The Road to Qatar.

[Ngravs]

1 hour ago, N1ckbr0wn said:

This would be great for our Gold Cup squad, would love to see our “A” team get a run for at least a semis appearance. 

This is very interesting in the long term because 3 games will place even more emphasis on squad depth. Is that a benefit or not for Canada? I tend to say it may hinder our chances against the top 3 but could be an advantage against the low 4-5 teams in the Octagonal. 

[jtpc]

If we make it to the Octagonal as the B vs. E winner, assuming September, October, January, and March are now 3-match windows, here is what our 14-match schedule would look like:

September 2021

Matchday 1 Home vs. Honduras
Matchday 2 Away at USA
Matchday 3 Home vs. Winner of A vs. F (El Salvador's group vs. Trinidad & Tobago's group)

October 2021

Matchday 4 Away at Mexico
Matchday 5 Away at Jamaica
Matchday 6 Home vs. Winner of C vs. D (Curacao's group vs. Panama's group)

November 2021

Matchday 7 Home vs. Costa Rica
Matchday 8 Home vs. Mexico

January 2022

Matchday 9 Away at Honduras
Matchday 10 Home vs. USA
Matchday 11 Away at Winner of A vs. F (El Salvador's group vs. Trinidad and Tobago's group)

March 2022

Matchday 12 Away at Costa Rica
Matchday 13 Home vs. Jamaica
Matchday 14 Away at Winner of C vs. D (Curacao's group vs. Panama's group)

[Shway]

Here's the official press release.

https://www.concacaf.com/en/world-cup-qualifying-men/article/concacaf-confirms-schedule-for-concacaf-qualifiers-for-fifa-world-cup-qatar-2022

[Ngravs]

It would be good to see these first round games being played in CPL stadium. Thinking March 25th in Victoria? 

[jtpc]

It's nice to have confirmed dates for the first 2 rounds of WCQ!

First round for CanMNT:

Thursday, March 25 - Home vs. Bermuda
Sunday, March 28 - Away at Cayman Islands
Saturday, June 5 - Away at Aruba
Tuesday, June 8 - Home vs. Suriname

Second round, assuming we win our first round group:

Saturday, June 12 - Away at Winner of Haiti's group
Tuesday, June 15 - Home vs. Winner of Haiti's group

[CanadianSoccerFan]

3 hours ago, jtpc said:

If we make it to the Octagonal as the B vs. E winner, assuming September, October, January, and March are now 3-match windows, here is what our 14-match schedule would look like:

September 2021

Matchday 1 Home vs. Honduras
Matchday 2 Away at USA
Matchday 3 Home vs. Winner of A vs. F (El Salvador's group vs. Trinidad & Tobago's group)

October 2021

Matchday 4 Away at Mexico
Matchday 5 Away at Jamaica
Matchday 6 Home vs. Winner of C vs. D (Curacao's group vs. Panama's group)

November 2021

Matchday 7 Home vs. Costa Rica
Matchday 8 Home vs. Mexico

January 2022

Matchday 9 Away at Honduras
Matchday 10 Home vs. USA
Matchday 11 Away at Winner of A vs. F (El Salvador's group vs. Trinidad and Tobago's group)

March 2022

Matchday 12 Away at Costa Rica
Matchday 13 Home vs. Jamaica
Matchday 14 Away at Winner of C vs. D (Curacao's group vs. Panama's group)

The travel schedule for January and March is insane!  

[BuzzAndSting]

On 11/30/2020 at 6:04 PM, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

There was an important update by the Government of Canada the other day:

"...is amending its order and creating a framework for considering applications from high-performance amateur sport organizations seeking to hold International Single Sport Events. To be considered, applicants would need to include...

.....

• An International Single Sport Event includes World Championships, Olympic or Paralympic Qualifications, as well as World Cups.
• A high-performance amateur athlete is defined as an athlete competing at the international level and affiliated with his or her country's national sport federation"

https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5821393

Looks like we may be able to host WCQ matches in 2021 as they will build an exception to the 14 day quarantine rule for those flying into the country as long as strict protocols are in place.

At the pace that government usually moves March might be too early, but if we are playing WCQ matches in June they could be played at home.

Obviously this doesn't apply to professional teams so the Canadian MLS teams are likely to play in bubbles in the US again in 2021.

These applications would most likely be processed by PHAC and Sport Canada in a matter of days once an organization has a plan that has been  agreed upon by other levels of government.

