CanadianSoccerFan Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 I'm getting skeptical of the March window. These travel restrictions don't look to be ending anytime soon. I'm even more certain the Gold Cup will be delayed a year. There is no way CONCACAF would hold it without full stadiums. They need the money Floortom 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red card Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 The covid vaccines so far from western firms or China aren't as effective for no or mild symptom covid. It's 80/90%+ effective for severe covid but only around 50% for less severe covid. Will have to see how effective J&J vaccine will be. So, many US states will continue to allow people in stadiums but having 50%+ full in the summer for the Gold Cup would seem risky still. Though, mostly an issue for Mexico & US matches only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOcanadafan Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 I hope they have a back-up plan... they may have to rethink the first and second round format. I’m sure they want to keep the Octagonal in tact. Perhaps use the June window to weed out the minnows (rank 11 - 37) and move to combine qualifying with the 16 team Gold Cup. Start the Gold Cup as a tiered tournament... Top 8 teams play in 2 groups of 4, bottom 8 in 2 groups of 4 in a round robin group stage. Bottom 1 or 2 teams in the two Tier A groups compete in a crossover with the Top 1 or 2 teams in Tier B to decide the remaining 2 or 4 teams to go to the Octagonal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narduch Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 20 hours ago, CanadianSoccerFan said: I'm getting skeptical of the March window. These travel restrictions don't look to be ending anytime soon. I'm even more certain the Gold Cup will be delayed a year. There is no way CONCACAF would hold it without full stadiums. They need the money I'm with you on this. I think they will need to cancel the Gold Cup and use that window for WCQ. By the way Auckland FC just pulled out of the FIFA Club World Cup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpursFlu Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 1 hour ago, narduch said: I'm with you on this. I think they will need to cancel the Gold Cup and use that window for WCQ. By the way Auckland FC just pulled out of the FIFA Club World Cup. Thats more likely because they had to cancel their car wash and bottle drive that typically funds that annual adventure Obinna, CanadaFan123, CanadianSoccerFan and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtpc Posted January 18, 2021 Share Posted January 18, 2021 After just seeing the story of 72 tennis players now in a 14-day quarantine because of 5 positive cases on flights, I'm also skeptical of how much things can really improve in 2 months. It seems like CONCACAF has pretty much maxed out the windows they have available, so I don't think much can be moved around. Maybe it does come down to cancelling the Gold Cup and using that timeframe for WCQ. Olympique_de_Marseille, johnyb and narduch 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeoH037 Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 I'd be perfectly okay with Gold Cup being cancelled Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dyslexic nam Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 Is it impossible that they retool the GC so that it becomes a major component in WCQ? To me that would make more sense than cancelling it. May be kind of a radical move but these are exceptional times. johnyb and nfitz 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadaFan123 Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 1 hour ago, dyslexic nam said: Is it impossible that they retool the GC so that it becomes a major component in WCQ? To me that would make more sense than cancelling it. May be kind of a radical move but these are exceptional times. With non-FIFA nations in the tournament that doesn't seem likely. Shway 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 It was specifically stated by Vic that the gold cup and World Cup qualifying are two different entities entirely and can’t run together. One is concacaf and one is fifa. Obinna, johnyb and NVsoccer 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtpc Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 If the current WCQ schedule doesn't get changed, it's exciting that our first match will be 2 months from today. 😀 xabuep2, Club Linesman, Obinna and 4 others 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadianSoccerFan Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 (edited) The last card FIFA has to clear calendar space is to move the Intercontinental playoff back to September 2022. That is the last window before the start of the World Cup. That would give CONCACAF 4 more dates in June 2022. Remember, it's not just CONCACAF that is pressed. Asia has no room left to budge either. This March window coming up is a breaking point. Given the rumours of an Olympic cancellation, I won't be surprised if there are more dominoes left to fall in football. Will UEFA be willing to sacrifice ticket revenue this summer and hold the Euro behind closed doors? Or maybe they push it back another year. Same with the Copa America and Gold Cup. Then would that push the World Cup back a year? At this point, I wouldn't be against it. We could then be spoiled with two World Cups in 2 and a half years Edited January 25, 2021 by CanadianSoccerFan narduch 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olympique_de_Marseille Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 Former GG (no, not Payette! ) but rather Michaëlle Jean will take charge of the FHF. Why she wants that job is beyond me but she will certainly clean up the mess that is that place. https://ici.radio-canada.ca/amp/1765781/soccer-michaelle-jean-federation-haiti-gouverneure-generale-canada Two football federations are now led by Canadians! Red and White and Kent 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RS Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 44 minutes ago, Olympique_de_Marseille said: Two football federations are now led by Canadians! Three. (Although one is a confederation) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
