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Does anybody care..


Alex

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About the other teams going to the hex? I know it may be a premature question to ask considering we have been eliminated about 14 hours ago...but I am already tired of the same talk about Yallop, the CSA and our failure. I can no longer harp on these subjects until november 17 against Guatemala (when we can still retrieve some national pride). So, what are your thought about the face of the final round? does T&T deserve to be there? will Guatemala qualify? will Mexico falture after facing lack-lustre teams?

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quote:Originally posted by Jarrek

I'm all for the underdogs. I wish the USA success as well. I still feel that once soccer begins flourishing in the USA, Canada chances of qualifiying will increase.

Yes, as much as we may not like to hear it, I think you are exactly right.

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USA, Mexico, and Costa Rica will go through. Guatemala will surprise, but get destroyed

by Iran (Asia No. 4 or 5?). Ruiz (the "Fish") will score lots of goals.

T&T will lose badly, bringing a smile to my face.

And Canada will ref the games "fairly".

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I think it is safe to say that most fans would prefer to see Costa Rica go through at the expense of Honduras. Personally, I felt as though both teams played reasonably 'fair' games...as did Guatemala. Sure the refs sucked, but at least we didn't seem to see the 'diving' complaining Central Americans of old.

It really isn't the fault of Honduras that their team enjoyed the fruits of bad refs. I don't think anything was overly embellished - a Canadian would have done the same in the box in the Edmonton contest. My personal view on Hondurans is that they are extremely lovely people, and their country desperately needs to feel the joy of watching their team progress, much more than the Ticos. Trust me, there is no arrogance in Hondurans...they are quick to point out that their players are oft-complaining, overpaid wannabes. But I'd like to see them go through.

As for the Guatemalans, they came prepared for qualifying, and if there's one lesson for Canada, especially considering how well we played in every match except the first one, is that we desperately underrated the importance of preparation. That basically would have required these guys giving up their holidays AND potentially giving up their pre-seasons with their clubs in Europe. Training in California, and getting De-Ro and Onstad involved every off day that they could.

Forget blaming our goalie, forget coaching tactics specifically, let's look at preparation and tactics leading up to the qualifyers:

- tactically, we decided to leave Hume on the field after getting a yellow card in Kingston, and thus missing the first game

- tactically, we let Radz miss game 1 (which I'm sure even he is now regretting) and messed up on the diagnosis of De Vos.

- Stalteri took a Red Card for no reason, despite the cause for Canada being FAR from certain..how was that allowed to happen from the bench?

- Somehow, we decided that the first game was not crucially important - otherwise Hume would have been subbed, and Radz would have been told to come.

These decisions seem equally culpable from my point of view. Yallap is given his hand, and he had to make it work. Yallop and his staff seem like the only party that is guilty here...even they agree that they were ill-prepared for the job at hand. The only people that really had confidence that they would succeed was US, the trusted Voyageurs. Otherwise, Radz would have been made to show up, and Stalteri would have been made to realize that the Canucks could come back in Qualifying.

Having said that, I feel sorry for all the guys...especially since they played really well in every game, except that first disaster, which I don't blame them for. That Honduras match was a pleasure to watch, as was the first half of the two Costa Rica games. They played really positively, and I think they had the respect of all the teams that they played.

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quote:Originally posted by mcaout

What's with this pro US stuff? Thought they were are greatest rival?

Why would they be our greatest rival? We rarely play them and it's a pretty one-sided rivalry. The US consider Mexico by far their greatest soccer rival and the feeling has really grown to be reciprical.

In the women's game we are big rivals.

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Well on the subject of not playing them; there was a big deal made of the Welsh v.England game in the UK. Two teams that haven't played in something like 20yrs competivly. So because of how close they are and historical reasons they still have a rivalry when a time to play each other comes up. I think this is some what like Canada v. US in almost all sports if not all sports.

I do agree that it is one sided but since it comes from my side that's how I look at it. Another example of a increasingly one side rivalry is in Scotland v. England. The Scotish consider England their greatest rival where as in the modern day I'd think most English would look to the likes of Germany or France, maybe even Argentina as more important competitors.

I guess a question might be who do you think our greatest rival is?

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I think someone suggested Maldives? :D

Just being a smart-ass. ;)

I don't know if we have a rival. Sure the US will always be there as a geographic rival. We have to be more of a factor before we build a rivalry. Maybe playing some friendlies against CONCACAF nations could do it.

Good question. Don't honestly know. Although I know I sure have a hate-on for Honduras (although not necessarily the team's fault).

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quote:Originally posted by soccerbeast

Mexico,Costa Rica, & Guatemala will be the Concacaf Reps in the World Cup 2006. Jamaica will make the plaoff spot only to lose out.

