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Low wants 'pre-qualification event'

Germany coach Joachim Low thinks smaller nations need to earn the right to take part in qualifying for major tournaments.

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Comments 1 - 10 of (12)

damoceltic (Celtic) says...

Does that mean we (Scotland) would be included in these pre qualifiers as well then....? Ha ha!

Posted 11:51am 19th March 2013

markarogers (Liverpool) says...

My guess is, because without England, Germany, France etc, the Qualifying stages would basically draw zero viewers, zero sponsors, zero spectators, zero interest. It spins money for the FA too. Sadly it has nothing to do with entertainment or sporting value, but churning out cash, and rare pay-days for the smaller nations. I totally agree that a new format should be thought up to be less painfully dull - the "going through the motions" for qualifying just detracts from the novelty sideshows that are the every-four-year tournaments these days.

Posted 11:04am 19th March 2013

armadillo (Tottenham Hotspur) says...

There's too many games are played at the moment, so make some countries play even more games? Hardly fair on them really.

Posted 10:14am 19th March 2013

jodanuke says...

In many ways I agree with this - speaking as a Wales fan. If we were ever to fluke the qualifiers and actually reach a major finals, we would most likely be stuffed in every game. Why not go one step further and have a junior world cup for the lower ranked sides, playing qualifiers and finals at the same time as the main one? Then again, some countries would never say thay they were a "small" footballing country would they..

Posted 8:22am 19th March 2013

nathaus (Fulham) says...

It happens in Asia. And a longer qualification program means less chance of any "minnow" nation getting through. If the teams ranked outside the tope 100 had to prequalify, dropping the size of the groups from 6 or 7 to say 5, then there is more of a chance that a small team could triumph over the course of 8 qualifying matches rather than 10 or 12. It also means the "big boys" play 2 or more fewer qualifiers. It's win-win if you ask me.

Posted 4:34am 19th March 2013

bettyswollocks (Liverpool) says...

Scotland, Wales & 'norn iron' all in the same group....they will have to put eire in with san marino and the isle of man......

Posted 1:26am 19th March 2013

leftcoastred says...

yeh maybe even make a rule that you have to win one match in the previous cycle otherwise you have to pre-qualify, after a few cycles you could end up with a fair number of teams that actually have a prayer.

Posted 1:10am 19th March 2013

UKanadaboy (Leeds United) says...

I've been saying this for years. Oceania, CONCACAF and Asia all have multi-stage qualifying tournaments, why not Europe.

Posted 11:41pm 18th March 2013

santi garcia (Wolverhampton Wanderers) says...

I'll be the first to admit the entertainment value in watching a big European side play Andorra/San Marino/Faroes etc is practically zero but if the match is, in effect, a formality then why don't the big sides put a reserve team out? Wouldn't everybody win in that scenario?

Posted 9:18pm 18th March 2013

v. profane (Newcastle United) says...

I think you could put a case for pre-qualifying for the tiny nations with no real prospect of ever supporting a professional level side, but not for the developing nations.

Posted 2:55pm 18th March 2013

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