World Cup 2018 Qualification Gets Under Way

[GolfePersique]

Spain playing Costa Rica today. You can not tell me that Costa Rica's federation has more money than ours. We can not avoid playing the big teams until those games are in an actual tourney with everything on the line.

We may have more money than them,but we suck in communication, international relations, marketing, etc.
One simple example is the linguistic skills of IFF staff.

All our recent friendlies have been arranged by CQ connections so far.

Our only hope is those teams approaching us after the WC draw depending on their group opponents, but I wouldn't be very optimist based on our last WC preparation experience.

[Bessos]

Spain playing Costa Rica today. You can not tell me that Costa Rica's federation has more money than ours. We can not avoid playing the big teams until those games are in an actual tourney with everything on the line.

FT Spain 5 - 0 Costa Rica

And that's why CQ doesn't allow ''friendlies'' against powerhouses.

[PSGman#19]

FT Spain 5 - 0 Costa Rica

And that's why CQ doesn't allow ''friendlies'' against powerhouses.

This is a friendly 8 months before the wc, everybody will forget it in two days and the losing team have a taste of the high level and the work it has to achieve.

As if avoiding them during test match and have shake up during the wc is better

[inarsenewetrust]

btw guys, Tunisia also qualified. I would be happy if we get drawn with them. They are not a bad team, but very lacking in quality players, as opposed to previous tunisia teams. Morocco on the other hand would be a difficult game as they are stacked with talent, in the best teams and leagues. But tunisia we can deal with, most of their team plays in Qatar. Overall I actually think we will match up better vs these north african teams than vs Subsaharan teams. We have shown we are very capable of dealing with 2-3 star players ( see argentina game, consistently shutting down son hueng min - something Colombia couldnt manage once in their game yesterday, doing a good job on jovetic overall), but we struggle when opposition is able to move the ball very quickly, and has the technical quality from deep to split our defense ( Guys like Pjanic from Bosnia, teams that play similar to spain, etc). SubSaharan teams we can definitely deal with, but they are extremely physical and recently have more experience in WC than North African teams. This taxes our guys and affects our performances in other games.

Overall I wouldnt be very distraught at getting North African teams, but obviously prefer the likes of Honduras, Panama. Even Egypt who are the best North African team, I feel we could contain as long we keep tight on Salah

[ehsan singapore]

btw guys, Tunisia also qualified. I would be happy if we get drawn with them. They are not a bad team, but very lacking in quality players, as opposed to previous tunisia teams. Morocco on the other hand would be a difficult game as they are stacked with talent, in the best teams and leagues. But tunisia we can deal with, most of their team plays in Qatar. Overall I actually think we will match up better vs these north african teams than vs Subsaharan teams. We have shown we are very capable of dealing with 2-3 star players ( see argentina game, consistently shutting down son hueng min - something Colombia couldnt manage once in their game yesterday, doing a good job on jovetic overall), but we struggle when opposition is able to move the ball very quickly, and has the technical quality from deep to split our defense ( Guys like Pjanic from Bosnia, teams that play similar to spain, etc). SubSaharan teams we can definitely deal with, but they are extremely physical and recently have more experience in WC than North African teams. This taxes our guys and affects our performances in other games.

Overall I wouldnt be very distraught at getting North African teams, but obviously prefer the likes of Honduras, Panama. Even Egypt who are the best North African team, I feel we could contain as long we keep tight on Salah

tunasia i believe is in pot 3

[Ali Doust]

Our problem finding proper friendlies doesn't just involve the lack of funding nor just political. It has to do with the fact that our game does not replicate any other confederation. Spain might want to play Costa Rica because their style of game matches other teams from that confederation. Our style doesn't match Asia, European, African or any other team in the world. So what is the benefit of playing TM?

[sarbaz]

Morroco and Egypt are the best CAFA

But if we cant beat them then we should kiss goodbye the idea of advancing to the knokout stage.

[ehsan singapore]

Morroco and Egypt are the best CAFA

But if we cant beat them then we should kiss goodbye the idea of advancing to the knokout stage.

well we wont meet them , both are in pot 3 with us

[ehsan singapore]

i think honestly sweden will beat italy, i dont think italy can keep a clean sheet and if sweden score a goal i think italy will be buried

[eerooni]

IFF is run by incompetent bastards. No one speaks or wites a word of English so this is one reason why we don’t have friendliest. It’s not money. !!!

[littlepersia17]

World Cup 2018 Qualification Gets Under Way

The Socceroos' chartered flight from Honduras back to Sydney cost $AUD 1 Million. They booked a whole Airbus A330 for themselves to maximise recovery.

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2017/11/12/socceroos-soar-sydney-1-million-luxury-flight

Not even sure where this money comes from, given how the Australian Football Federation is on a tight budget.

[teammelli91]

Congratulations to Tunisia for making the World Cup! Welcome back

[Omids]

The Socceroos' chartered flight from Honduras back to Sydney cost $AUD 1 Million. They booked a whole Airbus A330 for themselves to maximise recovery.

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2017/11/12/socceroos-soar-sydney-1-million-luxury-flight

Not even sure where this money comes from, given how the Australian Football Federation is on a tight budget.

Article says they spend $250k more than it would normally cost on commercial flights. And the return is huge in the tune of AU$15million. That is a great return. Good on the aussie management.

[ilovefootball]

All big Muslim countries made it to world cup from Africa. Iran usually plays shit against Muslim teams. We are only good against countries we hate.

[KC McElroy]

All big Muslim countries made it to world cup from Africa. Iran usually plays shit against Muslim teams. We are only good against countries we hate.

And opponents playing gol koochik against us in our basements.