France-Denmark

[Adam Zebrowski]

August 23 in Paris.

So potentially, the MVP of WUSA would miss the Founders Cup II.

[Mike Lane]

Wow!! Interesting point Adam... thanks for bringing it to out attention.

[FanOfFutbol]

Even if this date is on the international calendar and clubs are required to release players I am sure that she has played 5 matches for her country during the last 12 Months and that clause comes into play and this is only a friendly so Philly is VERY unlikely to release her, and I doubt that France would even ask.

Is this confirmed?? FIFA only lists:
14-AUG-02 at CLAIRFONTAINE
France - Switzerland W-Friendly

in its listing of upcoming "A" friendlies for France's WNT.

Of course that would also interfere with the playoffs or the final games of the season.

I really doubt that any National assn, even the USSF, would even try to demand a club player during that player's club championships.

For a friendly it is more important to try players that might be need in the future than it is to play a tried and proven player.

Edit: I just checked and there is just one set of dates in August on the international calendar, 20th and 21st. This means that clubs have no requirement at all to release players for this match.

[DCUPopeAndLillyFan]

Originally posted by FanOfFutbol
Even if this date is on the international calendar and clubs are required to release players I am sure that she has played 5 matches for her country during the last 12 Months and that clause comes into play and this is only a friendly so Philly is VERY unlikely to release her, and I doubt that France would even ask.

I really doubt that any National assn, even the USSF, would even try to demand a club player during that player's club championships.

For a friendly it is more important to try players that might be need in the future than it is to play a tried and proven player.

Edit: I just checked and there is just one set of dates in August on the international calendar, 20th and 21st. This means that clubs have no requirement at all to release players for this match.

This is NOT a friendly, this is World Cup qualification! You better believe France will ask for, if not demand, Pichon! With the France-Denmark winner likely to beat the England-Iceland winner to go to China, these two matches will probably determine who goes to the World Cup. France will certainly want Pichon. I think Pichon will end up with a very difficult decision to make if Philly reaches the final.

[FanOfFutbol]

OK, I stand corrected BUT there was no link to support the facts of the game and it was not made clear that the game was anything other than a friendly.

I knew that most of the European WWC qualifycation was done. I did NOT know that the fifth spot was the subject of a playoff and that this was part of it.

I finally found this on FIFA, the link is too deep so I will post the part here that is about this:

Qualifying competition:
The qualifying competition has already kicked-off (first mach took place on 16 August 2001), with the participation of 34 teams. No final tournament will be played. 4 of the 5 participants from Europe will be known by the end of June 2002, after the last group matches. The fifth participant will be known after the play-off matches. Denmark will tackle France, with Iceland and England squaring off in the other game. The first legs will be played between 22 and 26 August, with the return fixtures scheduled to take place between 9 and 15 September. The two play-off winners will then face each other, again over two legs, to determine Europe's fifth World Cup entrant. The last two games are expected to take place between 17 and 21 October and 11 and 18 November 2002.

It took a bit of searching to find this and I still have not found a FIFA listing of the exact date, location, referees, etc.

Sorry.

BTW: Teams MUST release players for any WC or qualification matches. Failure to do so is punishable by rather stiff fines and sanctions.

The rules for friendlies do not apply to the run to the WC. However they do apply to all other competitions unless FIFA states otherwise usually after an appeal. As an example the Men's Gold Cup is treated the same as friendlies HOWEVER it is often scheduled on allowed dates so clubs have to release players for it.