World Cup Draw

[redhat]

Don't like the draw? Call your mama.

This is a prime opportunity for Mitchell to either build on our Gold Cup success

or destroy it. We have shown we can play and surprised a few in CONCACAF, upsetting

Costa Rica, Guatemala, Haiti, and even the USA. To do so we need great prep and

friendlies that focus on the style of play we want (frankly not that U20 crap style

that's predictable: long ball down the flanks, using a single target man, etc.).

I do hope every team underestimates us and will be in for a few surprises. They should

be the ones worried as we will bite our lip and battle for the ball amidst the crap

officiating that WILL happen. Mexico? The last time we played them in Toronto it was

0-0. Honduras? They needed a bonehead backpass and a Mexican ref to rob us of 6 points.

[Cheeta]

quote:Originally posted by MediaGuy

Here's the thing...

WE make it the Group of Death. WE were the best team in pot C.

Honduras isn't happy it drew us. Mexicans are talking about how happy they are to be in this group because it provides them with quality competition prior to the WC. Realistic Jamaicans have to be irritated that they have Mexico and two teams clearly better.

Exactly.

You know both Honduras and especially Jamaica are pissed-off in spades.

I firmly believe that even though the group stage of WCQ comes at a crap time of year for us this group could be decided on factors beyond anyone's control. An injury here. A run of form there. It's impossible to predict how things will play out come autumn, how sharp each side is going to look and too close to call. For all concerned.

Truth be told, I feel even given our inherent disadvantages Honduras and Canada are closely enough matched that we won't get a real feel for how this group will evolve until the group stage is well underway.

And that isn't just worrying for Canada. It's bugging the **** out of the Hondurans as well.

P.S. A few pages earlier some comments were written dismissing "home field advantage". Would dispute the lack of importance some people attach to this. Especially in CONCACAF. Using past results to justify the importance of home field advantage is corrupting/misreading the data. Working on the assumption that Canada's past home matches contained a home field advantage is at best, stretching things.

For the 1st time since forever Canada has an opportunity to manufacture a home field advantage and that could change absolutely everything. On and off the field.

[hectorj]

quote:Originally posted by Jeffrey S.

What a load of crap posts on this thread about away supporters and about going to Central America like it was Darfur and basically a whole load of hot feces about this round.

All evidence shows that we do not have a better record at home, we do not play worse before a hostile crowd, we actually can get decent results with no supporters in the stands. So bury all that, who gives a damn. The best thing is to be better on the pitch and defy what will almost be inevitable in the stands, a decent contingent of opposing team supporters. But great, now we learn that a Canadian can't walk around DF with a Canada shirt on, really, I don't know where you invent such rubbish. Hey, lets all stay at home, the air is not so nice in Mexico.

But how is it that after decades of competing in the region we still think about Central America with fear? What a bunch of provincial bumpkins, never been across the street without mom holding our hands. I mean what a terrible insult to our players, who have been all over the world; and what a narrow mentality from the fans, let the players go to that stinkhole but I sure won't; and what an indictment of the program, which should be taking the players to Guatemala for Thanksgiving and Honduras for Easter every year as part of the deal of company perks. I'd do a tour of CA and if some weird mosquito does not bite us along the way or we don't come down with some other virus or the geomancy doesn't seem to make us dizzy, then we'll know it is alright to go, compete and win a few out there.

The only real problem guys and dolls is that we are coached and the program is run way below the level of the players, and they have to play against bad coaching, bad logistics even, bad organization, and in the end the only bag of urine that really makes a difference is the one with our pee in it we toss on our own silly heads.

Hey buddy, walk the walk before you talk. I lived in Guatemala and Honduras for two years

and no, it isn't Darfur, but it ain't Edmonton either. If you think all it takes is stones to wave a Canadian flag there by yourself, your out of your mind. I had firecrackers thrown at me because my shirt was the wrong colour for a league match in pretty tame Costa Rica. All it takes is one drunk idiot. They are everywhere and when you add nationalism into the mix, it can get ugly quick.

[trueviking]

quote:Originally posted by RamR

3. JDG2 needs to make his decision before the qualifying begins because if he ends up choosing Canada (I realize this is against the odds) he'd best get involved in this qualifying campaign.

my guess is he will make a decision before qualifying starts...

holland will want to get off to a good start in their qualifying with norway and scotland in their group....he will find out early if he is in their plans....if he gets a sniff, he will go there...if he doesnt, then i bet he makes the decision to come our way.

either way, i would think that the begining of qualifying will be the trigger for his decision.