An Observer Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 2 hours ago, CanadianSoccerFan said: Remember, it's not just CONCACAF that is pressed. Asia has no room left to budge either. This March window coming up is a breaking point. Living in HK, I also think its highly unlikely that Asia plays in March. They have been much much tighter around border crossings than elsewhere in the world. Even if Concacaf plays at neutral sites, I don't see Asia playing which means either FIFA needs to clear calendar space as you suggest or Asia needs to rejig their qualifying which is more difficult as they have already started. Or they move Qatar to 2023? I suspect FIFA will do everything possible to not move it so freeing up calendar space makes sense CanadianSoccerFan, JamboAl and narduch 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narduch Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 4 hours ago, CanadianSoccerFan said: The last card FIFA has to clear calendar space is to move the Intercontinental playoff back to September 2022. That is the last window before the start of the World Cup. That would give CONCACAF 4 more dates in June 2022. Remember, it's not just CONCACAF that is pressed. Asia has no room left to budge either. This March window coming up is a breaking point. Given the rumours of an Olympic cancellation, I won't be surprised if there are more dominoes left to fall in football. Will UEFA be willing to sacrifice ticket revenue this summer and hold the Euro behind closed doors? Or maybe they push it back another year. Same with the Copa America and Gold Cup. Then would that push the World Cup back a year? At this point, I wouldn't be against it. We could then be spoiled with two World Cups in 2 and a half years Concacaf could cancel the Gold Cup and use that window if they are desperate. By the way there is already talk of UEFA making contingency plans to host this year's Euro in one country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadianSoccerFan Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, narduch said: Concacaf could cancel the Gold Cup and use that window if they are desperate. I have doubts it's that simple. There's a 4 date FIFA window in June and the Gold Cup takes place afterward in July. The Gold Cup is outside the FIFA window and can only mandate player release due to its status as a Confederation Championship. Think of AFCON that's played in January outside of FIFA dates but player release is still mandated. If the Gold Cup is replaced with more qualifiers, would the same player release rules apply? I'm not certain they would because now you're talking about qualifiers played outside of a FIFA window as opposed to a Confederation Championship with mandatory release. Edited January 26, 2021 by CanadianSoccerFan narduch 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narduch Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 5 hours ago, CanadianSoccerFan said: I have doubts it's that simple. There's a 4 date FIFA window in June and the Gold Cup takes place afterward in July. The Gold Cup is outside the FIFA window and can only mandate player release due to its status as a Confederation Championship. Think of AFCON that's played in January outside of FIFA dates but player release is still mandated. If the Gold Cup is replaced with more qualifiers, would the same player release rules apply? I'm not certain they would because now you're talking about qualifiers played outside of a FIFA window as opposed to a Confederation Championship with mandatory release. For the Asian Champions League the Group Stage will be played in a bubble. They haven't said anything about WCQ though johnyb 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpursFlu Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 Centralized venues? Why not use ridiculous language like a bubble? Aren't they reading the script over there in Asia? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dyslexic nam Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 16 minutes ago, SpursFlu said: Centralized venues? Why not use ridiculous language like a bubble? Aren't they reading the script over there in Asia? It’s always great to get your unnecessary, editorial bullshit take on things. Thanks. Kyle_The_Hill, RS, BuzzAndSting and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpursFlu Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 Just now, dyslexic nam said: It’s always great to get your unnecessary, editorial bullshit take on things. Thanks. Your welcome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SthMelbRed Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 4 hours ago, SpursFlu said: You're welcome Proofreading is your friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nolando Posted January 27, 2021 Share Posted January 27, 2021 7 hours ago, SthMelbRed said: Proofreading is your friend. Let's eat grandpa and call it even, okay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One American Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 (edited) Changed my mind. Edited January 30, 2021 by One American BrennanFan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narduch Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 US has a friendly with T+T today. Weird thing I read about T+T is that their league has been shut down since the pandemic started, similar to Jamaica. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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