What do fans of all CONCACAF teams think of the new format? To review, this is the format: Preliminary round: Teams 29-35 in CONCACAF playoff in 2 leg ties First round: 8 groups of 4. Top 2 advance Second round: 4 groups of 4: Top 2 advance Final round: 2 groups of 4: Group winners qualify, runners up play-off for the third spot with the loser going to an intercontinental play-off.
Is this a done deal? If so does Mexico and the United States get byes to the second and/or final round? IMO this is a bad idea because you know Mexico and the United States will be in opposite groups in the final round. This means the only attractive game -- MEXICO vs USA - won't happen. Very bad idea IMO.
It's been submitted to FIFA for final approval (which is merely a formality). So yes it's going to happen As for byes, there are none. The top 32 teams contest the first of three group stages. It's basically a bracket format with 4 team groups.
I like this, more games means more opportunities for teams to improve. I just hope that they don't set the groups for each stage from the first draw; they need to have a fresh draw at the beginning of each stage to accomodate for upsets in the previous rounds or one group may be significantly weaker than the others.
I think this is a stupid idea. I don't have a problem with tweaking the system to add more games for lower ranked teams. I wouldn't have a problem with allowing more teams into the final round. What I have a problem with is splitting the final stage into two groups. It should be a round robin home and away series. The cream rises to the top. Concacaf is not a deep confederation. We need to have our best teams representing the confederation every time. The US and Mexico are by far the top dogs. I think reasonable people from both groups of supporters would admit that a logical argument could be made for either one of those teams as the number one team in the region.
You think it's a good idea that Mexico and the United States won't be playing each other? In the end both teams will qualify for the World Cup and we won't see them play against each other 1 time. How is that good?
No, I wanted a single group final round. That's why I was fine with the revision of a 12 team final group. But I understand the cons...I'll miss the Hex.
As a European, I have no real business on this thread, but I do think that the format will lead to some hideous mis-matches in the first group phrase, with the likes of Mexico vs Montserrat and US vs Anguilla likely to be so one-sided they scarely deserve to be called "sport". If either federation decides to score lots of goals in protest at being made to play such silly matches in such a ridiculous format, then Australia [C team]'s 31-0 win over America Samoa is not likely to stand for much longer. It wouldn't surprise me to see post-draw withdrawals for financial reasons, leading to 3-team groups. I think World Cup qualifying is about making sure the best teams qualify to represent the confederation and earn more spots (or at least have a fair chance to qualify). Allowing weaker teams to improve can best be accomplished through the likes of Gold Cup qualifiers and the Caribbean Cup. If it was up to me: Preliminary round (2 legs): 35 -> 28 (Top 21 exempt) First round (2 legs): 28 -> 16 (US, Mexico, Honduras and Costa Rica exempt) Semi-final round (4 groups of 4): 16 -> 8 Octagonal: (keeps US vs Mexico, and gives the cream the chance to rise to the top) The realistic maximum number of matches for a final intercontinental play-off team would be 24, but starting earlier than in previous cycles would give plenty of time for this. Perhaps teams eliminated in the early stages could go into a AFC Challenge Cup-type event, with the best teams qualifying automatically for the 2013 Gold Cup.
Small countries have the same vote as big countries, It will happen in the first round, there will be many 10-0 games for sure, but oh well, I mean San Marino and Andora get killed all the time also, but they still have a right to play in the elimination. It sucks for small Islands that every 4 years their World cup run lasts only 2 games. Now the countries that make it into the first group round will get to play at least 6 games.
Ultimately not a big fan of the new format, mainly from US and Mexico perspectives as it ruins the two truly world-class match-ups these teams will have. And I do think a final round single group stage does add to the drama. So here would be my suggestion, if I had any real power 1) First, there are way too many small Caribbean islands to justify each having a single, crappy team. Using historical links, I was able to pare down 17 Caribbean and South American nations in CONCACAF down to 3 teams: 1) A West Indies team made up of 8 islands (Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & Grenadines) 2) a British overseas protectorate team (Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Turks & Caicos, Anguilla, Montserrat, and the British Virgin Islands), and lastly, a 3) Dutch Caribbean team of Aruba, the Dutch Antilles, and Suriname. This pares down CONCACAF to 20 teams. And let's be realistic, if any player TRULY worth a damn is playing in these places, they'll have a first class ticket to the UK or Netherlands. And the combination will make for less really crappy teams, and more for a few mostly crappy teams. 2) A seeded v unseeded 2-leg playoff, top 10 teams advance to... 3) the Final Group stage, winner (and 2nd, 3rd, possibly 4th place) take all. Basically, its South American qualifying. 18 matches, home-and-away against every other team. Yes, it leaves 10 teams in the dust in terms of more matches played, but it certainly gives more to 4 more, likely to improve the Confederation teams. We still get to keep our cherished US-Mexico matches, but it gives teams like Canada, Jamaica, Trinidad, Cuba, and Haiti a LOT more matches, so a lot more room for those teams to improve. I think we should only have the Gold Cup in it's 'true form' (only CONCACAF nations) the year after the World Cup. Then following the Gold Cup, 3 years or so of qualifying, just like South America. Bonus Good Idea: I think the year before the World Cup, there should be an invitational tournament between CONCACAF and CONMEBOL teams that are not participating in the Confederations Cup. Maybe like the bottom 6 of each qualifying tournament, giving teams like Trinidad and Canada to face off against teams like Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuala. It can be a solid consolation to likely not qualifying for the World Cup, or good practice for the teams on the edge of qualifying. Just my thoughts....
