Dutch football manager Louis van Gaal is entitled to his opinion when he says that the third place playoff match in the ongoing Fifa World Cup should never be played. However, that would not make him right. It’s understandable that the Dutch feel disheartened after failing to make it to the final of the marquee tournament. But this is precisely why they should look forward to the playoff with Brazil. Should they win, it would be a wonderful way to cap an impressive campaign where the likes of Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie have produced several moments of brilliance.
A World Cup third place playoff is anything but dead rubber. True, it’s played between teams who have lost the semi-finals and failed to achieve their primary objective of winning the coveted tournament. However, ranking third in the World Cup is no mean task. This is especially pertinent for both the Netherlands and Brazil. The Dutch were denied a spot in the final through a penalty shoot-out against Argentina. The playoff gives them a chance to reaffirm their status as a football powerhouse. Meanwhile, Brazil suffered a 7-1 thrashing in their semi-final against Germany. The playoff gives them an opportunity to redeem themselves in their home World Cup.
Add to this the fact that the third place playoff result affects Fifa rankings. In the past it has also determined individual awards such as the World Cup’s Golden Boot. In 2010 Germany’s Thomas Muller won the award because he had an extra game to play. Plus, the playoff could also be an opportunity for those players who have been waiting on their team benches to finally make a World Cup appearance. For a debutant, this would make an enormous difference to his resume. Van Gaal should understand that.
COUNTERVIEW
Fifa must scrap it for good
No comments:
Post a Comment