CONCACAF WCQ -Texas Tournament - Oct 4th-17th

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

Friday October 5th vs Jamaica

Saturday October 8th vs Cuba

Tuesday October 11th vs Costa Rica

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_CONCACAF_Women's_Championship

http://hebparkrgv.com/events/

http://www.fcdallas.com/post/2018/04/08/toyota-stadium-host-2018-concacaf-women-s-championship-match

PDF document of the schedule is here:

http://gallery.mailchimp.com/78d3589fb61466b549ff752e5/files/8b4c2ff5-fd72-4d83-8a6d-943ed0accda0/18_CWC_Schedule_V4.01.pdf

[rkomar]

We have Costa Rica, Jamaica and Cuba in our group.  CONCACAF have a brief article on the draw results: link

[barongan]

I love this thread

[Vic]

If we can't qualify out of CONCACAF at 3.5 slots in 2019 we may want to consider our future in the women's game.

Pretty much every single European women's team would qualify out of CONCACAF. Hell the two finalists from the EURO last summer couldn't even qualify for the World Cup and have gone to a four team playoff for the one final France 2019 spot.

On the women's side the confederation-based qualification formula is weak. Actually seem to remember it was in the men's tournament this year too. It was heavily Euro saturated once it got deep.

CONCACAF on the women's side should be 2.5 spots max and the other slot should be UEFA.

[Blackdude]

11 hours ago, Vic said:

If we can't qualify out of CONCACAF at 3.5 slots in 2019 we may want to consider our future in the women's game.

Pretty much every single European women's team would qualify out of CONCACAF. Hell the two finalists from the EURO last summer couldn't even qualify for the World Cup and have gone to a four team playoff for the one final France 2019 spot.

 On the women's side the confederation-based qualification formula is weak. Actually seem to remember it was in the men's tournament this year too. It was heavily Euro saturated once it got deep.

 CONCACAF on the women's side should be 2.5 spots max and the other slot should be UEFA.

I disagree with this. We might as well give UEFA 14.5 spots because they're that good. And let the other confederations fight for the last 9.5 spots. (I'm basing this off the FIFA world rankings where there are 15 European teams are in the top 24.)

Why should Africa get more than a spot? Nigeria is 38th in the world. Why are they getting 3? Why does CONMEBOL get 2.5 spots then? Costa Rica who is 4th in CONCACAF is higher ranked than Argentina who is 3rd in CONMEBOL. And Mexico (3rd in CONCACAF) is ranked higher than Colombia (2nd in CONMEBOL)

Yes, UEFA is underrepresented, but still they do have 9 spots this year. I think it's enough and sure WCQ is harder in Europe, but it's still a World Cup and you want everybody represented. 

I do agree that 3.5 spots in 2015 was too much.  However, with this, it means that whoever finishes 4th still has to qualify the hard way and I think right now 3rd in CONCACAF>2nd in CONMEBOL. So, they still should qualify. I don't think that having more European teams would really help the fact that it's a World Cup. Plus the fact that we have 8 teams in the top 17 outside of Europe in 3 different confederations means that FIFA can give more places to other confederations because women's soccer isn't an European game. 

[Vic]

Interesting topic. I can definitely see different sides of the coin and they all have good reason behind them.

As opposed to giving spots out undeserved and hoping it encourages countries to progress their gender equality, I'd rather see them given out after progress happens.

If most of the countries that give a damn about taking the women's game forward are Europeans, there's an argument they should be rewarded rather than punished.

I could see a pure non-football approach giving every continent 5 spots, or going by confederation population or something geopolitically based.

But if you're going to use talent and performance, CONCACAF #3.5 would lose in a playoff to the UEFA wildcard 10 times out of 10.

[rkomar]

The World Cup is a global celebration of soccer.  You're supposed to see representatives from all over, cheer for your team, cheer for the plucky underdogs, and watch with interest when different styles clash.  Satisfying the whole world's soccer fans is just as important as finding the best team.  You could put together a competition that had the best X ranked teams in the world, but it wouldn't be the same thing.

I hear similar arguments about the Brier and Tournament of Hearts in curling.  Incensed Albertans who believe their province should have three teams and the lesser provinces should be limited to one representative for all of them.  And NO Northern Ontario!  They don't appreciate that the tournaments are also a celebration of the national game, and that everyone should be invited to the party.

In the end, there is only one champion.  Is including more UEFA losers more important than including losers from other parts of the world?

[carolynduthie]

6 hours ago, Vic said:

Interesting topic. I can definitely see different sides of the coin and they all have good reason behind them.

As opposed to giving spots out undeserved and hoping it encourages countries to progress their gender equality, I'd rather see them given out after progress happens.

If most of the countries that give a damn about taking the women's game forward are Europeans, there's an argument they should be rewarded rather than punished.

I could see a pure non-football approach giving every continent 5 spots, or going by confederation population or something geopolitically based.

But if you're going to use talent and performance, CONCACAF #3.5 would lose in a playoff to the UEFA wildcard 10 times out of 10.

It depends - in 2011 when there were fewer teams CONCACAF only had 2.5 spots, and the US wound up finishing third and having to play Italy in a playoff to make the World Cup. I admit it would be harder now that Canada or the US would have to lose twice and finish fourth not to directly qualify out of CONCACAF and have to play the playoff but stranger things have happened. 

[Vic]

Curling is like club soccer nationals which are the biggest idiot show going.

You get to see Ontario play the NWT and Quebec play the Yukon or PEI. People may find that exciting or interesting, I find it savage and just another embarrassing and glaring example of how really messed up we are as a country when it comes to athletics. You would have to try hard to come up with a more inefficient or inequitable system.

Can you imagine a hockey world cup using geographical allocation?

