SAFF Thread

Discussion in 'Asian Football Confederation' started by druryfire, Jul 10, 2009.

  1. Fureeku

    Fureeku Member

    Feb 9, 2011
    Maldives
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Maldives
    I think what he was trying to say was that the SAFF Championship would get too bloated and take out the competitive spirit between the South Asian nations. Personally I think its a load of rubbish. For an example, Bhutan can keep on playing for the next 100 years without improving as they do not have the infrastructure to even host international matches, let alone a tournament. So what shall the rest of the South Asian nations do? Keep on whipping wee little Bhutan or take on bigger fish like the CAFF nations on a regular basis? I would choose the latter in a heartbeat.
     
  2. Arsenalkid700

    Arsenalkid700 Member

    Aug 9, 2011
    New York City
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Agree. I mean I hear all the time from people in Nepal, Maldives etc that they will be a super power in Asia soon and make World Cups... well first see if you can handle CAFF nations. It will only make them stronger.
     
  3. Fureeku

    Fureeku Member

    Feb 9, 2011
    Maldives
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Maldives
    If ever a World Cup is held to see who boasts the most, Nepal and Maldives will meet in the final. We'll probably beat England en route, most probably in the semis.
     
  4. edrees

    edrees Member

    Nov 28, 2005
    Uzbekistan being involved into SAF/CAF would only benefit them and would benefit CAF nations as a whole. Do they have any regional cups they play? any friendlies or any kind of competitive games they play unless its WCQ or Challenge cup? so it will only benefit all of them nations.

    And Uzbekistan being one of the better teams in Asia, will only benefit by giving there youth exposure to regional tournaments. Good Example was said about Australia, they send there youth teams to ASEAN tournaments and they scrape wins... (still benefits them)..

    But in all seriouseness- if only AFC would read this thread, i doubt that this will happen in the near future..
     
  5. Fureeku

    Fureeku Member

    Feb 9, 2011
    Maldives
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Maldives
    Anyone know what's going on with the 2012 Nehru Cup? Media sources in Maldives are saying that Philippines, Bahrain and Maldives have accepted their invitations to participate in the tournament. India are the hosts, of course. As I type this, they are saying that Syria and Jordan have also confirmed their participation, but there's nothing about this on the AIFF website.

    The tournament is scheduled to be staged from 23rd August to 2nd September. Invitations have also been sent to Cameroon, Nigeria, Zambia, as well as Thailand, Costa Rica and Malaysia.
     
  6. jonny63

    jonny63 Member+

    Feb 17, 2005
    Norway
    Philippines is going on a 15 day training camp in USA , they will not be in Nehru Cup.
     
  7. Arsenalkid700

    Arsenalkid700 Member

    Aug 9, 2011
    New York City
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    No one is certain. What everyone at the Indian Football Forum have come up with is that many sources will just say what they hear instead of reporting hard facts. Keep in mind that this will only be a 5 team event and if all sources are followed than this would be a 12 team affair.
     
  8. Arsenalkid700

    Arsenalkid700 Member

    Aug 9, 2011
    New York City
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Zhang Jilong is to busy insuring that the Eastern nations are dominating the region in the hope that we can have an Asian World Cup winner.
     
  9. jonny63

    jonny63 Member+

    Feb 17, 2005
    Norway
    I have to correct myself. Romour that Philippines will shorten USA training camp and participate in Nehru Cup. Nothing official yet
     
  10. Pelefan

    Pelefan Member+

    Mar 17, 1999
    Chicago
    It is possible that the Philippines may have decided to accept the invitation as soon as they received it, and are now planning to cut short their stay in the US considering that this tournament will be against FIFA sides and not just MLS or USL clubs and therefore is a better preparation for the SEA games as well as an opportunity to gain FIFA ranking points.

    My guess is that India now has to decide who among this countries who accepted their invitation will be allowed to participate in the tournament. I presume that they will want to avenge their defeat in the AFC Challenge Cup, so the Philippines should receive some consideration in that respect.
     
  11. Pelefan

    Pelefan Member+

    Mar 17, 1999
    Chicago
    Acc. to one Philippine media source, the Philippines have accepted verbally the invitation and are just awaiting for the official written invitation which they will formally accept. In that publication the countries involved are host India, Philippines, Jordan, Kenya and Syria, none of which of course can be verified as the official participating countries. Personally I think the Indians would like to have a rematch with the Philippines, especially now that they have a new experienced coach in the person of Dutch Coach Koevermans so I think they stand a good chance of being one of the teams.
     
  12. Arsenalkid700

    Arsenalkid700 Member

    Aug 9, 2011
    New York City
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    According to the Times of India it will be Jordan, Syria, and Kenya along with India and 1 more team unconfirmed but the AIFF want Cameroon.

    Now I am trying to understand the logic in this but okay.
     
  13. Pelefan

    Pelefan Member+

    Mar 17, 1999
    Chicago
    The logic being that those countries are higher ranked and pedigreed football countries than the Philippines. If I were the AIFF, those certainly are countries I would consider. But on the other hand, India might not win a single game in their own tournament. That would not be a good idea if you want to promote your sport back home. You should at least get a team that is close enough in strength to your side, so that the chances of winning is achievable with the added incentive of being able to avenge a recent defeat and I think the Philippines would fit the bill.
     
  14. edrees

    edrees Member

    Nov 28, 2005
    If you look at the current Fifa Rankings, India are at 163, 32 in AFC. now according to me they arent the best of national sides (even though there is a great push, and alot of money being thrown to make them a force). They should opt in trying to lower there heads, start getting their grassroots better, start making the IPL a better league, and also maybe allowing dual citizenships to allow foreign Indians with different styles of play to play for India and make them a stronger nation.

