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Posted:
Fri Nov 23, 2007 3:07 amby The Manhattan Project
If players from those national sides are registered to clubs already, and then their national teams decided to join domestic leagues in surrounding countries, they would effectively be playing for two clubs, which I'm sure would be against UEFA reg's.
You misunderstand. I'm not saying that all Faroese players would have to play for "Faroe Islands FC". There would be a shift in status, so that Faroe Islands for example would join a league and be given the option of signing players from wherever they wish. A grace period of say 10 years would be given to prevent them from being relegated due to the fact they are starting from scratch as a club.
Posted:
Fri Nov 23, 2007 3:28 amby LFC2007
Ok, I didn't think you meant starting from scratch.
I still don't think it's a feasible option though.
Even if we are talking about microstates, I'm sure there are nationalists within those states who would despair at the thought. They should still keep their national teams, even if it's just for friendlies, or local competitions. What else has a Liechtensteiner got to look forward to?
The problem isn't whether they should have a national side or not per se, the problem is how to manage their involvement in International tournaments, and specifically the Euro's.
I reckon a better option is to have a preliminary 'microstate' group, whoever wins the group gets the chance to mix it with the big boys. It may act as an incentive to perform once they reach the 'big' league i.e. the actual group stage.
Posted:
Fri Nov 23, 2007 3:37 amby The Manhattan Project
Even if we are talking about microstates, I'm sure there are nationalists within those states who would despair at the thought. They should still keep their national teams, even if it's just for friendlies, or local competitions. What else has a Liechtensteiner got to look forward to?
Being very rich probably.
Besides, I doubt a San Marino nationalist for example feels much pride when they lose 0-13
Posted:
Fri Nov 23, 2007 3:49 amby LFC2007
That wouldn't be a reason to abolish their national team per se, it would be a reason to alter the qualifying format of the competition.
These national teams can play in friendlies or local competitions, or competitions with sides of a similar standard and still have a good match that doesn't result in some absurd scoreline. A preliminary microstate league would certainly be interesting in this respect, maybe Everton could apply 
The solution, IMO, is to simply alter the qualification format for the Euro's.
Posted:
Fri Nov 23, 2007 4:51 amby The Manhattan Project
I'm not sure a prelim stage would be effective.
Let's say that those microstates had their own qualifying tournament and Luxembourg got through.
Then they go into the proper qualifying stage and lose all their games 5-0.
There's no point. They will never be competitive because they are so small. A limited pool of players.
But, as clubs, they will have a wider choice of players to pick.
Posted:
Fri Nov 23, 2007 8:51 amby Ciggy
I'd just like to rule myself out of the England job.
Just wanted you all to know.
Fat headed b@stard.
Thank fuck for that.
Posted:
Fri Nov 23, 2007 9:17 amby The Manhattan Project
The English national football team are doomed.
The Premiership is too powerful and the old 
who run the FA are out of touch.
It's over. Doesn't matter who becomes manager.
Posted:
Fri Nov 23, 2007 10:08 amby Big Niall
Just over a year ago many people here thought England had one of the best two teams in teh world (brazil other) and talked about winning the world cup.
you bought the hype and anyone who pointed this out to you was called "anti-English".
The first step is to admit that English football has a long term problem and not just a managerial one.
Posted:
Fri Nov 23, 2007 10:33 amby NANNY RED
Everyone seens to want Mourinio not me not a chance. Personally id go for O Niell
Posted:
Fri Nov 23, 2007 10:35 amby Ciggy
NANNY RED wrote:Personally id go for O Niell
I wouldnt Nanny he's been shite at Villa they are boring and defensive plus he's not that good anyway.
Posted:
Fri Nov 23, 2007 10:41 amby 66-1112520797
Or me ?
You are anti-English, not just with your football but almost everything else.
Posted:
Fri Nov 23, 2007 10:45 amby Ciggy
He is isnt he I thought I was being para until a few others backed me up over this.
Posted:
Fri Nov 23, 2007 2:14 pmby LFC2007
The Manhattan Project wrote:I'm not sure a prelim stage would be effective.
Let's say that those microstates had their own qualifying tournament and Luxembourg got through.
Then they go into the proper qualifying stage and lose all their games 5-0.
There's no point. They will never be competitive because they are so small. A limited pool of players.
But, as clubs, they will have a wider choice of players to pick.
I wouldn't deprive them of the opportunity to at least mix it with the big boys, they should be entitled to the opportunity. That is why a preliminary microstate group stage would be the best solution, in my view. Simply banishing them from the competition altogether is far too elitist for my liking.
If there was no desire for these national teams to exist, they probably wouldn't. Should they wish to abolish their national teams, they have every right to do so. It cannot be enforced from any exterior body, for example, UEFA cannot 'downgrade' a national team to club status. They are two separate types of organisation altogether.
The 'downgrading' option, is not an enforcable or feasible option. It's akin to abolishing the national teams of these microstates. Once abolished, they cannot return. If there is no desire for these teams to be abolished, it will not happen, and I suspect there is no desire for the likes of Andorra or Liectenstein to abolish their national sides. The opportunity to enter the Euro's allows these countries to gain exposure in their own little way, it enables them to interact with fans from different countries and visit stadia across Europe, and undoubtedly provides economic benefit.
Despite not being a remotely feasible option, another point against it would be "where does it end?".
Are Iceland included in this 'downgrading'?
Malta perhaps? or Estonia? How about Azerbaijan? or Slovenia?, Latvia? or Puskas' country of birth - Hungary (just the 5 points between them and the total achieved by Liechtenstein). Despite this 'limited pool of players' which you say will always prevent them from ever being a threat, a team who has access to a nation of 10m people can only achieve 5 more points than a team who has access to a population of just 35 thousand (I'm equating pop'n with 'pool of players' just to give a rough idea of the proportions involved, despite the fact that the 'pool' may be distinctly smaller).
Defining the boundary is difficult, as it is clear from the point tallies that there are an abundance of sides who achieve a low points total
It's also not a question of whether they will be competitive or not, it's a question of allowing them the opportunity at the very least. These countries can be competitive in as much as, they can get results against footballing nations of a significantly higher stature e.g. Liechtenstein drawing against Slovaki and Portugal in their 2006 WC qualifying campaign.
This is all speculative, as the proposal is simply not feasible in any case. An external body cannot abolish a country's national team, only they can and for as long as there is no desire to do so, it will not happen.
The preliminary group would be the best possible route to take as far as I can see. The worst sides from the actual group stages should be knocked down into this group. Whoever wins the preliminary group would then go forward into the group stage proper.
Posted:
Fri Nov 23, 2007 7:50 pmby zarababe
England post-mortem - isn't that for something that's umm.. DEAD.. England ain't dead yet !
Is that aimed at me