We can agree on that!
If they use the same system used in the last WC (FIFA ranking + geographic)
the draw would look like this (based on the October rankings -- not sure if
France or Portugal have any chances of overtaking England).
Pot 1 (seeds)
---------------
South Africa (hosts)
Italy (defending champs)
Brazil
Spain
Netherlands
Germany
Argentina
England
Pot 2 (Other UEFA)
------------------
France
Portugal
Switzerland
Greece
Serbia
Denmark
Slovakia
Slovenia
Pot 3 (CONCACAF + AFC/OFC)
-----------------
USA
Mexico
Honduras
Japan
South Korea
North Korea
Australia
New Zealand
Pot 4 (CAF + CONMEBOL)
----------------
Chile
Paraguay
Uruguay
Cameroon
Nigeria
Algeria
Cote d'Ivoire
Ghana
Pot 4 looks very balanced, but there's a lot of variation in Pots 2 and 3.
A possible interesting group: England, France, USA, Cote d'Ivoire
Another possible group: South Africa, Slovenia, New Zealand, Uruguay.
I'll take SA, Slo, USA and Uruguay please!
In the last WC, the seeds were determined by using the FIFA rankings, but
also the results of the previous WC.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_FIFA_World_Cup_seeding
According to France Football's site (too lazy to make the calculations
myself, but they are most likely right), if the same formula is used again,
the seeds would be :
South Africa (host), Brazil, Spain, Italy, Germany, Argentina, England and
... (drumrolls) France.
That's easily done by giving the finalists last time automatic seeding.
All that is certain is that Brazil will get a relatively easy group.
They're the Man Utd or Arsenal of international football.
: According to France Football's site (too lazy to make the calculations
: myself, but they are most likely right), if the same formula is used again,
: the seeds would be :
: South Africa (host), Brazil, Spain, Italy, Germany, Argentina, England and
: ... (drumrolls) France.
This must be it. I've seen fearmongering headlines already that Germany
could draw the Netherlands :-)
--
ciao,
Bruce
drift wave turbulence: http://www.rzg.mpg.de/~bds/
The odds are for the African teams to land one of the two Sth American
giants as they can't be paired with other CONMEBOL representatives
from Pot 4.
We wait for the draw.
--
Member - Liberal International This is doc...@nl2k.ab.ca Ici doc...@nl2k.ab.ca
God, Queen and country! Never Satan President Republic! Beware AntiChrist rising!
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Merry Christmas 2009 and Happy New Year 2010
I would rather seed Netherlands than any of the others as they are as
usual the most dangerous team.
I mean, it's ok to seed the host (South Africa) but what the hell have
they to do with the other names there??
Can I vote for this group now? Please?
Myk