New FIFA rankings calculations

These took effect from the latest rankings published this week and contain a formula that looks complicated enough to baffle Einstein.

The idea of the new method was said to simplify the procedure by adding and subtracting ranking result scores to previous ones rather than basing it on adjusting an average score over the last few years. However , the complexities of the calculation seem to add confusion. Trying to work out how many points , for example, Wales might gain or lose in the upcoming game with Denmark might take a fair bit of time and effort.

One of the main losers from the new system in the August rankings are Germany , who have dropped from first to 15th by failing to gat out of their group in the World Cup. Under the old "averaging" system they wouldn`t have dropped anywhere near as far.