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Final thoughts: WCQ 2008


nolando

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I think that there are some short term memories here. Or the responses are a reflection of people age.

No, as bad as it was, it was not the worst performance by canada in WCQ. You just need to go back a few WCQ campaigns and realize that we were worst in 2000, for example, whereby we only managed to score one goal in six games. And yet, we were in a much much weaker group then compared to today and 2004.

And, as I said many times, 1998 was the best example of illusions. We made to the hex but we were a terrible soccer team. We got there because we drew an extremely weak group in the semifinals round. The team ( on paper and from performance on the pitch against sides like Mexico and the US) was far worst than this year. In our history, we have never had players of the quality of DeGuzman and DeRosario but unfortunately, it wasn't enough.

Lets face the facts, we have been terrible for a long time.

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What I think this WCQ cycle has shown me is that we are not as good as we like to fool ourselves into believing. We let meaningless Gold Cup's trick us into believing this team is better than it is. But the facts and results show that we just aren't good. We've crashed out at the same stage for 3 straight WCQ campaigns and we were terrible in the 1998 Hex.

And don't even get me started on the players. Let's be honest here, we only have a handful of players playing regularly in the top 3 or 4 leagues in the world (De Guzman at Depor, Friend at B.Monch and Imhof at Bochum). We rely too heavily on players that barely play for their clubs or play at much lower levels than our top players.

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Such a shame, we had so much promise this time. At the begening of the game in Toronto Vs. Jamaica I had so many expectations, I was proud of the turnout and excited about the team. The final result was a disapointment and it has all been down hill since then, such a monumental failure on all levels. I just hope this will accomplish sweaping changes within the CSA and something can be salvaged from this, if not I don't think I can take this anymore.

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quote:Originally posted by Massive Attack

What I think this WCQ cycle has shown me is that we are not as good as we like to fool ourselves into believing. We let meaningless Gold Cup's trick us into believing this team is better than it is. But the facts and results show that we just aren't good. We've crashed out at the same stage for 3 straigt WCQ campains and we were terrible in the 1998 Hex.

And don't even get me started on the players. Let's be honest here, we only have a handful of players playing regularly in the top 3 or 4 leagues in the world (De Guzman at Depor, Friend at B.Monch and Imhof at Bochum). We rely too heavily on players that barely play for their clubs or play at much lower levels than our top players.

Yes! completely true in all accounts. We had grotesquely over inflated expectations this time. We still have far too many marginal players for whom we have overrate for long time. Many of these players have't really had good seasons, aren't playing in good clubs, are on teh downside of their careers or arent key contributors their clubs.

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Well BOYFRIENDS, as long as we have Supporters like YOU we'll never get anywhere! Maybe it's time for all you negative boys and gals to go back to supporting your "parent's" homeland. Then those of us who who have been in Canada for more than 100 years can POSITIVELY cheer and actually SUPPORT the next Canadian generation (WHAT A CANADIAN CONCEPT). If y'all cant do that than--- GO TO BED!

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quote:Originally posted by villus

I just hope this will accomplish sweaping changes within the CSA and something can be salvaged from this, if not I don't think I can take this anymore.

Sweeping changing will do ABOLUTELY NOTHING in the short and medium term to improve our int'l results. Maybe in the long term, it might yield positives. But you need good players to win in soccer. If you dont produce good players, what difference does it make who sits in the CSa offices.

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I'm embarassed. We are clearly now in the depths of CONCACAF, and deserve the most difficult draw in the next round of qualifying, and in the Gold Cup. And when it happens, we cannot complain.

If Dale Mitchell remains in charge, then that is an acceptance by the CSA of these horrific results.

Maybe we want to consider a press release asking the CSA to clarify Dale Mitchell's future?

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quote:Originally posted by Free kick

And, as I said many times, 1998 was the best example of illusions. We made to the hex but we were a terrible soccer team. We got there because we drew an extremely weak group in the semifinals round. The team ( on paper and from performance on the pitch against sides like Mexico and the US) was far worst than this year. In our history, we have never had players of the quality of DeGuzman and DeRosario but unfortunately, it wasn't enough.

Yes, that was a pretty crappy WCQ (all things considered), though four years before a number of those same players came close to getting us to WC 94.

My expectations were overly inflated primarily because I really enjoyed the quality and style of our play during that GC run last year, the best I have ever seen us perform. I had really hoped that form could be maintained during this WCQ run.

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quote:Originally posted by Mazha

Well BOYFRIENDS, as long as we have Supporters like YOU we'll never get anywhere! Maybe it's time for all you negative boys and gals to go back to supporting your "parent's" homeland. Then those of us who who have been in Canada for more than 100 years can POSITIVELY cheer and actually SUPPORT the next Canadian generation (WHAT A CANADIAN CONCEPT). If y'all cant do that than--- GO TO BED!

