Luis_Rancagua Posted June 27, 2003 Share Posted June 27, 2003 Blatter set to win World Cup row By Paul Fletcher A meeting of Fifa's executive committee on Saturday will decide whether there will be 32 or 36 teams at the World Cup finals in Germany 2006. It promises to be a heated affair with Fifa president Sepp Blatter vehemently against expanding the tournament, but the South American federation (Conmebol) is desperate to increase its allocation. It will bring to an end an all too familiar story of politicking and lobbying within world football's governing body - one that started in the most unspectacular of circumstances. Just before the draw for last year's World Cup, Blatter slipped through a piece of legislation that went virtually unnoticed. While the gaze of the world's media was busy anticipating who their teams would be pitted against in Korea and Japan, Blatter told a news conference that from now on tournament winners would have to qualify. Traditionally the host nation of a World Cup and the current holders are the only two sides that do not have to qualify for the finals. This marked a sudden departure from the system that had been in place since the modern World Cup started in 1930. And a year after the World Cup was won for the fifth time by Brazil, the change of policy has ballooned into a row that is threatening to undermine preparations for the 2006 World Cup in Germany. It is easy to say 36 teams is good - maybe on paper it looks nice Sepp Blatter The extra place has gone to Oceania, which to many people's reckoning means Australia will qualify for the next World Cup. The last and only time the Australians made the finals was in West Germany in 1974, when the men in green and gold resembled more of a pub team from Townsville than the professional outfit who are now starting to make their mark. But the decision has left the South American confederation with just four places - compared to 14 from Europe. Previously they would have had four places plus Brazil as defending champions. And you could have added to that another spot since during the previous two qualifying campaigns the fifth-placed South American team had triumphed in a play-off against the Oceania winners. South America are now demanding that the number of teams at the 2006 World Cup is increased to from 32 to 36. Such a move would lead to the 2006 tournament lasting 34 days as opposed to 31 in 2002 and would involve 72 games, an increase of eight from last year's tournament. 36 TEAM PLAN Nine groups of four teams Group winners and five second-place teams advance The other four second place teams enter a play-off for final two spots Two extra spots for Europe One extra spot for: South America Asia North America, Central America and the Caribbean The organisers in Germany claim they can handle the extra demands such expansion would bring and at a Fifa executive committee meeting in May the idea was accepted in principal. But ahead of Saturday's meeting, at which the South Americans are hoping the motion will be ratified, Blatter has hinted the idea will be shelved. "It is easy to say 36 is good," Blatter said. "Maybe on paper it looks nice. But implementing such a solution would be very difficult." And Blatter is not on his own. "It is neither workable nor feasible," said Jack Warner, president of the North America, Central America and the Caribbean federation (Concacaf). Lennart Johansson, the head of Uefa and an outspoken critic of Blatter, is the only non-South American member of the executive committee to back the proposal. The smart money is on Blatter triumphing and if he does the world will be treated to just four examples of South America's beautiful, bold and boisterous blend of football at the next World Cup. Story from BBC SPORT: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/sport1/hi/football/internationals/3017636.stm Published: 2003/06/27 06:58:48 GMT © BBC MMIII Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimglow Posted June 27, 2003 Share Posted June 27, 2003 That certainly appeared to be a little biased...are you sure it was BBC and not CNN? Mimglow, Ottawa _________________________ Where are the weapons of mass destruction? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimglow Posted June 27, 2003 Share Posted June 27, 2003 Or Africa. The fifth African country is never very good. A 36 team WC, on top of being an overload, is assymetrical. It just doesn't work smoothly. Mimglow, Ottawa _________________________ Where are the weapons of mass destruction? