tarnado1555362291 Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Men's National Team Wednesday, January 16, 2008 Canada keeps CONCACAF fourth place in latest FIFA/Coca-Cola World Rankings Canada's men's national team remains in fourth place amongst all CONCACAF nations in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Rankings which were released today. None of the top-four CONCACAF countries picked up any new points in the January 2008 ranking, although the United States (20), Honduras (54) and Canada (56) all dropped one place in the world rankings. Mexico (15) remains the top-ranked CONCACAF country in the world rankings. While the top-four countries did little in the world rankings, there was some movement in the rest of the confederation. Saint Kitts and Nevis made the biggest jump (27 points and 9 places in the world rankings) while Saint Vincent & the Grenadines made the biggest drop (132 points and 29 places). Within the CONCACAF top-10, Haiti dropped from sixth to eighth within the confederation as Costa Rica and Cuba moved up. The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Rankings looks at each country's international results from the last four years. The ranking takes into account the result, the importance of the match, the strength of the opponent, the regional strength, the time period, and the number of matches per year. World - CONCACAF - Country - Points 15 1 Mexico 982 20 2 USA 876 54 3 Honduras 578 56 4 Canada 576 64 5 Panama 494 69 6 Costa Rica 467 71 7 Cuba 445 73 8 Haiti 438 78 9 Trinidad and Tobago 411 98 10 Jamaica 345 http://canadasoccer.com/eng/media/viewArtical.asp?Press_ID=3002 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Wow, 1st, 3rd, 4th and 10th in CONCACAF... Group of Death indeed. :S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SthMelbRed Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Yeah, I worked it out a couple of months ago, based on the last set of rankings. Our group currently has an average CONCACAF ranking of just over 4th (Jamaica is unusually ranked as low as ten, or it would have been under 4). The other two groups are at around an average ranking of 8th. That's what we get for living in Chuck and Jack's world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmcmurph Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Interesting. Mexico is ranked ahead of the US despite losing their last 8 games played head to head. How would the US play Cuba? Do they meet in a neutral ground or allow the Cubans into the US but the US players can't go to Cuba? Honduras just slightly ahead of us. Ripe for the picking (I hope). We should start a pool. Where will Canada be ranked in the world on the first ranking in 2009? I'll start with an optimistic 42! Just a hitchhiker's guess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toronto MB Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 American citizens are allowed to obtain special permission to visit Cuba on the grounds of cultural exchange. Some sporting events fall under this category. Expect that there will be the usual home and away matches for Cuba and the US. I remember being at Foxboro near Boston for Canada vs Cuba at the Gold Cup. There was little to no fanfare about the Cubans being there, but they were escorted by some form of military agents. Not sure if those were US or Cuban authorities. Perhaps the game in Havana will help to generate some much needed interest about football in Cuba, as they rarely have any kind of significant attendance at home games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 US and Cuba will play as any two teams. I suspect the Cuban team will be tightly watched for defectors, and US fans won't be allowed to travel to the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheeta Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 quote:Originally posted by tmcmurph Interesting. Mexico is ranked ahead of the US despite losing their last 8 games played head to head. How would the US play Cuba? Do they meet in a neutral ground or allow the Cubans into the US but the US players can't go to Cuba? Honduras just slightly ahead of us. Ripe for the picking (I hope). We should start a pool. Where will Canada be ranked in the world on the first ranking in 2009? I'll start with an optimistic 42! Just a hitchhiker's guess Yeah, the Yanks have sure had Mexico's number for a few years now. I'd like to say it's a pity they don't have anybody else's but I won't. Still, I have to admit it's great fun. It annoys the Mexicans to no end that the USA is dominating that rivalry these days. As a side note, I honestly get the impression that US supporters hope Canada does well. We're kinda a proxy England for them if I can be so bold. Odviously not in quality, but in substance. That is to say we're different enough from them while still sort of the same (ie the impression football is far more popular in Canada than in the US, which I believe is true, 12 million Mexicans in the US or not. And we play with a different style and attitude to the game than many latin nations. More physical, that sort of thing, which I believe is also partially true). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soju Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Mexican fans/managers/players all seem to share the common and annoying trait of losing to the US then saying Mexico is still much better and the US play like donkeys. If a team beats you consistently sorry but they are better than you. Dismissing losing and saying "They're garbage we're the much better team" dogmatically is so childish that I can't help but cheer on the US in that rivalry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Rollins1555362254 Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 quote:Originally posted by Soju Mexican fans/managers/players all seem to share the common and annoying trait of losing to the US then saying Mexico is still much better and the US play like donkeys. If a team beats you consistently sorry but they are better than you. Dismissing losing and saying "They're garbage we're the much better team" dogmatically is so childish that I can't help but cheer on the US in that rivalry. Spazzo. [/big Soccer reference] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Assuming everyone wins in the first round, it will look like this in terms of CONCACAF Rankings. The second ranking is the FIFA ranking: Group A:</u> USA(2)(20) Guatemala(11)(105) Trinidad & Tobago(9)(78) Cuba(7)(71) Average CONCACAF: 7.25 Average FIFA: 68.5 Group B</u> Mexico(1)(15) Jamaica(10)(98) Honduras(3)(54) Canada(4)(56) Average CONCACAF: 4.5 Average FIFA: 55.75 Group C</u> Costa Rica(6)(69) Guyana(12)(129) Panama(5)(64) Haiti(8)(73) Average CONCACAF: 7.75 Average FIFA: 83.75 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadianSoccerFan Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 I don't get why the Mexicans have to be so classless. They won't exchange jerseys after games with the U.S. As hard as it is I'll be cheering for Landycakes Inc. on Feb 6th Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 quote:Originally posted by CanadianSoccerFan I don't get why the Mexicans have to be so classless. They won't exchange jerseys after games with the U.S. As hard as it is I'll be cheering for Landycakes Inc. on Feb 6th I can't do that, but you go for it. They don't change jersey's with them because they hate them. And what about the USA vs. Cuba? Will you have the same type of animosity if those countries don't exchange shirts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soju Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Why should Canadians cheer against America by default? They have the most similar soccer culture to ours in CONCACAF if not the world, and their footy lovers deal with similar ignorance and roadblocks. I also respect that most of the US fans posting on forums agreed that we got robbed in the Gold Cup semifinal by the officials instead of rubbing it in. These points to me outweigh anything political/cultural about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 quote:Originally posted by Soju Why should Canadians cheer against America by default? They have the most similar soccer culture to ours in CONCACAF if not the world, and their footy lovers deal with similar ignorance and roadblocks. I also respect that most of the US fans posting on forums agreed that we got robbed in the Gold Cup semifinal by the officials instead of rubbing it in. These points to me outweigh anything political/cultural about it. For me, it's nothing personal, just the fact that they are better than us. I hate losing to them because they are our neighbours. Their fans are great, and they are a great team, but I hate them because they have taken all those similarities and turned them into success, where we've done nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SthMelbRed Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 quote:Originally posted by RJB For me, it's nothing personal, just the fact that they are better than us. I hate losing to them because they are our neighbours. Their fans are great, and they are a great team, but I hate them because they have taken all those similarities and turned them into success, where we've done nothing. They took the one huge opportunity that was presented to them (winning the hosting rights for WC '94) and haven't looked back. Their program got some high profile exposure and I would argue that they really had next to zero margin for error in how they proceeded from that point. They've gotten everything spot on from that point on. The performed well enough on home soil to create some momentum and have managed to keep it up despite finishing last or next to last in three of the last five World Cups. For all the opportunity they've had, though, it would've all come to naught if they didn't have the massive financial backing that we have never had. Those are the positives that I'm begrudgingly able to give them credit for. However, it's hard to get past the massive negative that they are run by Jack's boy Chuck, who is every bit as corrupt as his boss, I have no doubt. That's why while we regularly get the shaft from Latin referees and assistants, the US does not. They also got together to stitch us, Jamaica, and Honduras up for the WCQ. Using the six-month old rankings for the draw was one of the most corrupt things to ever come out of CONCACAF, and that's saying something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Thats why it will be the sweetest thing when we shove it back in their faces come 2009. Thats what Im looking forward to the most. Im sick of us getting dirt kicked in our face. Its time to stand up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpg75 Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 quote:Originally posted by RJB I can't do that, but you go for it. They don't change jersey's with them because they hate them. And what about the USA vs. Cuba? Will you have the same type of animosity if those countries don't exchange shirts? The Mexicans have explained it as "ardido" (might have misspelt it?) which is a type of vengeful pride in Mexican culture apparently. Oswaldo Sanchez revealed it was a big part of why they've grown to hate the Americans more and more after the game last Feb. in which he tried to trip Eddie Johnson after Landycakes made it 2-0. The American fans were laughing about this afterwards, feeling it's going to be a huge advantage to them because the Mexicans care so much that they're psyching themselves out and the US are playing with little pressure since they're not supposed to