    Afghanistan was also aparently invited to the Nehru Cup after their great performance in the SAFF Cup but not much mention of them in media reports these days..

    If you look at the aparent teams competing
    India - 163rd
    Jordan - 84th
    Kenya - 125th
    Syria - 132nd
    Cameroon - 59th
    Philippines - 152nd
    Bahrain - 103rd
    Maldives - 164th
    Afghanistan - 162nd

    Now i understand there is alot of discussion with the fifa rankings and its based on the last 4 years performance etc, but it is still the basis of how strong a nation is.. Of that group of 9 nations, they are 2nd last..

    If I were AIFF, i would invite teams which a ranked above India definitly however would not invite the Cameroon's, Bahrain's, Jordan's as they are way to strong for India. I would invite Cyprus, Rwanda, Singapore, New Caladonia, Kazakhstan, and also throw in Afghanistan or Philippines or Maldives...
     
  15. Pelefan

    Pelefan Member+

    Mar 17, 1999
    Chicago
    Acc. to this article the AIFF prefers to have 2 Asian and 2 African sides in the Nehru Cup along with host India, with Syria and Jordan the most likely Asian candidates:

    http://arunfoot.blogspot.com/2012/07/who-will-participate-in-2012-nehru-cup.html

    They apparently sent 10 invitations to teams in Asia and Africa, which is causing all the confusion, and it looks like they decided to choose the strongest sides among those who accepted the invitation although from what I have read the other teams will not send their strongest sides as the tournament is outside the FIFA calendar. Jonny made a comment in that article, that he was informed that the Jordan FA is only planning to send their U-19 team.
     
  16. jonny63

    jonny63 Member+

    Feb 17, 2005
    Norway
    Yes, Jordan FA emailed me that they have confirmed going to Nehru Cup but with a U19 NT.
    I am not sure how India will respond to that, I am not sure if they want a U19 team in Nehru Cup
     
  17. druryfire

    druryfire Member

    Sep 10, 2007
    England
    Last Nehru Cup they had a right little fit when squad lists came forward. in 2009 they wouldn't accept any team that wasn't senior.

    Syria have played in the last two comps, so I would say dead cert to be in again.
     
  18. Arsenalkid700

    Arsenalkid700 Member

    Aug 9, 2011
    New York City
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Now you know why I, personally, hate the Nehru Cup. It is right before club season and the teams will never bring there real team.

    Will Cameroon really bring in Alex Song and Samuel Eto?
     
  19. jonny63

    jonny63 Member+

    Feb 17, 2005
    Norway
    No FIFA match dates , if Cameroon participate it will be just local players playing in Cameroon league
     
  20. Arsenalkid700

    Arsenalkid700 Member

    Aug 9, 2011
    New York City
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    Exactly. If the AIFF were smart we would take advantage of the market place India is and convert the Nehru Cup into a 4-team club competition during the pre-season in Europe. Imagine Manchester United, FC Barcelona, AC Milan and India XI. That would be a great competition and better marketing for Indian football than this Nehru Cup.
     
  21. edrees

    edrees Member

    Nov 28, 2005
    As i said before, Nehru Cup is a great exposure for India. But they are trying way to hard to invite strong nations, and as Jordan's example, the stronger nations dont see India as much of a threat nor playing gaining any advantage over playing against them (India). Its the AIFF's fault in trying to invite strong nations, step back a bit and invite teams that will provide India a test and will be a low margin. At the end of the day, India went to Asia Cup through the backdoor of playing minnow nations in the Challenge Cup. Take a step back, develop the youngsters and organise games against nations ranked still in the 100s..
     
  22. Arsenalkid700

    Arsenalkid700 Member

    Aug 9, 2011
    New York City
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Exactly but they dont think like that. The AIFF is a crazy organization which have only done 2 good things over the last year and that is hiring Papas and Wim for the u23s and seniors respectively. Other than that, WTF have they done.

    And I know we need exposure so why not convert to a club competition. Clubs are currently in pre-season and clubs like Man U and Barcelona would love to play here and gain fans and at the same time we could enter an India XI (like Malaysia XI) so the Indian players get known to.
     
  23. druryfire

    druryfire Member

    Sep 10, 2007
    England
    If European clubs would love to play there, then it must be said, why aren't they going their now? I don't see how a firendly cup competition would make it any different?

    Nehru Cup for me has a history and maybe shouldn't be touched?

    AIFF, all they need to do is get on the phone to the English FA and ask for the Premier League Trophy competition to be held there, it's worked for Malaysia, HK, Thailand.

    It all depends what AIFF are about. It seems they will push through the Nehru Cup even with good or bad sides rather than think about it. But to get a Jordan team in wouldn't be so bad, even if it was a U19 or U21 side, who in AIFF can dictate what sides Jordna can bring with them for example?

    Real challenge for India is geting Nehru Cup played with teams currently around their ranking with different styles and then getting games against better sides, but that will only happen if they go to them, not them to India.
     
  24. Arsenalkid700

    Arsenalkid700 Member

    Aug 9, 2011
    New York City
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    Teams like Manchester United, Inter Milan, and FC Barcelona tried to get into India before. Sporting Portugal have announced there interest after signing Sunil Chhetri and Bayern Munich have a great interest as well.

    Going back to Man U, Inter and Barca. They tried to play each other in India this summer but they did not get consent by AIFF and by the time they told AIFF it was past a deadline.

    So there are clubs willing to play in the cup and honestly as time goes on the Nehru Cup will become nothing for India except that tournament the I-League clubs will hate because it hurts the ending of pre-season and the clubs in Europe wont give there players.

    Make it a summer club competition. Almost like the World Football Championship in United States.
     

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