CONCACAF to move to South American Qualifying?

[youllneverwalkalone]

^I'm not sure that anyone said the minnows were the target of these reforms. My understanding is that teams 7-12 were the ones CONCACAF is trying to help. "More early round games" probably means that Guatemala, Haiti, Cuba, Canada, etc need more than 8 per cycle.

[Obinna]

^I'm not sure that anyone said the minnows were the target of these reforms. My understanding is that teams 7-12 were the ones CONCACAF is trying to help. "More early round games" probably means that Guatemala, Haiti, Cuba, Canada, etc need more than 8 per cycle.

Although I agree these changes will help us if they come to fruitation, I am still a bit skeptical given our poor home form. Jamacia, for instance, is generally impeccible at home, and can easily knock off Mexico and USA on a good day (as evidenced by last cycle), and likely beat everyone else 9/10 times. Canada on the other hand doesn't enjoy any type of consistant home field advantage as far as I can see. So if we play 11 games in a final round at home we may win 6 if were very lucky. Thats going to kill us when Jamacia and Honduras and Costa Rica are winning 8 or 9 at home out of 11.

I think we should turn BMO into the permanent home for WCQ. Let all our players familiarize themselves and feel at home at ONE stadium only. I'm okay for allowing some games at Saputo if they make sense (although I don't know the timeline for renovations). But the only city that deserves WCQ's based on fan support is Toronto. MLS teams say its the toughest venue to play at and we need a tough venue if we want any chances of surviving a qualification process that sees us play 11 games at home!

[jpg75]

^ I agree, we need a better home field advantage.

If this is true we might finally be able to schedule some games in sub-zero weather. The last two cycles our last home game was in October. Back in the 97 Hex our first two games in Feb and March were on the road, as well our last game in Nov. was on the road. If i didn't know any better i'd think CONCACAF was doing this on purpose. With 11 home games there's no way we can get screwed out of playing in March and November. End of March in Toronto, 5C with a 30km/h wind coming in off the lake for a -10C windchill..or Edmonton in November, -10C and snowing. Let's see how the Hondurans and Jamaicans like that.

Also, I'm ok with hosting some games out west when we have a two date window and our first game is in Central America. It cuts down on the travel time and no time zone change over.

[youllneverwalkalone]

Having 11 matches at home per cycle, as opposed to the 3-4 we've "enjoyed" in the past few would really be amazing, full stop. Realistically, we can throw our hat in with Jamaica & T&T to put pressure on Costa Rica and Honduras for the 3rd & 4th spots. To me, just being in this position would be a dream come true.

[Toronto Ruffrider]

Having 11 matches at home per cycle, as opposed to the 3-4 we've "enjoyed" in the past few would really be amazing, full stop. Realistically, we can throw our hat in with Jamaica & T&T to put pressure on Costa Rica and Honduras for the 3rd & 4th spots. To me, just being in this position would be a dream come true.

I agree. I want Canada to qualify for the World Cup as much as anyone, but playing this many home qualifiers would be really awesome no matter how you slice it. As an added bonus, our national team's support will grow if our qualifying run is much longer than the current eight games.

[smartlikefox]

I really hope the new qualifying cycle breaks down like that. I'm convinced one of the best ways to garner an excellent pro canadian crowd that is filled to the rafters is to play the US at home. There won't be a better way to generate excitment and interest. Just look at the Baseball World Cup last year.. The crowd was absolutely insane for the Canada/US game.

[CanadianSoccerFan]

Having meaningful games on a regular basis will be the best way to break through into the Canadian mainstream sports universe.

[gator]

I really hope the new qualifying cycle breaks down like that. I'm convinced one of the best ways to garner an excellent pro canadian crowd that is filled to the rafters is to play the US at home. There won't be a better way to generate excitment and interest. Just look at the Baseball World Cup last year.. The crowd was absolutely insane for the Canada/US game.

