Killen in the World Cup Finals

[jimidack 0]

[quote user="Bethnal Yellow and Green"]

[quote user="jimidack"]But the thing is Australia can be classified as Asia due to close proximity, saying Wales to go through the North American qualifying is extreme to say the least. Australasia is actually a region in geographical terms so why can''t they play in Asia? I think it only seems fair that a country the size of Australia has a fair chance of getting to a world cup. Seems ironic that Australia left just before FIFA changed the play off system. So rather than New Zealand play the 5th placed team from South America they get the ''lucky losers'' from Asia.On the Mexico point, due to them being in Central America they play in the North American Gold Cup and the Copa America.I want to see New Zealand cause an upset...it just would make me chuckle. As long as it''s not against England!  [/quote]

Australia is in close proximity to Asia??

Firstly which bit of Asia as the group means they have to play games in the Middle East, not that close to Australia. Also countries like Japan are still a 9 to 12 (depending on which bit of Australia you are on to which bit of Japan) hour flight away! That is about the same amount of time from England to Japan so not really that close is it??

At the end of the day it is all about making sure certain countries have more chance in reaching the finals. It is in FIFA''s interest that Australia regulary qualify and by allowing more "Asian" teams to qualify there is a greater chance of rich countries such as Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia or China getting through. Ironically what has happened is North Korea and New Zealand got through - not really what was expected.

[/quote]Nice to see those highlighted nations made it to world cup isn''t it?Well you tell me how far we have to travel to Kazakhstan or Israel? And then tell me it is no different from Australia going to Japan, Korea and Bahrain? I like the idea of Australia qualifying, I had no qualms about it when they switched. It made sense to move to a more competitive federation. But I don''t like the fact many people are saying New Zealand shouldn''t be there or don''t deserve it. They won all their games, so move on and hope we get them in the draw! Considering their better players are British based it would be great game for many New Zealanders.Smaller nations qualify for the world cup, and it''s good that all federations are being represented. They haven''t expanded the amount of teams that qualify from Asia, they just threw Australia into the mix. 

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 1,557]

[quote user="jimidack"][quote user="Bethnal Yellow and Green"]

[quote user="jimidack"]But the thing is Australia can be classified as Asia due to close proximity, saying Wales to go through the North American qualifying is extreme to say the least.

Australasia is actually a region in geographical terms so why can''t they play in Asia? I think it only seems fair that a country the size of Australia has a fair chance of getting to a world cup. Seems ironic that Australia left just before FIFA changed the play off system. So rather than New Zealand play the 5th placed team from South America they get the ''lucky losers'' from Asia.

On the Mexico point, due to them being in Central America they play in the North American Gold Cup and the Copa America.

I want to see New Zealand cause an upset...it just would make me chuckle. As long as it''s not against England! 
[/quote]

Australia is in close proximity to Asia??

Firstly which bit of Asia as the group means they have to play games in the Middle East, not that close to Australia. Also countries like Japan are still a 9 to 12 (depending on which bit of Australia you are on to which bit of Japan) hour flight away! That is about the same amount of time from England to Japan so not really that close is it??

At the end of the day it is all about making sure certain countries have more chance in reaching the finals. It is in FIFA''s interest that Australia regulary qualify and by allowing more "Asian" teams to qualify there is a greater chance of rich countries such as Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia or China getting through. Ironically what has happened is North Korea and New Zealand got through - not really what was expected.

[/quote]

Nice to see those highlighted nations made it to world cup isn''t it?

Well you tell me how far we have to travel to Kazakhstan or Israel? And then tell me it is no different from Australia going to Japan, Korea and Bahrain?

I like the idea of Australia qualifying, I had no qualms about it when they switched. It made sense to move to a more competitive federation. But I don''t like the fact many people are saying New Zealand shouldn''t be there or don''t deserve it. They won all their games, so move on and hope we get them in the draw! Considering their better players are British based it would be great game for many New Zealanders.

Smaller nations qualify for the world cup, and it''s good that all federations are being represented. They haven''t expanded the amount of teams that qualify from Asia, they just threw Australia into the mix.
 
[/quote]

I have no issue with New Zealand in the World Cup, as you say there have been smaller and worse nations qualify before. It is confusing why Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are allowed within UEFA and not the AFC, I know Israel is in UEFA to avoid games against Iran etc.

You are of course correct that the same amount of teams qualify from the AFC, but with the play-off now against OFC it is seen to be easier for the 5 team progress. The OFC is now by far the weakest of all the regions, but with the play-off against the 5th AFC team there is a better chance than against the 5th South American team (why is it always Uragauy?). I''m sure FIFA were hoping for China to make it this year, although they even failed to make it to the second league round. Watch out for North Korea come 2010, their team is made up from a few professional players that live in Japan and the rest are conscripts from the North Korean army, and play the same way -- should imagine plenty of red cards in their games.

