2014 FIFA World Cup

[METALMAN]

Just say you intend to play Frank Lampard as a goalkeeper then stick him outfield. What can FIFA do?

[Colly]

That's a stupid rule. Standard FIFA then.

[Matt]

Just say you intend to play Frank Lampard as a goalkeeper then stick him outfield. What can FIFA do?

The three goalkeepers are only permitted to be the nominated goalkeeper position. You could play them outfield but you'd have to play with no goalkeeper. Iirc North Korea made this cock up in 2010 and ended up with a player that they couldn't use (unless they really wanted to play him in goal for some reason) because he was called up as a goalkeeper when he wasn't one.

[Matt]

That's a stupid rule. Standard FIFA then.

How so? The idea is you have 2 players for each position but you're allowed an additional goalkeeper because it's such a specialised position that it would be unfair to force a side to play a player from a different position there in the event of a crisis

[METALMAN]

But it is also stupid to prevent teams from taking a risk and picking an outfield player instead if they really want to.

At France 98 (and I feel pathetic for remembering this) Yugoslavia had two goalkeepers, while every other nation had three.

[Matt]

I can't find a source but I'm pretty sure the 23rd man was added specifically for the purpose of having a 3rd goalkeeper without having to use a space that would otherwise go to an outfield player. As there was previously no rules required to prevent teams not taking the expected number of keepers (unless a country was suicidal and only wanted to take one), fifa probably just assumed teams would use the spot for the third keeper and then introduced the mandatory rule after Yugoslavia and possibly others didn't do it.

[METALMAN]

Why so you love rules so much Matt? :/

[9 to 5]

Matt likes to play the game. And you need rules to play the game. HHH knows!

[Colly]

Just seems daft to impose one restriction and nothing else, its my squad so if I want to make a daft gamble its on my head. So I'm forced to take three keepers, but I can still take 20 centre forwards.

[Matt]

A goalkeeper is a specialised position different to any other, you have to have one and only one designated goalkeeper on the field. If you choose to play a 0-0-10 formation then you can do and you'd be within your rights to take 20 strikers because there is no restriction on where the other 10 players play... In terms of the rules of the game there is no such thing as a centre half or a right wing back or a false 9.

[Colly]

But at the end of the day (football cliche) the only difference between keepers and outfielders is the shirt they're wearing at that point in time. If I've used all my subs and my keepers injured I'm sticking my full back in goal.

Pushing it to its ludicrous extreme, if I've got 12 injured or suspended outfielders, I want to be able to stick a keeper on in an outfielders shirt to make up the eleven which FIFAs rule seems to prevent.

Actually given that Spain play Holland in the first round of fixtures that isn't actually that extreme...

[Matt]

You're entirely missing the point that the 23rd man is there specifically for the role of the third choice keeper, it's not at all unreasonable that it has to be used for that purpose when it was only there in the first place for that purpose.

For want of a better analogy, it's like expanding a dual carriageway into a 3 laned motorway for the purpose of introducing a fast lane and then saying "Oh but if you want to use it to drive your HGVs instead, that's fine".

[METALMAN]

I am still in want of a better analogy. :/

[Starvinho]

Anyways, for us here in the UK...

BBC will show the Italy game, ITV will show the Uruguay and Costa Rica games.

BBC have first pick of last 16 and semis, ITV have first pick of the quarters. Both will show final.

The BBC and ITV can today confirm the split of matches for this summer’s FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

ITV will show the opening match of the tournament between hosts Brazil and Croatia on 12 June, while the BBC start with Spain v Holland, a repeat of the 2010 World Cup final on 13 June. The BBC will show England’s first group match against Italy. ITV will then show England's next two games against Uruguay and Costa Rica. The BBC will have first pick of the round of 16 and semi finals, whilst ITV has first pick of the quarter finals. Both ITV and BBC will show the final.

The full split of the group stage matches is outlined in the table below.