That's why I was REALLY hoping the September 4th date @BMO might be against the US! The first time I ever met any of the V's and cheered with them was at a Canada-US U20 friendly at the Skydome, it was great and they bring out the best of us just because of our rivalries in all sports! A WCQ match at home against them would be massive!

[ob1]

^I'm not sure that anyone said the minnows were the target of these reforms. My understanding is that teams 7-12 were the ones CONCACAF is trying to help. "More early round games" probably means that Guatemala, Haiti, Cuba, Canada, etc need more than 8 per cycle.

Good point,

Has anyone heard who the change was actually meant for? Could this be more FIFA driven then concacaf driven?

[Edgar]

Fenafuth's president says there will be two groups of four in the final round. See more in CONCACAF qualifying system news.

[jpg75]

^ "Also in that article, we're told CONCACAF are pushing for a fourth World Cup spot at the expense of CONMEBOL, who are totally against it."

http://www.abc.com.py/abc/nota/131421-La-Conmebol-no-acepta-recorte-de-media-plaza/

As much as it would help us, it would be a tragedy to see the South Americans only get 4 spots...then again, Asia getting 4.5 spots and New Zealand getting a free pass all the way to playoff against the 5th Asian spot is just as tragic.

[Lurker]

Fenafuth's president says there will be two groups of four in the final round. See more in CONCACAF qualifying system news.

Makes sense to me. Add 6 more early games against weaker competition and remove 4 later games against meaningful competition. If this is true it's total CONCACRAP.

Speaking of CONCACRAP, I don't understand how a governing body representing 35-36 soccer nations can meet, come up with a proposal and yet nobody knows what the !#@$ the details are...

[Footscray]

2 groups of 4? Really confusing as to why they would do this - it screams of something created by a hodgepodge group of federation heads pulling in 50 different directions. I think anything that expands the number of teams in the final round is good for Canada in a sense but just 6 games in the final round of qualifying for the World Cup is completely underwhelming, it's CONCACAF's showcase moment and they are scaling it back?

The 12 team plan sounds awesome to me, disappointed that this isn't the case and I can't believe there has been no official word on this anywhere, no one has talked to the CSA at all? And I agree with comments about Asia having way too many qualifying spots. That confed sucks, there is no way they should get 2 more spots than us. At least include a Concacaf team in the running for that 5th spot if New Zealand gets to play for it every time.

[CanadianSoccerFan]

This sounds like the format that ESPN Deportes reported which was:

knockout round

8 groups of 4

4 groups of 4

2 groups of 4

Group winners and highest placed 2nd placed team qualify.

I still think there should be a 2 leg playoff between 2nd place finishers

edit: the article says there will be a playoff between 2nd place finishers so I'm ok with it.

[Footscray]

It sounds like something Oceania would do. More USA vs. Grenada games will do wonders for the sport in North America...

[Keano]

So basically in a perfect world we will be playing off against Honduras or Costa Rica for that 3rd spot every 4 years, I'll take that.... On the other hand, Warner will put us in a group with the US and Honduras in the round of 32 so... forget I ever said anything.

[Toronto Ruffrider]

Fenafuth's president says there will be two groups of four in the final round. See more in CONCACAF qualifying system news.

I don't care for this proposed format. Anything short of one large group in the final round seems like an attempt on the part of Jack Warner to slot his team into an easy pool. I don't expect Canada to receive preferential treatment, but I would just like to see our team be on a level playing field with the rest of CONCACAF when the draw takes place.

[Toronto Ruffrider]

^ "Also in that article, we're told CONCACAF are pushing for a fourth World Cup spot at the expense of CONMEBOL, who are totally against it."

http://www.abc.com.py/abc/nota/131421-La-Conmebol-no-acepta-recorte-de-media-plaza/

As much as it would help us, it would be a tragedy to see the South Americans only get 4 spots...then again, Asia getting 4.5 spots and New Zealand getting a free pass all the way to playoff against the 5th Asian spot is just as tragic.

