johanhentze 14,073 Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 ....well, is it? some claim it is. http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/nov/19/the-knowledge-faroe-islands-biggest-shock-ever"This international break has seen bottom seeds the Faroe Islands, San Marino and Liechtenstein all bagging points,” notes Jack Matthijnssens. “What has been the biggest ever shock result in international football going by Fifa rankings?”By our reckoning, the Faroes’ stunning win over Greece can claim to be the biggest international shock ever when it comes to the Fifa rankings. Greece were No18 in the world coming into the latest round of international fixtures, the Faroe Islands No187 (sandwiched between Chinese Taipei and South Sudan). A rankings equivalent to the Faroes’ win would be the tiny Caribbean island of Monserrat beating Germany. Or Brazil losing to São Tomé e Príncipe (though the players could at least talk in that fixture – São Tomé e Príncipe is, fact fans, the smallest Portuguese speaking country in the world).Very bottom of the rankings is No209, so there’s not very much scope for anyone to eclipse the Faroe Islands’s 169-place victory. And time plays a role too – Fifa’s ranking system came into being in December 1992, so there’s no chance of, say, USA 1-0 England in 1950 or North Korea 1-0 Italy in 1966 featuring. Although even if rankings had existed then, neither of those results would have come close to the Faroes: by July 1980 Fifa had 150 members and it only hit 200 when the Turks & Caicos Island became members in June 1998. Finally, and most crucially, teams towards the bottom of the rankings tend to win about as often as Burnley.So there’s a fairly narrow window for suitable shocks. A trawl (and we do mean a trawl) through the archives brought a couple of notable efforts. In November 2011 Lebanon, then world No146, beat South Korea (No29) in AFC World Cup qualifying – a gap of 117 places – and in November 2010 the Central African Republic (No172) pulled off one of the great Africa Cup of Nations shocks with a 2-0 win over Algeria (No35) in qualifying, a commendable gap of 137 places. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wullies_bowly_legs 3,779 Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 What an embarrassment for Greece lol. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
simplythebest 11,453 Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 Great result for the Faroes but can't believe how bad Greece seem to have become so quickly, they were a penalty shoot out away from the World Cup quarters just a few months ago. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johanhentze 14,073 Posted November 20, 2014 Author Share Posted November 20, 2014 Greece were beaten by the better team on the night, no doubt about it. Game should probably have ended 4-1 in our favour.This result was coming, as we have played very well in the last few games.. our youths are coming through and they arent scared of playing good positive football.. we should have beaten Hungary as well but came away with a 0-1 loss.. we outplayed and outfought them and also had a lot of very good chances.. we are a good striker away from more upsets! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johanhentze 14,073 Posted November 20, 2014 Author Share Posted November 20, 2014 Great result for the Faroes but can't believe how bad Greece seem to have become so quickly, they were a penalty shoot out away from the World Cup quarters just a few months ago.They had no game plan. They thought they just had to turn up. We have started playing young fearless players and it is paying off.. our CM, Brandur Olsen, was amazing on the night and has a bright future. He is only 18 and is coming through the ranks at FC Copenhagen.Ive said it before.. we have more of these players coming through at youth level.. hopefully we will see these results more regularly.. it is possible - just look at Iceland. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shetland Bear 433 Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 I'm always so jealous of Faroe when I see what they have achieved within UEFA. In the not too dim and distant past of the 1970s and 80s, Shetland vs Faroe was a fairly regular fixture in the now defunct North Atlantic Cup, with Shetland actually finishing ahead of Faroe on Goal Difference in the final standings! Since UEFA involvement in the 90s Faroese football has come on leaps and bounds. A lot of my pals played the Faroe u14s side a few years back in Aberdeen and they were very good, I think they finished as runners up in the whole tournament.Even so, a footballing nation with such a small talent pool to be beating a side as big as Greece away from home is amazing and I really hope this is the start of something special, with the expanded European Championships who knows what will happen?If only Norway/Denmark had decided not to give Shetland away as a wedding present we might be dining at Europe's top table too but it was not to be! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluedylan 11,555 Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johanhentze 14,073 Posted November 20, 2014 Author Share Posted November 20, 2014 I'm always so jealous of Faroe when I see what they have achieved within UEFA. In the not too dim and distant past of the 1970s and 80s, Shetland vs Faroe was a fairly regular fixture in the now defunct North Atlantic Cup, with Shetland actually finishing ahead of Faroe on Goal Difference in the final standings! Since UEFA involvement in the 90s Faroese football has come on leaps and bounds. A lot of my pals played the Faroe u14s side a few years back in Aberdeen and they were very good, I think they finished as runners up in the whole tournament.Even so, a footballing nation with such a small talent pool to be beating a side as big as Greece away from home is amazing and I really hope this is the start of something special, with the expanded European Championships who knows what will happen?If only Norway/Denmark had decided not to give Shetland away as a wedding present we might be dining at Europe's top table too but it was not to be!It would be good to get the North Atlantic Cup going again. Why not?Our youths have always been pretty good, but we have lacked a u21 team in the past.. we now have one, and it does pretty well, beating teams like Russia and losing narrowly against Germany in Hannover (Germany required a deflected/own goal effort in the last minute to win)... we were up 1-0 and 2-1 that night Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
there'sonlyoneamoruso 1,724 Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 Well done to the Faroes for that result (even if it does make NI's 2-0 win in Greece look less impressive now). By all accounts the best team won. It is some achievement when you compare populations and resources let alone ranking. Keep up the good work! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tannerall 25,935 Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 Bit of over-reaction here. Team was all the Faroe Islands, not just the one. If Britain played all their islands together as one team Scots would be beating Greece too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