For the 3.5 spot behind the USA, Canada and Mexico it drops like a lead weight. Part of the game is chaos theory and anything can happen and an amateur team could load the box against progressionals and get gifted an own goal at the other end. Anything could happen. But the professionalization of the UEFA programs is comparatively so far ahead it's clearly an imbalance in the allocations.

[mtlfan]

1 hour ago, Vic said:

Curling is like club soccer nationals which are the biggest idiot show going.

 

Cheers Vic, you put a smile on my face,

This situation reminds me of the 2102 Olympic Women's Tournament where Germany did not qualify as they finished behind Sweden and France at the 2011 World Cup. Great Britain as hosts along with Sweden and France represented Europe. Germany. As the Olympics is a junior tournament compared to the World Cup having 3 Euro teams in 2011 was acceptable.

 

[nolando]

I see a distant cousin of mine made the provisional roster. May have to check out this tournament.

[mrstepp817]

If anyone is going down for the group stage you can fly into McAllen (American connect in DFW) or Harlingen (Southwest Airlines out of Buffalo connecting in Houston)

You'll need to rent a car but hotels are relatively cheap down in the Rio Grande Valley and food is super cheap...awesome Mexican food down there..also depending on where you are you are only 30 min to an hour from the beach on South Padre Island

 

[Lord Bob]

On 9/10/2018 at 11:14 AM, Vic said:

Curling is like club soccer nationals which are the biggest idiot show going.

You get to see Ontario play the NWT and Quebec play the Yukon or PEI. People may find that exciting or interesting, I find it savage and just another embarrassing and glaring example of how really messed up we are as a country when it comes to athletics. You would have to try hard to come up with a more inefficient or inequitable system.

This is the worst take in the history of the Voyageurs forum, the Brier and the Scotties are awesome, except for everything that isn't a province, except for Northern Ontario.

[Admin]

7 hours ago, mrstepp817 said:

If anyone is going down for the group stage you can fly into McAllen (American connect in DFW) or Harlingen (Southwest Airlines out of Buffalo connecting in Houston)

You'll need to rent a car but hotels are relatively cheap down in the Rio Grande Valley and food is super cheap...awesome Mexican food down there..also depending on where you are you are only 30 min to an hour from the beach on South Padre Island

 

Trying to find my way from Vancouver.

Vancouver>big things>Toronto

[mrstepp817]

12 hours ago, admin said:

Trying to find my way from Vancouver.

Vancouver>big things>Toronto

My guess would be American into DFW then to McAllen....maybe there's another airline that would into Houston Intercontinental then McAllen....

 

You could also technically go into Brownsville if there's a better deal...Brownsville is about an hour and 15 min drive to Edinburg....

I guess Southwest out of Seattle is an option flying into Harlingen?? But probably not worth it unless you score a great deal....

[Vic]

On 9/12/2018 at 11:43 PM, Benjamin Massey said:

This is the worst take in the history of the Voyageurs forum, the Brier and the Scotties are awesome, except for everything that isn't a province, except for Northern Ontario.

Only to be outdone by Olympic Curling and playing England who have one curling rink and people watching and chewing it up like it means something.

Interprovincial competition in sport as a basis for national competition is extremely inefficient and wasteful. And as mentioned often downright savage.

Get the kids on the block out on the street and have them fight and have the biggest boy pummel the little girl.

[Blackdude]

3 minutes ago, Vic said:

Only to be outdone by Olympic Curling and playing England who have one curling rink and people watching and chewing it up like it means something.

Interprovincial competition in sport as a basis for national competition is extremely inefficient and wasteful. And as mentioned often downright savage.

Get the kids on the block out on the street and have them fight and have the biggest boy pummel the little girl.

England has never qualified for an Olympics in curling. Seriously,  get your facts right. Also, England can't even qualify for the Olympics in curling. Only Scotland can.

[Vic]

England, Team GB, whatever

[Vic]

Number of rinks in Canada:  1,500+
Number of rinks in Scotland:   22
Number of rinks in England:    1

[Blackdude]

4 minutes ago, Vic said:

Number of rinks in Canada:  1,500+
Number of rinks in Scotland:   22
Number of rinks in England:    1

So? It's not like Scotland needs a rink for every city. It's not immense like Canada where you need rinks in many places. It's a meaningless stat. Also, England have to acutally do well at Europeans which to qualify and have never made a World Championship too.

[Kent]

21 hours ago, Vic said:

Number of rinks in Canada:  1,500+
Number of rinks in Scotland:   22
Number of rinks in England:    1

What are you advocating for? Only have the best from Ontario, Manitoba, and Alberta compete and whoever wins are national and also world champions?

[Vic]

I come from a family of curlers and was on a sheet at 10. I love curling.

I also happen to love fair competition. And not wasting the limited resources we have. Which provincial competition is about the exact opposite of. 

 

[Kent]

4 hours ago, Vic said:

I come from a family of curlers and was on a sheet at 10. I love curling.

I also happen to love fair competition. And not wasting the limited resources we have. Which provincial competition is about the exact opposite of. 

 

But what is your solution? How do we determine national champions, and world champions? Or do we just abolish these competitions completely?

[NickH]

Pre-tournament camp roster (23 players):

https://www.canadasoccer.com/canada-soccer-set-to-open-pre-tournament-camp-in-texas-ahead-of-2018-concacaf-women-s-championship-p161809

[Kent]

I've never paid much attention to where our CWNT players come from. 13 from Ontario, 5 from BC, 2 from Alberta, 1 from Manitoba, 1 from Quebec, and 1 from Colorado.

It's surprising to me that there is only 1 from Quebec. Are they usually this underrepresented? Is Quebec too busy working on winning all of our Olympic medals to play soccer?