They'll be 8th according to the blogger who made this post - http://www.football-rankings.info/20...l-preview.html

I've looked up things before on that blog, he's usually spot on. He even offers his services to FA's looking to improve their ranking as the rankings can be somewhat manipulated depending on who you choose to play in friendlies, or even by choosing not to play them at all. Don't know if any have actually consulted him.

Edit: Says he's worked with the Romanian FA to get them into pot 1 in a draw by advising them not to play frriendlies for 12 months - http://www.football-rankings.info/p/consulting.html

So really the most effective way to improve your ranking is not to play friendlies, surely that is a bit of a flaw in the rankings. (Not that I blame Romania for taking this approach, and well done to the person who consulted them to tell them this.)

How long before other countries begin to use the same sort of tricks to improve their ranking. In the end if everyone does it, you won't get any advantage by doing it, but at least you won't get a disadvantage by not doing it. The end of international friendlies as we know them.

Personally I think friendlies should be removed from the rankings anyway (although I really think we should not have rankings at all!)

Wales did the same thing by not playing a friendly before they played Belgium, thus giving them a chance of being in pot one for the world cup draw. I would imagine that playing friendlies could equally improve your chances depending on who and when you play them. A clever move perhaps by Wales, but again I would think that astute FAs do this all the time when looking at friendlies.

Thanks

Because of the fact that you get less points in the ranking for friendlies than for competitive games, it makes sense to simply not play friendlies.

Yeh the Welsh FA played a blinder over the last year or so, complete contrast to the rugbys governing body. The Welsh football team has been ranked higher than they should be due to clever scheduling of matches (or the lack of) whereas Wales are in the group of death in the rugby world cup due to scheduling more friendlies than required and doing poorly in them.

Obviously there are some will defend FIFA no matter what, but there is something wrong with the rankings, when the best way to improve your ranking is being clever with your schedule for friendly internationals.

why was this posted on FIFA WORLD CUP `14 THREAD.

also will this section be removed and a new one re-opened for the Euros this summer?

Only joined last week and she's had more holidays than Judith Chalmers.