would the "40,000 enthusiastic fans" have gone without that handball decision?

Ireland weren't actually winning at the time and so would probably not have gone through anyway.

And from a football point of view anything that keeps Ireland out of a major tournament is a major plus point.

Posted By: mr carra on October 14th 2013 at 09:55:56

Message Thread

According to the Guardian... (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, Oct 14, 09:23:14
- Wow (Other Football) - norway, Oct 14, 10:05:42
- I'm sure they'll get a disgusting hand ball decision like against Ireland (Other Football) - pants, Oct 14, 09:33:28
  - would the "40,000 enthusiastic fans" have gone without that handball decision? (Other Football) - mr carra, Oct 14, 09:55:56
  - As you prob know, I don't buy your conspiracy theories re football reffing. But... (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, Oct 14, 09:37:37
    - no chance we will get France in a playoff (Other Football) - mr carra, Oct 14, 10:00:16
      - how come no chance? (n/m) (Other Football) - SCC 28, Oct 14, 10:07:47
        
        because in my opinion the draws are rigged (n/m) (Other Football) - mr carra, Oct 14, 10:09:23
        
        based on....? (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, Oct 14, 10:17:33
        
        just the way they normally turn out (Other Football) - mr carra, Oct 14, 10:21:55
        
        so rigged based on what you think their motivations are (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, Oct 14, 10:28:19
        
        FIFA regularly have disgruntled ... (Other Football) - yellowman, Oct 14, 10:45:19
        
        I'm not saying i believe mr carra 100%, but i do understand why he's so cynical,fifa have (Other Football) - protheroe fitzgibbon, Oct 14, 10:37:49
        
        I confess I might be paranoid (Other Football) - mr carra, Oct 14, 10:35:04
        
        I don't see when the past draws you're talking about were (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, Oct 14, 11:03:16
        
        this might be what I'm thinking of (Other Football) - mr carra, Oct 14, 11:21:37
        
        Ah, right. Well as I said above - I agree that having seeding is essentially fixing the (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, Oct 14, 11:27:14
        
        I think I'm thinking of the Euro 2004 qualifying playoffs (Other Football) - mr carra, Oct 14, 11:31:30
        
        Bit harsh to accuse FIFA of fixing draws based on a UEFA draw from 10 years ago (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, Oct 14, 11:40:23
        
        Turkey were at the time (Other Football) - mr carra, Oct 14, 11:48:03
        
        They made the Euro semi final before or after as well didn't they ? (n/m) (Other Football) - Steve in Holland, Oct 14, 13:38:29
        
        (Hopefully *not*, if we're involved...) (n/m) (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, Oct 14, 11:49:02
        
        and surely they would have fixed it and just put France in an easier group to start with (Other Football) - Mecagoenti, Oct 14, 10:30:48
        
        oh (n/m) (Other Football) - SCC 28, Oct 14, 10:10:16
- yes tho portugal look the only decent seeded team (n/m) (Other Football) - SCC 28, Oct 14, 09:24:18
  - It's all irrelevant (Other Football) - norway, Oct 14, 10:06:41
  - ...which wouldn't be of much comfort to us, assuming we were seeded? (n/m) (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, Oct 14, 09:27:18
    - ukraine iceland and romania look like the other unseeded so still good! (n/m) (Other Football) - SCC 28, Oct 14, 09:40:22
      - Ukraine wouldn't be in the play-offs if we are (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, Oct 14, 09:52:24
        
        Sweden would be tough. Choice of Olsson and Elmander or England at World Cup. Hmmmm (n/m) (Other Football) - Steve in Holland, Oct 14, 10:51:12
        
        yes of course lol (Other Football) - SCC 28, Oct 14, 09:57:47
        
        Yeah, based on most recent rankings, Sweden would be seeds if we're not in play-offs (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, Oct 14, 10:05:48
        
        france almost defo unseeded (n/m) (Other Football) - SCC 28, Oct 14, 10:07:23
      - also the only way we can be seeded at the world cup (Other Football) - SCC 28, Oct 14, 09:47:09
        
        belgium 6th in rankings (Other Football) - SCC 28, Oct 14, 10:00:28
        
        that's crazy.. how come belgium will be seeded above netherlands? (Other Football) - Mecagoenti, Oct 14, 09:58:28
        
        Look at belgiums starting 11,it's quality. (n/m) (Other Football) - protheroe fitzgibbon, Oct 14, 10:05:16
        
        not sure that's how rankings are calculated (n/m) (Other Football) - SCC 28, Oct 14, 10:06:07
        
        Er,thankyou. the rankings are completely irrelevant as they once had us at 6,however anyon (Other Football) - protheroe fitzgibbon, Oct 14, 10:12:30
        
        no disputing that.. but not sure what they've done to be ranked above Netherlands (n/m) (Other Football) - Mecagoenti, Oct 14, 10:21:27
        
        Fair do's,just saying they are a good side,and current form must surely play a part,as (Other Football) - protheroe fitzgibbon, Oct 14, 10:29:56
        
        does seem a bit mysterious - Holland have romped their group and qualified before Belgium (Other Football) - mr carra, Oct 14, 10:22:57
        
        assume points you get are partly based on who you are playing against (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, Oct 14, 10:26:14
        
        so Holland are being penalised for being good (Other Football) - mr carra, Oct 14, 10:30:40
        
        that would also explain why Japan and South Korea are so low (Other Football) - Mecagoenti, Oct 14, 10:28:52
        
        agreed (n/m) (Other Football) - SCC 28, Oct 14, 10:12:59
        
        If you win games, you go up the rankings (Other Football) - norway, Oct 14, 10:07:46
        
        so why are uruguay still so high up? (Other Football) - Mecagoenti, Oct 14, 10:09:19
        
        won the Copa America (last year?) and semi-finalist in Confederations Cup (?) (n/m) (Other Football) - mr carra, Oct 14, 10:12:25
        
        Ah, that's down to the South American parabolic co-efficient. (n/m) (Other Football) - norway, Oct 14, 10:12:12
        
        I was thinking something similar looking at the rankings (Other Football) - Mecagoenti, Oct 14, 10:16:24
        
        you what? (n/m) (Other Football) - SCC 28, Oct 14, 10:13:24
        
        The South American parabolic co-efficient! You know.... (Other Football) - norway, Oct 14, 10:19:33
        
        Belgium currently 6th in FIFA rankings (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, Oct 14, 10:00:24
        
        so it's all done on the FIFA rankings now then? (Other Football) - Mecagoenti, Oct 14, 10:08:21
        
        Seeds for the play-offs is. Dunno about seeding for the WC groups themselves. (n/m) (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, Oct 14, 10:09:05
        
        Yup - appears no.1 group seeding is based entirely on the next set of rankings (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, Oct 14, 10:11:24
        
        Looks like there could be a few groups of death (n/m) (Other Football) - Mecagoenti, Oct 14, 10:19:36
        
        ah ok, I'm probably in the minority (Other Football) - Mecagoenti, Oct 14, 10:11:18
        
        I suspect FIFA/UEFA would strongly agree with you! (n/m) (Other Football) - mr carra, Oct 14, 10:14:14
        
        yes (n/m) (Other Football) - SCC 28, Oct 14, 10:09:24

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