[Redknapp11]

The Cup won't even be 2 months from it's final match, when the 2009 process starts. South Florida has to be the worst and most bizarre set up amongst all of the other regional qualifiers. The process starts with the Copa Lowe's in November and then into Copa Latina qualifiers at the end of the year.

With the above information being what it is, the FESL has awarded three teams from the 2008 season a berth into the 2009 regional qualifiers which start up in November of '08. The Space Coast Strikers, Palmeiras F.C. & Palm Beach A.S.C. have all been granted berths into the 2009 US Open Cup.

Palmeiras F.C. is full of players out of college and from the area, so they will have a complete team to field. The interesting process will be seeing how the other two clubs work out. With both teams fielding college based players, it will be interesting to see how and when the roster's will be frozen during the qualification process.

[olujosh]

What reason do we have to think that the Copa Latina will actually participate in Open Cup qualifying?

In 2008, they SAID they were going to submit their winner to the tournament, but never bothered to file the paperwork. I'm not even sure they had any intention of participating.

Don't get me wrong, if they DID...it would be great. But I was really disappointed when they bailed on the Florida tournament.

Another sour taste from last year is that I tried to do a story about the tournament, since we thought this could be a great addition to Open Cup qualifying, and they never called me back or replied to any emails. Never. And I kid you not, I probably made about a dozen phone calls, leaving messages with various people...each time, assurred that the person in charge would call me back. Never happened.

[Redknapp11]

Originally Posted by olujosh

What reason do we have to think that the Copa Latina will actually participate in Open Cup qualifying?

In 2008, they SAID they were going to submit their winner to the tournament, but never bothered to file the paperwork. I'm not even sure they had any intention of participating.

Don't get me wrong, if they DID...it would be great. But I was really disappointed when they bailed on the Florida tournament.

Another sour taste from last year is that I tried to do a story about the tournament, since we thought this could be a great addition to Open Cup qualifying, and they never called me back or replied to any emails. Never. And I kid you not, I probably made about a dozen phone calls, leaving messages with various people...each time, assurred that the person in charge would call me back. Never happened.

My bad for the late reply... totally forgot I wrote something about the '09 Open Cup.

As for the folks who run the Copa Latina... couldn't agree with you more. It's truly ashame that a tournament as well supported and funded as the Copa could be run so in the dark. Most teams are in the Copa to win the cup but that's it... no one has the desire or the funds to continue their run any further then winning the cup in Miami.

I've been trying for years to get the folks associated with Copa Latina to make the process easier or in the very least a tournament that isn't based around Dade/Broward country teams. It's bad enough you have to travel down to Miami when you're in my neck of the woods (St. Lucie County 2 hours north) but now it's mandatory to change your club name to one that represents a nation... plus you can't have a duplicate nation either. If we do send a team or two into the Copa Latina...I'm going to make sure we represent one of the more less represented nations such as Iceland or Cyprus... amazing what a joke the process has become down here in South Florida.

Fingers crossed that once the FESL makes the jump from the AAU to USASA that there will be another qualifier based in St. Lucie... and we'd be happy to return your phone calls.

[cleazer]

2009 eh?


We've heard lots of rumbling about MLS looking at ways to ease up on scheduling congestion. Might they change their USOC participation procedure again?

It's possible that MLS will take the month of July off, and have their teams play in other tournaments like the USOC and Superliga during that condensed timeframe.

Another possibility is that MLS won't send all their teams to the USOC. It might be something like teams #1-4 going to the Superliga, and teams #5-14 going to the USOC. (Not saying it'll happen, just saying it's a possibility.)

[narko]

Originally Posted by cleazer

2009 eh?


We've heard lots of rumbling about MLS looking at ways to ease up on scheduling congestion. Might they change their USOC participation procedure again?

It's possible that MLS will take the month of July off, and have their teams play in other tournaments like the USOC and Superliga during that condensed timeframe.

Another possibility is that MLS won't send all their teams to the USOC. It might be something like teams #1-4 going to the Superliga, and teams #5-14 going to the USOC. (Not saying it'll happen, just saying it's a possibility.)

God, I hope not.

Superliga is nothing but a way for SUM and the Mexican teams to flex their pimp hand.

SUM only cares about making money for SUM. That's why MLS teams don't even receive half of the TV money generated by the league!

USOC > Superliga

[GIO17]

Originally Posted by narko

USOC > Superliga

You can't mix apples and oranges here. USOC does not equal Superliga. Superliga is that crap tourney with the FMF clubs. The US Open Cup is our FA Cup and sadly Garber hasn't treated it with the respect it deserves.

They should just stop with the crap Superliga & just concentrate on the two things that makes US Soccer great domestically and to improve internationally. The US Open Cup & the new CONCACAF Champions League. Superliga should be thrown away.

The only reason the TV revenues are so great is because it's on Telefutura/Univision and the Spanish viewers are watching.

[EvanJ]

Originally Posted by cleazer

Another possibility is that MLS won't send all their teams to the USOC. It might be something like teams #1-4 going to the Superliga, and teams #5-14 going to the USOC. (Not saying it'll happen, just saying it's a possibility.)

I'd much rather the bottom MLS teams go to Superliga or it goes away and the top MLS teams go to the US Open Cup.
Combining MLS, USL-1, USL-2, PDL, and USASA, about how many different teams have a chance at qualifying for the US Open Cup?

[scaryice]

I wonder how MLS will qualify teams for the cup next year. Really, they should just invite the top 8 teams rather than waste any time playing qualifiers. Although it's too bad the OC doesn't invite all 14 American MLS teams, that would be the best option.

[Wingtips1]

agreed, the Superliga needs to go away.

in order of importance:
1. MLS - the league is the bread and butter.
2. CONCACAF champs lg
3. USOC

i'd love to see the structure of the cup change to include every professional club, just as it does in the FA Cup in England.

as soon as eastern pa draw is set up, i'll get the info up here.

[Redknapp11]

A little 2009 Open Cup Info...


Florida -- Copa Latina will again use their tournament as the qualification process to enter regional group 3. History is going to repeat it'self as the teams entering are all but carbon copies of years past. No one will be going through via the Copa, including the FESL. The FESL will be entering clubs inconjunction with the USASA as the FESL is expected to move away from their current AAU status. Group 3 Regionals will be in Jacksonville this season, Patton Park will be hosting the festivites. As of now, one FESL team will infact be entering the tournament, the Open Cup darlings themselves, Jacksonville L.I.P.F.C. / DS United.


As of now the regional qualifiers are set be hosted as such :

Four Regional Sites --

LaGrangeville, N.Y.
Stringham Park*

Jacksonville, Fla.
Patton Park*


San Bernardino, Calif.
San Bernardino Soccer Complex

Lawrence, Ind.
Lawrence Soccer Park