I wonder how many "home" games these smaller countries will play in the US if they get a bigger opponent?
Haha might as well, nothing like a good ol' fashioned war to get the country to forget about health care, the economy, gay marriage and religious fanaticism.
It's terrible. There's not enough talent to make 2 compelling final groups of 4. I'm sure they could have found some other way to give smaller teams more games without messing up the hex. Staggered byes, something. There aren't any byes here, either. So teams lumped with USA, Mexico, Costa Rica will be absolutely thumped on a regular basis.
in the USA, Mexico and C.R., but those 3 teams had trouble when playing away even in the round prior to the Hex. So yes the first 2 rounds will be bad, with some horrid scores, but the final round should be good, USA Mexico Costa Rica Honduras T & T Jamaica Guatemala Canada That is 8 teams for the final 2 groups. (maybe El Salvador or Panama) Getting 16 teams for the second round is more iffy. You would have to think Prior 10 I mentioned Cuba Haiti Belize Nicaragua 2 more Islands?
For most teams qualifying will be 18 games, just like it was prior. I would think they'd come up with a way to reduce that. Also, I just looked at the rankings and looked at the teams that would automatically qualify (1-29) and playoff (30-35) for 32 teams. Just imagining a group stage with teams like Bermuda, Turks & Caicos, Dominican Republic, wow.
A JAMAICAN OPINION . I want to say this is a better deal for Concacaf emerging teams but I dont know , The FA Cup in England does its draw after every round and last year stoke city was a victim , they draw Arsenal , Man City , and lose out to chelsea in the Q' Finals . This example may happen to Jamaica been drawn into difficult groups , Concacaf is a currupt organization by Jack Warner , Chuck Blazer etc , and if FIFA does the draw after every round its best to use someone from outside of the confederation , I say this because Kasey Keller Manipulates the last draw and if anyone from Concacaf does it , its likely to happen the same way . This may not be fair way because jamaicans are mostly blacks and everybody have their prejudices especially against black people so lets hope FIFA are mindful of those concerns . It would be good if FIFA disaprove this Format and Concacaf changes it to a Final 8 of 14 games Home/Away . The good thing is(new Format) it takes 2 additional teams in its FiNaL RounD, and if done fairly its OK .
Look, I don't LIKE it, per se, but I do think it is better for the confederation as a whole. And therefore, I'm for it. And this is from someone who lives in Columbus, OH, and will now NOT get to see the USA host Mexico once every 4 years. I think there are benefits for each "level" of team in CONCACAF. I think this method will be better for the top dogs in two respects. First, by having more games in WCQ for the minnows (almost everyone will have 6-8) and mid-level teams (most will have at least 12), these teams will get some wins and draws, and generate more FIFA rankings points. And so, even when beaten, the top dogs will earn more points. Second, the first round of group games, which everyone is disparaging as too easy, will be a time for the more powerful nations to get a look at young players. The "top" players, or "A team" or whatever, won't have to play in that round, so they'll in fact end up playing fewer games than now. 2 of 4 advance, so one slip isn't fatal, and if the youths get in trouble, you can call in reinforcements to get them out of it. So, the A team will now only have to play 12 games (2 rounds of 6), where before, they had to play 17-18 (one two legged knockout where they have to play at least one game, 6 in the SF round, which can be tricky (McBride's goal at Guatemala saved the USA in 2002 from not even advancing to the Hex, and the Mexico, Canada, Jamaica, Honduras SF group was a joke last time), and 10 in the Hex. For the lesser powers and mid-level teams (Costa Rica, Honduras, T&T, Jamaica, Canada, El Salvador, Panama). They have a better shot to make it to the final group (with 8 in instead of 6). They'll benefit ranking wise just like the top dogs, and will play more games as well. Like the top dogs, they might be able to use some fringe players in round 1. And can avoid the nasty, Jack Warner rigged SF group that happened last time, as they'll all be seeded in the SF round (or at worst, a #2). For the mid level teams (Haiti, Cuba, Grenada, Suriname, etc). They'll get more games, more points, more chances to develop. More games (with 16 teams into Round 3). More chances to get some TV or tourism revenue (games against USA, Mexico, CR). More money and a decent chance improve the game and try to move up a notch to join the CA teams and the Caribbean powerhouses in the final round, and maybe even contend for a WC spot. For the real minnows. More games, a chance to play a regional powerhouse team, and a chance to develop and get some exposure. Yes, I'll hate to see USA/Mex go, but maybe now the Gold Cup will mean a bit more? CONCACAF wants and deserves an extra half (so much more so than Asia), and I think this is the way to go about getting it. Improve the region, improve the rankings. The USA and Mexico should still be fairly safe bets to qualify. And if one fails, then they will likely NOT be separated the next year.
This is the way to enjoy playing a CONCACAF minnow. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2sXLbXM0RY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2sXLbXM0RY[/ame] I gotta give the English credit. They know how enjoy a sporting event in the Carribean.
How can you not enjoy a sporting event in the Caribbean? Unless you go during hurricane season. If you travel with the team there are worse places to play minnows then the Caribbean.