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ITV team going big tonight on the "San Marino shouldn't even be allowed to enter the qualifiers" argument.
Can't agree with that at all. One of the joys/beauties of football is that it's a game for everyone. San Marino is a country with a national team and, regardless of their quality, they shouldn't be told that they're not good enough to play against certain sides.
Despite the scoreline, this is a night (alongside their trip to Wembley) that none of the Sammarinese players will ever forget, or would want to be deprived of.
ITV comments on San Marino on 17:33 - Nov 16 by Oldboy
A minnows group of Faroe Islands Gibraltar San Marino Andorra Liechtenstein
The winners go straight to the World Cup/European Championships. That way they have a real chance of progressing in the future. Once the same team wins this group twice in a row, they are back in main draw. Something along those lines would give these nations a real fighting chance of progressing.
But then you are effectively keeping things the same as how but rigging it so one qualifying group is much, much, much weaker than all of the others. I don't see much merit in that idea and it goes back to what I've said, which is that whilst the current system isn't perfect pretty much everything that's suggested to replace it is less fair.
ITV comments on San Marino on 17:38 - Nov 16 by tractordownsouth
A similar thing happened for the past Euros. A place was given to the winner of the bottom tier of the Nations League. North Macedonia qualified ahead of Georgia, Belarus and Kosovo.
Similar, but not the same. Those 5 countries would stand a real chance of winning some football matches, which would give them the confidence and belief to progress. The winners would get a real financial boost at the major tournaments that should be re invested in their leagues. Some, most of the smallest/least populated countries, will never be able to compete with the likes of England, but at least they won't be hammered every time they play.
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ITV comments on San Marino on 18:14 - Nov 16 with 202 views
ITV comments on San Marino on 17:55 - Nov 16 by Herbivore
But then you are effectively keeping things the same as how but rigging it so one qualifying group is much, much, much weaker than all of the others. I don't see much merit in that idea and it goes back to what I've said, which is that whilst the current system isn't perfect pretty much everything that's suggested to replace it is less fair.
Fair? This is about helping smaller/less populated countries. If the power nations fail to qualify from their slightly tougher league, then so be it.
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ITV comments on San Marino on 18:18 - Nov 16 with 194 views
ITV comments on San Marino on 18:14 - Nov 16 by Oldboy
Fair? This is about helping smaller/less populated countries. If the power nations fail to qualify from their slightly tougher league, then so be it.
But it's not remotely fair from a sporting perspective to rig the competition to enable one of those nations to qualify. If they can't beat the likes likes of Luxembourg or Scotland in a regular qualifying group then they shouldn't be waved through into a major tournament where they'll get spanked. If you want to help those nations financially that's fine but it shouldn't be done by gifting them a place in major tournaments.
ITV comments on San Marino on 18:18 - Nov 16 by Herbivore
But it's not remotely fair from a sporting perspective to rig the competition to enable one of those nations to qualify. If they can't beat the likes likes of Luxembourg or Scotland in a regular qualifying group then they shouldn't be waved through into a major tournament where they'll get spanked. If you want to help those nations financially that's fine but it shouldn't be done by gifting them a place in major tournaments.
Fantastic baiting there - Darth will be along any minute now to tell us about how Che Adams is the second coming of Marco Van Basten.
ITV comments on San Marino on 18:18 - Nov 16 by Herbivore
But it's not remotely fair from a sporting perspective to rig the competition to enable one of those nations to qualify. If they can't beat the likes likes of Luxembourg or Scotland in a regular qualifying group then they shouldn't be waved through into a major tournament where they'll get spanked. If you want to help those nations financially that's fine but it shouldn't be done by gifting them a place in major tournaments.
This forum does make me laugh. This is about helping a nations football team/supporters/residents. It is about helping those less fortunate. Can't see why that is a problem.
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ITV comments on San Marino on 18:33 - Nov 16 with 173 views
ITV comments on San Marino on 18:30 - Nov 16 by Oldboy
This forum does make me laugh. This is about helping a nations football team/supporters/residents. It is about helping those less fortunate. Can't see why that is a problem.
Why not just give them a bye straight to the final? Biggest game in football, why shouldn't they be able to have a shot at it?
ITV comments on San Marino on 17:01 - Nov 16 by DanTheMan
You say quirk of history but they've been their own state longer than most other countries have even been around.
Wiki says that San Morino has a population of 33,000 Ipswich has 133,000.
This isn’t being big bully boys or elitists ….. but what exactly does San Morino offer future -wise in the football sense? They have their place in the world…. and I’m sure it’s a comfortable one at that and not being thrashed at football is not one of their goals.
The way we’re going the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands will be next. Bit of common sense…. please.
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ITV comments on San Marino on 18:40 - Nov 16 with 160 views
ITV comments on San Marino on 18:30 - Nov 16 by Oldboy
This forum does make me laugh. This is about helping a nations football team/supporters/residents. It is about helping those less fortunate. Can't see why that is a problem.
Lichtenstein has the highest per capita GDP in the world, they aren't "less fortunate" they are just very, very small. I don't think they really need to be gifted a place in the World Cup as a favour.
ITV comments on San Marino on 18:47 - Nov 16 by Herbivore
Lichtenstein has the highest per capita GDP in the world, they aren't "less fortunate" they are just very, very small. I don't think they really need to be gifted a place in the World Cup as a favour.
Yeah, sorry, you are right. Sod um. If they can't muster a decent playing squad, then at least they have a nice beef dinner waiting for them. They are on their own.
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