pks00
Inactive User
Looks like England may struggle to get into 2010 possibly unless they get their act together.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7108764.stm
England will not be among the top seeds in the 2010 World Cup qualifying draw after their failure to reach Euro 2008.
The defeat against Croatia has seen them drop to 12th in the world rankings after being leap-frogged by Greece.
This means they are not in the top nine European countries in the draw when it is made in South Africa on Sunday.
They are in the group of second seeds and could possibly face a leading team such as Italy, France or Germany in a potentially hazardous qualifying group.
Scotland have dropped one place to 14th, meaning they will also be among the group of second seeds.
Argentina continue as the top-ranked country despite their 2-1 defeat by Colombia this week, but Brazil and world champions Italy have closed the gap.
Spain have risen two places to fourth in the world and the Czech Republic three places to sixth.
Northern Ireland are up four placed to 32nd, while the Republic of Ireland drop three places to 35th which means both will be in the third pot of seeds.
Wales stay in 58th place, placing them in the fourth set of seeds for Sunday's World Cup draw alongside the likes of Hungary, Belarus and Cyprus.
Big movers include South Africa up 25 places to 77th and Belarus, whose 2-1 win over Holland in midweek sees them rise 34 places to 60th.
The Europeans face a different qualifying format than at previous World Cups, with 53 teams split into nine groups, eight of six teams and one of five.
The nine seeded teams are expected to be Italy, Spain, Germany, Czech Republic, France, Portugal, the Netherlands, Croatia and Greece.
The nine group winners will automatically qualify with the best eight runners up playing off for the last four tickets to South Africa.
Uefa president Michel Platini welcomed the changes: "It's a good compromise solution, because I wasn't really happy with the format for the last qualifying competition with groups of seven and eight teams," he said.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has warned the appointment of a new coach will not be a cure-all as England now look to 2010 as their next major target.
He said: "They can't just appoint a new coach and think England will win the World Cup in 2010.
"After France failed to qualify in 1994, the manager Gerard Houllier was straight away sacrificed in a little bit of a similar game.
"That is a good example for England because the France players that lost then became world champions.
"That is what I mean - don't slaughter the players because the England national team has good players."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7108764.stm
England will not be among the top seeds in the 2010 World Cup qualifying draw after their failure to reach Euro 2008.
The defeat against Croatia has seen them drop to 12th in the world rankings after being leap-frogged by Greece.
This means they are not in the top nine European countries in the draw when it is made in South Africa on Sunday.
They are in the group of second seeds and could possibly face a leading team such as Italy, France or Germany in a potentially hazardous qualifying group.
Scotland have dropped one place to 14th, meaning they will also be among the group of second seeds.
Argentina continue as the top-ranked country despite their 2-1 defeat by Colombia this week, but Brazil and world champions Italy have closed the gap.
Spain have risen two places to fourth in the world and the Czech Republic three places to sixth.
Northern Ireland are up four placed to 32nd, while the Republic of Ireland drop three places to 35th which means both will be in the third pot of seeds.
Wales stay in 58th place, placing them in the fourth set of seeds for Sunday's World Cup draw alongside the likes of Hungary, Belarus and Cyprus.
Big movers include South Africa up 25 places to 77th and Belarus, whose 2-1 win over Holland in midweek sees them rise 34 places to 60th.
The Europeans face a different qualifying format than at previous World Cups, with 53 teams split into nine groups, eight of six teams and one of five.
The nine seeded teams are expected to be Italy, Spain, Germany, Czech Republic, France, Portugal, the Netherlands, Croatia and Greece.
The nine group winners will automatically qualify with the best eight runners up playing off for the last four tickets to South Africa.
Uefa president Michel Platini welcomed the changes: "It's a good compromise solution, because I wasn't really happy with the format for the last qualifying competition with groups of seven and eight teams," he said.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has warned the appointment of a new coach will not be a cure-all as England now look to 2010 as their next major target.
He said: "They can't just appoint a new coach and think England will win the World Cup in 2010.
"After France failed to qualify in 1994, the manager Gerard Houllier was straight away sacrificed in a little bit of a similar game.
"That is a good example for England because the France players that lost then became world champions.
"That is what I mean - don't slaughter the players because the England national team has good players."
