified, Top team, then second. Asterisks are beside a team I did not predict.

Group A: Ukraine, Brazil
Group B: England, Chile
Group C: Italy, Ireland*
Group D: Norway, Mali*
Group E: Argentina, Croatia
Group F: USA, South Africa*
Group G: France, Colombia
Group H: Holland, Uruguay*

Spain did not get out of their group.

[Crapshoot]

Originally Posted by cartman

Was the game played in the Faroe Islands? They are known to play extremely tough at home, having in the past beaten Austria 1-0 and a couple of ties with Scotland.

To be fair, beating Scotland isn't much of an achievement these days...

[Abe Sargent]

In case you guys care:

Final 8:

Ukraine vs Ireland
Brazil vs Italy
USA vs France
Argentina vs Holland


Final Four

Ukraine vs France
Brazil vs Holland


Finals

France vs Holland

Third Place Game

Ukraine vs Brazil. Again.



Winner, Overall


Holland 2-1 in extra time over France


Winner Third Place Game

Ukraine 3-1 over Brazil



Only reason we did that well was because we won our group stage. Going through Chile and Ireland is a lot easier than Brazil's path to the Semis through England and Italy.



-Anxiety

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Anxiety

In case you guys care:

Final 8:

Ukraine vs Ireland
Brazil vs Italy
USA vs France
Argentina vs Holland


Final Four

Ukraine vs France
Brazil vs Holland


Finals

France vs Holland

Third Place Game

Ukraine vs Brazil. Again.



Winner, Overall


Holland 2-1 in extra time over France


Winner Third Place Game

Ukraine 3-1 over Brazil



Only reason we did that well was because we won our group stage. Going through Chile and Ireland is a lot easier than Brazil's path to the Semis through England and Italy.



-Anxiety

well at least that makes sense

[Abe Sargent]

Nah-hah. Three Ukrainian players starting in the WC Dream Team, two more named but not starters, the Best Player award, runner up best Goalkeeper, thrid place golden boot for goals scored. Ukraine scored more gaols than any other team at the Cup. We also had the fourth highest scorer in addition to the third. Also had the leading assist man in the Cup.

Excellent!

-Anxiety