[TOCanada115]

6 hours ago, jtpc said:

If we make it to the Octagonal as the B vs. E winner, assuming September, October, January, and March are now 3-match windows, here is what our 14-match schedule would look like:

September 2021

Matchday 1 Home vs. Honduras
Matchday 2 Away at USA
Matchday 3 Home vs. Winner of A vs. F (El Salvador's group vs. Trinidad & Tobago's group)

October 2021

Matchday 4 Away at Mexico
Matchday 5 Away at Jamaica
Matchday 6 Home vs. Winner of C vs. D (Curacao's group vs. Panama's group)

November 2021

Matchday 7 Home vs. Costa Rica
Matchday 8 Home vs. Mexico

January 2022

Matchday 9 Away at Honduras
Matchday 10 Home vs. USA
Matchday 11 Away at Winner of A vs. F (El Salvador's group vs. Trinidad and Tobago's group)

March 2022

Matchday 12 Away at Costa Rica
Matchday 13 Home vs. Jamaica
Matchday 14 Away at Winner of C vs. D (Curacao's group vs. Panama's group)

Something to keep in mind, none European players will be at a severe disadvantage for the 3 games in January. MLS playoffs start at the end of October/mid November. That’s 2 months off without competitive games, then being thrown into an away game in Honduras, and home tie against the states. 

[SthMelbRed]

5 hours ago, CanadianSoccerFan said:

The travel schedule for January and March is insane!  

Probably have to stick to home games out east for all but the 2-match home stint in November. You gotta think that's got BC Place written all over it in indelible ink.

[SkuseisLoose]

34 minutes ago, SthMelbRed said:

Probably have to stick to home games out east for all but the 2-match home stint in November. You gotta think that's got BC Place written all over it in indelible ink.

Only other feasible matchday would be September depending on where the USA decides to play.

[SthMelbRed]

41 minutes ago, SkuseisLoose said:

Only other feasible matchday would be September depending on where the USA decides to play.

Vancouver - Seattle - Vancouver would be fucking brilliant, if we could trust the Yanks not to fuck it up. They'll probably stick us in Miami or Denver. Actually, Denver wouldn't preclude a BC Place double-header.

[dyslexic nam]

9 hours ago, BuzzAndSting said:

These applications would most likely be processed by PHAC and Sport Canada in a matter of days once an organization has a plan that has been  agreed upon by other levels of government.

Was going to say something similar as well.  Things may move at the “speed of government” normally, but the pace of change and responsiveness during COVID has been impressive to see. People shouldn’t confuse a a hard line stance in some areas of public health or a lack of options as government being slow or unresponsive.  Where changes have been needed, things have actually moved extremely quickly throughout this COVID response.   

[One American]

18 hours ago, Ngravs said:

This is very interesting in the long term because 3 games will place even more emphasis on squad depth. Is that a benefit or not for Canada? I tend to say it may hinder our chances against the top 3 but could be an advantage against the low 4-5 teams in the Octagonal. 

It is. Mexico has the best depth. This hurts the USMNT a little bit, because our first side has potential for excellence, but our second choice is either Talent Gappers or not-quite-ready-yet youngsters. Do you go with Konrad de la Fuente or Paul Arriola? kind of decisions.

Jamaica can recruit its way into some depth. Costa Rica has a fairly good league to fall back on. but they just aren't as good as they used to be. They haven't won a game in over a year. Panama .... their depth lost 6-0 to the USMNT. Seem to have a high cliff there, although a few players missed in the November cycle. Honduras, hard to say. They've been the best youth team program recently outside of the US and Mexico. But that hasn't materialized yet on the senior team.  El Salvador and Haiti are the mystery teams. Trinidad and Tobago could surprise, but not sure about their depth. 

Canada, with a cadre of MLS vets, probably has the best depth after the USMNT and Mexico. This hurts Suriname, with older players and a depth cliff.

A full second team for Canada would look something like: 

GK: Dayne St. Clair,

RB: Alistair Johnston

CB: Hard to say who, but not a lot of drop-off from the starters.  

LB: Kamal Miller. If Miller starts at CB, then ZBG or Adekugbe or Gutierrez or Cordova. 

DM: Sam Piette and Atiba Hutchison

AM:, Buchanan, Hoilett.  

FW: Larin, Akinola.

[RS]

8 hours ago, SthMelbRed said:

Probably have to stick to home games out east for all but the 2-match home stint in November. You gotta think that's got BC Place written all over it in indelible ink.