I don't know why CONCACAF would try to take a spot away from CONMEBOL. Asia, Africa and Oceania are easily overrepresented at the World Cup. CONCACAF isn't exactly a powerhouse, but I would settle for our qualifying allottment from 2006 - i.e. three automatic spots and a playoff against AFC#5; let Oceania deal with CONMEBOL#5.

[jpg75]

^ Because we can. CONMEBOL is the politically weakest confederation in FIFA with only 10 countries and delivering very few $$$'s to the coffers. The reason Asia has so many spots is because they have alot of countries in their confed. and they are viewed as an emerging market for soccer consumption (ie. $$$ to be made). The Africans have over 50 countries and votes so despite being poor they do have some say, it is a "democratic" assocation so votes do matter.

[Toronto Ruffrider]

^ Because we can. CONMEBOL is the politically weakest confederation in FIFA with only 10 countries and delivering very few $$$'s to the coffers. The reason Asia has so many spots is because they have alot of countries in their confed. and they are viewed as an emerging market for soccer consumption (ie. $$$ to be made). The Africans have over 50 countries and votes so despite being poor they do have some say, it is a "democratic" assocation so votes do matter.

Sounds messed up... CSA board kinda messed up. The current allottment of World Cup spot leads to a predictable outcome: Asian and African countries always crap the bed in the group stage of the competition.

[youllneverwalkalone]

The groups of 4 format doesn't put us that far ahead, but at least we'd see 12 matches per cycle. I could live with that. Actually, I find this set up much more likely. 22 matches seems pretty crazy. Especially if we kept the current home & away prelim rounds to get down to 12.

If this does come to pass, I would recommend piggy backing on this format and making a qualifying for a 4 year, sixteen team, no invite Gold Cup compulsary.

I'd also suggest for who might miss the Hex, that the top 3 (or 4) clubs from CONCACAF square off against the top 3 (or 4) from COMMEBOL in sometype of true continental championship.

[CanadianSoccerFan]

This makes it mighty important to stay in the top 8 in CONCACAF. Anything else would be a tricky round of 16 group.

[Lurker]

This sounds like the format that ESPN Deportes reported which was:

knockout round

8 groups of 4

4 groups of 4

2 groups of 4

Group winners and highest placed 2nd placed team qualify.

I still think there should be a 2 leg playoff between 2nd place finishers

edit: the article says there will be a playoff between 2nd place finishers so I'm ok with it.

In my opinion this is slightly better than what they have now, but it has some critical flaws:

1) 8 groups of 4 in a top heavy Confederation is just stupid. How many 10-0 games are we going to see in that opening round. Those types of game don't help either side, the big fish or the minnow.

2) The Confederation isn't strong enough to split up the final group. After USA-Mexico, making it to the World Cup will still depend heavily on the draw.

3) They've pretty much guaranteed there will be no WCQ matches between USA-Mexico which is blasphemy in my opinion.

[jpg75]

I'd prefer to see a 12 team final group then 2 groups of 4. IMO there's too much shadyness that can happen in a short "tournament" (ie. 6 group games). I also think the Americans and Mexicans would be against this too, if they have a couple of bad results they could miss the WC.

[Keano]

In my opinion this is slightly better than what they have now, but it has some critical flaws:

1) 8 groups of 4 in a top heavy Confederation is just stupid. How many 10-0 games are we going to see in that opening round. Those types of game don't help either side, the big fish or the minnow.

2) The Confederation isn't strong enough to split up the final group. After USA-Mexico, making it to the World Cup will still depend heavily on the draw.

3) They've pretty much guaranteed there will be no WCQ match between USA-Mexico which is blasphemy in my opinion.

Sadly, this is actually good for midling CONCACAF countries like Canada, Guatemala, Jamaica etc in terms of chances to qualify. As opposed to actually earning it by beating everybody on the pitch, rely on luck of the draw and law of averages over time. Not to be a negative nancy.