norniron1992 61 Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 Greece are a bit shit now though.Still a good result. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Straight-Edge-Loyal 6,681 Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 Great result for the Faroes but can't believe how bad Greece seem to have become so quickly, they were a penalty shoot out away from the World Cup quarters just a few months ago.They won the European Championship not that long ago Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shetland Bear 433 Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 It would be good to get the North Atlantic Cup going again. Why not?Our youths have always been pretty good, but we have lacked a u21 team in the past.. we now have one, and it does pretty well, beating teams like Russia and losing narrowly against Germany in Hannover (Germany required a deflected/own goal effort in the last minute to win)... we were up 1-0 and 2-1 that night Haha it wouldn't be much of a competition now, although if you guys sent an under 20 team it might be a bit more even! I didn't know that, that's very impressive, maybe you should send a list of players to Stevie the IT guy and get them signed up at Rangers!Bit of over-reaction here. Team was all the Faroe Islands, not just the one. If Britain played all their islands together as one team Scots would be beating Greece too.A wee bit harsh, the Faroes have a population of just under 50,000, so a few thousand less than Airdrie. Greece has a population of 11m so by pure law of averages (not the best indicator I know!) Greece should produce 220 good footballers for every one the Faroes do! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tannerall 25,935 Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 Bit of over-reaction here. Team was all the Faroe Islands, not just the one. If Britain played all their islands together as one team Scots would be beating Greece too.A wee bit harsh, the Faroes have a population of just under 50,000, so a few thousand less than Airdrie. Greece has a population of 11m so by pure law of averages (not the best indicator I know!) Greece should produce 220 good footballers for every one the Faroes do!And there was me thinking a Shetland Islander would be familiar with fishing. When Scotland drew 2-2 with the Faroes someone used the "had to play all of the Faroe Islands, not just one" excuse as a joke. Seriously a great result for the wee team, maybe they can build on it too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shetland Bear 433 Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 And there was me thinking a Shetland Islander would be familiar with fishing. When Scotland drew 2-2 with the Faroes someone used the "had to play all of the Faroe Islands, not just one" excuse as a joke. Seriously a great result for the wee team, maybe they can build on it too. Haha hook, line and sinker Not sure with some of the hating on Greece some people might not have been suitably impressed!To be honest I think the days of the smaller nations being the whipping boys of International Football are over, been a few upsets already this campaign and these countries are investing in youth, coaching and infrastructure. Perhaps something that needs to be learned back in Britain. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johanhentze 14,073 Posted November 21, 2014 Author Share Posted November 21, 2014 Bit of over-reaction here. Team was all the Faroe Islands, not just the one. If Britain played all their islands together as one team Scots would be beating Greece too.They werent all over us, thats the thing.. they had more of the ball. but it was all at the back..As a side note.. when we played Hungary a few weeks ago, possession was actually 60% in our favour.. unheard of as far as the Faroes are concerned Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johanhentze 14,073 Posted November 21, 2014 Author Share Posted November 21, 2014 Haha hook, line and sinker Not sure with some of the hating on Greece some people might not have been suitably impressed!To be honest I think the days of the smaller nations being the whipping boys of International Football are over, been a few upsets already this campaign and these countries are investing in youth, coaching and infrastructure. Perhaps something that needs to be learned back in Britain.The smaller nations obviously dont have the population so we have to be smart about it.. We should see even better players coming through in a few years as we have started programmes in schools where there are a few classes in a few schools round the country that focus on football.. these boys learn a lot about diet and have double sessions every day with a qualified coach.. all this ties in with regular schoolwork as well.Iceland has a great setup, actually. Their thinking is, that in order to coach you need your badges. You cannot coach 5 year olds unless you have your badges.. the BEST coaches are used at the youngest levels. They are starting to produce some good players and they will only get better.Big Clubs from all over Europe regularly visit Akranes, wich has a population of just 5000, to check out their setup Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamieG54 812 Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 All these nations are catching those nations sitting still eg Greece Scotland etc.There are no easy games bar maybe Gibraltar as they have just started. I think it shows in Europe (CL) too with the qualifiers....There are no mugs now. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johanhentze 14,073 Posted November 21, 2014 Author Share Posted November 21, 2014 All these nations are catching those nations sitting still eg Greece Scotland etc.There are no easy games bar maybe Gibraltar as they have just started. I think it shows in Europe (CL) too with the qualifiers....There are no mugs now.Teams will look at us, and the likes, differently now.. We wont make any finals but we tend to make more of a game of it these days.. Having said that, people used to say the same about Iceland.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tannerall 25,935 Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 They must have a great team spirit now. And the knock on effects on the local structure show what can be achieved with commitment and success.Another wee team that has been getting great results recently is Cyprus. And their teams have been getting great results in Europe too, especially in Champions leagues, so the Greeks in that part of the world will be happy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johanhentze 14,073 Posted November 21, 2014 Author Share Posted November 21, 2014 They must have a great team spirit now. And the knock on effects on the local structure show what can be achieved with commitment and success.Another wee team that has been getting great results recently is Cyprus. And their teams have been getting great results in Europe too, especially in Champions leagues, so the Greeks in that part of the world will be happy.Most of them are back at work monday morning Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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