Euro 2016

[fillow]

Well we all know that Platini can be a big mouth sometimes and a lot of his proposed changes did not become a reality. Like when he wanted to give national cup winners a ticket to Champions League instead of Europa League.
He has a right to have an opinion, that's ok. I don't believe this change will actually happen.

[Forza AZ]

Well we all know that Platini can be a big mouth sometimes and a lot of his proposed changes did not become a reality. Like when he wanted to give national cup winners a ticket to Champions League instead of Europa League.
He has a right to have an opinion, that's ok. I don't believe this change will actually happen.

There have been ideas for preliminary rounds every now and then to get rid of matches between top teams and teams like San Marino, but these ideas never got reality mainly because the lower teams don't want to lose their games versus the top teams.

This idea of Platini can be seen as a compromise between the current system and a system with preliminary rounds:
-top teams have to play less matches assuming they win their 1st round group, so they will play less "meaningless" matches and can play interesting friendlies instead.
-lower ranked teams still have the same amount (or even more) competitive matches, and less matches in which they are already eliminated since half-way the qualifying campaign they get a "re-start" in round 2.

So I think this system Platini proposes for Euro-qualifying is good for everybody, and it will dramatically reduce the number of meaningless matches, since with the current system a lot of teams will already be qualified with 3 or maybe 4 matches left, since the top 2 of every group will qualify directly.

For World Cup qualifying the current system is the best, and nothing should change for sure.

[JK]

I think nobody is bored with this system, competitive matches in Europe never are easy, unless you play again San Marino or Andorra. Even a match against Faroe Island can become hard if you don't play with the right concentration and tactical preparation of the match (e.g. see Italy in the recent match, or France in Albania, or Greece in Malta etc.).

If Germany has to play Faroe Island, when they are already qualified, it would be like an uninteresting friendly for me. There would be absolutely no pressure, because the result doesn't matter. Germany wouldn't even play for some kind of "honor", because there is no honor in beating the Faroe Island. A win against them is nothing special. It would be only the expected work done. Most of the times the most interesting thing in those games is, how new players perform for the national team. Löw generally use games like these for some experiments and for giving new players a chance. So even if Germany would lose, it would be only an "interesting learning experience" (Löw tend to say something like this) and no real reason for concern.

I don't mind the current qualifying groups with a EC of 16 teams. But with a 24 teams EC, there simply will be too many unimportant games. It is one thing playing a weaker nation, when one failure could mean, that you won't be first in the group and have to play in the play-offs. But with more teams in the EC, the big nations could lose a few games and still qualify directly as a 2nd place team in a group.

I really like friendlies against top nations more than unimportant qualifying games against weak nations. Germany has at least some football rivalry with most other top nations, which adds some spice to the games. Those games tend to be also more even, because the teams are more equal.

[Lusankya]

-top teams have to play less matches assuming they win their 1st round group, so they will play less "meaningless" matches and can play interesting friendlies instead.

What is so interesting in playing friendlies?
I prefer to watch my team playing a competitive match against a second tier team, than watching a boring friendly against a top team.

-lower ranked teams still have the same amount (or even more) competitive matches, and less matches in which they are already eliminated since half-way the qualifying campaign they get a "re-start" in round 2.

That's not because of the proposed qualifying format but rather because there are now 23 (or 22) spots to grab.

So I think this system Platini proposes for Euro-qualifying is good for everybody, and it will dramatically reduce the number of meaningless matches, since with the current system a lot of teams will already be qualified with 3 or maybe 4 matches left, since the top 2 of every group will qualify directly.

To reduce the number of meaningless matches just reduce the number of participants back to 16.

[JK]

-top teams have to play less matches assuming they win their 1st round group, so they will play less "meaningless" matches and can play interesting friendlies instead.

What is so interesting in playing friendlies?
I prefer to watch my team playing a competitive match against a second tier team, than watching a boring friendly against a top team.

But a lot of qualifying games wouldn't be so competitive any more. They would be like friendlies, only against weaker nations.

To reduce the number of meaningless matches just reduce the number of participants back to 16.

I doubt the UEFA will reduce the amount of teams again, so I think discussing what would be the most interesting qualifying method with 24 teams is more interesting.

[Lusankya]

I doubt the UEFA will reduce the amount of teams again, so I think discussing what would be the most interesting qualifying method with 24 teams is more interesting.

I don't see how Platini's method is more interesting. What's so interesting about a weak 4 team group for Germany?
Even if they don't win such a group they get another chance in an even weaker group!
When 23 teams qualify for the FT then the qualifying will be uninteresting, no matter what format we use.

[HibeeJibee]

I expect Platini also backs it for 2 reasons other than trying to make it all more interesting:

[1] reduces number of competitive games top countries play
= elite clubs are happier

[2] no play-offs
= less chance of "Henry's Handball" where 1 incident settles qualification

Friendlies between top 13 + France also generate big £££ for them.

