Gordon Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 quote:Originally posted by beachesl We have to be able to calculate which players we can do without, and save them for when we really need them. If we waste our possibilities by trying to pull in a full A-squad from Europe for the first round of WCQ and the Olympics between now and next summer, we may find they won't be there when we need them for the all important second round next summer, and in 2005 if we make it to the hex. I would suggest that one or two friendlies in Europe are what we should concentrate on trying to get a A-squad together for before next summer. Call this brinkmanship, fine, I call it reality. But, for the CSA and team management, planning is the first base we may never even get to, and without this we are lost. As the Cuba game showed, and the struggles that other CONCACAF Nations have occasionally experienced, we can not really afford to take chances with the CONCACAF lessor lights. We need to put oput the best team we can for each an every game. As for the Olympics, I think that the CSA player pool is clear evidence that we will not be dressing out top U-23 (neither DeGuzman nor Nsaliwa appear on the list) players for this competition. Nor should we, frankly. I think that we have a better chance of qualifying for the WC than we do making much of a splash at the Olympics. At least with the men. I happen to think we have the player (note I did not say team) to get to Germany. Costa Rica and Honduras are not out of reach as the Gold Cup showed. Of course, the players need to play a few games together and everyone needs to be showing up and happy to be there. The opinions expressed above are just that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gian-Luca Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 Klukowski isn't on the U23 player pool list either, but I'm not sure if we should read too much of that (though I suspect all three won't be called for the US Virgin Islands, so it may be awhile before we know for certain). With the first Olympic qualifyer a month away we really ought to be hearing some news on the team very soon - I hope. It will be interesting to see the draw in December for our initial group of 3 for the World Cup qualifiers. Would we be better off getting teams like Haiti & Cuba to give us tougher test & better preparation for the subsequent round (as we are unlikely to have too much time for friendlies once qualifying starts with our monster schedule), or getting two really weak teams like Arruba & Montserrat, which could effectively serve as "meaningful" friendlies? And if we can still believe in tomorrow, yesterday will disappear soon enough - IQ, The Wake (1985) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachesl Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 We cannot meet Cuba or Haiti in the first round of WCQ in the present CONCACAF proposed format. The first 12 ranked teams (as of the date of the proposal last winter , not now) in the confederation will draw two (and in one case, one) team from the next 23. Most of the teams from the lower-ranked that we could meet are truly C grade , the exceptions being maybe Barbados, St. Lucia, and St. Kitts, but even then, we should be able to beat them easily with a "B" team. It is the second round (probably starting next summer) that starts to get tough, and we'll need the A team for those 6 games to make the hex that starts in 2005. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gian-Luca Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 I thought it was the 12 teams who got to the semi-final rounds in the previous qualification that each get their own group of 3, which would not include Cuba & Haiti but instead St.Vincent & Barbados. I think your way makes more sense, mind you, but I don't think that's the way its going to be done. And if we can still believe in tomorrow, yesterday will disappear soon enough - IQ, The Wake (1985) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 We can meet only ONE of either Cuba or Haiti, I believe. Allez l'Impact! Allez les Rouges! Allons Ultras! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachesl Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 concacaf.com, csa's site and fifa.com have somehow lost the initial proposal from Concacaf, but it's still on (maybe a good idea to bookmark): http://www.ussoccer.com/news/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=27653&itype=113&iCategoryID=78 I WAS WRONG. As Haiti and Cuba (unranked) are in the 23 in Pot D, then it IS possible we could play them both in the first round, and that would be tough. The ranking is based on 2002 WCQ qualifying, and not FIFA ranking. However, the press release is not clear as to how the first round draw is to be done, but I beleive that the comments from Warner in February indicated that the 12 in the first 3 Pots would be drawn against the 23 in Pot D (and that Mexico, the US and CR would not get the one 2 team Group) so that the smaller nations would have a chance at winning a game. Of course, it is still a proposal until FIFA approves, and I hope it is changed to reduce the number of fixtures. "Washington wouldn't have such a high crime rate if it weren't for the murders". - former Mayor Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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