Firstly, please forgive me because I'm sure I've got the seedings arseways. The following pretend draws are for illustrative purposes only...
Look at it this way: next time out England (or Ireland) draw Lichtenstein, Macedonia, Greece and Denmark in a qualifier. This gives the FA a certain amount of income from the TV rights... but not nearly as much as if they had drawn Lichtenstein, Scotland, Portugal and Germany.
Football is a business and so, by extension, are national associations, whether they should be or not is another argument but they at least have to act professionally. Now, remember that no business can make serious plans beyond a two year period if it has to rely on the vagaries of a draw to establish its revenue in the third year. It makes perfect sense in that regard.
England, France, Italy, Spain and Germany (by weight of population and post-coloniasl wealth) are the only countries who could make such plans up to now. In an ever-increasingly money-orientated football world the gulf between them and small countries like Scotland, Holland or Ireland and even big but poor countries like Poland and Greece could only have extended to a point where international football was all but a a non-event.
Nobody would suggest that Scotland, Holland, Ireland, Poland and Greece (and Denmark) haven't contributed great moments to world football events. If this isn't done, there'll onkly be football in five countries in Europe. Don't believe me? take a look at the decline of the national sides of the Celtic nations.
And no, I don't agree with the fair play rules. clubs are a different kettle of fish.
Look at it this way: next time out England (or Ireland) draw Lichtenstein, Macedonia, Greece and Denmark in a qualifier. This gives the FA a certain amount of income from the TV rights... but not nearly as much as if they had drawn Lichtenstein, Scotland, Portugal and Germany.
Football is a business and so, by extension, are national associations, whether they should be or not is another argument but they at least have to act professionally. Now, remember that no business can make serious plans beyond a two year period if it has to rely on the vagaries of a draw to establish its revenue in the third year. It makes perfect sense in that regard.
England, France, Italy, Spain and Germany (by weight of population and post-coloniasl wealth) are the only countries who could make such plans up to now. In an ever-increasingly money-orientated football world the gulf between them and small countries like Scotland, Holland or Ireland and even big but poor countries like Poland and Greece could only have extended to a point where international football was all but a a non-event.
Nobody would suggest that Scotland, Holland, Ireland, Poland and Greece (and Denmark) haven't contributed great moments to world football events. If this isn't done, there'll onkly be football in five countries in Europe. Don't believe me? take a look at the decline of the national sides of the Celtic nations.
And no, I don't agree with the fair play rules. clubs are a different kettle of fish.