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Fixtures in the Faroe Islands

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(This concludes our Group 7 primer. Davy’s support for first class fixtures in the Faroe Islands does not diminish his view that UEFA is oversubscribed to FIFA’s World Cup Finals. Davy will propose how best to trim the UEFA quotient in his next post. Coming soon: England’s prospects and the remnants of Group 6. )

The Faroe Islands have no chance of qualification, but they have as always given a good account of themselves. They may have only secured 1 point in a draw against Austria, but in conceding only 8 goals, they have proven to be viable opposition.

It would easy to dismiss the contribution of the Faroes in this and recent campaigns. The Faroe Islands do not even merit a footnote in most World Cup blogs. Many casual observers of the European game see the inclusion of small nations such as the Faroes Islands as an irritant, a disruption to the seemingly more important business that goes on between football’s grandees.

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Serbian Surf

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There are few teams in Europe who have been as consistent in qualification as Serbia. Only one defeat, away in Paris. Serbia have won every one of their other fixtures.

Serbia are virtually assured of advancing, and with two home fixtures to come they should be confident of qualifying as Group 7 winners. France can change that calculation, but the French seem strangely content to wait for Laurent Blanc.

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No Hope for Lithuania?

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Lithuania began well beating Romania 3-0 and Austria 2-0. The dream of qualification seemed possible until they were swept away by Serbia’s nouvelle vague. Three straight 1-0 defeats home and away to France and at home to Romania have probably ended Lithuania’s South African aspirations.


But as long as Raymond Domenech is the coach of France, Lithuania (like Austria and Romania) must continue to hope. If the stars are not aligned to Raymond’s liking and France fail to get points from their September fixtures against Romania and Serbia, Lithuania could find themselves will it all to play for in October. Serbia may provide an accommodating final fixture opponent.

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Stand and Deliver – Mutu, Romania

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It would be too easy to slot Romania’s Adrian Mutu straight into our “Players Who Won’t Be Missed” series. Chelsea. Cocaine. It’s classic modern day football material.

But our team of players who won’t be missed in South Africa has standards. It has to be choc-full of highly annoying characters. To be included we must be convinced that a player’s presence – despite the potential for individual moments of brilliance – would sour the South Africa experience.

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Loose Cocks on the Veld – France 2010

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Somehow or other France managed to lose their opening qualifier 3-1 in Vienna. (This to the very same Austria who then went to Lithuania and the Faroe Islands on tour with Megadeath. The Austrians came home with only one point, but they make great party and met lots of pretty blond girls.) France has since only dropped two points, the result of a hard fought draw in Romania. Some would say a point gained. A 2-1 home win over Serbia was followed by two dour 1-0 home and away wins against Lithuania. Last week, France won 1-0 in Tórshavn in a game that could have been mistaken for a new age spiritualist retreat. Readers may begin to see a pattern developing here. Extracting thirteen qualifiers from this UEFA lot is not pretty. Even the French have become ugly.

FIFA’s website tends to accentuate the positive with respect to the current French outfit, noting their “potential” while reminding readers that “France has always enjoyed a more cyclical relationship with success”. We too could wax lyrical on the great goalscoring record of Just Fontaine, the “magic diamond” of Tigana, Fernandez, Giresse and Platini, as well as the champion achievements of Blanc, Desailly, Deschamps, Djorkaeff, Thuram, Zidane and Co. Thankfully, there is a more compelling story than the failure of a flaky French coach to harness France’s nouvelle vague. It is the story of the players themselves.

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Austria and the Revenge of the Desert Foxes

[So to Group 7. Serbia seem sure to advance. France are well positioned also. The rest are reliant on France falling over themselves. The golden era of Faroe Islands football may have passed.]

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It is often forgotten that Austria has some football pedigree. The inter-war years saw Central Europe develop a contrasting style of play to the hoof and charge of the British game. Austrians, Czechs, Hungarians and the other nationalities and ethnic groups who made those countries dynamic and interesting, had fused football into a game based on narrow exchanges, firm organization and superior technical ability. It was known as the Danubian School.

Italy was taking notes. Austrian coaches were demonstrating the finer details on chalkboards at clubs all over the country. The cappuccinos kept on coming. Train timetables were reorganized. And the best refs always arrived on time.

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Next Time for Montenegro

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[David ends his overview of Group 8 with a quick look at Montenegro]

Montenegro have a point less than Cyprus. The last of the Yugoslav Republics to fall off the Serbian rump have not won a game in qualifying, though they have secured four draws. Montenegro are no pushovers. The World Champions could only beat their former “protectorate” 2-1 at home. (Italy were responsible for Montenegro’s other Group 8 defeat, 2-0 in Podgorica.)

If’s not inconceivable Montenegro could win their remaining four fixtures, but even that will probably not be enough to secure a 2nd place playoff position.

Montenegro promise to be a football fairytale in future qualification campaigns or a right proper nightmare for some. It’s the sort of place England go to and loose.

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