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@mrkawasaki
Any reason why a dedicated UK Qualifier process (such as these being discussed) cannot rank every team that intends to go: top 4 + remaining official slots + the order in which the remaining ranked teams are entered into a surely limited/ capped wild card (assuming there is one)?
I still find it paradoxical to the sport that some are happy to assume clear blue water between an upper echelon and the rest. Followed to its logical pier end, this belief would have us decide the rankings without having to bother with the inconvenience of playing a game! Where is the minnows catching an elite team on the hop spirit? Maybe John H has developed a magic ranking app...?!
Along with that thinking is a the oft quoted 'anyone can go to the euros/worlds if they really want to'. Why is this the accepted norm in this sport? Surely it devalues any qualification process below the elite? Surely competition for all spots at all levels improves everyone? Surely the top 4 need/benefit from more practice matches not less?
I think it would be a step forward to take a more holistic view - that we as a country of players are all stakeholders in prepping all our teams through the various qualification events and that those teams are 'sent' to represent UK polo as a whole. New players at grass roots level need to see the routes to these major events and aspire to take their first steps down the road; they need to see local teams getting close to qualification and maybe their best players in teams that qualify and do well. Why do we not send a united GB squad next time and link together in support a la the french and the Germans did in Poland?