[AriesFlame]

What if the USSF were to propose a "Great 8"-type exhibition featuring the Elite eight World Cup teams. Would the other 7 teams go for this? Might it take place in a light-scheduled year?

[SparkeyG]

Close, they call it the Confederations Cup. And if you read the threads over on the FIFA Competitions board, you'll learn that not everyone thinks this is a good idea.

I, on the other hand am hoping the US will host the 2003 edition of this Cup.

[Sweeper]

Originally posted by SparkeyG
Close, they call it the Confederations Cup. And if you read the threads over on the FIFA Competitions board, you'll learn that not everyone thinks this is a good idea.

I, on the other hand am hoping the US will host the 2003 edition of this Cup.

France is hosting it, lets hope for 2007 after a semi final showing....

[appoo]

Originally posted by Sweeper


France is hosting it, lets hope for 2007 after a semi final showing....

In 98 France won with a stand-out defense and an incredible effort from Zidane. In 2002, with an aging they showed their weakness, mid-field depth. With out Zidane and Robert Pires out there to QB things, france at times were just basically punting the ball back and forth and not getting the ballt to Henry and Trezuget in dangerous postions. I think this tournament will bring out most countries young star-power. Cisse of France, Conor Casey, Kyle Martino maybe perhaps for USA, i forget if Argentina is in this thing but if they are then they will have Saviola. But i don't think the hosting matters as much in this.

[Maczebus]

Originally posted by AriesFlame
What if the USSF were to propose a "Great 8"-type exhibition featuring the Elite eight World Cup teams. Would the other 7 teams go for this? Might it take place in a light-scheduled year?

Other posters have said that this already exists in the form of the Confederations cup. I know what they are getting at but that simply isn't the case. With all due respect, a 'Great 8' cup would simply be a Europe v. South America affair.

And nowadays no year is light-scheduled where the world's top players are concerned. Many of the players involved in this new cup would have already played anywhere between 40 and 50 domestic matches (barring injury) plus the inevitable European club matches (another 10-20 matches).
The top clubs in Europe have far more power than their respective governing bodies. They wouldn't be willing to tell their best players to go and play in a relatively meaningless cup, if the top players were given a choice, they would undoubtedly choose the extra rest time.

And further to the Confed cup issue, isn't UEFA pulling out of it in the next few years? That, together with the re-formatting of the Champions League system, is indicative of the fact UEFA are trying to decrease the size of the fixture list, not increase it.

[Theo]

has it been officially announced that France will host? i'd love to see it in the USA (but maybe a trip to France is in line)

[kevbrunton]

The Confed Cup isn't what the original poster was after (I don't think).

When he said Elite Eight, I believe he was using American NCAA basketball terminology for the final 8 teams in the tournament -- in other words, the 8 quarterfinalists from this years WC to play an exhibition tournament next year.

I think that this would be a great idea and I think that it's something that would sell well.

Put 4 teams in 1 group. Have them play a double header somewhere in the east and another double header somewhere in the midwest. Put the 4 teams in another group and have them play a double header in the northwest and a double header in the southwest. Just two games per team that way. Put them in huge stadiums and all the teams would make good money.

There should be some stipulation that they have to bring a certain number of their top team players or they get less money. It would seem to me that a lot of the feds would jump at the chance to bring in some big bucks -- Brazil, Korea, Turkey, Senegal.

[Maczebus]

Originally posted by kevbrunton
There should be some stipulation that they have to bring a certain number of their top team players or they get less money. It would seem to me that a lot of the feds would jump at the chance to bring in some big bucks -- Brazil, Korea, Turkey, Senegal.

I wouldn't happen.
You simply can't force players to represent their country.
The reason they do it in WCQ/WC/EC etc. is because the tournament means something. A great 8 tournament would still be a 'friendly' tournament.
Who actually decides whether a player is a top player or not, and how?? Stipulations like this would be impossible to police.
As I said previously, top European clubs have far more power than National federations when it comes to this. No federation can force someone to play in a meaningless tournament that they don't want to play in, particularly when the clubs are practically telling the players to stay at home.

Sure you'd get the whole US squad, most of the Korean squad and Senegal might want to get some practice (though remember that they all play in France - or did until Liverpool bought a couple, which just strengthens what I've already stated), getting the top players from clubs that Turkish and more importantly Brazilian players play for, would be nigh on impossible. And as for the other teams involved, chances that the teams provided will resemble anything like those in WC 2002, are between slim and none.

Even if you do get the 8 teams competing in this cup, the general feeling of the WC wouldn't be there. The urgency wouldn't be the same because the prize is nowhere near as great.

But on the other hand maybe this would give the US team and more importantly their delusional fans, the prime opportunity to win the world cup which they crave so prematurely for.

[Postmaster]

Originally posted by Sweeper
France is hosting it, lets hope for 2007 after a semi final showing....

FIFA had previously announced that the host announcement would be announced on 9/23/02. I haven't been able to find anything about it being announced early. If you have a link, please provide it.

The conventional wisdom had been South Africa. The recent rumors have been France. I think the US still has a shot to host.

The international calendar is already viewed as too crowded and the trend is in the other direction, so I don't think a "low prestige" country [let's be real, that is the common global view] could be successful in creating an ad hoc tournament of the elite countries. I doubt that Brazil could pull this off.

[rob88]

This idea would be electrifying