I feel the opposite. I think the two November 2021 games would almost assuredly be played at BMO Field while the rest of the Octo would be best at BC Place (dependent on what the USA does in Sept. 2021).

For the earlier round games, I think vs. Bermuda (March 25, 2021) would be at BMO and vs. Suriname (June 8, 2021) could be literally anywhere in Canada. They'll probably stay somewhat east for that one because they'll immediately go into a home/away series against Haiti should everything go according to plan.

[Ngravs]

November back to back game only make sense in Winnipeg right? Playing some tough orange ball games at IGF vs Mexico and Costa Rica could get us some points. Although Winnipeg had a lovely Novermber this year

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

15 minutes ago, RS said:

I think the two November 2021 games

 

13 minutes ago, Ngravs said:

November back to back game 

 

I think you guys are going to jinx things with your talk of November Octo games.

1) There are more COVID cases than ever. The schedule is likely going to be modified even further.

2) Let's not look past Bermuda/Suriname and Haiti/Nicaragua. There is real danger there. 

Edited December 5, 2020 by Olympique_de_Marseille

[RS]

1 minute ago, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

 

 

I think you guys are going to jinx things with your talk of November Octo games.

1) There are more COVID cases than ever. The schedule is likely going to be modified even further.

2) Let's not look past Bermuda/Suriname and Haiti/Nicaragua. There is real danger there. 

I thought I covered that with the last six words of my post. 😉

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

18 minutes ago, RS said:

a home/away series against Haiti should everything go according to plan.

 

2 minutes ago, RS said:

I thought I covered that with the last six words of my post. 😉

Still seemed to optimistic for me.  

[RS]

Just now, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

 

Still seemed to optimistic for me.  

That's fair. We are talking about Canadian soccer, after all.

[MtlMario]

Believe me I had my share of pain being A Cdn soccer fan over the last 40+ years but we can not be seriously worried about beating teams like Bermuda, Suriname and Haiti if we expect to be a World Cup team in either 22 or 26. Btw playing in Winnipeg in Nov. is fine with me. 

[CanadaFan123]

If we didn’t have the budget to play a friendly in November shouldn’t we be starting a go fund me about now to bankroll the 21 games to come? 
 

Also, crazy how many times Panama has been absolutely pumped in the past few years. Outside of our thrashing at the hands of Honduras 8 years ago our previous rough loss was 5-0 away to Argentina 10 years ago. Panama seems to be regularly beaten by 4+ goals. 
 

I think January will be a good test to see where we’re at in CONCACAF if we play Panama. We should be beating them if we’re serious.

[JuicyHam]

1 hour ago, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

 

 

I think you guys are going to jinx things with your talk of November Octo games.

1) There are more COVID cases than ever. The schedule is likely going to be modified even further.

2) Let's not look past Bermuda/Suriname and Haiti/Nicaragua. There is real danger there. 

Yep we're already planning around beating Haiti like we planned in the Gold Cup. I'm not saying we shouldn't beat them but we haven't yet 

[TOCanada115]

26 minutes ago, JuicyHam said:

Yep we're already planning around beating Haiti like we planned in the Gold Cup. I'm not saying we shouldn't beat them but we haven't yet 

I don’t think we should look by Haiti. Remember, they took Mexico to extra time in that Gold Cup, and held their own. 
 

Bermuda, and Suriname are a different story. If we can’t get by them somewhat comfortably, then Herdman has completely wasted our best generation for over a decade, if not more. 

[Ansem]

Pretty safe to assume that the strongest squad possible will be called up against Haiti and this time, homework will have been done

[SthMelbRed]

6 hours ago, Ngravs said:

November back to back game only make sense in Winnipeg right? Playing some tough orange ball games at IGF vs Mexico and Costa Rica could get us some points. Although Winnipeg had a lovely Novermber this year

Unless there's a catastrophe, we're looking at 10 competitive home games over the next 16 months. Without getting further into specifics over particular games, I'd like to see 4 at BMO, 2 at BC Place, and 1 each in Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Montreal, with the remaining one a toss-up between Halifax or Ottawa. If Spruce Meadows can get 10-15,000 temporary seats in for one-off matches, Calgary should be in the mix, as well. Otherwise, Cowtowners can easily make it to Commonwealth for matches.

This team has the potential to win the hearts and minds of the whole country, and we should take the opportunity to give as many Canadians, coast-to-coast, the chance to see them in person.