[JK]

I doubt the UEFA will reduce the amount of teams again, so I think discussing what would be the most interesting qualifying method with 24 teams is more interesting.

I don't see how Platini's method is more interesting. What's so interesting about a weak 4 team group for Germany?
Even if they don't win such a group they get another chance in an even weaker group!
When 23 teams qualify for the FT then the qualifying will be uninteresting, no matter what format we use.

The qualifying in itself wouldn't be really more interesting for the top countries with the changes, but it would be shorter for them. This way they would have more time for playing interesting friendlies against other top countries.

[Forza AZ]

I doubt the UEFA will reduce the amount of teams again, so I think discussing what would be the most interesting qualifying method with 24 teams is more interesting.

I don't see how Platini's method is more interesting. What's so interesting about a weak 4 team group for Germany?
Even if they don't win such a group they get another chance in an even weaker group!
When 23 teams qualify for the FT then the qualifying will be uninteresting, no matter what format we use.

The qualifying in itself wouldn't be really more interesting for the top countries with the changes, but it would be shorter for them. This way they would have more time for playing interesting friendlies against other top countries.

The qualifying would be more interesting to I think, since after 1 bad result they will have to win the rest to secure 1st place, while with the current system for 23 qualifiers a few bad results don't matter since the top countries will still be within the top 2 of their group.

[totosexpandingheadband]

I thought the whole idea was that the clubs didn't lose their players for meaningless games,against smaller nations or for friendlies.If a country is already qualified,why would the clubs want to lose their players for more 'interesting' friendlies between countries?....it defeats the object of Platini and the clubs.

[Cirdan]

-top teams have to play less matches assuming they win their 1st round group, so they will play less "meaningless" matches and can play interesting friendlies instead.

What is so interesting in playing friendlies?
I prefer to watch my team playing a competitive match against a second tier team, than watching a boring friendly against a top team.

I'd definitely rather see a couple of matches like the one against Brazil than the last rounds of qualification now...

[JK]

I don't see how Platini's method is more interesting. What's so interesting about a weak 4 team group for Germany?
Even if they don't win such a group they get another chance in an even weaker group!
When 23 teams qualify for the FT then the qualifying will be uninteresting, no matter what format we use.

The qualifying in itself wouldn't be really more interesting for the top countries with the changes, but it would be shorter for them. This way they would have more time for playing interesting friendlies against other top countries.

The qualifying would be more interesting to I think, since after 1 bad result they will have to win the rest to secure 1st place, while with the current system for 23 qualifiers a few bad results don't matter since the top countries will still be within the top 2 of their group.

You are right. I said something like this in a previous comment in this thread. I just meant with "qualifying in itself" the question, if a country qualifies to the EC or not. I mean, if a top country unexpectedly doesn't get first in their group in the first round, they very probably will qualify in the 2nd round.

[fillow]

OK, let's imagine they introduce this stupid new system for Euro 2016.

Next we have WC 2018. Russia qualifies as host, and there will be (most likely) 13 spots (not counting Russia) for other teams. The logical step will be to do 13 groups of 4 with winner advance to the finals... and that's it? Qualification is over in just 6 matchdays?

[BalkanTourist]

Well, if Platini's plan happens it will really kill the joy of football for me.
I think that the reason why football is so powerful is because it appeals to the masses. There is no differense if you are rich or poor. Sadly it has become that way at club level and it slowly is becoming that way at national level. I have no doubts that these processes are natural, but I think the football governing body needs to work against them not faciliate them. When we have division in football we'll have more and more people excluded from the masses and soon football is only going to be for the rich, it won't include everybody and it will lose its appeal.
People need to wake up and come back to their senses. This is a sport. It's meant for enjoyment first, making money later. It serves a special purpose in society. If one wants to make money, go play the stock market or found a company that manufactures containers and sell them to Spain, Italy or Greece. If Germans don't want to be a part of Europe and would rather play Brazil, then let them be a member of CONMEBOL. Kick them out of Europe. There they can play Argentina and Uruguay too, and with only 9 more members there aren't that many weaklings they can encounter. Maybe they would even get an occasional ass whooping in La Paz where the air is thin. And don't worry about their fans, they are rich and can afford to travel.
Why don't they just rank all 53 members minus France, bottom 12 play a home and away play off to be in the next drawing of 46 teams that also play a home and away match to determine the 23 finalist. And there you have it - you qualify in 2 games (4 if you are a weakling) and have plenty of time to play friendly games with whoever you chose.
Better yet, maybe we should just get rid of qualifying all together. Just rank the 53 teams and the top 23 qualify. No useless and meaningless qualifications. All rich countries with their rich eager to pay for premium channels citizens will always be guaranteed a spot. They can even host an Euro Cup every summer. It would be like the CL for national teams.
Mr. Platini, immagine all that revenue!

[Lusankya]

I fail to see how Platini's plan is in any way unfair to any country.