The Hanguk Ilbo, quoting an unnamed Korea Football Association official, is reporting that it appears FIFA has once again blocked access to its website from Korea, this time in response to angry netizens protesting their team’s admittedly hard-to-understand drop to 56 in the world rankings.
Actually, I’m not sure whether they’ve blocked access or so many people are trying to access the page that the server is simply overloaded.
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The FIFA homepage loads fine from here in the USA. So it might just be FIFA blocking Korean ISPs again. The drop in position might be due to the fact that the rankings are now based on only the past 4 years’ performance (rather than 8), so Korea’s achievements in 2002 are no longer there to prop up their rating. Combined with a poor showing in the recent World Cup (as well as a penchant for playing weak teams), it’s not entirely surprising that Korea is ranked 56. On the other hand, the whole ranking system still confuses the heck out of me, but statistics was never my forte.
Argh… that should have been “rather than 8″ instead of “rather than 8)”. Darn auto-emoticons.
Marmot,
After all your outstanding World Cup coverage and commentary I’m surprised the new Korean ranking of 56 surprises you. Since the 2002 World Cup (minus their 1 win in the 2004 World Cup againt Togo…..Togo dude) the korean nat’l team has barely done squat except fire coaches.
But this isn’t the nat’l teams fault entirely. Just like most nat’l teams, they don’t field the strongest team possible until late in the qualifying. And everyone should remember, despite their success in 2002, they did not qualify for that WC. They got the “host country freebie”. They were in the low 100s prior to that.
It’s just a stupid ranking of no consequences. FIFA ranking systems have always sucked and suspect. No-one takes them seriously and I can’t understand why anyone would be so upset, but then again this is Korea we’re talking about where outside image means everything. So here’s the question of the mighty FIFA conspiracy, how the hell did Uzbekistan get ranked 50th - ahead of Korea? Anyone know the answer?
56? Wow that sucks. I wonder where Canada is….
Any chance of FIFA blocking Koreans from the departure gate of Incheon International Airport? Would help with the outside-image issue.
The Canuckistanis are 54th. Has it ever qualified?
Yes, in 1986. At that time, the bet was not whether Canada can win a game, but whether they can score a goal. It turned out they couldn’t score a goal. So Canada is better than Korea now? Something’s seriously wrong there. lol. Like I said, FIFA rankings are a joke. It’s even funnier that there are actually Korean people who take this so seriously.
Korea’s ranking is also partially a product of the fact that Korea is in the Asian conference, which means they play most of their important games (WC Qualifiers, Asian Cup) against teams which are ranked close to them, or else way below, resulting in fewer points gained per game, since they have the double disadvantage of being in Asia in the first place and playing against poorly-ranked teams. And while Korea could gain some points by playing friendlies against highly-ranked teams, friendlies also aren’t rated as highly as competitive games, meaning that Korea would have to play (and win) a lot of friendlies just to get its ranking up. So barring absolutely stellar performances by Asian sides in the next World Cup, it doesn’t look like Asia will be able to break free of the stigma of being rated below CONCACAF as a conference. But hey, at least they’re not Oceania.
its going to be interesting to see how austrailia fits into the asian qualifying now
they obviously will have a lot of momentum going into 2010
korea and japan should be ready to lose their grip as the two top asian teams
also korea was in the low 40 before 2002 not 100’s
i think 49th and rose as high as 19 afterwards and slowly dropped back down as time passed
its not that far fetched to be at 56
most of the people complaining probably dont know what the hell they are talking about
millions of fans cheering the taeguk warriors!!!!
hahahha
Italia and integrity. Those go together. Yes, unrelated to the World Cup, but some super star football clubs in Italy got whammed today. NCAA Michigan basketball style, revoked championships, teams suspended for years of what equates to playoffs, I think. I guess the decision is pending to appeals, but it appears to equate to what has happenned in college sports in the US, but not yet in US professional sports. Except, in Italy today, it has happenned to professional sports.
Italia and integrity. Yup, no doubt about it.
I’m sure Materazzi confirmed it for the world.
oops, forgot temporarily that the Fab Five didn’t actually win a trophy.
Doesn’t take much for you to condemn a nation now, does it.
Goat, actually, it has been built up since the 2002 World Cup round of 16 game between Italy and South Korea. The Italian coach said he was essentially coaching a “fixed game”. And, therefore, he had no plans to resign, because of the shocking loss to South Korea. Ironically, he gets replaced in the future for the 2006 World Cup anyway, and the team eventually wins the World Cup in 2006.
It has also been ignited further by Zidane’s comment, that he played the worst in 2006, vs South Korea. I guess for Europe, it’s never that South Korea gave a good effort, it must either be match fixing or that the European superstars had a terrible day. Notice that the Italian scandal concerns match fixing and betting. Even players bet on the games. Pete Rose must be very uncomfortable right now, if he actually followed European football.
Actually, I meant to take a shot at Italian football, but my statement can be played around to compliment the Italians. After all, it was the Italians who policed themselves to throw such a heavy penalty against the most popular teams in the most popular sport in their country. That does take integrity in itself. It took integrity to, in American terms, shut out the Dallas Cowboys from the Superbowl for a couple years, or shut out the New York Yankees from the World Series for a couple years.
I apologize for taking a shot at Italy. That was stupid of me.
