Which is incorrect... since it's pretty much the one exception.

That's true the Dutch are very good, even their travelling fans. I saw them in action in Dublin in 2001 (what was the score there? I can't quite remember. And who didn't make it to the 2002 finals because of it? hmm) and they were awesome. That said, watch any of the Istanbul darbys between Galatasaray, Besiktas and Fenerbahce and you'll see what I mean. And their national team supporters were phenomenal at the euros, definitely the best there.

LMAO....  The Dutch belongs in the group of most aggressive hooligans.  And then we are not talking yet about teams hooligans,  Ajax, Feyenoord, Den Haag etc.

Lostplanet, National team fans and club fans are quite different. Kenny mentioned Fenerbahce and Galatasaray, in my opinion teams with a horrible fanbase (I recall matches shutdown because of chants and throwing stuff on the field and at players) yet the Turkish national fans are great. Last EC, they were out on the street celebrating rather amiably with firework, driving around glags parading... there is a huge difference.

Why do you go after the US?  "Average" teams don't beat the top team in the world or make major finals.  But there are pleny of other teams to worry about.  For pete's sake, either New Zealand or Bahrain will be in South Africa.  I think we all know that either of those would lose home-and-home with any of the last six CONCACAF teams, as Bahrain did (losing at home along the way) to Trinidad in 2005.  CONCACAF teams, USA included, have had good results in the World Cup...USA quarterfinals in 2002, Mexico consistently advancing past the first round.  Why not criticize Asia, which always has the weakest sides?  Who deserves to make the finals, USA or Saudi Arabia (0-8 Germany)?  Come on.  Even North Korea will be in South Africa to have their butts kicked three times.

I don't see how this is any different than conferences and divisions. Don't many sports operate this way? You have a certain amount of guaranteed spots per division(typically one) and the rest get seeded through wild cards/best records while coming in second or even third in their division.

Put all america in the same group and give more spots, then more SA teams would qualify and not have to worry about fighting for 2 spots because argentina and brazil have 2 almost assured, we could yhave good teams like paraguay, uruguay, etc... in the WC.

Give less spots to asia and give more spots to Europe so that other great teams can go.

Global qualification would beexpensive, though I think African teams would go anyway, they are good teams.

The whole European qualification is a joke. Teams qualify by beating the bottom garbage 3 or 4 teams in their group. Last world cup Czech republic topped their group and were ranked 2nd in the world but got their asses kicked in the world cup.

Even if teams like New Zealand and Bahrain qualify and get their asses whipped, it wouldn't be fair to deny them an oppurtunity to play and allow more European teams to enter. It wouldn't be a world cup if that happened. 13 teams from europe (i think) is already enough from one region. Besies, what great European teams with "potential" are missing out? Latvia, Isreal, Poland Finland, Wales Beligum, Estonia, Belarus Romania Cyprus and Maceonia are average teams, some have even ha chances in the world cup or European competitions but fail miserably..

If African, Asian an even some south americans nations ha the money and good leagues, they could beat any European team.

So if they were much better at football than they are now they'd be better than the European teams? Good point...

Portugal, Sweden, Greece, Czech Republic, Turkey, Croatia, Russia, Ukraine, France, Ireland and Bulgaria. Only four of those countries can qualify. They all have great footballing traditions (even Ireland. Kind of) but they're being forced out to allow other areas more qualification spots. When the other continents prove they deserve the spots they should have them.

Asia and Australasia have already started to do that but they aren't there yet. They need more intense competition to improve. Why would the USA even try to improve in the qualifiers when they know they're more or less guaranteed a place? America of all places should know that stiff competition breeds success