Not So Rank After All

[Zoid]

After our superb start to Euro 2008 Campaign Scotland are up 6 places to 34th in Fifa Rankings - onwards and upwards....

Latest Fifa rankings:

1. Brazil

2. France

3. Argentina

4. England

5. Italy

6. Holland

7. Czech Republic

8. Germany

9. Portugal

10. Spain

34. Scotland  :clapping04: :clapping04:

43. Republic of Ireland

58. Northern Ireland

62. Wales

[kencar]

England 4th & ranked above the World Champions  :017:

I'd take those rankings with a pinch of salt

[Yngwie]

What was Scotland's low point, was it about 70th? There can't be many teams who have risen so far so quickly. (Or who had fallen so rapidly in the first place)

I think Craigie Broon briefly had us in the top 20.

[metalgecko]

we fell to about 86th or thereabouts.

[Harry Chibber]

If it means that we are going to be higher seeded for the next world cup qualification... then job's a good'n!!

Even though I don't pay too much attention to world rankings it still shows that progress has been made by Walter Smith and his team.

[Scotty]

lowest position was 88th in MARCH 2005

highest position (since 1993) was 20th in various months of 1999 and 2000

attached graph courtesy of FIFA website ... kinda makes you realise just how bad Berti was and what Walter has already done to begin restoring the national pride

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[Caley Fish]

Although Walter has done a great job to turn the team around part of the reason we have jumped so far up the rankings is that there was a complete overhaul of the rankings system after the world cup so that there weren't so many over performing african and asian nations.

[Kingsmills]

Light at the end of the tunnel.

[Gabby]

These rankings are rubbish

How can Australia now be behind Scotland after we made the 2nd round of the World Cup and have only lost 1 game since????

I mean - no disrespect - but you have beaten the Faroe Islands and Lithunania- hardly football super powers.

The rankings are heavily skewed to favour European nations

Rant over - see everyone in 2 week

[Kingsmills]

Unfortunately, while the national side may be climbing the rankings, our club sides are sliding down the UEFA coefficiency tables to the point where there is a real risk that we will lose our second Champions League spot.

[Guest kingkojak]

aye we really need hearts and the two evil twins to go on decent runs in europe to boost our coefficient.  on last nights performance reckon celtic have a realistic chance of getting out of their group.  hopefully the other two can win some games as well. 

[Scotty]

How can Australia now be behind Scotland after we made the 2nd round of the World Cup and have only lost 1 game since???? I mean - no disrespect - but you have beaten the Faroe Islands and Lithunania- hardly football super powers.

Australia benefitted from the old system by beating footballing greats such as Samoa and others who they stuck 25 goals past etc ..... and actually went from 42nd before the world cup to 33rd after it.

The new ranking system seems quite sensible actually and does away with all sorts of complicated scenarios that gave out points for all sorts of reason including the mere fact that the team travelled to an away game !!!  ..... (see attachment 1). The biggest thing that will have benefitted Scotland is the fact that the rankings are now based on the last 4 years and not 8.

Comparison of Oz and Scotland rankings in attachment 2

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