World Ranking

[Vic]

FIFA Friday, May 28, 2010: "USA continue to lead the way in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking, extending their lead over Germany, whom they defeated 4-0 in a friendly match last week. China (10th, up 2) break into the top ten at the expense of Canada (11th, down 1). Otherwise, the best ten teams remain unchanged."

That slip is the unfortunate underbelly of a development-oriented roster against China. I have no problem at all with that - interim rankings mean nothing, programs with funding issues have to take what they're offered, and giving young players opportunities to develop and perform is healthy.

The only rankings that mean anything are the ones that come out after July 17, 2011.

[Vic]

New rankings out today and as a result of our inactivity and some good play by other countries the Canadian women drop back to our all-time low of #13. The Australians and Italians push us down the foodchain. An all-time high for Australia who just defeated the Japanese and North Koreans in World Cup qualification while the Italians were gifted the movement from beating up on a couple of weak nations. Denmark goes back into the top 10 at the expense of the free falling Chinese who are now #14 and have continually dropped a couple of spots a year since their #4 spot in 2003 when the rankings began.

[terpfan68]

Seems to me that if this result would have happened a few years ago there would be about a dozen posts calling for the head of a certain coach who will remain nameless. Why the double standard?

[Vic]

The first one's always free. That was January. Now she's on her own. The next one's make or break and I imagine the CSA has the same view.

She also hasn't mismanaged our three best professionals and burned Sinclair, Parker and LeBlanc from the Canadian system forever. That would get you a straight red too.

[Vic]

Canada back to #9 (tied for the highest rank ever) as England fall over their weak performance in the Peace Queen. That should pump up the English in Cyprus and make it more of a true German lab experiment. Somewhat surprising Australia dipped after playing Germany 1-2 a couple of weeks ago in Hamburg and reaching the AFC final. Japan, North Korea, South Korea and China aren't a walk in the park.

FIFA.com: Five other teams can also celebrate their best position since the ranking was introduced in 2003:

Korea Republic (18th)

Colombia (32nd)

Costa Rica (41st)

Chile (46th)

Wales (47th)

[terpfan68]

How does Mexico remain at 22 after beating the #1 ranked US? Are these the rankings which will be used to pick the top seed in each group? Does anyone have the "exact' formula for calculating a teams points?

[Vic]

This was the original women's spec:

http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/fifafacts/rawwrank/ip-590_06e_wwrlong-ff_8795.pdf

The Americans actually dropped 42 points which is a very steep drop. If we dropped 42 points we would drop to #13.

[navycyr]

As formula one Sebastian Vettel said after winning formula one car racing championship while not being first all year long : your ranking during the season is meaningless, it's where you end up that counts, and I have been fortunate enough to finish first.

The only meaningful ranking is where you end up in world cup. Intermediate rankings, altough nice to see if you perform well, are not the real thing.

[StrandOne]

The only meaningful ranking is where you end up in world cup. Intermediate rankings, although nice to see if you perform well, are not the real thing.

Don't be DAFT !! It's THREE FREAKIN' YEARS between World Cups !! If the #1 ranked team loses every significant match in a span of two years, it's absolutely meaningful that the World Order shows change. That lower ranking becomes even more meaningful if said former #1 team manages to WIN the next World Cup because it shows what a huge DECLINE it recovered from. Yes, WC Championships matter most but rankings between World Cups give a real indication of the World Order.

Why can't Canadians be HAPPY the WNT has improved, as evidenced by a higher ranking?? Baffling.

[navycyr]

I don't say you can't rejoice having a good intermediate ranking, but that you have to continue work hard because you are still "en route" not already arrived at destination which happens in soccer every four years. What use do you think it will have been for USA to be ranked #1 for the whole 4 years if they don't win world cup or worse don't finish in the top 4 at world cup ? It is the same if you have a bad ranking and perform well at world cup, nobody will care.

