Will The Canadian Rep Make The Group Stage?

[Massive Attack]

If you've been following the tournament set up of the CONCACAF Champions League, you will see that the Canadian representative will have to win in the Preliminary Round for a spot in the Group Stage:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008-09_CONCACAF_Champions_League

Personally, I think its going to be awfully tough for whoever wins the Voyageurs Cup to actually make the Group Stage.

Seeing as Canada has never taken part in any CONCACAF club competitions, I would assume we are going into the Preliminary Round draw unseeded (or in Pot 2). I think there is a very good chance the Canadian rep will have to face either a Mexican or MLS team. Even the Costa Rican, Guatemalan and Honduran reps will be a tough match up.

I'm thinking the 'draw' will be grouped like this:

Pot 1:

MEX3, MEX4, USA3, USA4, CRC2, GUA2, HON2, ELS2

Pot 2:

PAN1, PAN2, NIC, BLZ, CAN, JAM, T&T, CFU3

Just wonder what some of the other V's think of the Canadian clubs chances.

[Daniel]

I prefer anyone's chances against ELS2 than MEX3, for example.

Two places will also go to MLS according to the playoffs, and that could make for a lucky average team to make it. Or if the top teams get to MLS Cup, who makes the CCC? It's also good that 2008 CCC is set nearly a year in advance for MLS, so one of its representatives might get crappy during the season.

[Massive Attack]

I just made that seeding up on my own. Its possible the El Salvador team could be swapped with the Jamaican or T&T team, which would be a little more difficult.

[Cheeta]

Tough call.

I guess it all depends on who wins through and when the qualifying matches are held. The Division 1 clubs (Montreal and Vancouver) could be at a real disadvantage when it comes to the qualifying stages simply because of their shorter season. TFC might not be quite as handicapped but still, timing could be very close to being everything.

[Daniel]

The qualifying stage is smack dab in the middle of the season - September - for all three teams.

If Montreal qualifies, I think they play some ridiculous amount of games.

[Duane Rollins1555362254]

If, somehow, one of the USL teams goes through the chances of qualifying to the group stage are slim to nil. I'd give them a shot against ELS2 and HON2, no chance against any other in that group.

If it's TFC, I'd put them at a favourite to get by the above mentioned teams, and as having an outside chance at beating CRC2, USA4 (Revs) and USA3 (Chivas).

No chance at all against the Mexican teams.

[nazzer]

It all depends on the ranking system they use to make the matches in the preliminary round. They could rank by Club, Country or League. If they rank by Country or Club the Canadian team will have a tough qulification the first few years as we have no precedent. If they rank by league and Toronot gets in we may get ranked as 5th highest amongst the prelim teams, or if Montreal or Vancouver get in they may get ranked above El Salvador.

No matter what you gotta know that whichever team gets in they will be following the draw praying to avoid MLS, MEX, Costa Rica, Honduras and Guatamala.

[Duane Rollins1555362254]

quote:Originally posted by nazzer

Honduras and Guatamala.

Outside of the top teams in those leagues, I doubt there is a MLS team in the league, Toronto included, that would be even remotely concerned. Even against the top team in those countries, the MLS team would be favourite.

[Massive Attack]

Some great news thanks to Nazzer at BS for catching this:

The draw for the preliminary rounds will have the following groupings:

Pot A: MEX, Mex, USA, USA, Can, Hon, CRC, Panama

Pot B: Panama, Belize, Guatamala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, CFU, CFU, CFU

This is good because we avoid the Mexican, Costa Rican and US teams. Of course, the Jamaicain and Guatemalan teams will still be tough if drawn.

[Gian-Luca]

And these are the teams that have qualified so far:

Belize – Hankook Verdes; Costa Rica – Deportivo Saprissa, LD Alajuelense; El Salvador – CD Luis Angel Firpo; Guatemala – CSD Municipal, Deportivo Jalapa; Honduras – CD Olimpia, CD Marathon; Mexico – Atlante FC, CD SC Cruz Azul, Pumas UNAM, Club Santos Laguna; Panama – San Francisco FC, Tauro FC; USA – Houston Dynamo, D.C. United, New England Revolution, Chivas USA; and Caribbean: Harbour View FC of Jamaica, Joe Public FC of Trinidad & Tobago, Puerto Rico Islanders

I think Houston & D.C. are the two US teams already in the group stage, not sure who the Mexican teams are who have done so.

[Free kick]

quote:Originally posted by Gian-Luca

And these are the teams that have qualified so far:

Belize – Hankook Verdes; Costa Rica – Deportivo Saprissa, LD Alajuelense; El Salvador – CD Luis Angel Firpo; Guatemala – CSD Municipal, Deportivo Jalapa; Honduras – CD Olimpia, CD Marathon; Mexico – Atlante FC, CD SC Cruz Azul, Pumas UNAM, Club Santos Laguna; Panama – San Francisco FC, Tauro FC; USA – Houston Dynamo, D.C. United, New England Revolution, Chivas USA; and Caribbean: Harbour View FC of Jamaica, Joe Public FC of Trinidad & Tobago, Puerto Rico Islanders

I think Houston & D.C. are the two US teams already in the group stage, not sure who the Mexican teams are who have done so.

of those teams, I saw Harbour View play against DCU ( I Beleive) a couple of months ago on FSWC. They were not that great. the Mexican clubs and Sapprissa ( CRC) are the clubs to watch for.

[Gian-Luca]

I believe that the Pot B teams will include Tauro (from Panama), Harbour View, Joe Public, Puerto Rico Islanders, Hankook Verdes (from Belize), and then one team from Guatemala (not sure which) and the yet-to-qualify teams from El Salvador & Nicaragua.

[nazzer]

quote:Originally posted by Gian-Luca

I believe that the Pot B teams will include Tauro (from Panama), Harbour View, Joe Public, Puerto Rico Islanders, Hankook Verdes (from Belize), and then one team from Guatemala (not sure which) and the yet-to-qualify teams from El Salvador & Nicaragua.

:D:D Looks like Canadians will be watching a home team in the group stage for sure! Also, according to the schedule of events on the concacaf website the draw will be june 11, so we will know who the Voyageurs Cup winner will face before the Cup is even awarded.

[Blue and White Army]

quote:Originally posted by MediaGuy

If, somehow, one of the USL teams goes through the chances of qualifying to the group stage are slim to nil.

I think you're being a bit harsh there. We saw Seattle Sounders throttle MLS' Colorado Rapids 6-0 last year in the US Open Cup.

I realize that the Canadian rep likely won't play an MLS side right away... but given that there's about one year of delay between MLS sides qualifying and playing in the CONCACAF Champions League, we could very well see some weak MLS sides contesting the league. Just look at the difference in TFC's fortunes this season and past. I've seen some great K-League (Korean) sides enter the AFC Champions League a year after qualifying, and end up being near the bottom of the K-League table the next season when the AFC Champions League is about to start. Just look at Chunnam Dragons, who won the Korean FA Cup to qualify last year, and this year in the Champions League lose to minnow Thai and Vietnamese clubs.

It's a footballing cliche, but anything can happen. Until these various CONCACAF clubs get to know each other, I expect a lot of arrogant, big clubs will get their lazy arses handed to them for not doing their homework.

[Blue and White Army]

P.S. As soon as the CONCACAF Champions League was announced, I had a "vision" of a Whitecaps supporter getting stabbed in El Salvador. The pot for the preliminary rounds does nothing to suggest that this vision won't materialize.

[Blue and White Army]

P.P.S. "Hankook Verdes"?!? A Belize club bought and renamed by a Korean corporation, perhaps? Anyone know what this is all about?