Wjk,
you think, there isn’t a widespread graft-taking, game-manipulating mafia manipulating the K-League with fraud and underhand dealings? I wouldn’t bet my balls for that assumption.
As you said, the heavy sentences for the Italian top-clubs are not legally binding. Guess they’ll get a milder conviction at the appellate court.
What bothers me most of Italian football and their society in general are the similarities to… ahem, the Southern half of the Korea peninsula: civil distrust to state, law and governmental institutions (although for good reasons), corruption and nepotism in everyday life, much talk - no deeds. As a matter of course the main influental voices from Italian sports and politics talk about AMNESTY (sic!) for scandal-involved Seria A-clubs. Doesn’t that remind you, how such scandals are dealt with in Korea?
What bothers me most of Italian football and their society in general are the similarities to… ahem, the Southern half of the Korea peninsula: civil distrust to state, law and governmental institutions (although for good reasons), corruption and nepotism in everyday life, much talk - no deeds. As a matter of course the main influental voices from Italian sports and politics talk about AMNESTY (sic!) for scandal-involved Seria A-clubs. Doesn’t that remind you, how such scandals are dealt with in Korea?
Not to mention the renaissance architecture, fine cuisine, catholic culture, treatment of foreigners…
Hmmm… must be a peninsula thing.
wjk,
I must admit, you lost me…
As Sugar Shin alluded to, it would probably not take a lot of research to find corruption of varying degrees in any big business - of which professional sports are no different.
Regarding your second paragraph, it always amazes me how you manage to contort everything into a slight towards Korea. And just for the record, please explain to me how on Earth Zidane’s comments about his poor play versus Korea (if you watched the game it is difficult to disupte) ignite it further? Ignite what? And how does “I played like shit” = “Korea sucks”?!? So, Zidane playing like crap = match fixing/betting –> Italian Series A scandal. mmmmmmkay.
In light of these comments, just what should I make of the Korean calls that the Swiss game was fixed (due to Blatter being Swiss and all…)? I am using this example due to familiarity - and that is the only reason. Like I mentioned earlier, the same situation can probably be found in each and every country that has anything resembling a professional sports league.
Finally, it sucks. I am cut off from one of my favorite sites…again.
Jiwonsi,
I talked about bothering similarities of both peninsulae. It wasn’t meant as a general diss against Italy and dolce vita at all.
treatment of foreigners: as a tourist it’s quite wonderful, as an Albanian or North African illegal, it isn’t exactly like sweet ice cream-licking over there…
Wouldn’t surprise me if FIFA isn’t run by bunch of worthless Frenchmen. They’re also very good at telling other sovereign Countries how they should behave as well.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/h.....141866.stm
What an arrogant bunch of Socialist faggots Europeans are. They still think they rule the World. Hey, OLD WORLD, WAKE UP AND SMELL THE FUCKING COFFEE! It ain’t tea anymore folks. It’s Coffee. Like in AMERICA. A place you can actually called developed!
Well, since technologically advanced Asian Countries are bypassing these Old World, Socialist idiots by. Stupid soccer bureaucracy maybe the only thing that still makes them feel relevant in the modern world. It’s psychologically critical to them, I guess.
This World Cup pretty much proved just how worthless Soccer matches are to begin with.
Only a worthless Third World Country would care for a game that stupid, and only an Englishmen would develop a game that insipid and sell that crap to rest of the stupid World.
Baseball is ten times more nuanced that that pile of garbage.
Here’s a clue,
Get rid of that stupid, off-side penalty that not even God would understand. Maybe, just maybe, that would improve the thing called scoring an incy tiny bit, if you wold mind not being so dry and boring, hmm??
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I’m still looking forward to that little bit of edit function by the way.
Origami, I realize suggesting that if people that do not know what they are talking refrain from commenting would remove half the comments on this and every other site, but please don’t comment about soccer as clearly you know nothing about it. Removing the offside rule completely would make for the most boring game possible as all it would be is long balls and cherry picking. Not that I should expect insight out of someone who throws around the insult “socialist faggots” and just likes to rant about how Europe sucks with no apparent reason as to why this is so but rather just because that is the “cool” thing to do.
actually, I think America likes it fast, and America sure likes cheery picking. It’s called a fast break, it’s called a 2 minute no huddle drive to glory, etc. America loves it. Whether or not this can improve popularity of International FIFA Football in America is… up to anyone’s guess. Surely, it will not help those American league players one bit when they play by standard rules in the Olympics or the World Cup, or the European league.
Goat, I’m Korean. You should have foreseen where things would ultimately, ultimately, lead to.
Actually, I did watch the South Korea : France game.
And I, having watched the South Korea : Swiss game, don’t think that South Korea got robbed in that game.
thegoodbubba:
“but please don’t comment about soccer as clearly you know nothing about it.”
Pretty typical commentary by the Soccer crowd. What is there to know about soccer that is so complicated? I hear this crap all the time like soccer is some complicated brain surgery. Give me a fucking break.
I grew up watching soccer since I was 6 years old. I have benefit of insight. Stop judging people you know nothing about.
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Not that I should expect insight out of someone who throws around the insult “socialist faggots” and just likes to rant about how Europe sucks with no apparent reason as to why this is so but rather just because that is the “cool” thing to do.
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So, you’re denying that they’re either socialist or faggots?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4473001.stm
Calling Europeans “socialist faggots,” is not an insult. It’s an apt description of exactly what’s going on ever there. Read the news.