[Daniel]

quote:Originally posted by RamR

3. JDG2 needs to make his decision before the qualifying begins because if he ends up choosing Canada (I realize this is against the odds) he'd best get involved in this qualifying campaign.

Here's my thought:

- Jono gets his paperwork done in the next year or so, sees how his season goes, but doesn't commit either way during 2008 (for semi-final group or Euro).

- If Canada makes it to the Hex, it will have shown quality and it will be enough to bring him in the fold for the "real" push to the WC.

- If Canada doesn't make it, instead of potentially waiting another 4 years for WCQ and (maybe) playing in the odd GC, JDG2 suits up for the Netherlands mid-way through their WCQ cycle.

[dpetzz]

Well no matter who we got in our groups one point must be mentioned. Canada needs to be active and play on every FIFA international date. If we get knocked out early from qualifying (let's hope not), and go inactive like last time....Canada will tumble down the ranking again and then it will just be the same thing with us struggling to make it back up and not get stuck in certain pots for qualifying. The fact that Concacaf used such old ranking should tell the CSA that we need to stay up in the ranking all the time not just before qualifying. THAT MEANS LOTS OF GAMES!!!! not 3 or 4 in a year after a failed qualifying attempt.

[Guest Dave]

Just watch for when Trinidad will be playing a lot of meaningful games againsts teams they can run up the score against (such as during certain Caribean tournaments). Then schedule a bunch of games for Canada against similar weak opposition at around the same time (Canada vs Faroe Islands, two game series in London?). Canada gets a dubious and artificial FIFA ratings boost at the same time as TnT. Jack Warner will, as usual arrange things in an advantageous manner for TnT by using the ratings from that time period for WCQ seedings in the next cycle. Canada hopefully gets a gift ranking and an easy ride to the Hex as well. Once at the Hex, qualifying for the WC is relatively easy.

[Guest speedmonk42]

quote:Originally posted by The Ref

St. Kitts?, Mitchell can't even get his first excuse right.

I like his phrases:

...have to be ready to go right from the beginning.

...we still have six months to go

and the best of them all:

...we are not worried.

Are you telling me he got the team wrong?

Is this true/accurate?

[Guest Jeffery S.]

quote:Originally posted by hectorj

When I go back to Vancouver I spend my time talking to the underage Central American crack dealers on Hastings because they are the only people who understand me.

All I am trying to say is that the pessimism and excuses are sad and our players don't deserve such whining from the fans.

I am surprised no one has yet to see through my hyperbole to agree with me 100%.

But for those of you who want to keep on analyzing St Vicent and start posting the weather there, transport links, the WHO infectious disease reports, plus the relative strenght of their national league in relation to our non-existent one, the thread is all yours.

[hamiltonfan]

ok so this time around i think we should help our nats win in a different way then ever before

how about for all home games figure out where the away team is staying and just mess with the team all night...u no someone can pull a fire alarm at 12am and 2am. we can all put in some money and have a few people stay at the hotel with a few large cases of beer and some large speakers..maybe **** it a bag light it on fire knock and run??? uhh what else could we do...

and i no this sounds like a joke but really...f*ck guys i can not stand to see us loss to Honduras again..we gotta do something like this for atleast the honduras home game.

any other ideas?? for those who are going to hate..dont. its all for the good of canadian soccer.

[hamiltonfan]

oh...run around the hall ways blowing an air horn!!

[Grizzly]

quote:Originally posted by Jeffrey S.

When I go back to Vancouver I spend my time talking to the underage Central American crack dealers on Hastings because they are the only people who understand me.

All I am trying to say is that the pessimism and excuses are sad and our players don't deserve such whining from the fans.

I am surprised no one has yet to see through my hyperbole to agree with me 100%.

Jefferey S. the poor misunderstood genius of the Voyageurs board! Someday we will all ascend to your level of wisdom!

quote:But for those of you who want to keep on analyzing St Vicent and start posting the weather there, transport links, the WHO infectious disease reports, plus the relative strenght of their national league in relation to our non-existent one, the thread is all yours.

If you took the time out of your megalomaniac fantasies to bother to read the forum, you would see noone has expressed concern about St. Vincent (which is not a dangerous country) other than the cost of the airfare. All of the other countries mentioned have issues with personal safety in daily life and Mexico and Honduras have very hostile soccer fans. It is indeed you not the posters on this board who is ignorant of the conditions in these countries.

