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France 14 Gibraltar 0FT
- Thread starter Ottawa Green
- Start date
(i) To make one's cross channel neighbours feel rather inadequate.
(ii) To allow a group of national league south standard players the opportunity to say to their grandkids they once played against Mbappe or Griezman, (and should have won really)
It does seem a bit 'pointless' though, at least for Gibraltar.
(ii) To allow a group of national league south standard players the opportunity to say to their grandkids they once played against Mbappe or Griezman, (and should have won really)
It does seem a bit 'pointless' though, at least for Gibraltar.
There really ought to be pre-qualifying tournaments for the minnows eg Andorra, Liechtenstein, Gibraltar, San Marino etc to produce a winner for inclusion in the actual WC or Euro qualifying group stage. Walloping these toddlers by cricket scores does nobody any favours in the long term.
Gibraltar has fought long and hard for recognition at this level. Finally, this may make them realise how nonsensical it is for them to think they can compete.
There are a lot of pointless matches in qualifying, even if you out the minnows in their own groups they would still get thumped at the actual tournament.
There is no real solution unless you created a Euro minnows cup.
There is no real solution unless you created a Euro minnows cup.
I may be going against the grain here but I’ve got no problem with it. Those Gibraltar players will be able to tell their kids and grandkids that they once played for their country against arguably the best international side in the world. Should we also stop teams like Havant & Waterlooville or Chasetown from playing in the FA Cup?
I don't particularly disagree, but the difference is that Chasetown or H&W might get one plum FA Cup draw every 50 years if they're lucky, whereas Gibraltar will always be drawn alongside a top-seeded nation in every qualifying cycle.
This is the answer!!
There should be a prelim comp and the best go on to face the professional teams.
Losing 14-zip is nothing you are going to brag about, and how your best mate who was a goalie until he did his back in picking the ball out of the back of the net soo many times.
Plus, it isn't a spectacle!
So Havant and Waterloo 4th round defeat 5-2 to Liverpool equates to Gibraltar's 14-0 v France? I can only recall Chasetown losing 3-1 to Cardiff. I'm struggling to recall a double figure score in the FA Cup in recent years. In 1961 Argyle lost 1-9 at home to Bristol City in FAC3 who I think had beaten Kings Lynn 12 or 13-0 in a previous round. 1971 there was the Bournemouth v Margate where MacDougall scored 9 of Bournemouth's 11. But these mismatches are sporadic. Gib routinely lose 6-0 and their record is littered with 7s and 8s. They couldn't even score against a 10 man San Marino Them, Andorra, San Marino etc all should play off. The cricket World Cup is a fine example. The minnows play in qualifiers and only the best 2 qualify. And now we see Netherlands and Afghanistan giving people a game and actually winning one or two. .
I used to be like Cobi and think the minnows had every right to play in qualifiers but now have changed my thinking.
The FA Cup is full of upsets or near upsets over the years but you can't say the same of the qualifiers.
A minnows tournament could run at the same time as the Euros and World Cup (let's be honest, the likelihood of them making either tournament is so small) with the finalists each getting a qualifying spot for the forthcoming Euro/World Cup qualifiers.
Winning a few games in the tournament would do teams the world of good in terms of morale and the tournament could be a laugh. For example if it was held in this country it could be hosted in a few league grounds close by to each other and I bet there'd be some curious football fans turning up wanting a summer football fix.
The games held in this country between CONIFA members are usually held at non league grounds and get a few hundred people in, most not from these member teams.
Gibraltar have every right to be in these competition's, they have fought hard to be recognised by UEFA & FIFA, who at last ignored the Spanish, not wanting Gibraltar to recognised. Yes they are being beaten, last night's game v France, was obviously a weird result. France only beat Gibraltar 3-0 in the reverse fixture. But France last night played almost their best team, which was good, giving respect to the opposition. Plus Gibraltar had a player sent off after only 18 minutes. 😉🇬🇮
- Sep 30, 2003
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Another thought.
Who gets to decide who are the "Minnows" or under what criteria you're judged as such.
There's probably Clubs in the Championship that regard us as Minnows or have already placed us in "the likes of" category.
I'm sure a plum 3rd Round FA Cup draw would see us described as underdogs enjoying our Cup Final despite only being a League behind the top Clubs.
Look how England struggled to impress against the minnows that are Malta.
Who gets to decide who are the "Minnows" or under what criteria you're judged as such.
There's probably Clubs in the Championship that regard us as Minnows or have already placed us in "the likes of" category.
I'm sure a plum 3rd Round FA Cup draw would see us described as underdogs enjoying our Cup Final despite only being a League behind the top Clubs.
Look how England struggled to impress against the minnows that are Malta.
