Should San Marino..

[ChillDoubt]

Have their accreditation to play international football taken away from them?

That was frankly embarrassing for the game. I'm all for the underdog in sports but when it's 1 win in over 100 games surely someone needs to have a word.

It happens in cricket i.e. when a country is deemed unable to compete at a respectable level they have their Test match status taken from them by the ICC.
Isn't it time for FIFA to do the same?

[ChillDoubt]

LOL @ Wharton!

[doctordb]

No. San Marino have every right to compete in the beautiful game. Sport should not be a closed shop for a small elite group of nations protecting their own interests by playing each other over and over again as in rugby and cricket. Football is the most democratic and unifying sport beaucse it is open to all.

It's no coincidence that the world is shaped like a football.

[ichkeria]

I don't know - England lose a rugby match to Wales and they complain about the ref.
Then get a big win at football and complain that the opponents are too rubbish.

[mightyWBA]

It's what sport is,competition.
San Marino are an independent nation and have as much right to compete in the World Cup as Brazil do.
There may be a case for a prleliminary qualify competion for the less capable nations like San Marino,Andorra,The Faroe Islands ,Liechtenstein and Scotland though, to save them from continual embarrassment.

[mightyWBA]

*preliminary qualifying competition.

Flumping keyboard!

[ChillDoubt]

Whilst in some sports certain nations are seen as in a 'development' phase(look at Italy in the 6 Nations 10 years ago to where they are now) which is all very acceptable, providing there is seen to be some improvement.

If sport is 'competition' then the game the other night was anything but.
It was a training session of attackers v defenders, nothing more.

As this is a professional sport, shouldn't the participants be professional sportsmen, not part-time bankers and postmen representing their country in what is nothing more than a kick about? They could have played shirts and skins with jumpers for goalposts and nobody would have been any the wiser!

[doctordb]

You've hit the nail on the head chill.

Italy in the 6 NATIONS.

San Marino in the WORLD cup.

Football is for everyone.

[mightyWBA]

A World Cup involves the World though not a hand picked few.
San Marino has been around since AD 301 and is the oldest country in the World,just because they can't play football very well doesn't mean they should be banned.
Leave them alone :p''

[ChillDoubt]

San Marino aren't in the WORLD though doctordb, nor are they ever likely to be.

They're in a QUALIFIER, though how they even merit that on form and reputation is also unfathomable.

Also, if football 'is for everyone', why is it being held in Qatar? Certain members of society most definitely won't be welcome there!

[doctordb]

Chill, I obviously meant the world cup qualifier.

Maybe its because your favourite sport is rugby (which I also played and enjoy) that you can't accept the concept of all countries having an opportunity to play each other.

[ChillDoubt]

I'm just ribbin' ya doctordb, I just think that what we saw the other night did nothing for the world of international football.

It certainly did nothing for 'competition'. At least some other similar minnows pull off the odd shocker through effort, application and a little luck.
San Marino are sadly lacking in any of the above, the last being their main feature in any game!

[ichkeria]

On what grounds would they lose their accreditation? They are an independent country. They do about as well as they can.
Cricket is not a fair comparison: If England v San Marino was a series of 5-day matches played over the course of a few weeks then yes it would be daft.

(Actually has a country ever lost its test playing status because they weren't good enough?. Zimbabawe lost it for "other" reasons)