If the Italians are eliminated by USA and cannot take part to world cup what will it give to them to be ranked 11th, or worse altough more improbable, what would it have given the USA to be ranked #1 if they couldn't make it to world cup ?

Personnally I'm not happy because we have a good ranking but because we will be participating to world cup and because we should be in a favorable position since we have won our qualifying pool (Concacaf).

In the sports where your performance is judged (gymnastics, figure skating, synchronized swimming...), your ranking is very important because judges will be influenced by where you were standing prior to the competition when giving your notes, making it way tougher to earn in a medal if you are not part of the top 7. But in soccer the only thing that counts, is how well you play compared to the opponent you face at that given moment. You might beat it 99 of a 100 times if that one occasion happens in world cup, you're done !

[StrandOne]

Personnally I'm not happy because we have a good ranking but because we will be participating to world cup and because we should be in a favorable position since we have won our qualifying pool (Concacaf).

Fans have one view. Corporate sponsor have another perspective. Where ranking may really make a difference? The players. If you get complacent, resting on some "ranking laurels", you might lose to a team that you should beat... perhaps because you're not doing EVERYTHING you can do to win... like you're the underdog. Sound familiar?

The US barely squeaked by Italy yesterday. Late (retarded) sub by the Italians aside, the ref should've blown the whistle at least a minute or two before the US scored. Boxx isn't shooting. Pia starts a player who had ankle trouble most of the year. This is a team that seems to think they can "coast" through games just because they're used to winning. Their vets are fatigued and the starting XI is not the best that country could field. "Resting on laurels"... used to being #1. Conversely, a team that jumps in the ranking may have a MENTAL EDGE that supports them playing outta their minds. A significant jump in ranking might nudge a team's BELIEF that being #1 is within their grasp.

So ranking may not matter much to you. But ranking can play a factor on the field. Mental strength & preparation matters. OFCOURSE IT DOES NOT ALL BOIL DOWN TO A NUMBER. I'm just sayin' a change in ranking may be a nice nudge for one team. Staying in the same spot may contribute to another team losing its' edge.

Yes, we all want to win the World Cup. Yes, that matter most. But rankings are part of the picture too.

[Vic]

The Italian attempt to kill the clock with the sub backfired on them.

The Americans could well be eliminated, but if they tie or better in Chicago they have a player pool ten times ours and bucket of money. They can come up with 10 different very effective combinations and could well show up in seven months and not give up a single goal.

Why can't Canadians be HAPPY the WNT has improved, as evidenced by a higher ranking?? Baffling.

Unfortunately I think it's because the link between improved and the ranking is a bit tenuous.

we should be in a favorable position since we have won our qualifying pool (Concacaf).

Actually, not so much. The World Cup uses FIFA rank seeding, and with all eight teams in front of us qualifying, it's possible we could be in the third pot, meaning we would have two of the eight in our group. For example, we could have Germany (pot 1), North Korea (possibly pot 2), and Nigeria (pot 4).

The draw is a week from now on the 29th. It will be broadcast live on FIFA.com

In terms of ranking vs. performance and optimism/pessimism, yin/yang, etc. - I think navycyr (and others like 1867, kj52, etc) is cautiously optimistic. They're supporters and fans but they're a little more discerning than blind faith and media ignorance.

Mexico was a great party, but the party is over and it's time to get back to earth and down to business.

PR and hype are great to bask in every now and then, but the only way you achieve greatness is with two feet on the ground.

Our rank is the result of the teams that were ahead of us falling off (England, Australia, Italy, China). We've held our form stable and steady, nothing less and nothing more.

And in deference to the man, we have performed about the same as Pellerud in his waning years. In two years under Morace our U20 and senior women combined have beat one single higher ranked team (who are now ranked below us).

If that should change for the better the cautiously optimistic will be the first to throw the laurels. And if it's for the worse, be the first to bury the daggers. Such is publicly funded national sport.