Philip Bernie, BBC Head of TV Sport, said: "We’re very pleased with our selection of matches which includes England’s highly anticipated opening match with Italy along with their crucial first knock out match, if they proceed, and the first pick of the semi finals. We also have some extremely appetising peak time group games including Spain v Holland, Spain v Chile, Brazil v Mexico and Germany v Ghana. The World Cup in Brazil promises to be truly memorable. The BBC is delighted to be showing this great selection of games and our audiences will be able to join in not only live on BBC One but on radio and online where our extensive coverage will deliver the first truly digital World Cup.”

Niall Sloane, ITV Director of Sport, said: “The World Cup begins on ITV for UK viewers next year and we’re looking forward to showing live two of England’s three group matches as well as two of Brazil’s, including the tournament’s opening game between the hosts and Croatia in Sao Paulo. We will also broadcast the key match between England's group D rivals Italy and Uruguay, which could have a huge bearing on their chances of reaching the knock-out phase. In addition, ITV will have first pick of the quarter-final matches as Brazil 2014 builds towards its climax. Viewers will be able to watch all matches live online on itv.com which will also host a dedicated World Cup site offering comprehensive coverage in the build up to and throughout what promises to be a special tournament in this most iconic of football countries.”

World Cup 2014 – Group stage game split

12 June

9pm ITV Brazil v Croatia

13 June

5pm ITV Mexico v Cameroon

8pm BBC Spain v Netherlands

11pm ITV Chile v Australia

14 June

5pm BBC Columbia v Greece

8pm ITV Uruguay v Costa Rica

11pm BBC England v Italy

2am ITV Ivory Coast v Japan

15 June

5pm ITV Switzerland v Ecuador

8pm BBC France v Honduras

11pm BBC Argentina v Bosnia

16 June

5pm ITV Germany v Portugal

8pm BBC Iran v Nigeria

11pm BBC Ghana v USA

17 June

5pm ITV Belgium v Algeria

8pm BBC Brazil v Mexico

11pm BBC Russia v South Korea

18 June

5pm ITV Australia v Holland

8pm BBC Spain v Chile

11pm ITV Cameroon v Croatia

19 June

5pm BBC Columbia v Ivory Coast

8pm ITV England v Uruguay

11pm BBC Japan v Greece

20 June

5pm BBC Italy v Costa Rica

8pm ITV France v Switzerland

11pm ITV Honduras v Ecuador

21 June

5pm ITV Argentina v Iran

8pm BBC Germany v Ghana

11pm BBC Nigeria v Bosnia

22 June

5pm BBC Belgium v Russia

8pm ITV South Korea v Algeria

11pm BBC USA v Portugal

23 June

5pm ITV Australia v Spain

5pm ITV Holland v Chile

9pm ITV Cameroon v Brazil

9pm ITV Croatia v Mexico

24 June

5pm ITV England v Costa Rica

9pm BBC Japan v Columbia

9pm BBC Greece v Ivory Coast

25 June

5pm ITV Nigeria v Argentina

5pm ITV Bosnia v Iran

9pm BBC Ecuador v France

9pm BBC Honduras v Switzerland

26 June

5pm BBC USA V Germany

5pm BBC Portugal v Ghana

9pm ITV South Korea v Belgium

9pm ITV Algeria v Russia

Edited December 10, 2013 by Starvinho

[Matt]

Sucks that bbc will only get one England game

And why isn't Italy vs Uruguay on tv?

[Starvinho]

And why isn't Italy vs Uruguay on tv?

Must be an oversight, can't see them not showing a game.

[Adam]

BBC only having one England group game is probably evened out by them having first pick of Round 2 and the Semis, which is one more later round than ITV has.

Not that England games will likely be a factor in said later rounds.

[Colly]

You're entirely missing the point that the 23rd man is there specifically for the role of the third choice keeper.

No I'm not. :/

[EddieG]

So ITV complained about the kick off time for England - Italy.. and BBC are showing it?

[Matt]

You're entirely missing the point that the 23rd man is there specifically for the role of the third choice keeper.

No I'm not. :/

But you clearly are. That or you're just being argumentative for the sake of it. The 23rd man was included specifically so that teams could have 3 goalkeepers. Not so you could have an extra player, so that you could have an extra goalkeeper.