Alasondro Alegré
Forum Addict
The discussion concerning the final draw from the qualifiers thread:
Also, being curious as to the upcoming draw, I Google'd about to find the seedings.
So here is the possible, potential, maybe-ish seedings, according to AllVoices News site:
The 32 qualified teams will be divided into four pots or section of 8 teams each.
According to Wikipedia report, the seeded pot (Pot 1) will contain the hosts Brazil and the seven best-ranked qualified teams according to the October 2013 FIFA World Rankings, including Spain, Germany, Argentina, Colombia, Belgium, Uruguay and Switzerland.
The other pots will be based on geographic and sports criteria. In 2010 group draw and seeding, Pot 2 is assigned for (Asia, North America & Oceania), Pot 3 (Africa & South America) and Pot 4 (Europe).
Based on that scenario, projected pots are:
1. Brazil, Spain, Germany, Argentina, Colombia, Belgium, Switzerland, Uruguay.
2. Japan, Australia, Iran, S Korea, Costa Rica, United States, Mexico, Honduras.
3. France, Chile, Ecuador, Nigeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Algeria, Ghana.
4. Holland, Italy, England, Portugal, Greece, Bosnia, Croatia, Russia.
* * *
Interesting, no?
:?
What's the point of this? Why not a totally random draw?
To ensure "random" doesn't give you a couple of groups like "Group A: Argentina, Brazil, Spain, German" which would mean 2 of those teams would get eliminated, and they are the teams all people would like to see on the head-to-head closing stages. Also it mixes regions up, as you could get a random group of all-european teams which would not make it very "world"-cup..
Basically, makes the group stage more interesting.
No, basically, it ensures the big teams are not eliminated early, because TV ratings.
Uh... no? 2010, France, Italy (defending champions), Denmark out in groups... In 2002, France (defending champions), Portugal (the 'golden generation' of Figo, Rui Costa and others), Argentina, out on groups.
It's never a sure thing even if you put a strong team with three "weaker ones", and on the other hand, yes it makes the knockout stage more interesting. What if you grouped 12 of the best teams into 3 groups, ensuring 6 of them will be eliminated? That'd make for a boring knock out stage where the 6 that went through facing quite weaker sides, only meeting again at the semifinals and finals.
The pots for the final draw:
Pot 1 (seeds)
Brazil, Argentina, Belgium, Colombia, Germany, Spain, Switzerland and Uruguay
Pot 2 (CAF and CONMEBOL teams)
Algeria, Cameroon, Cote d?Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Chile and Ecuador
Pot 3 (AFC and CONCACAF teams)
Australia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico and USA
Pot 4 (UEFA teams)
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, England, France, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Russia.