The Road to Qatar.

[TGAA_Star]

I feel like we should wear our black jerseys more often and if we get to Qatar, red jersey we should wear as our home jersey and black as our away jersey while we are at Qatar

[footballfreak]

Expecting to see the white jerseys in January, probably in the two road games in Central American sunshine. On the other hand, those games are on a Thursday and Wednesday, so maybe we’ll get night games. Honduras and El Salvador are effectively eliminated at this point. They may play night games to maximize ticket sales.

[CanadaFan123]

1 minute ago, footballfreak said:

Expecting to see the white jerseys in January, probably in the two road games in Central American sunshine. On the other hand, those games are on a Thursday and Wednesday, so maybe we’ll get night games. Honduras and El Salvador are effectively eliminated at this point. They may play night games to maximize ticket sales.

They are definitely night games as all are in this round. January is also the "coldest" month on average in both Honduras and El Salvador.

We've lucked out.

[footballfreak]

36 minutes ago, CanadaFan123 said:

They are definitely night games as all are in this round. January is also the "coldest" month on average in both Honduras and El Salvador.

We've lucked out.

Do you have a source for that? All the listed times are placeholders as far as I know. 

[OhCanadaOhBaby]

4 hours ago, TGAA_Star said:

I feel like we should wear our black jerseys more often and if we get to Qatar, red jersey we should wear as our home jersey and black as our away jersey while we are at Qatar

I feel like they might make a new alternate if we make the World Cup, the red will probably stay but maybe a new white design that look less... plain?

[SthMelbRed]

13 hours ago, Shway said:

I like black being an option. I’m just hoping Nike will give us more respect and add some customization…like adding red to it.

I refuse to buy kits that are templates, especially for the price they go at.

If we qualify for the World Cup, we'll definitely get a new design, and it will probably be customised. Kit releases prior to a World Cup is a huge thing for Nike, Adidas, Puma, etc. If we book our place in Qatar, I expect a fancy, new suite of strips to be unveiled sometime in late Summer next year. It's a shame we're with Nike now, but wore Adidas in Mexico '86. Otherwise, a retro-inspired strip would've been wicked.

[king1010]

Radical FIFA changes set to have huge implications for All Whites

The draw, to decide which confederations are paired together, is expected to be held in Zurich before the end of this month.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/exclusive-radical-fifa-changes-set-to-have-huge-implications-for-all-whites/4YWIFNTWFBM23737AWCT64TFQM/

Edited November 19, 2021 by king1010

[TGAA_Star]

2 hours ago, OhCanadaOhBaby said:

I feel like they might make a new alternate if we make the World Cup, the red will probably stay but maybe a new white design that look less... plain?

If that's the case and we get those jerseys as our Qatar jerseys, then I would still buy one of them to wear 

[TGAA_Star]

1 hour ago, SthMelbRed said:

If we qualify for the World Cup, we'll definitely get a new design, and it will probably be customised. Kit releases prior to a World Cup is a huge thing for Nike, Adidas, Puma, etc. If we book our place in Qatar, I expect a fancy, new suite of strips to be unveiled sometime in late Summer next year. It's a shame we're with Nike now, but wore Adidas in Mexico '86. Otherwise, a retro-inspired strip would've been wicked.

Yeah that's how it always is with national teams. Once you qualify for a World Cup, your jersey kits instantly get new designs. So I expect Canada's overall design for their jerseys to be upgraded. Especially since we are with NIKE.

[Alex]

11 minutes ago, king1010 said:

Radical FIFA changes set to have huge implications for All Whites
 

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/exclusive-radical-fifa-changes-set-to-have-huge-implications-for-all-whites/4YWIFNTWFBM23737AWCT64TFQM/

Ofc needs to start their qualifiers first! Lol

[theaub]

29 minutes ago, king1010 said:

Radical FIFA changes set to have huge implications for All Whites

The draw, to decide which confederations are paired together, is expected to be held in Zurich before the end of this month.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/exclusive-radical-fifa-changes-set-to-have-huge-implications-for-all-whites/4YWIFNTWFBM23737AWCT64TFQM/

This isn't the Road to Qatar I ordered...

