http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-football/beginning-of-the-end-for-international-friendlies.html World Cup South Africa 2010 Thu, 21 Oct 2010 19:45:51 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-football/beginning-of-the-end-for-international-friendlies.html/comment-page-1#comment-550299 Ian Fri, 28 Mar 2008 17:11:38 +0000 http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-football/beginning-of-the-end-for-international-friendlies.html#comment-550299 The interesting thing to me about friendlies and FIFA world rankings is that even though a win or a draw in a friendly is worth far less than a win or a draw in a tournament (as it should be, I think), a loss is just as damaging no matter what sort of game it is. A zero is a zero, and because the FIFA rankings average the ratings from games played over the last year, two years, three years and four years, zeros really bring down averages. There's a lot of games in four years (25ish) and so each one doesn't make a huge effect, but Italy's overall score will certainly go down this month. Probably not enough for Spain to catch them for third place, though. The interesting thing to me about friendlies and FIFA world rankings is that even though a win or a draw in a friendly is worth far less than a win or a draw in a tournament (as it should be, I think), a loss is just as damaging no matter what sort of game it is. A zero is a zero, and because the FIFA rankings average the ratings from games played over the last year, two years, three years and four years, zeros really bring down averages. There’s a lot of games in four years (25ish) and so each one doesn’t make a huge effect, but Italy’s overall score will certainly go down this month. Probably not enough for Spain to catch them for third place, though.

]]> http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-football/beginning-of-the-end-for-international-friendlies.html/comment-page-1#comment-550242 Daryl Fri, 28 Mar 2008 15:09:10 +0000 http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-football/beginning-of-the-end-for-international-friendlies.html#comment-550242 Yes, but they're worth much fewer points than qualification or tournament games. Yes, but they’re worth much fewer points than qualification or tournament games.

]]> http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-football/beginning-of-the-end-for-international-friendlies.html/comment-page-1#comment-550230 lefutur Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:53:10 +0000 http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-football/beginning-of-the-end-for-international-friendlies.html#comment-550230 does FIFA count friendlies in the world team rankings? does FIFA count friendlies in the world team rankings?

]]> http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-football/beginning-of-the-end-for-international-friendlies.html/comment-page-1#comment-549922 Ian Rose Thu, 27 Mar 2008 22:28:43 +0000 http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-football/beginning-of-the-end-for-international-friendlies.html#comment-549922 It seems to me like it's more productive to talk about how to spice up friendlies, rather than just calling for the end of a tradition as old as football. For me, I'd rather see something like the Home Championships return, regional "friendly" tournaments between teams that legitimately don't like each other. The fans are interested, and so are the players. That having been said, I love friendly dates, and I hope they continue at least as long as I live. It seems to me like it’s more productive to talk about how to spice up friendlies, rather than just calling for the end of a tradition as old as football. For me, I’d rather see something like the Home Championships return, regional “friendly” tournaments between teams that legitimately don’t like each other. The fans are interested, and so are the players. That having been said, I love friendly dates, and I hope they continue at least as long as I live.

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