It seems despite all of your arrogant posting that you never attend away games. Considerations about personal safety when attending away games especially in small numbers is something soccer fans the world over have to think about. This is the case whether they are living in rich European countries or poorer nations and whether they are attending club or international matches.

[CanadianSwede]

A thought for future qualifying rounds. Why doesn't CONCACAF make it so that once you reach this semi-final stage, we all play in one big group with the top 3 advancing (like they do in CONEMBOL)? That makes more sense to me.

[Guest Jeffery S.]

quote:Originally posted by Grizzly

Jefferey S. the poor misunderstood genius of the Voyageurs board! Someday we will all ascend to your level of wisdom!

If you took the time out of your megalomaniac fantasies to bother to read the forum, you would see noone has expressed concern about St. Vincent (which is not a dangerous country) other than the cost of the airfare. All of the other countries mentioned have issues with personal safety in daily life and Mexico and Honduras have very hostile soccer fans. It is indeed you not the posters on this board who is ignorant of the conditions in these countries.

It seems despite all of your arrogant posting that you never attend away games. Considerations about personal safety when attending away games especially in small numbers is something soccer fans the world over have to think about. This is the case whether they are living in rich European countries or poorer nations and whether they are attending club or international matches.

You are right Grizzly, I have never been in the mouth of the lion. Never attended a road game in support of my team in a hostile environment where there is history of violence. Or if I did, I didn't realize how seriously dangerous it was, and here I am not helping at all by not feeding the ridiculous, paranoid, puerile propaganda you and yours are so in love with.

Right now the Chile chat boards are telling the world that if you go to Canada to play you'll get Tasered. Folks are seriously afraid to go to Vancouver airport for the same reason. Or are they? What do you believe, and how much falsehood and fear and childish video-game hysteria are you willing to put up with in the name of NOT supporting your team. Are you happy and pleased with yourselves for helping to make up every possible excuse imaginable before the dates have even been set?

The only reason that no one here is telling us why it is in fact not so bad to travel to Mexico DF and Honduras to watch a football match is because, in fact, according to you guys, nobody every got out alive to tell about it.

[JB_Tito]

It,s not about making sense it politics.How to explain UEFA is using November rankings,CONCACAF may rankings,Africa using July ratings Asia results from the 2006 World Cup and earlier qualifying.It would make sense to use Nov.rankings but FIFA has they own way of doing things.

In what cites we are playing our home games I don't know but one thing I'm know games in Toronto only as part of TFC season tickets so we know at least 16 000 CMNT will be there,that or stay away from Toronto.Last thing we need is more Mexicans or Jamaicans than Canadians.

As for group of death if we can't win against Honduras and Jamaica than we deserve to stay at home and watch TV.

[Gian-Luca]

Not sure if anyone has posted this article from Neil Davidson:

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/279710

Mitchell says all the right things.....now it's the time to go out & actually do them!

[CanadianSwede]

quote:Originally posted by JB_Tito

As for group of death if we can't win against Honduras and Jamaica than we deserve to stay at home and watch TV.

I agree. If we can't beat these two teams then we don't deserve to go. If we make it through this group of death, which i believe we can, then we will go to the world cup. This is technically like a Champions League group stage. As someone mentioned, we need to get 7 points at home and 3 on the road. This means beating Honduras and Jamaica while at least getting a tie with mexico.

The best place to play is Toronto in my opinion. Throughout the MLS season many commentators expressed the view that it was tough for teams to play at BMO field because the crowd was the 12th man. If BMO field was full of Canadian supporters in a great atmosphere, it would put pressure on the traveling team and boost the Canadian team.

[Guest Ed]

quote:Originally posted by Scottie

Did you forget Carlos Pavon?

Pretty much. The Collin Samuel of LA?

[Bxl Boy]

Just to add a little fun

Will Simoes coach Jamaica ???

I think if it's the case, he will find the words to motivate his troups against us...

No, seriously, I think it's the worse draw we could have

Bur whining won't change our opponents : now, we have to stand up for our team and win alltogether !

[Free kick]

quote:Originally posted by Jeffrey S.

When I go back to Vancouver I spend my time talking to the underage Central American crack dealers on Hastings because they are the only people who understand me.

All I am trying to say is that the pessimism and excuses are sad and our players don't deserve such whining from the fans.

I am surprised no one has yet to see through my hyperbole to agree with me 100%.

But for those of you who want to keep on analyzing St Vicent and start posting the weather there, transport links, the WHO infectious disease reports, plus the relative strenght of their national league in relation to our non-existent one, the thread is all yours.