[footballfreak]

23 minutes ago, king1010 said:

Radical FIFA changes set to have huge implications for All Whites

The draw, to decide which confederations are paired together, is expected to be held in Zurich before the end of this month.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/exclusive-radical-fifa-changes-set-to-have-huge-implications-for-all-whites/4YWIFNTWFBM23737AWCT64TFQM/

A single game elimination game is unbelievably cruel. Hope it doesn’t happen even if we’re not in it.

[footballfreak]

JFF denying Tappa has been fired btw. Never a dull moment in Jamaica.

[TGAA_Star]

21 minutes ago, footballfreak said:

JFF denying Tappa has been fired btw. Never a dull moment in Jamaica.

🇯🇲  Jamaica have been in disarray this qualifying campaign in the Octo and to think in the Octo I actually picked them to be dark horses to qualify 

[An Observer]

24 minutes ago, footballfreak said:

A single game elimination game is unbelievably cruel. Hope it doesn’t happen even if we’re not in it.

Essentially, that is what is happening in Europe for the second place sides...and you need to do it twice to qualify

[CanadianSoccerFan]

34 minutes ago, king1010 said:

Radical FIFA changes set to have huge implications for All Whites

The draw, to decide which confederations are paired together, is expected to be held in Zurich before the end of this month.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/exclusive-radical-fifa-changes-set-to-have-huge-implications-for-all-whites/4YWIFNTWFBM23737AWCT64TFQM/

 

A year or so ago I made a prediction in this thread that the playoff would be moved to a neutral site.  However, I assumed that would allow for a 3 game round robin between the 4 playoff teams.  This 1 game playoff is ridiculous when there is time for more games.  I don't like it.  All the more reason to take care of business and avoid this.

[SthMelbRed]

So, it was too dangerous to play the World Cup in Qatar in June/July, but it's okay to make teams play massive one-off playoff matches then?

[footballfreak]

5 minutes ago, An Observer said:

Essentially, that is what is happening in Europe for the second place sides...and you need to do it twice to qualify

And it’s a bad system there too, but I don’t really care if UEFA decides to hamstring themselves. There’s also a bit of weighting to those matches by having the higher seed host.

9 minutes ago, TGAA_Star said:

🇯🇲  Jamaica have been in disarray this qualifying campaign in the Octo and to think in the Octo I actually picked them to be dark horses to qualify 

JFF has been in disarray as long as I can remember. I had them 5th going in, and I’m feeling pretty good about that coming true. Of course I also had Panama  7th, so I guess I can’t pat myself on the back too much.

[CanadianSoccerFan]

Just now, SthMelbRed said:

So, it was too dangerous to play the World Cup in Qatar in June/July, but it's okay to make teams play massive one-off playoff matches then?

Two of the stadiums have completely retractable roofs (one of which resembles the female anatomy).  I'm assuming these are the only ones where it is feasible.  Still ridiculous.

 

 

[EJsens1]

16 minutes ago, SthMelbRed said:

So, it was too dangerous to play the World Cup in Qatar in June/July, but it's okay to make teams play massive one-off playoff matches then?

Haha spot on 

[footballfreak]

10 minutes ago, CanadianSoccerFan said:

 

A year or so ago I made a prediction in this thread that the playoff would be moved to a neutral site.  However, I assumed that would allow for a 3 game round robin between the 4 playoff teams.  This 1 game playoff is ridiculous when there is time for more games.  I don't like it.  All the more reason to take care of business and avoid this.

I’ve been in favour of this too as a way to replace the defunct Confederation Cup as a shakedown event.

The problem with a group stage is:

1. How do you motivate a team that qualifies with a game to spare?

If you win your first two games, there’s no reason to go all out against your next opponent. For it to work I think you would have to guarantee pot 3 seeding to the group winner, with pot 4 seeding to the runner up. Can’t imagine the direct qualifier bumped down to pot 4 would be very happy with that setup.

2. How do you motivate a team that gets eliminated after match 2? 

Haven’t solved this one yet. What’s to stop New Zealand from rolling over In their last game and giving up 6. Imagine the last spot being determined on goal difference because of an unmotivated (or bribed) 4th place finisher.