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luis_Rancagua Posted June 27, 2003 Author Share Posted June 27, 2003 Blatter set to win 2006 World Cup battle First Published: Jun 27, 2003 FIFA president Sepp Blatter is expected to get his way and see his executive committee turn down a South American proposal to increase the number of finalists at the 2006 World Cup from 32 to 36. Last month's executive committee meeting of world football's governing body came out in favour of extending the event to 36 teams on condition of finding a satisfactory solution to the running of the finals. The South American federation Conmebol proposed the increase in the wake of Brazil not qualifying automatically as champions and the continent losing a play-off place for the finals to the Oceania qualifier. Previously the host nation of a World Cup and the current holders were the only two sides that did not have to qualify for the finals. Oceania's guaranteed place as good as means Australia will qualify for the next World Cup. The last and only time the Australians made the finals was in West Germany in 1974. New Zealand were the last Oceania qualifiers, at the 1982 World Cup in Spain. Previously South America had four places plus a fifth chance in a play-off. And during the previous two qualifying campaigns the fifth-placed South American team triumphed against the Oceania winners. A move to 36 teams would lead to the 2006 tournament lasting 34 days as opposed to 31 in 2002 and would involve 72 games, an increase of eight from last year's tournament. The system at the finals in Japan and Korea last year had eight four-team groups with the first two in each group qualifying for the second round. A 36-team format would mean nine groups of four with the group winners going through plus five second-placed teams. The other four second place teams would enter a play-off for the final two spots. Organisers in Germany claim they can handle the extra demands but Blatter has hinted the idea will be shelved. "It is easy to say 36 is good," Blatter said. "Maybe on paper it looks nice. But implementing such a solution would be very difficult." Lennart Johansson, president of European football's governing body UEFA, an outspoken critic of Blatter, is the only non-South American member of the executive committee to back the proposal. All Content is Copyright © 2002 World Soccer News.com and AFP. All rights reserved. This material is intended solely for personal use. Any other reproduction, publication or redistribution of this material without the written agreement of the copyright owner is strictly forbidden and any breach of copyright will be considered actionable. 2003 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luis_Rancagua Posted June 27, 2003 Author Share Posted June 27, 2003 WORLD CUP EXPANSION HOPES FADE By Martyn Ziegler, PA Chief Sports Reporter, Paris Friday, June 27, 2003 A bid to expand the number of countries in the World Cup finals from 32 to 36 appears doomed to end in failure. A meeting of FIFA's executive committee in Paris on Saturday will decide on the proposal by South American members but what had seemed a very real possibility seven weeks ago is now expected to be defeated. David Will, the Scottish FIFA vice-president who represents British interests, said the mood among members is that the proposal will not get the go-ahead despite it being well-received six weeks ago. Will said: "More and more people are talking about maintaining the status quo than six weeks ago. The atmosphere is quite different and there is an inclination to keep the finals as they are. "It could be argued that an increase in finalists would devalue the World Cup and would not be easy to operate." The increase in numbers for the 2006 World Cup was agreed in principle by the executive committee at a meeting on May 3, but only if the South Americans could come up with a workable system for the finals in Germany. Since then, their plan has been made public - one which would see a first round with nine groups of four teams and the nine winners and five best runners-up progressing automatically to the last 16. The other four runners-up would play off to decide the remaining two slots. Now FIFA president Sepp Blatter has emerged as a major opponent of any change, claiming it would damage the simple concept which makes the World Cup accessible to fans and valuable in terms of sponsors and broadcasters. Blatter hopes the South American federation will withdraw the proposal at Saturday's meeting without it having to go to a vote. He said this week: "There is simply no credible schedule which can efficiently accommodate 36 participants. A decision to expand the tournament by four teams would, hence, damage