My take of the views that you have expressed in this thread is that it shows that you have not attended a canada match of any significance on home soil in the past ten years or more. It shows that your views are shaped by geopolitical circumstances that stem from looking at the soccer scene from a far. No different from what you get from the FIFA Poo Bahs through their media releases, speeches and news articles. You fail to appreciate the fact that, when it comes to soccer, it is Canada who is the decided underdog when it lines up in stadium at home or away for an important match against a central american nation its a match between canada and that central american country. No different than Canada versus the US. Its not first nation versus developing nation, Frano and anglo saxon nation versus spanish speaking nation, not style or flair versus brawn. Instead if you actually attended such matches and took in the environment, you would quickly understand.

I will concur with you on one point though. Some points regarding our first round opponent ( and the first round teams in general) are naive. From a purely competitive standpoint, there is no reason that Canada or any other side such as CRC, MEX, USA, Hon, Gua, Jam to be concerned. There are certain relities about this region and a region like Oceania. And that is that, In the big picture, roughly two thirds of the sides in this region exist in the in the WCQ for no other reason that to give FIFA and a global image and make the WC a global event and I am sure even those sides are well aware of it. thats why the qualifying format is the way it is with first rounds consisting of no more than two games. hence, The only way to get eliminated by Vin is if the players throw in the towel. So, yes, to look at weather, build up a hate for Belize or St Vincent etc etc is pointless. Their playesr, teams, fans and coaches know what their up against.

[canso]

10 REASONS I"M STILL OPTIMISTIC ABOUT CANADA'S CHANCES DESPITE GETTING THE WORST POSSIBLE DRAW FOR THE WCQ:

10)We play even worse when we're the favourites.

9)We won't be relying on Lombardo for goals.

8)The Hex will be weaker once we knock out our main rivals early.

7)Our luck has to turn for the good sometime.

6)This is the best midfield I've ever seen in Canada red!

5)We've got Iain Hume and we're not afraid to use him.

4)How the hell else am I supposed to react?

3)We beat the Hondurans twice last time and this time the result should stick.

2)Non prescription medication.

1)We have home fans in Toronto for the first time and they are loud and proud and will drag that greatin Mexican ref off the field and flush his corrupt head in the toilet if he tries to pull any of that bull**** this time around!!! Great you Benito!!! Don't even think about it Jack!!! We're going to this one!!! We're greating going!!! YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jimmynow]

qualifying games at BMO Field won't be included in TFC season's tickets. The season tickets are advertised as including 15 league games plus 2 international friendlies (friendlies with TFC playing, not Canada).

as well, TFC wants to max its revenue on its own ticket package, not share $$$ with the CSA (the stadium management contract has CSA getting 97% of ticket rev for its games).

they'll probably do what they did last time tho: allow TFC season ticket holders to have an advance purchase window.

[JB_Tito]

quote:Originally posted by jimmynow

qualifying games at BMO Field won't be included in TFC season's tickets. The season tickets are advertised as including 15 league games plus 2 international friendlies (friendlies with TFC playing, not Canada).

as well, TFC wants to max its revenue on its own ticket package, not share $$$ with the CSA (the stadium management contract has CSA getting 97% of ticket rev for its games).

they'll probably do what they did last time tho: allow TFC season ticket holders to have an advance purchase window.

You are probably right but,last year Argentina-Canada U20 was the part of TFC season ticket package,and it was great atmosphere.Why not squeeze one qualifying game next year in August or Septembar.

And quite honestly f*ck the TFC friendly games,extra games for TFC in the middle of the season is simply retarded,games are boring since European teams are tuning for their championships with second teams and TFC players get injured f*ck that.Give me a qualifying game against Mexico at BMO field with 16000-18000 Canadian fans I'm sure most of the real fans would take that one over friendly against "FC Tryouts" teams from Europe.

[loyola]

It will be impossible for TFC to include those games because they won't know for sure at the time they release the schedule if Canada got pass their first opponent.

I like Jeffrey S. idea of selling the 3 games (if we get there) as a âckage deal, maybe with a priority for the TFC fans.

[Guest speedmonk42]

quote:Originally posted by loyola

It will be impossible for TFC to include those games because they won't know for sure at the time they release the schedule if Canada got pass their first opponent.

I like Jeffrey S. idea of selling the 3 games (if we get there) as a âckage deal, maybe with a priority for the TFC fans.

Yeah, I agree.

Give the V's + various TFC groups the chance to organize and provide something we have never had for a Canada team before.