People are angry about this campaign because we have supported this team for decades and will continue to do so for decades and we demand more. Because we're supporters we are supposed to accept garbage and be happy about it? Who the fk are you to lecture anyone about supporting this team or speak condescendingly to anyone on this board about supporting Canada? What's this about living in Canada 100 years? BS post of the year award goes to you now kiss my Canadian ass.

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Nation...............MP..W...D...L....F....A....PTS</u>

Costa Rica...........6...6...0...0....20...3....18

USA..................6...5...0...1....14...3....15

Honduras.............6...4...0...2.....9...5....12

Trinidad and Tobago..6...3...2...1.....9...6....11

El Salvador..........6...3...1...2....11...4....10

Mexico...............6...3...1...2.....9...6....10

Jamaica..............6...3...1...2.....6...6....10

Guatemala............6...1...2...3.....6...7.....5

Haiti................6...0...3...3.....4..13.....3

Cuba.................6...1...0...5.....5..18.....3

Canada...............6...0...2...4.....6..13.....2

Suriname.............6...0...2...4.....4..19.....2

This makes it much sadder. We have to stop blaming the group, and accept that we are barely above minnow status. How did this happen?

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I'm going to finally talk about how this campaign has personally affected my life. For the last year my fiancee and I were planning our wedding for this fall. We had dates in mind, originally it was placed for sometime in October, the 25th I think, (or around there) and at the time the schedule wasnt out but I was hoping the date wouldnt conflict with the games Ive been waiting for since I remember waking up at 3am to watch a tape delay of Canada vs Costa Rica at Saprissa in 2004. Moving on, after several issues the date was changed and set. It was moved up to September. I realized soon after that this was a bad choice for my wedding day but I didnt know the heartbreak that would ensue.

You could probably guess the date by this point, the 6th it was. The day I will celebrate for the rest of my life was the beginning of the end for "the best Canadian national team ever assembled." You would think a guy that getting married would be nervous, I was, but for my country not my life!!!! I was a nervous wreck, how could I be doing this? miss a game??? danng it. I NEVER miss a game.

It was killing me, I even designated my best man to be my update guy, he encorporated this designation into his speech for crying out loud. I made the banquet hall manager go downstairs and tell me whos ahead (we were at the time) and that he did. HE proclaimed we were up 1-0, I was in a state of euphoria, my bride thought it was for her, but no, I had a hard on for you Canada. Was I celebrating prematurely? surely not, there was no way in my mind on this great day that we could lose. No way. I had a plan by 10 pm to stand up grab the mic and just yell WE WON!!! then sit back down, but I soon learned it was all for not. I snuck out went to the pub downstairs and asked anyone who was listening if the rumoured 2-1 loss was true. It was.

After being at the Jamaica game in Toronto and coming up short with the 1-1 draw, September 6th, 2008 sucked balls. and I got married that day. I think some greater being planned it that way so that I wouldnt go F C UKING insane with anger. Instead I was on my way to Cancun which I must admit helped to dull the pain, but that same pain reappeared the following Wednesday.

WAY TO RUIN MY HONEYMOON DALE MITCHELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you.

That is all.

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quote:Originally posted by RJB

Nation...............MP..W...D...L....F....A....PTS</u>

Costa Rica...........6...6...0...0....20...3....18

USA..................6...5...0...1....14...3....15

Honduras.............6...4...0...2.....9...5....12

Trinidad and Tobago..6...3...2...1.....9...6....11

El Salvador..........6...3...1...2....11...4....10

Mexico...............6...3...1...2.....9...6....10

Jamaica..............6...3...1...2.....6...6....10

Guatemala............6...1...2...3.....6...7.....5

Haiti................6...0...3...3.....4..13.....3

Cuba.................6...1...0...5.....5..18.....3

Canada...............6...0...2...4.....6..13.....2

Suriname.............6...0...2...4.....4..19.....2

This makes it much sadder. We have to stop blaming the group, and accept that we are barely above minnow status. How did this happen?

Come on now, according to those standings El Salvador is a better team than Mexico - do you really think that's the case? I haven't seen too many people blame the group for our problems (in fact, refreshingly very few have done so) but to suggest that being in one of the weaker groups wouldn't have helped or made a difference is just deceiving yourself.

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I'm crushed. For whatever reason I was so daft that I get my hopes up. I remember flying to Toronto, drinking at the rino, the match in Toronto and that first goal... life was good. Fast forward three months minus a day, and I'm sitting alone at home in Victoria drunk, listing to jamaican radio announcing our 3-0 loss. How life has changed in such such a short time.

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Yes, we are pathetic, but of course the group was a main reason. If we got a Cuba, Suriname or Haiti in our group, we'd have done better. T and T went through against Guate and Cuba; we could have done that and we'd be competitive with El Salvador for 2nd in their group. But, we are doomed to be in a tough group next time and we deserve it.

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