Super Eights, Super long?

By Rayed Mamun ? 1 April 2007

 

The world has been exposed to a highly contagious virus. World Cup fever has swept the world, giving fans various symptoms, the most notable being insomnia. However, as with many diseases mankind has endured, immunity, from even this disease, is a possibility.

 

Many are still coming to terms with the Super Eights system, wondering why there are so many games. A total of twenty four group games were held, and a further twenty four to be held during the Super Eights. The two semi finals and the final constitute the total of fifty one games to be played over six weeks. Is extended period of the Super Eights really necessary? Is it simply a revenue raiser, prolonging the tournament of a game, which takes an entire day to complete, each time its played?

 

There is a simple solution to this seemingly tedious predicament. Eight teams means four quarter-finals could have been played last week. Semi-finals could have been played this week, and there would be a world champion in time for Easter. The tournament would be over within a month, much like the World Cups of other sports.

 

There are however, potential problems that may occur with a quarter final system. For instance, let?s say Australia played Ireland in the quarter-final. Suppose they then proceed to win the World Cup by beating stronger opposition in the semi-final and final. It could be argued that Australia doesn?t deserve a World Cup because they only would have beaten three test playing nations, which would have been South Africa in the group stage, and the subsequent semi-final and final.

 

The problem is there is no common ground between these two methods. It is all or nothing. Time will tell if this extended format is a success, but it seems, people may soon no longer be sick with World Cup fever, rather, sick of losing sleep in this seemingly endless tournament.