Changes Imminent for future CCLs

Discussion in 'CONCACAF Champions Cup' started by ArsenalMetro, Oct 19, 2016.

  1. dinamo_zagreb

    dinamo_zagreb Member+

    Jun 27, 2010
    San Jose, CA / Zagreb, Croatia
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    Croatia
    Maybe they will award Caribbean champion with a "stage 2" berth while remaining semifinalists qualify to "stage 1"?

    Once they decided to go with something like this - expanding the field by one third - they could've give each of JAM, TRI, HAI direct spot in, at least, first stage. After all, teams from those leagues are constant in last years.

    Cinco mejores campeones de Centroamerica should stand for champs of top five leagues there, right? So, top five CA leagues have three berths each, Nicaragua two, Belize one.


    Anyway, after carefully reading this and from my Spanish knowledge, this is actually Europa League > Champions League scheme. Teams that didn't qualify to CL have to win knock-out style "different competition" (it practically looks like that) to earn spot in elite competition which is also straight knock-out. I really don't like it. We are used to group stage followed by playoff continental cups nowadays. CL, EL, Asian CL and Cup, African CL and Confed Cup, CCL, Copa Libertadores.

    I expected decrease of group stage participating teams and maximizing number of MLSvLMX matches as those leagues draw biggest crowds on stadiums and in front of TV and are most lucrative markets. Instead, we got elimination of group stages which could lead to zero MLSvLMX matches (assuming those are seeded teams or there's some sort of protection in round of 16).

    Concacrap it is. Bravo.
     
    ArsenalMetro repped this.
  2. It's called FOOTBALL

    LMX Clubs
    Mexico
    May 4, 2009
    Chitown
    They'll probably seed the MX and #2 league 1-8, then draw opponents for them, hoping it leads to an all MX/#2 quarterfinals.
     
  3. ceezmad

    ceezmad Member+

    Mar 4, 2010
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Red Stars
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  4. shizzle787

    shizzle787 Member

    Apr 27, 2015
    Connecticut
    Club:
    Juventus FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    There is a simple fix to this. No one likes the group stage so have a 32-team straight-knockout competition with a one-off final. Teams from the same country (or from Caribbean) can't meet in the first round, and the draw is otherwise unseeded. 9 matches to win the competition.
    Access list:
    Mexico- 6 spots
    USA- 6 spots
    Costa Rica- 3 spots
    Honduras- 3 spots
    Guatemala- 2 spots
    Panama- 2 spots
    El Salvador- 2 spots
    Nicaragua- 2 spots
    Belize- 1 spot
    Canada- 1 spot
    Caribbean- 4 spots
     
  5. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    With four rounds in the Spring, either the rounds would need to start earlier (giving MLS clubs a shorter offseason), have fewer off weeks between rounds, or end the CCL later. Of those options I would choose the last one. The 2016-2017 CCL ends 38 days before the 2016-2017 UEFA CL. I think a round could be done in mid-May, with the CCL being over before national team games in June.

    A majority of champions in UEFA start in Qualifying Round 2 and have to win eight rounds to win the Champions League. The teams who play in the Fall of the CCL would also have to win eight rounds to win the Champions League.
     
  6. It's called FOOTBALL

    LMX Clubs
    Mexico
    May 4, 2009
    Chitown
    Paul just posted in this very thread the new format, pay attention.
    The MX playoffs are happening in May, late April is the only chance for the Final. There's nothing wrong with starting phase 2 in early February.

    The 4 MX qualifiers should be the last 3 league champions + the league runner-up with the highest point total among the last 3 short seasons. Thenfor 2018, go back to last 2 champs+ runners up like always.

    I hope the Central American leagues send their best to the Fall phase even if they end up also qualifying for the Spring phase thru their league. The only bright side to this new format is MX's return to the Liberators Cup.
     