beat the so-called technically superior Mexicans. As far as i'm concerned, it's better for us if the Mexicans keep making excuses and brush off the losses to the US. That way they'll never address the problem they have when facing physically superior opposition and we can hopefully learn how to beat them from watching the US gameplan (ie. bunker defensively and counter attack the exposed Mexican backline, work your butt off and win the 50/50 battles) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toronto MB Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Yeah, I have to agree with some of the US Soccer supporters in this thread. I generally cheer against Americans in any and all sporting competitions. The foreign policy, the arrogance, the attitudes...it's easy to hate. But there is a certain humble nature to the US Soccer movement. A very genuine and well developed grassroots group in Sam's Army, an exciting and fast-paced style of play and none of the CONCACAF b*tch tactics. I really enjoyed their success at WC 2002. I think in terms of a home-game in Canada, Mexico would be an easier match than the US, especially in some cold weather. And if it wasn't for the fortress that is Azteca I think there is no reason we couldn't expect a shot at points on the road as well. The Americans have a lot of weapons going forward. But I think if you add Radz, Nsaliwa and Hirschfeld to the squad that took them on in June we could pull the upset. (Jono would be good too) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 quote:Originally posted by SthMelbRed That's what we get for living in Chuck and Jack's world. The important part in this is CHUCK-USA. As much as we are justified to hate Jack, he is only in the position because he has the support of the country that has the power in this region. Without US support Jack is nothing and as much as we can bitch about the good draws and reffing that TnT gets we have to recognize that the US always seems to get the exact same. Perfect American strategy, put some foreigner Jack in the line of fire while you are directing things in a corrupt way behind the scenes. Too bad for the Americans that they only seem able to apply such strategies in soccer and not in the myriad of wars they are involved in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SthMelbRed Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Of one thing I have no doubt. That is that Chuck and Jack got together to stitch us all up in the World Cup draw. On the assumption that Mexico will get through whichever group they were drawn in, they did what they could to virtually guarantee that they both 1) get through the semi-final stage to the hex, and 2) remove two of their strongest rivals from the hex by creating the 'Group of Death scenario for us, Honduras, and Jamaica. If Uncle Sepp didn't owe Chuck and Jack for securing all of CONCACAF's votes for him in the last election, FIFA might have done something about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SthMelbRed Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 after a quick check of the rankings for every month starting in May 2007 (the rankings used for the WCQ seedings), you can see that that particular month was chosen because it was the only month where they could get T&T into the second pot, while condemning us to the last pot. In every subsequent month after that, we were in 3rd or 4th spot in the region, putting us in the 2nd pot. Why'd you have to go and post this. Now I'm all inflamed by the injustice again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmcmurph Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 "I generally cheer against Americans in any and all sporting competitions. The foreign policy, the arrogance, the attitudes...it's easy to hate." I always try to separate politics and sports. Hard to do but it helps. The only people who can save America are the Americans. Good luck. On the sports side I was watching the last world cup game with the US and Italy not really interested but when the Yank got cut and walked off, got stitches and came back on I was amazed. Most other Euro and SA players would have had an ambulance take them off. Maybe it is because we Canucks are used to hockey and tough play that we admire gutsy tough soccer play as well. I can't say I am surprised by the schedule manipulation. We need our national soccer body to push back on those things but good luck there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadianSoccerFan Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Aside from Landycakes (diving in the gold cup semi and shoving Braz in the face in '05), I find the Americans easy to cheer for internationally (when they're not playing us of course) just because they play with honesty and integrity. They don't flop and dive and con the refs. When they go down they get up. They exchange jerseys win or lose. Moreover I can't stand Euro-snobbery and if the U.S. winning will piss them off then I'm all for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottie Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 quote:Originally posted by CanadianSoccerFan Aside from Landycakes (diving in the gold cup semi and shoving Braz in the face in '05), I find the Americans easy to cheer for internationally (when they're not playing us of course) just because they play with honesty and integrity. They don't flop and dive and con the refs. When they go down they get up. They exchange jerseys win or lose. Moreover I can't stand Euro-snobbery and if the U.S. winning will piss them off then I'm all for it. I feel the same way, especially about Donovan. But if he inspires a generation of young americans to play his style I'm changing my mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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