——

Wacky solution. Triple window Pageplayoff.

1 v 4, 2 v3 —> winners play each other, losers play each other

——

Winner 1 v Winner 2 —> Winner Qualifies, Loser goes to Repechage

Loser 1 v Loser 2 —> Winner goes to repechage, Loser eliminated

——

Repechage for final spot.

 

5 games. 1 window. Every game matters. Thoughts?

 

 

[CanadianSoccerFan]

6 minutes ago, footballfreak said:

I’ve been in favour of this too as a way to replace the defunct Confederation Cup as a shakedown event.

The problem with a group stage is:

1. How do you motivate a team that qualifies with a game to spare?

If you win your first two games, there’s no reason to go all out against your next opponent. For it to work I think you would have to guarantee pot 3 seeding to the group winner, with pot 4 seeding to the runner up. Can’t imagine the direct qualifier bumped down to pot 4 would be very happy with that setup.

2. How do you motivate a team that gets eliminated after match 2? 

Haven’t solved this one yet. What’s to stop New Zealand from rolling over In their last game and giving up 6. Imagine the last spot being determined on goal difference because of an unmotivated (or bribed) 4th place finisher.

——

Wacky solution. Triple window Pageplayoff.

1 v 4, 2 v3 —> winners play each other, losers play each other

——

Winner 1 v Winner 2 —> Winner Qualifies, Loser goes to Repechage

Loser 1 v Loser 2 —> Winner goes to repechage, Loser eliminated

——

Repechage for final spot.

 

5 games. 1 window. Every game matters. Thoughts?

 

 

I've thought about this one before.  Remember seeing it in the World Baseball Classic.  Definitely solves the dead rubber problem.  Works better in sports where draws are less of a problem.

[lamptern]

1 hour ago, footballfreak said:

I’ve been in favour of this too as a way to replace the defunct Confederation Cup as a shakedown event.

The problem with a group stage is:

1. How do you motivate a team that qualifies with a game to spare?

If you win your first two games, there’s no reason to go all out against your next opponent. For it to work I think you would have to guarantee pot 3 seeding to the group winner, with pot 4 seeding to the runner up. Can’t imagine the direct qualifier bumped down to pot 4 would be very happy with that setup.

2. How do you motivate a team that gets eliminated after match 2? 

Haven’t solved this one yet. What’s to stop New Zealand from rolling over In their last game and giving up 6. Imagine the last spot being determined on goal difference because of an unmotivated (or bribed) 4th place finisher.

——

Wacky solution. Triple window Pageplayoff.

1 v 4, 2 v3 —> winners play each other, losers play each other

——

Winner 1 v Winner 2 —> Winner Qualifies, Loser goes to Repechage

Loser 1 v Loser 2 —> Winner goes to repechage, Loser eliminated

——

Repechage for final spot.

 

5 games. 1 window. Every game matters. Thoughts?

 

 

If i were you, i would send the plan to FIFA right now.

[footballfreak]

23 minutes ago, lamptern said:

If i were you, i would send the plan to FIFA right now.

Dear FIFA, I wrote you but still ain't callin'
I left my cell, my pager, and my home phone at the bottom
I sent two letters back in autumn, you must not-a got 'em
There probably was a problem at the post office or somethin'
Sometimes I scribble addresses too sloppy when I jot 'em
But anyways, fuck it, what's been up? Man how's your Qatar?

[TGAA_Star]

7 hours ago, footballfreak said:

And it’s a bad system there too, but I don’t really care if UEFA decides to hamstring themselves. There’s also a bit of weighting to those matches by having the higher seed host.

JFF has been in disarray as long as I can remember. I had them 5th going in, and I’m feeling pretty good about that coming true. Of course I also had Panama  7th, so I guess I can’t pat myself on the back too much.

Jamaica considering the offensive depth they have and also one of the best strikers in the world in Michail Antonio I literally thought that Jamaica would be more competitive but it looks like they are all but out of Qatar. Considering they needed to beat USA to keep their hopes alive, it looks like they are going to have to wait until 2026 to try to qualify.