[jimidack 0]

[quote user="Bethnal Yellow and Green"][quote user="jimidack"][quote user="Bethnal Yellow and Green"]

[quote user="jimidack"]But the thing is Australia can be classified as Asia due to close proximity, saying Wales to go through the North American qualifying is extreme to say the least. Australasia is actually a region in geographical terms so why can''t they play in Asia? I think it only seems fair that a country the size of Australia has a fair chance of getting to a world cup. Seems ironic that Australia left just before FIFA changed the play off system. So rather than New Zealand play the 5th placed team from South America they get the ''lucky losers'' from Asia.On the Mexico point, due to them being in Central America they play in the North American Gold Cup and the Copa America.I want to see New Zealand cause an upset...it just would make me chuckle. As long as it''s not against England!  [/quote]

Australia is in close proximity to Asia??

Firstly which bit of Asia as the group means they have to play games in the Middle East, not that close to Australia. Also countries like Japan are still a 9 to 12 (depending on which bit of Australia you are on to which bit of Japan) hour flight away! That is about the same amount of time from England to Japan so not really that close is it??

At the end of the day it is all about making sure certain countries have more chance in reaching the finals. It is in FIFA''s interest that Australia regulary qualify and by allowing more "Asian" teams to qualify there is a greater chance of rich countries such as Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia or China getting through. Ironically what has happened is North Korea and New Zealand got through - not really what was expected.

[/quote]Nice to see those highlighted nations made it to world cup isn''t it?Well you tell me how far we have to travel to Kazakhstan or Israel? And then tell me it is no different from Australia going to Japan, Korea and Bahrain? I like the idea of Australia qualifying, I had no qualms about it when they switched. It made sense to move to a more competitive federation. But I don''t like the fact many people are saying New Zealand shouldn''t be there or don''t deserve it. They won all their games, so move on and hope we get them in the draw! Considering their better players are British based it would be great game for many New Zealanders.Smaller nations qualify for the world cup, and it''s good that all federations are being represented. They haven''t expanded the amount of teams that qualify from Asia, they just threw Australia into the mix.  [/quote]

I have no issue with New Zealand in the World Cup, as you say there have been smaller and worse nations qualify before. It is confusing why Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are allowed within UEFA and not the AFC, I know Israel is in UEFA to avoid games against Iran etc.

You are of course correct that the same amount of teams qualify from the AFC, but with the play-off now against OFC it is seen to be easier for the 5 team progress. The OFC is now by far the weakest of all the regions, but with the play-off against the 5th AFC team there is a better chance than against the 5th South American team (why is it always Uragauy?). I''m sure FIFA were hoping for China to make it this year, although they even failed to make it to the second league round. Watch out for North Korea come 2010, their team is made up from a few professional players that live in Japan and the rest are conscripts from the North Korean army, and play the same way -- should imagine plenty of red cards in their games.

[/quote]You have a point, why is it always Uruguay? I can''t argue with the idea that FIFA want certain nations to get to the World Cup for various reasons, just look at the play off''s in Europe!! The whole thing is a bit of a farce sometimes, much like players such as Carney and Killen going...as they showed very little quality during their time at Carrow Road.

[The ghost of Michael Theoklitos 0]

[quote user="Bethnal Yellow and Green"]

[quote user="jimidack"]But the thing is Australia can be classified as Asia due to close proximity, saying Wales to go through the North American qualifying is extreme to say the least.

Australasia is actually a region in geographical terms so why can''t they play in Asia? I think it only seems fair that a country the size of Australia has a fair chance of getting to a world cup. Seems ironic that Australia left just before FIFA changed the play off system. So rather than New Zealand play the 5th placed team from South America they get the ''lucky losers'' from Asia.

On the Mexico point, due to them being in Central America they play in the North American Gold Cup and the Copa America.

I want to see New Zealand cause an upset...it just would make me chuckle. As long as it''s not against England! 
[/quote]

Australia is in close proximity to Asia??

Firstly which bit of Asia as the group means they have to play games in the Middle East, not that close to Australia. Also countries like Japan are still a 9 to 12 (depending on which bit of Australia you are on to which bit of Japan) hour flight away! That is about the same amount of time from England to Japan so not really that close is it??

At the end of the day it is all about making sure certain countries have more chance in reaching the finals. It is in FIFA''s interest that Australia regulary qualify and by allowing more "Asian" teams to qualify there is a greater chance of rich countries such as Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia or China getting through. Ironically what has happened is North Korea and New Zealand got through - not really what was expected.

[/quote]

I know you''re probably sick of this, but I just wanted to pick up on the location point.

If you take a look at a map, Australia is actually closer to Indonesia then it is to New Zealand. The difference is that the most populated parts of Australia are those on the Eastern seaboard, as well as the South-West, which just happen to be the locations furthest away from Asia.

Anyway, I''m sure no one came on here for a geography lesson, but I just wanted to say that Australia is very much close to Asia, not only by geography, but also economically.