  7. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    A club that plays in MLS Cup and a CCL game in early February after that would have an offseason of less than two months when you consider that the club will get together and practice before the CCL. I don't know if MLS players have a guaranteed offseason length in their CBA. Can you imagine if an MLS club was scheduled to play a CCL game in early February but the players boycotted because playing then violated their CBA rights? I don't think MLS or its players would want to play CCL games in early February, and whether you like it or not sometimes CONCACAF gives the USA what they want, like playing Gold Cups in the USA. As a separate issue, the Red Bulls will play their first home CCL Quarterfinal game on February 22, but freezing weather could hurt the attendance. If a Round of 16 was inserted and played 3 weeks and 2 weeks before the Quarterfinal first legs (with 1 week off in between the rounds), the Red Bulls could be hosting on February 1 instead.
     
  8. AlleXyS

    AlleXyS Member

    Steaua Bucureşti
    Apr 22, 2014
    Bucharest
    Club:
    FC Steaua Bucuresti
    Nat'l Team:
    Romania
    somebody don't like matches between mexicans, but this happening due of this format.

    [​IMG]

    In last 5 years of CCL, in top20 are 9 mexican clubs, 4 MLS teams (no Canadian here), 3 teams from Costa Rica, 2 from Canada, 1 from Honduras and Panama.

    Look at no 1, Club America, which in 5 years have only 24 matches. Too few games for the best team in the best competition :) In comparation, in UEFA, Real Madrid have 114 matches and FC Barcelona have 130 in last 5 years in UCL !! So, how can grow up this competition, with only 4 5 matches per team per year (average) ?

    I'm sure, clubs from Costa Rica, Honduras, Canada and USA can play equals against some MX clubs :) but .... to have these result, MX must give some more teams .... to decrease the power of these :) This will help all teams outside MX to gain confidence. Probably all time will exist 3 4 mexican teams which will destroy other teams (America, Tigres, Monterrey) .... but if Mexico will have 6 teams in competition, some teams will be more accessible for others (especially for MLS). For example, against Tijuana or Leon, many teams can obtain good result :) this is one more point which I say is perfect to increase the number at 32 teams and 8 groups of 4 ;) but this is too far :)
     
    jared9999 repped this.
  9. ArsenalMetro

    ArsenalMetro Member+

    United States
    Aug 5, 2008
    Chicago, IL
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Speak for yourself. I see nothing wrong with the old 4-group, 16-team group stage.
     
  10. Paul Calixte

    Paul Calixte Moderator
    Staff Member

    Orlando City SC
    Apr 30, 2009
    Miami, FL
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The main reasons we moved away from it were travel costs (for the smaller teams, even with the $40k CONCACAF travel grants) and time commitment/fatigue (for the bigger ones).
     
  11. ArsenalMetro

    ArsenalMetro Member+

    United States
    Aug 5, 2008
    Chicago, IL
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    I get the practical reasons. I just think the assertion that "no one likes the group stage" is way off base.

    That said, very few people like the group stage now because the three-team group stage is dumb.
     
    dinamo_zagreb repped this.
  12. dinamo_zagreb

    dinamo_zagreb Member+

    Jun 27, 2010
    San Jose, CA / Zagreb, Croatia
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    Croatia
    Exactly. Half of the competition's "lifetime" was with groups of three, people got used to that crap and seeing the crap all the time makes you sick and makes you hate it.

    There was so many options to do with group stages, but it seems like CONCACAF finds other confederation's tournament more important than their own one.

    For instance, my ideas: 24 teams
    1st round 16 teams in 8 ties, home-away, winners progress
    2nd round 8 seeded teams with 8 first round teams in 8 ties, home-away, winners progress
    group stage 8 teams, 2 groups of 4 teams each, home-away round-robin, top two to playoff
    playoff home-away semifinal and final
    14 matchdays (tops), 12 for top teams (seeded ones) as those seem to be disturbed :rolleyes:

    or

    20 teams
    1st round 20 teams in 10 ties, home-away, winners progress
    group stage 10 teams, 2 groups of 5, one-way round-robin with each team plays two home and two away, top two to playoff
    playoff home-away semifinal and final
    11 matchdays instead of current 12.

