2017 Gold Cup

[PhillyCanuck]

CONCACAF has announced the host venues for the 2017 Gold Cup:

Seeded Nations
Group A: TBD
Group B: United States
Group C: Mexico

Group Stage Dates & Venues
July 7, Group A: NY/NJ – Red Bull Arena (Harrison, NJ)
July 8, Group B: Nashville – Nissan Stadium (Nashville, TN)
July 9, Group C: San Diego – Qualcomm Stadium (San Diego, CA)
July 11, Group A: Houston – BBVA Compass Stadium (Houston, TX)
July 12, Group B: Tampa Bay – Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, FL)
July 13, Group C: Denver – Sports Authority Field (Denver, CO)
July 14, Group A: Dallas – Toyota Stadium (Frisco, TX)
July 15, Group B: Cleveland – FirstEnergy Stadium (Cleveland, OH)
July 16, Group C: San Antonio – Alamodome (San Antonio, TX)

Knockout Round Venues (alphabetical order by metropolitan area)
Bay Area – Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara, CA)
Dallas – AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX)
Los Angeles – Rose Bowl (Pasadena, CA)
Philadelphia – Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, PA)
Phoenix – University of Phoenix Stadium (Glendale, AZ)

Complete groups and the full schedule, including selection of dates and assignment of matches for the knockout round and the awarding of the Final, will be announced next year.

http://www.concacaf.com/article/concacaf-announces-2017-gold-cup-host-cities-venues?utm_content=sf47342644&utm_medium=spredfast&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=CONCACAF&sf47342644=1

 

 

[Blackdude]

I'm guessing that Costa Rica will be seeded when they qualify. I mean, it's not like I can see them finishing 5th or 6th in UNCAF with Guatemala out.

[CanadianSoccerFan]

This rare leak of CONCACAF's financials shows just how financially dependent they are on this tournament.  Unless the lucrative Pan-Am Copa tournament can be created, I wouldn't hold your breath for the Gold Cup moving to a 4 year cycle, let alone moved around the confederation.

http://www.insideworldfootball.com/2016/12/08/concacaf-calls-feds-football-ones-pass-2015-accounting-honeypot/

[theaub]

Saturday in Cleveland would be nice for travel.  Not much else there that's encouraging.

[Bertuzzi44]

I hope the CSA takes this Gold Cup deadly serious. All hands on deck, with high expectations. I am tired of sending "pretty good" teams to our regional championship and predictably getting bounced in the group stage. With Canada's WCQ over early (yet again) the 2017 Gold Cup should be treated very seriously, I hope!

[SuperCanuck]

I really hope that some day the Gold Cup does one of the following:

1.  Joins South America in the Pan-Am Copa

2.  Becomes a true continental championship hosted by someone other than the US, and is every four years if possible.

3.  Dies

The third would be my last choice, obviously, but I'm sick of watching America pretend that it's hosting a true continental championship. 

[matty]

1 hour ago, Bertuzzi44 said:

I hope the CSA takes this Gold Cup deadly serious. All hands on deck, with high expectations. I am tired of sending "pretty good" teams to our regional championship and predictably getting bounced in the group stage. With Canada's WCQ over early (yet again) the 2017 Gold Cup should be treated very seriously, I hope!

100% agree, the fact Canada hasn't even been one of two "Lucky Losers" in 3 tournaments is shameful. I also hope the new coach is in place at the camp prior to the Gold Cup.

53 minutes ago, SuperCanuck said:

I really hope that some day the Gold Cup does one of the following:

1.  Joins South America in the Pan-Am Copa

2.  Becomes a true continental championship hosted by someone other than the US, and is every four years if possible.

1. Will likely never happen outside of a friendly tournament (the Copa America Centenario was basically a friendly tournament right?).

2. While it currently is a true continental championship, they should change it up a lot. I would like to see Canada, The US and Mexico rotate the cup (since no other nation really can host) and the removal of auto qualifying for non-host nations. I'm fine if they keep it largely regional (with top Caribbean and Central American teams going in as the best of their regions) but they need to seriously add something for Canada, The US or Mexico to do while everyone else is playing qualifiers.

I've said a reformation of NAFU (with Cuba, Bermuda and the Bahamas and maybe Belize joining) with its own Cup could work here but sadly I doubt it will ever happen.

The cup should also expand from 12 to 16 teams (Host, NAFU 2+2, CAFU 4+2, CFU 5+4)

[Shway]

12 minutes ago, matty said:

100% agree, the fact Canada hasn't even been one of two "Lucky Losers" in 3 tournaments is shameful. I also hope the new coach is in place at the camp prior to the Gold Cup.

1. Will likely never happen outside of a friendly tournament (the Copa America Centenario was basically a friendly tournament right?).

