As a keen football fan in Australia, I was quite dismayed at the recent World Cup allocation. Most importantly, at the unfair method for the first, and only chance at direct qualification - the playoff.
Firstly, what I don't understand, is why did Fifa grant full confederation status for Oceania 2 years ago, yet, snub the region like this? Full status was supposed to have include a guaranteed spot at all Fifa sanctioned tournaments, including the World Cup. Correct me if I am wrong, does this not contravene Fifa's own constitution? How do you expect the region to grow if there is no encouragment? In contrast, Africa has received 5 spots, yet none of the teams made the second round in France. Even in other tournaments, only Camerooon has only ever done anything of note. On one hand there, the Fifa dictum of fostering the developing world is alive in Africa, yet, not in Oceania. Why? Even Concacaf gets 3 spots. Again, other than Mexico and Costa Rica, all teams have been abject failures at World level.
Sure Oceania may not be overall that strong, but the strongest team, Australia, beat Mexico and Tunisia handsomely during the months leading up to the World Cup. In beating Mexico at the Confederations Cup, they even made the final essentionally confirming the second strongest Conferation. While I know that his not quite true, the fact remains that the leading team in Oceania is easily on par, if not better, than all the Concacaf teams, and most African teams, and would certainly do no worse at the world level. How could they? Oceania really should get one spot and maybe the playoff position should be between the 5th best African and 3rd best Concacaf teams. Or, even the 5th South American and 3rd Concacaf, since they are neighbours.
Now the playoff. Sure you can point to the fact that Oceania could not beat the 4th best Asian team last time. Unfortunately, it was other factors that lead to Oceania missing out. As it resulted, Australia played the BEST Asian team and dominated them, only to be eliminated via a poor refereeing decision in failing to pick an offside, and also by the system. The very nature of the playoff situation - the randomness, and vagaries of the game - conspired to Australia's defeat.
Again, excuse me if I am wrong, wasn't the playoff a device for giving teams eliminated on their primary route a second chance? Even the word "playoff" suggests this. It is a second chance for teams that missed out so why is Oceania continuely being delt the playoff as its first and only chance at qualification? Every other team in the world has the benefit of a league, or pool, system as their primary route, yet Oceania gets the playoff. This is totally unfair, and maybe even unconstitutional. Iran, Australia's opponent in that playoff, had 3 chances: the pool, where the winners went through; the 3rd placed playoff with Japan; and then the Oceania playoff. Iran lost 3 and drew 3 of their last six games and made France. Australia went undefeated and missed out. Somthing is wrong here. Even the "playoff" to determine the leading Oceania team is wrong. Though, that is Oceania's fault.
The other problem is that we only see our team once in a major qualifier, and not the 5 or so that other teams around the world enjoy. We want to see our team in a big game more than once every four years. It deprives the sport of media and general exposure, as the media only gets behind the team for a 2-week period, instead of a 6-month campaign. Also, the space between the end of the Oceania finals and the final playoff goes against us. Australia went 5 months without playing a serious game which probably also contributed to the loss to Iran since they had 6-months of hard, World Cup Football. Again, this is unfair.
While I might be able to accept Oceania not getting a spot, at least give us a fair go. Fine, put us through South America, but put us in a pool. Ideally, the 10 South American teams should be split into two groups of 5 with one each of the two top teams in Oceania going into each group making it a group of six. Teams would play each other home and away for a total of 10 games. The top two would go through, with the 2 third place-getters "playing-off" for the fifth spot.
This would be a much fairer solution to a one-off playoff where anything can happen as what did last time. It would give the Oceania teams the same form of initial qualification as all the other teams of the world. And finally, the top two Oceania teams would get 5 big games over an extended period, creating much more exposure, and giving the region a secondary objective to aim for. As it stands now, the weaker teams have no hope of playing a big team as they have to get past Austalia. If this solution is implemented instead, finishing in the top two of Oceania would give 5 meaningful games against relatively "super" teams. While a team like Fiji may never make the World Cup, getting in the top two (still a long-shot), and playing Brazil, would be just as good. Now that is doing something for the region.
Please consider this option as Oceania has suffered way too long with the randomness of the playoff. In the past weret beaten by better teams so no complaints were really made. Last time, we were on the end of one of the most undeserved exits of any team ever. If anything good could have come out of that Iran playoff then it was hopefully a fair qualification path next time. Instead, that playoff has now seen an even greater loss than Oceania could possibly have ever imagined. We deserve a proper and fair chance at qualification, and if the South Americans are not happy about a prospect of Oceania teams in their pools, then put your foot down and force them. After all, it is supposed to be the World Game.
Thankyou for your time