[due time]

I just spent a week in Japan and stumbled upon the following thought. How about a Copa America type tourney just for Pacific Rim nations? US, Korea, and Japan really shined in the WC and are obvious up and comers on the international scene. Add in perennial Mexico, journeyman Australia, Canada, newcomers China, maybe New Zealand and all the Central American countries. Not quite the European Cup, but not bad either, and certain to grow in stature as the center of the world moves from Europe/US East Coast to West Coast/Asia.

It seems to me most of these countries would welcome a prestigious regional tournament that at least some level would compete with the European Cup and Copa America.

Really, is such an idea feasible? Likely?

[babytiger2001]

I like it.

In fact, at the risk of being self-promoting, I was at a press conference last week in Melbourne prior to the Leeds v Colo Colo friendly, and new Leeds coach Terry Venables brought up an idea such as this, even in a roundabout fashion, something which I wrote a feature on for the website I work for.

As a former Socceroos coach, he bemaoned the fact that outside of the Oceania Nations Cup, OFC mamber nations such as Australia need to play in more "important competitions" like the one you're suggesting, as well as being being invited as a guest team for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the Asian Cup, Copa America, and so on and so forth...

And the same advantage can be had for other countries, too, such as the USA and Mexico, for example...

I'd say give it a trial run-- if confederations such as the OFC and the AFC, as well as CONCACAF, can seem to fit it into the international calendar, there's no reason why it can't be done.

Cheers,
William

[Dixie]

Just as long as American Samoa is invited. If Austrailia can put 31 goals in the back of the net vs them I'd like to the US pad their international stats a bit.

[appoo]

unfortunatly its jaded to different areas. CONCACAF and OFC, most of asia gets ignored. You also have to wonder about hosting and then revenue sharing. Plus when would you play it? The FIFA schedule is already packed. Don't get me wrong, i'd love to see it happen, but unfortunatly i'm thinking it'll only happen in my Fifa 2002.

[LMoroney]

Great idea.

I think they do somehting like that in Rugby already too...

:L

[Neutral Fan]

I would call the tournament "The Ring of Fire Cup."

[BaltimoreYankFan]

Would the new country in the world be able to play- East Timor? I can't wait to see this Cup- Tonga v Peru, Fiji v Bhutan, Brunei v Canada, Cook Islands v Panama, Guam v USA..haha

[dsylvest]

players selected for their national teams and heading for that tourney would said to be "...off to do a Rim job."

Yeah, that's perfect.

[dfb547490]

How about open it up to all teams who have a coastline on the Pacific Ocean. So if you want a 16-team tournament, you're talking (seeds based on WC and WCQ performance or lack thereof):

1st seeds: USA, South Korea, Japan, Mexico
2nd seeds: Ecuador, Costa Rica, China, Russia
3rd seeds: Australia, Colombia, Peru, Guatemala
4th seeds: Canada, El Salvador, Chile, New Zealand


Russia would probably be too bogged down in European competitions and would decline the invitation, so you replace them with, say, Vietnam as a 4th seed--New Zealand or Canada becomes a 3rd seed and Australia becomes a 2nd.

Any country eligible to compete can host the event, but all host cities have to be within 200 miles of the Pacific Ocean. This is good because when the US holds our qualifiers where we get pro-US crowds (East coast) we can point to this when the argument about the West coast not getting any games pops up.


Alex

[nicodemus]

Originally posted by dfb547490

1st seeds: USA, South Korea, Japan, Mexico
2nd seeds: Ecuador, Costa Rica, China, Russia
3rd seeds: Australia, Colombia, Peru, Guatemala
4th seeds: Canada, El Salvador, Chile, New Zealand

I know you stated WC experience as affecting the seeding, but Australia and Columbia both would likely qualify over any of the 2nd seeded teams, Costa Rica and Russia could be problematic though. If WC experience really plays in, then New Zealand would rank ahead of some of these (Australia included) because they were the last OFC team to make it to the WC.

I think the tourney would be fun, but what a logistical nightmare it would be. I take it everyone suggests that it all be played in one country. Flying to the other side of the world is draining when you have nothing to do. I can't imagine doing it for an international level soccer match.

It will likely never happen, but it would make for some interesting matchups.

As someone mentioned earlier, it should definately be called "The Ring of Fire" Tournament. (Cool IMAX movie if you haven't seen it.)