Wow, how can you count out the US? If Costa Rica continues to improve their play in the way they have been as of late, then I think it'll be Mexico, the US and Costa Rica.

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quote:Originally posted by mcaout

What's with this pro US stuff? Thought they were are greatest rival?

yeah, but when it comes to soccer things are a bit different. They are one of the few nations that do not play-act and dive and use faggy antics as part of their game strategy. They are more similar to us than any other nation in the US. And, to clarify, none of us are "pro US" really. We are simply suggesting that positive changes to soccer in the US should likely have positive effects here too. (MLS opportunities etc etc)

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Yea i'm not really fan of the US Nats but i respect the way they play. I'd rather see them do well than any other concacaf nation (besides us of course {;)] Just fo rthr record i still think Donovan is WAY overrated...till he goes to europe and developes into the player he should be...

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quote:Originally posted by Ruud

.... I don't think anything was overly embellished - a Canadian would have done the same in the box in the Edmonton contest...

You're joking, rite?

I agree with most of yer points.....All of your points except this one...That was the most disgusting dive i've ever seen other than Rivaldo's little ***** thing a couple yrs back

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quote:Originally posted by Andrew W

Why would they be our greatest rival? We rarely play them and it's a pretty one-sided rivalry. The US consider Mexico by far their greatest soccer rival and the feeling has really grown to be reciprical.

In the women's game we are big rivals.

Yeah, Mexico's really the team that gets our blood boiling when we match up. When we play Canada it's just seen as friendly, but a good opponent nonetheless. As for our women's side, major rivals until recently have been Norway,China's second, but both have fallen out of form. In the future it'll probably be Brazil or Germany.

Is it seen as a big deal when Canada plays anything against the US up there? Cause being here I don't see a big rivalry in anything between us sporting wise,except maybe hockey, and even then most people don't seem to care unless it's the olympics.

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They are also the soccer nation in Concacaf that we are most similar to. Unfortuantely, in current times we are their overwhelmingly poor cousin. But I've always had a sense that if they can do it, we should be able to do it (perform well and qualify for the World Cup)also.

Blair

quote:Originally posted by mcaout

What's with this pro US stuff? Thought they were are greatest rival?

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quote:Originally posted by Grasshopper

They are also the soccer nation in Concacaf that we are most similar to.

Yes and they face many of same unique challenges that we do in that:

1) like Canada the sport does not garner mainstream attention to the same degree as much of the rest of the world.

2) faces the same challenges in so far as getting home pitch support from the fans.

3)Players and fans of the game are of identical demographics in both the US and canada. Specifically, with the mens game the appeal of the game come from cultural influences from outside their native countries. Hence the growth of the pro game faces the same stigmas. Same paralell in demographics between the US and Canada is present in the womens game in that the game can be defined or summarized ( in both countries) as suburban working class summertime recreation.

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I care about the hex just like WCQ in any other region: because it's the World Cup. Otherwise I have no particular attachment to it.

Unlike most of you guys, I can't cheer for the USA based on how "similar" they are to us in whatever way, or how their success might have some "positive effect" on us (haven't seen it so far, anyway), or the fact that they don't consider us their rivals. I have always cheered against them in every sport and I do the same for soccer. In general the only time I'd cheer for them is if we (or Italy) were in the same group as them and needed their opponents to lose so that we could advance.

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I'll be cheering for Cletus and the other crackers on the US team on account of bloodlines. I'd like to see Jamaica get in as well. I couldn't cheer for anybody else.

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quote:Originally posted by Footy

I totaly agree .... I would pay to watch this match !!

My neighbors to the North, believe me,

I AM LIVING FOR THE DAY THAT WE FINALLY BEAT EL TRI IN ESTADIO AZTECA. That will be a glorius day for me...

Maybe next year that day will finally come.

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quote:Originally posted by DJT

I care about the hex just like WCQ in any other region: because it's the World Cup. Otherwise I have no particular attachment to it.

Unlike most of you guys, I can't cheer for the USA based on how "similar" they are to us in whatever way, or how their success might have some "positive effect" on us (haven't seen it so far, anyway), or the fact that they don't consider us their rivals. I have always cheered against them in every sport and I do the same for soccer. In general the only time I'd cheer for them is if we (or Italy) were in the same group as them and needed their opponents to lose so that we could advance.

That OK, Bro. You don't need to support us. In fact, we don't want you to. Speaking for our whole nation--we discussed it in our secret meeting last night that I really shouldn't be telling you about because we were busy discussing our plans for world sports domination.

To each their own.

We've been doing pretty well without your support...

Again, I find it very curious that almost all of the Yanks I know pull for Canada in everything, just as long as it isn't when you guys face us or we need points to advance through to the next round in some competition.

Maybe I had better discuss this in the next meeting. The membership needs to know... ;)

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