Belize & Nicaragua clubs should not get places in Champions League...

[w-inds.]

they should play with Caribbean teams in CFU Club Championship first

Trinidad & Tobago should get 2 places in Champions League like some Central American countries
they dominated in CFU Club Championship

[Intru]

they should play with Caribbean teams in CFU Club Championship first

Trinidad & Tobago should get 2 places in Champions League like some Central American countries
they dominated in CFU Club Championship

EH well theres not even a single TnT club left and wait there a PR team :) as the soul Craib rep. Dont worry you will se this pattern continue in the future.

[DonJuego]

No one should be shut out of CCL. Every country should get their shot. If you need to use playins, fine.

I don't think Mexico and USA need four slots. I don't like non-champions being in the champions league.

[zidja]

Mexico has demonstrated so far that they deserve 4 slots. The US? Well maybe this year was a fluke. If the next 3 years are like 2008, then take a slot away.

[The Marquis]

Well hopefully with the Superliga spots going to the next highest 4 that don't qualify for CONCACAF, the CONCACAF qualifying clubs can devote more effort into advancing in that tournament.

[elcibernetico24]

I DONT THINK SO,but if t and t want more spots they could take them from the USSF,they only deserve 2 spots at most.

[DonJuego]

There appears to be a complete inability to rationally discuss any topic in this forum without running off into the same posts from the same folks about Mexico deserving slots and the US not deserving slots.

This thread happens to be about Belize and Nicaragua, with a proposition that they deserve none. I disagree. I think all CONCACAF deserves a shot.

[EvanJ]

They deserve a chance. Here's an idea if it doesn't require too many additional games:

Belize and Nicaragua currently get one spot each in the qualifying round (two total). How about the champions from those two countries play each other for one spot and the loser plays the fourth CFU team for another spot. Or considering the fact that UNCAF and CFU produced one quarterfinalist each despite UNCAF having four times as many teams (12 to 3) and 4 automatic spots in the Group Stage to CFU's 0, maybe the Belize-Nicaragua loser should be out and CFU should go up to 4 teams. I could also see CFU 1 getting one of the eight spots directly to the Group Stage with either Guatemala 1 or El Salvador 1 having to play in the qualifying round.

[Trin]

They deserve a chance. Here's an idea if it doesn't require too many additional games:

Belize and Nicaragua currently get one spot each in the qualifying round (two total). How about the champions from those two countries play each other for one spot and the loser plays the fourth CFU team for another spot. Or considering the fact that UNCAF and CFU produced one quarterfinalist each despite UNCAF having four times as many teams (12 to 3) and 4 automatic spots in the Group Stage to CFU's 0, maybe the Belize-Nicaragua loser should be out and CFU should go up to 4 teams. I could also see CFU 1 getting one of the eight spots directly to the Group Stage with either Guatemala 1 or El Salvador 1 having to play in the qualifying round.

All I'll say on this topic is that from the start the Caribbean seemed short changed somewhat wrt slots but the same arguments could be made with numerous other leagues. 4 slots seems fair to me 3 isn't half bad. Thank God its not 1 like b4.

[MoRado]

everybody should have a chance, the nicaraguan clubs are getting better and soon we will see one of them in the CCL

[jaggdd]

No one should be shut out of CCL. Every country should get their shot. If you need to use playins, fine.

I don't think Mexico and USA need four slots. I don't like non-champions being in the champions league.

Yeah, but I'd rather see a 2nd or even 3rd place from a solid and exciting larger league over a champion from some tiny obscure island that has 6 semi-pro teams in its league (I'm not referring to any country, but rather making a point). That's how UEFA CL looks: England, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Italy, France, Russia, Germany... these are all populus nations with a big hand in world affairs. I know that North America only has the U.S., Canada, and Mexico that meet those standards (Cuba is a decent world player, but as far as I know they don't compete in the CL, let alone have a league as their players have to be "non-professionals", being a Communist nation). We also have many smaller Central American countries and Caribbean islands that people from UEFA probably couldn't locate on a map. Those nations and islands need inclusion, especially when their top sport is soccer, especially because their soccer culture allows them to have such a deep talent pool that when the more developed and richer world leagues scalp their players, the leftovers are still good enough to beat larger league teams in the U.S., Canada, and sometimes even Mexico.

The problem there is that it begs the question: Is the MLS as "solid and exciting" of a league as all of us pro-MLS American fans hope and believe? The kind of league that a major world power like us should have, had we embraced soccer like our other sports? Only the Houston Dynamo have shown us they can compete against Mexican teams, let alone some of these no-name teams from tiny islands. Can we make more of a statement next year with Columbus thrown in the mix? And not the statement that...we suck!

Only time will tell, but in terms of potential upside, when you consider the overall sports culture in American society -- once we figure out that right formula and have enough people who give a damn to make the system work wide and deep into the popultation -- the MLS will eventually become a dominant power, with homegrown young talent replacing retiring European and South American has-beens.

[DaSage]

Yeah, but I'd rather see a 2nd or even 3rd place from a solid and exciting larger league over a champion from some tiny obscure island that has 6 semi-pro teams in its league (I'm not referring to any country, but rather making a point). That's how UEFA CL looks: England, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Italy, France, Russia, Germany... these are all populus nations with a big hand in world affairs. I know that North America only has the U.S., Canada, and Mexico that meet those standards (Cuba is a decent world player, but as far as I know they don't compete in the CL, let alone have a league as their players have to be "non-professionals", being a Communist nation). We also have many smaller Central American countries and Caribbean islands that people from UEFA probably couldn't locate on a map. Those nations and islands need inclusion, especially when their top sport is soccer, especially because their soccer culture allows them to have such a deep talent pool that when the more developed and richer world leagues scalp their players, the leftovers are still good enough to beat larger league teams in the U.S., Canada, and sometimes even Mexico.

The problem there is that it begs the question: Is the MLS as "solid and exciting" of a league as all of us pro-MLS American fans hope and believe? The kind of league that a major world power like us should have, had we embraced soccer like our other sports? Only the Houston Dynamo have shown us they can compete against Mexican teams, let alone some of these no-name teams from tiny islands. Can we make more of a statement next year with Columbus thrown in the mix? And not the statement that...we suck!

Only time will tell, but in terms of potential upside, when you consider the overall sports culture in American society -- once we figure out that right formula and have enough people who give a damn to make the system work wide and deep into the popultation -- the MLS will eventually become a dominant power, with homegrown young talent replacing retiring European and South American has-beens.

I like your argument but... I beg to differ. The US has good teams in the USL, and I think they should be allowed to play also.

I agree that Belize and Nicaragua both get 1 ticket and the loser of that playoff play another game with the CFU4 team for the spot. Also CFU1 should get a direct berth to the group stage.

[austinwetherby]

these teams play in the caf to, top theree teams go to the tournament so everyone gets a chance

[DaSage]

No.. the CAf Champions Cup gives no berth to the Central American teams they get tickets directly to the Champions League Group stages or the Preliminary round.

CFU is the only region that still plays a qualifying tourney.