2. While it currently is a true continental championship, they should change it up a lot. I would like to see Canada, The US and Mexico rotate the cup (since no other nation really can host) and the removal of auto qualifying for non-host nations. I'm fine if they keep it largely regional (with top Caribbean and Central American teams going in as the best of their regions) but they need to seriously add something for Canada, The US or Mexico to do while everyone else is playing qualifiers.

I've said a reformation of NAFU (with Cuba, Bermuda and the Bahamas and maybe Belize joining) with its own Cup could work here but sadly I doubt it will ever happen.

The cup should also expand from 12 to 16 teams (Host, NAFU 2+2, CAFU 4+2, CFU 5+4)

Unless we bring in a coach that's going to drastically change the formation then cool, let's a rush a coach in for 2-3? camps before the Gold Cup.

1.  Copa was an official FIFA competitve A tournament (club teams required to release their players)

2. Agree they should change it, but what the US offers, no other Country can  ultimately compare in feasibility. It'sIt's going to take the US to get knocked out of the group stage consistently for attendance numbers to drop. And lest we forget it's the best location to host the ""el Classico final""

[SuperCanuck]

14 minutes ago, matty said:

100% agree, the fact Canada hasn't even been one of two "Lucky Losers" in 3 tournaments is shameful. I also hope the new coach is in place at the camp prior to the Gold Cup.

1. Will likely never happen outside of a friendly tournament (the Copa America Centenario was basically a friendly tournament right?).

2. While it currently is a true continental championship, they should change it up a lot. I would like to see Canada, The US and Mexico rotate the cup (since no other nation really can host) and the removal of auto qualifying for non-host nations. I'm fine if they keep it largely regional (with top Caribbean and Central American teams going in as the best of their regions) but they need to seriously add something for Canada, The US or Mexico to do while everyone else is playing qualifiers.

I've said a reformation of NAFU (with Cuba, Bermuda and the Bahamas and maybe Belize joining) with its own Cup could work here but sadly I doubt it will ever happen.

The cup should also expand from 12 to 16 teams (Host, NAFU 2+2, CAFU 4+2, CFU 5+4)

Even the IIHF, with limited global appeal, rotates things like the World Juniors amongst different countries.  Canada hosts it a lot more than other countries for obvious reasons, but it is still rotated.  

[matty]

9 minutes ago, SuperCanuck said:

Even the IIHF, with limited global appeal, rotates things like the World Juniors amongst different countries.  Canada hosts it a lot more than other countries for obvious reasons, but it is still rotated.  

The difference between the nations involved in IIHF and CONCACAF and what's needed to host each is pretty massive.

IIHF uses 2-3 arenas 8000~ in (mostly) developed nations for its top level tournaments.

Gold Cup needs likely 6 minimum stadiums that can seat at least 20000~ and, outside of Canada, The US, most are still developing nations with a great number of issues that would make hosting tournaments as large as the Gold Cup near impossible. With the exception of Mexico, none of the still developing CONCACAF nations has either the money or infrastructure to hold a top level tournament at the current time. It's best if they stick to smaller tournaments like the U20 Cups for until they're able to host something larger.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, SuperCanuck said:

I really hope that some day the Gold Cup does one of the following:

1.  Joins South America in the Pan-Am Copa

2.  Becomes a true continental championship hosted by someone other than the US, and is every four years if possible.

3.  Dies

The third would be my last choice, obviously, but I'm sick of watching America pretend that it's hosting a true continental championship. 

 

 

 

#1 is never going to happen unless we actually merge with South America for WCQs too. Why should our confederation schmooze off of COMNEBOL's major tournament but not play them in WCQs. Because we know we would lose some of our spots to them.

 

I am also surprised that one of Trinidad & Tobago and Haiti (maybe even two depending on who wins in the Central American- Carribean playoff) won't be at the tournament.

[Soccerpro]

Why would Concacf move the tournament from the U.S? That's where it makes all the money. It will never be moved, ever.

We always suck in this tournament, as it's a reflection of our national team. I don't see us doing any better next year. As least Floro won't be there.

[Zem]

29 minutes ago, canta15 said:

I am also surprised that one of Trinidad & Tobago and Haiti (maybe even two depending on who wins in the Central American- Carribean playoff) won't be at the tournament.

Even on paper, some of the overseas department teams like Cuacao, French Guiana and Martinique are incredibly good by Caribbean standards. Lots of European-trained players, many of them play in European top flights too.

[matty]

18 minutes ago, Soccerpro said:

Why would Concacf move the tournament from the U.S? That's where it makes all the money. It will never be moved, ever.

We always suck in this tournament, as it's a reflection of our national team. I don't see us doing any better next year. As least Floro won't be there.

