Comments on: Why Guadeloupe is one of the great football stories

By: MVDave

MVDave — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 07:32:08 +0000

Great story about the return of football to Iraq vs Palestine with 2 matches the second in Baghdad on the 13/7/09. Fantastic for the locals to finally begin to see a return to some level of normality. The NY Times has an article on the symbolic nature of the game…well worth a read;
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/14/world/middleeast/14soccer.html?ref=sports

There are also some game highlights on You Tube;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_2XAyoEwhM

The power of sport and football in particular.

BTW Terrific article Davidde.

By: Ben of Phnom Penh

Ben of Phnom Penh — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 04:04:29 +0000

In fact Palestine just lost to Iraq last week in Erbil (I think). The first international to be played in Iraq since 2003.

By: Art Sapphire

Art Sapphire — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 02:39:26 +0000

Yes, Palestine does have a team.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestine_national_football_team

By: The Phantom

The Phantom — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 02:17:50 +0000

Does Palastine have a team????

By: Slippery Jim

Slippery Jim — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 01:56:13 +0000

Wiliam Gallas is not Guadeloupean, his parents are. Gallas was born in Asnières-sur-Seine, a suburb of Paris, and grew up in the Parisian suburb of Villeneuve-la-Garenne. He is a first generation Parisian, if you like.

Silvestre was born in central France, at Chambray-lès-Tours. His father was from Guadeloupe. Therefore to say “the entire Les Bleus back four was made up of Guadeloupeans” for a moment in 2006, in including both Gallas and Silvestre is entirely fanciful.

A very very similar article on this subject puts it more accurately: “The entire backline was of Guadeloupean descent”. In any case, these players were certainly not produced by Guadeloupe in any real footballing sense of the word.

http://www.haitiwebs.com/forums/soccer_fans/44778-tiny_guadeloupe_produces_some_finest_players_france.html

Thierry Henry was also born and raised in Paris, in Les Ulis. His father is also from Guadeloupe, but not his mother.

To imply that Guadeloupe ‘produced’ these players is really stretching the facts.

By: Ben of Phnom Penh

Ben of Phnom Penh — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:58:41 +0000

I think much of it is just history, Phantom. Kiribati only decided to join FIFA a few years ago (I cannot remember exactly when however I believe it was 8 or 10 years ago) and there is no real football infrastructure to speak of (primarily as there is no real land to speak of). By then much of the FIFA nations debate had been settled and the historical anomalies accepted. no doubt now there are some sensible criteria in place that were not present when FIFA was founded. However as East Timor and Montenegro showed, it is still possible to enter FIFA as the landscape is not fixed. Still, to my knowledge Kiribati is the only internationally accepted independent nation to be rejected FIFA membership (I’m not sure if Tuvalu ever applied however they are also not a member).

An interesting question that FIFA will need to face at some stage will be Kosovo. Now that debate will be interesting indeed.

By: The Phantom

The Phantom — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:40:12 +0000

Ben why then are there four teams from the UK. I also think theat the Faroe Islands are not an independant countary?

By: Brian

Brian — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:07:48 +0000

I see it can be a grey matter and goes back to exactly what is a nation. Tawain for example are not in the UN but are generally accepted as a nation for nearly all other purposes. Maybe New Caledonia, Faroe Is etc have greater autonomy than Guadelope but I am not sure as to FIFA reasoning. I agree with Davidde that one reason may be to ensure the US make the World Cup every 4 years, although based on recent qualifiers Guadelope spot would come at the expense of Costa Rica or even Mexico rather than the US

By: Ben of Phnom Penh

Ben of Phnom Penh — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 23:49:50 +0000

Kiribati’s exclusion does have infrastructure rationale however as an independent nation it should be offered a chance on these grounds alone. New Caledonia is included yet it is not an independent nation, the same goes with Faroe Islands and Netherlands Antilles amongst others.

By: Brian

Brian — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 23:40:33 +0000

If they are not a nation they shouldn’t be allowed in . FIFA is right. A much better example is Catalunya, they would also have a good team but no nation no team, simple as that. Not sure why Kirabiti is denied I would think it has something to do with infrastructure or registered players or something

By: Ben of Phnom Penh

Ben of Phnom Penh — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:46:53 +0000

The makeup of FIFA nations is indeed an interesting topic by itself. Kiribati has been denied entry despite the fact it is an independent nation and a member of the UN.