View Full Version : CONCACAF to keep the hex
Edgar
08 Mar 2007, 04:12 AM
Full article -> SI.com (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/soccer/03/07/bc.soc.wcup2018.ap/index.html?eref=si_soccer)
Blazer also said CONCACAF will propose the same qualifying format for the 2010 World Cup that it used for the 2006 tournament. Under that system, three teams qualify from a six-nation final round, and the fourth-place team goes to a playoff for a berth.
"Had we had four places, which we had been pushing for, we could have come up with a different solution," he said, adding that two final-round groups of four would have been considered.
Davids26
08 Mar 2007, 09:05 AM
Does this mean all teams start in the preliminary round with the big team vs. minnow format again as well?
The Truth Commission
08 Mar 2007, 09:14 AM
I sure hope they do, I've been hoping for a trip to the British Virgin Islands or Montserrat to watch the Nats play.
Crazy_Yank
08 Mar 2007, 02:31 PM
I see no reason to change the format. The hex works just fine. I think splitting into 2 groups for the final round is a bad idea.
Flyin Ryan
08 Mar 2007, 03:10 PM
I like the hex too. It takes luck out at the penultimate World Cup qualifying phase, and plus you have arguably the six best teams in the region all playing one another equally.
MoRado
08 Mar 2007, 03:26 PM
when you have a tournament were 4(3½) teams out of 6 qualify, you don`t see the best of every country in every game
ZeekLTK
09 Mar 2007, 02:06 AM
I'm still on the fence about the hex, but I will say this: I love the first stage. The 2 knockout rounds from 2006... I was hoping they'd keep them, and they have!
It'll be interesting to see who Cuba and Haiti get... and then resume the arguments... err discussion :D... about how St. Vincent/Grenadines deserves to be in Pot C while those 2 are still in Pot E. :p
I sure hope they do, I've been hoping for a trip to the British Virgin Islands or Montserrat to watch the Nats play.
Well I doubt either of those two will advance past the first round, but a team like St. Lucia or Bahamas is a definite possibility.
chec
09 Mar 2007, 10:12 AM
when you have a tournament were 4(3½) teams out of 6 qualify, you don`t see the best of every country in every game
The Hex should be changed to an Octagon. That way most of the stronger teams will make it to the last round.
Crazy_Yank
09 Mar 2007, 11:22 AM
I wouldn't have a problem with changing the final round to 8 teams as long as it remains a single table. Concacaf is not a strong region. Realistically only 3 concacaf sides have a decent chance of advancing out of group play so we need our best teams qualifying every time. Also, if we split into 2 groups we lose out on the US-Mex match ups.
Guatefc
09 Mar 2007, 01:09 PM
I see no reason to change the format. The hex works just fine. I think splitting into 2 groups for the final round is a bad idea.
yes because thier could be terrible unbalanced teams
Qdog
09 Mar 2007, 05:25 PM
when you have a tournament were 4(3½) teams out of 6 qualify, you don`t see the best of every country in every game
Same thing for when 1, 2, 3 or 5 teams qualify.
voros
09 Mar 2007, 05:39 PM
"Had we had four places, which we had been pushing for, we could have come up with a different solution," he said, adding that two final-round groups of four would have been considered.
Which would be stupid since it would either kill our matchups with Mexico or else unduly punish both us and Mexico by putting us in the same group.
voros
09 Mar 2007, 05:42 PM
Does this mean all teams start in the preliminary round with the big team vs. minnow format again as well?
Not all teams started in the same round last time. There was one round where the really bad were dispatched leaving just minnows.
A US v US Virgin Islands match could bear a striking resemblence to the Australia v American Samoa matchup from about five years ago. So it would be best to avoid that.
chec
09 Mar 2007, 11:34 PM
I wouldn't have a problem with changing the final round to 8 teams as long as it remains a single table. Concacaf is not a strong region. Realistically only 3 concacaf sides have a decent chance of advancing out of group play so we need our best teams qualifying every time. Also, if we split into 2 groups we lose out on the US-Mex match ups.
No split, 8 teams but no split.
GIO17
10 Mar 2007, 04:35 AM
I see no reason to change the format. The hex works just fine. I think splitting into 2 groups for the final round is a bad idea.
I 2nd the motion
FnordUnitedFC
16 Mar 2007, 05:20 PM
The Hex should be changed to an Octagon. That way most of the stronger teams will make it to the last round.
If you made the Hex an Octagon, then teams would have 22 matches to qualify for the World Cup, which is ridiculous. Unfortunately there is no good way to set up the format to ensure every game means something; we just have too many spots. Yes, Mexico/USA is fun, but, in reality, even if Mexico wins both games 5-0 (or the USA does), both teams will qualify. If you split the groups into two sets of four, then the USA and Mexico don't play, which is something I am sure CONCACAF would want to avoid. USA/Mexico has the passion because the teams don't like each other; not because it has any real bearing on qualifying for the World Cup.
Costa Rica as well is at least a 75% favorite to nab the #3 spot and probably a 90% chance to at least finish in the top 4. So the only real adventure in the group is who gets the playoff spot (which T & T fluked last time).
Trin
16 Mar 2007, 08:09 PM
(which T & T fluked last time).
.....:rolleyes:
tomwilhelm
16 Mar 2007, 08:21 PM
Everyone always talks about the Hex. Attacking it, defending it. The problem with Concacaf qualifying isn't whether or not the hex is a good final round format. As a federation, we generally represent pretty well, even with what seems a bizarre and lopsided system.
It's the system for the first rounds that's screwed up though. An entire generation of footballers from a place like Haiti or Cuba can be doomed to never even aspire to the World Cup just by drawing Mexico in the knockout rounds. It's a system that makes moving into the top 12, even if you're well deserving, extremely difficult.
scaryice
16 Mar 2007, 08:33 PM
If you made the Hex an Octagon, then teams would have 22 matches to qualify for the World Cup, which is ridiculous. Unfortunately there is no good way to set up the format to ensure every game means something; we just have too many spots.
Wrong. There's 35 teams, and you could easily have an octagon. Here's how:
1) Teams 22-35 playoff, 7 winners advance
2) 7 winners plus teams 13-21 playoff, 8 winners advance
3) 8 winners plus teams 5-12 playoff, 8 winners advance
4) 8 winners playoff, winners advance to octagon
5) 4 winners are joined by teams 1-4
Virtually every team in the octagon would have no more than 18 matches, the same as now.
FnordUnitedFC
17 Mar 2007, 07:34 PM
Wrong. There's 35 teams, and you could easily have an octagon. Here's how:
1) Teams 22-35 playoff, 7 winners advance
2) 7 winners plus teams 13-21 playoff, 8 winners advance
3) 8 winners plus teams 5-12 playoff, 8 winners advance
4) 8 winners playoff, winners advance to octagon
5) 4 winners are joined by teams 1-4
Virtually every team in the octagon would have no more than 18 matches, the same as now.
Just for the hell of it, lets say team #22 made the "Octagon"
2 matches to reach stage 2
2 to reach stage 3
2 to reach stage 4
2 to reach octagon
14 in the octagon
=22 matches