    I see something like this
    group A
    America, Pumas, Seattle, Saprissa, Arabe Unido
    group B
    Dallas, Red Bulls, Tigres, Olimpia, Alajuelense

    very thrilling and exciting. No Santa Teclas, no Caledonias, no Bayamons unless they do the miracle and kick some top team out.

    62 matches total for the option 1, 56 matches for the option 2. And there are more that I can think of, but these two are those I'd love to see, especially second one as there are less teams involved meaning more concentrated talent and better teams overall, and, important, fewer matchdays (games too) than current format takes.

    This retarded straight knock-out invierno-verano format brings 60 matches with only 8 matchdays for biggest markets and lasts only few months.

    P.S. I'd love to see the faces of masterminds behind all of this :D do they look similar to people here in Balkans that take retarded decisions concerning all aspects of life, not only sports? :ROFLMAO:
     
  13. Paul Calixte

    Paul Calixte Moderator
    Staff Member

    Orlando City SC
    Apr 30, 2009
    Miami, FL
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Well, you're barking up the wrong tree if you start with CONCACAF. I'd suggest the main offices of Univisión and FOX Sports Latin America...
     
    dinamo_zagreb repped this.
  14. shizzle787

    shizzle787 Member

    Apr 27, 2015
    Connecticut
    Club:
    Juventus FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Huh? Are these the champs of the bigger CA countries? In the prelims, there are two spots for them each so are the prelim spots 2nd and 3rd and these stage 2 spots the champs of Costa Rica, Honduras, etc.?
     
  15. Paul Calixte

    Paul Calixte Moderator
    Staff Member

    Orlando City SC
    Apr 30, 2009
    Miami, FL
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Good questions all around - we'll have to wait for the official release from CONCACAF for more clarity.
     
  16. italiancbr

    italiancbr Member

    Apr 15, 2007
    My suggestion would be to make it as quick and painless as possible just to crown a champion for the CWC. Maybe a tiered competition with home and away knockout rounds with no group stage. CONCACAF just has too many obstacles to overcome. The biggest problems obviously are the size of most CONCACAF members, the comparatively low level of interest in soccer in the region, and the lack of parity. No other confederation has those issues other than Oceania. When 14 of the 16 finalists in the CCL have come from Mexico, and 31 members (CFU) contribute three teams to the competition, obviously those are big concerns. How do you get Americans to care about CCL when they can't even be bothered to watch MLS?

    The Copa Centenario was a significant step up from the Gold Cup, right? Why wouldn't a joint CONCACAF and CONMEBOL club tournament be more successful than separate CCL and Copa Libertadores? They can even run separate group stages like the AFC does with East and West Asia and then combine them at some point during the knockout stages.
     
  17. la fresa

    la fresa Member+

    Oct 31, 2005
    texas
    Club:
    Serbian White Eagles
    This x 100000


    Because of all these changes, apparently UANL or Club Americacould be playing in the 2018 CWC.. two years after qualifying for the CCL. This is way too unnecessary especially for concacaf.


    They should just have a tourney in the fall before the CWC involving champions from the previous year. Why does it have to be so complicated and drawn out?
     
  18. It's called FOOTBALL

    LMX Clubs
    Mexico
    May 4, 2009
    Chitown
    Because of the UEFA CL. All confeds want their CL to have close to as many teams.

    Here's hoping there is no Voyagers Cup in 2017, let TFC have the berth. I amend my prev suggestion for mml berths. Just have the 2017 champion take Rapids' current berth. And that's it. The usoc has not been a CCC qualifier in the past. I don't think any fans would mind the SS having less importance for 1 year.

    And again, Central America should send their prev 2 champs to the Fall phase, and Fall league champ to the Spring phase. If already qualified, then drop down to the runner up. Then Fall phase in future years can have the 2 Spring domestic league finalists, with Spring CCL having the reigning champ.
     

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