It's unlikely they will unless there is a serious push for it. On paper they won't lose out on decent TV time slots but they're unlikely to generate the ticket sales they do in Canada or Mexico.

They didn't in the 2000s but since 2011 yep. I'm hopeful Canada will reach the knockout stage this year depending on who's in charge behind the bench. 

[hamiltonfan]

4 hours ago, Bertuzzi44 said:

I hope the CSA takes this Gold Cup deadly serious. All hands on deck, with high expectations. I am tired of sending "pretty good" teams to our regional championship and predictably getting bounced in the group stage. With Canada's WCQ over early (yet again) the 2017 Gold Cup should be treated very seriously, I hope!

Curious how so many jump to this conclusion? Results sucked, yet I have seeing nil to conclude the CSA doesn't take this competition 'seriously'. Frankly the claim is quite silly.

[matty]

13 minutes ago, hamiltonfan said:

Curious how so many jump to this conclusion? Results sucked, yet I have seeing nil to conclude the CSA doesn't take this competition 'seriously'. Frankly the claim is quite silly.

you could say using an interim coach in 2013 wasn't taking the competition seriously.

[shermanator]

There sure are a lot of venues in cities I have no interest in going to. Nashville would be cool and I like San Diego, but that's about it.

[Bertuzzi44]

4 hours ago, hamiltonfan said:

Curious how so many jump to this conclusion? Results sucked, yet I have seeing nil to conclude the CSA doesn't take this competition 'seriously'. Frankly the claim is quite silly.

Would you say they take it as seriously as World Cup Qualifying?

I don't think they do, but they should. Especially in 2017.

[hamiltonfan]

7 hours ago, Bertuzzi44 said:

Would you say they take it as seriously as World Cup Qualifying?

I don't think they do, but they should. Especially in 2017.

Prioritizing is slightly different - certainly we can all agree that WCQ should be prioritized above any other tournament we participate in. If not, there is a clear gap in expectations between some supporters and CSA/Players.

with that said, I'm all for taking the GC17 as 'seriously' as the next V! We should be fielding our best 11 based on merit, proper prep, etc. considering we have few official matches, perhaps call a few young stand outs to cap tie/gain exposure 

[hamiltonfan]

1 minute ago, hamiltonfan said:

duplicatepost  

 

[Keegan]

14 hours ago, matty said:

you could say using an interim coach in 2013 wasn't taking the competition seriously.

2013 was a sad depressing joke.  After getting embarrassed by Honduras that should have been a tournament where we came out looking to redeem ourselves but in reality we were less prepared than minnows and didn't look like a team that wanted to win.

The fact that we haven't scored a goal from open play since 2009 tells you all you need to know about what a joke we have been in this tournament recently.  It's sad because in 2007 and 2009 we actually looked really strong and even better than nations like Costa Rica, Jamaica, Panama etc. 

The turning point seemed to be the match against the USA in Detroit in 2011.  Expectations were high after the previous 2 Gold Cups, we had a record number of away support.. Lars let in a softie and then we lost Hutchinson after that game and never looked the same (also Hutchinson's last Gold Cup match, which says something).  

In 2013 we came in with an incredibly weak squad, but the "drivers" on that team were Will Johnson and Russell Teibert who both had good seasons at club level.  But then after the first match where we were outplayed and embarrassed by Martinique both players dropped out and it was pretty much mailed in from there.  

2015.. what can you say really?  We didn't have a strong squad but some very odd decisions left us wondering what could have been.  

With any tournament you need leaders.. we've been missing them the past few tournaments.  By this point we know that our "average" tier players (Osorio, Teibert, Ledgerwood, Straith, Edgar etc.) just aren't good enough and are support players if anything.  If we can't get two of Arfield/Hutchinson/Hoilett in the team I think we're getting bounced in the group stage again.  Those are far and away our 3 best players and losing any of them would be a huge drop off.  

 

[rob.notenboom]

42 minutes ago, Keegan said:

In 2013 we came in with an incredibly weak squad, but the "drivers" on that team were Will Johnson and Russell Teibert who both had good seasons at club level.  But then after the first match where we were outplayed and embarrassed by Martinique both players dropped out and it was pretty much

You may have meant this, but just to clarify, they withdrew due to illness. They were roommates and both got the same stomach flu or some such.

[matty]

55 minutes ago, Keegan said:

 

...2015.. what can you say really?  We didn't have a strong squad but some very odd decisions left us wondering what could have been.  

 

After 2015 gold cup i lost faith in floro. Shame the csa didn't. Things could if been different

[Vince193]

I don't think Canada has much of an excuse to not do at least OK in this tourney. Many teams will have B teams because of WCQ.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Vince193 said:

I don't think Canada has much of an excuse to not do at least OK in this tourney. Many teams will have B teams because of WCQ.

No they won't?