its credibility. "I am confident that reason will prevail over wishful thinking. And I am also certain that the executive committee of FIFA will decide - amicably at that - on a 2006 World Cup in Germany that has 32 teams competing." Blatter concedes the proposal has support from outside South America too - they would only get one extra place, Europe would get two and the other would be decided by a play-off between Asia and the North/Central America/Caribbean confederation. However he points out that having to increase the number of games from 64 to 72 would create administrative and financial repercussions. All contracts for 2006 in Germany are based on 32 teams and have already been signed, and the dates of the tournament cannot be moved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luis_Rancagua Posted June 27, 2003 Author Share Posted June 27, 2003 Here is the South American point of view (South American Press) FIFA decide mañana aumento de cupos 10:30 27/06/03 París (Francia).- El comité ejecutivo de la FIFA deberá decidir mañana si acepta la propuesta sudamericana de aumentar a 36 selecciones la fase final del Mundial de Alemania 2006, una petición que, en principio, no cuenta con demasiados apoyos. La Confederación Sudamericana elevó su primera petición de ampliación el pasado 3 de marzo y el ejecutivo lo autorizó, un mes después, con la condición de que presentase "un calendario deportivo creíble". Mañana, el argentino Julio Grondona, vicepresidente de la FIFA, el paraguayo Nicolás Leoz, presidente de la Confederación Sudamericana (CSF) y el brasileño Ricardo Teixeira, deberán convencer a los 25 miembros del ejecutivo que es viable un proyecto que tiene en contra al presidente, el suizo Joseph Blatter y al comité organizador alemán. Según el proyecto de la CSF, el Mundial de 36 equipos duraría 34 días, frente a los 31 de Corea-Japón 2002 y los 33 de Francia'98 y contaría con una primera fase con nueve grupos de cuatro selecciones cada uno. El fútbol europeo contaría con 15 plazas más una de Alemania como país organizador; Sudamérica, Asia y Africa tendrían 5 cada una; la CONCACAF, 4; y Oceanía, 1. Los nueve primeros de cada grupo entrarían en los octavos de final, junto a los cinco mejores segundos y, a partir de ahí, comienzan los problemas que no convencen a Blatter. Los otros cuatro segundos deberán disputar entre sí un partido de clasificación. La CSF propone que entre la primera fase y esta eliminatoria haya dos días de descanso y que los octavos comiencen el día después de la "repesca" y duren otros cuatro días. Los equipos que debieron disputar un partido adicional para clasificarse jugarían su encuentro de clasificación en los últimos días. Según al Confederación Sudamericana, su propuesta evitará que el sorteo de la fase final se parta en dos "cuadros" al estilo de los principales torneos de tenis y, con ello, que dos equipos que formaron parte del mismo grupo en la primera fase, se puedan enfrentar antes de la final, como ocurrió con Brasil y Turquía en el pasado Mundial. El intento de la Confederación Sudamericana por recuperar poder choca con Blatter, que antepone los contratos ya firmados, con el comité organizador, con Franz Beckenbauer a la cabeza, y con los asiáticos y africanos, que desconfían de un nuevo reparto, pese a que no perderían ninguna plaza. El argumento más contundente, el deportivo, o lo que es lo mismo, los 9 títulos mundiales que conquistaron las selecciones sudamericanas parece no bastar, porque de nada sirvió en diciembre pasado en Madrid, cuando se decidió el actual reparto en un sorprendente comité ejecutivo. "Ha habido demasiadas negociaciones bajo cuerda", dijo a Efe entonces Nicolás Leoz, mientras que Blatter pidió que fuese "la última vez que se negocian las plazas mundialistas como en un mercado". El principal apoyo sudamericano, en estos momentos, es el del fútbol europeo, que perdió fuerza tras el último reparto, pero no de forma unánime. De los ocho votos con que cuenta Europa, ni el alemán Gerhard Mayer Vorfelder, ni el francés Michel Platiní están por la ampliación. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettermirror Posted June 27, 2003 Share Posted June 27, 2003 i almost want to say 24 teams. but 32 is probably perfect in today's climate. all clubs are capable of an upset. but with 36, those 4 new teams are pretty much guaranteed to go 3 and out. a draw would be like winning the world cup for them. a waste of time for players and viewers alike. there ain't gonna be any middle any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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