http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_CFU_Club_Championship So now, the defending champion gets an automatic berth, which is unfair to W Connection, who didn't have that luxury in 2010. Tourneys need to stay consistent with their criteria. The Islanders have an automatic berth to this tourney as defending champs. They double-qualified because they were runners-up in their island's Supercup, so the Supercup 3rd place team snagged that extra berth. One thing I noticed is that Jamaica's road to the 2011-2012 CCL began in 2009, since their 2009-2010 season is a qualifier for this tourney. So their CCL cycle is even more spread out than USA teams' are. Another change from 2010 is that the top 3 finishers from the previous edition among qualified clubs, do not get a 2nd round bye this time. This time, 2nd round byes go to defending champ, T&T champ, Jamaica champ and Surinam champ. Why they picked Surinam champ to get a bye over all the other champs, I have no idea. Hopefully now the CFU can stick to their new rules, instead of having complicated new rules every single year.
It isn't a suprise that T&T got a bye considering that Jack "Crook" Warner is the monarch in this confederation.
Re: 2011 CFU Club Champions Cup ha Thats is in no way the actual format and the Islanders did also win the second berth for puerto rico regardless. PR has three berth not two, had it last year too, why? According to the old fed president "because we asked for it". PR is Jack's new Caribbean golden ticket, with huge potential for making money that other nations don't have Jack is being careful in growing it as a ally. Especially the Islanders since they have such a strong pull in the federation, they just got their preferred candidate elected as president, but also in politics.
Re: 2011 CFU Club Champions Cup ha They have 3 berths? Oh, I figured since it listed the Islanders with the #1 berth, and says 2010 CFU champs after that, that it was because they are defending champs. If wikipedia is wrong, then what's the real format?
Re: 2011 CFU Club Champions Cup ha Until it's officially started play we wont really know, that's the nature of the beast in the CFU.
"Club Championship Advisory" http://www.caribbeanfootballunion.o.../article/496-club-championship-advisory-.html - Applications will be accepted until January 30 - The draw for all rounds on February 2 - Countries are ranked from the results of the past 5 years (of the CFU Club Cup) - There is a mention about it being a "knock-out tournament" but no details. ...Intru: I know what you're saying. Last year (or was it two years ago?) they announced the bracket, but from teams constantly withdrawing, they had to re-bracket it twice. ...And even the Wiki page has disclaimers like "Based on 2010 format, actual format may vary."
The CFU calendar lists the Club Cup on March 9-11 and 18-20; April 12-14 and 22-24, May 6-8 and 13-15; with the finals May 25-29. I'm guessing that the March-April-May dates are three rounds of home-and-home's. http://www.caribbeanfootballunion.o...455-cfu-releases-2011-calendar-of-events.html
What you said makes no sense because T&T had two teams in the top three last year. so based on the new format we lose a bye. And also the last three CL cycles have had one or two T&T teams in it. So why should we not get a bye?
http://www.concacaf.com/page/CL/NewsDetail/0,,12813~2284707,00.html says the tournament will have 15 clubs and has the pairings for the first two rounds which will be played in two legs. Puerto Rico Islanders has a bye to the second round. The Semifinals (May 25), Final (May 29), and Third Place game (May 29) will be in Trinidad and Tobago.
Why ignore this tournament teams from Jamaica and Cuba? This is the same one chance to get in CONCACAF Champions League! Or is it they do not need?
13 teams declined the invitation. That sucks but I guess it means they don't have the money to compete. Hopefully someday all champions within the CFU will compete for the title.
The Cuban Federation always says that them don't enroll teams in this competition for economic reasons
new tournament format coming? The last paragraph says that they will be evaluating the tournament format for the future: http://www.concacaf.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,12813~2294411,00.html
Re: new tournament format coming? The schedule is now set for the first round of the tournament. A couple of things to note: Bath Estate of Dominica and Bassa Sports Club of Antigua and Barbuda have withdrawn from the tournament, giving their opponents (Tempête of Haiti and Alpha United of Guyana) byes to the second round. And for some reason, River Plate Ponce (Puerto Rico) will be playing both legs of their series against Bodden Town in the Cayman Islands. Anyone know why River Plate's not getting a home game (perhaps a protracted punishment for the fracas against San Juan Jabloteh last year)?
Re: new tournament format coming? According to Ricardo Dorsainville of Total Mix Radio (a South Florida-based Haitian radio station), Bath Estate of Dominica was pressured by the players' parents not to accept the risk of exposure to cholera: Translation for non-Frenchies: "The CFU officially confirmed the disqualification of Dominica's club champion from the competition for refusing to play Tempête FC home-and-away. The Dominicans' reason: the cholera epidemic. A Footballers' Parents Association of the Anglophone island situated between Guadeloupe and Martinique formally opposed the idea [of playing the series]. First, the directors of Centre Bath Estate had proposed to the team from St. Marc [Tempête] that they [the Dominicans] would cover plane tickets and other travel expenses in order to play both matches at their place in Roseau, Dominica. The administrative core of Tempête didn't acept the proposal. Faced with the intransigence fo the Dominican team, the CFU had no choice but the exempt the team from St. Marc from the first round of the annual Caribbean championship and eliminate Centre Bath Estate." As for River Plate, the answer for their not having a home game may lie int he fact that a group of Puerto Rican businessmen recently bought a majority share of the club, and are planning on moving it: And for non-Spanish speakers: "The club is also preparing to debut in Fajardo, where construction has already started on a stadium in the terrain next to the Tomás Dones Coliseum. They are hoping that the first phase will be ready this year, with space for 3,500 people."
Re: new tournament format coming? Actually the move was already set before it was bought, The old owner had a tendency for alienating city mayors. From what I have heard they are playing both games there to save money.
First Leg Dandy Town Hornets(Bermuda) - Defence Force(Trinidad & Tobago) 1-1 (J. Swan 22';S. Narcis 30') Newtown United (St.Kitts & Nevis) - Caledonia AIA (Trinidad & Tobago) 0-1 (J. Rochford 53')
Re: 2011 CFU Club Champions Cup ha Wat are you talking about dude. Jack don't like the fact that Puerto Rico is a growing as a threat to T&T. That is why somehow every year he ends up screwing PR out. Look wat happened last year.
Re: 2011 CFU Club Champions Cup ha ...last year a couple of teams had to withdraw from the CFU tournament because they couldn't get visas for their players to enter Puerto Rico. Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago is a sovereign country that can ease visa acquisitions for visiting athletes if they want, especially since Warner's now a minister in the current government. Not saying that he doesn't have a motive to screw Puerto Rico over, but objectively speaking T&T's the more practical choice to host the final round.
Re: 2011 CFU Club Champions Cup ha River Plate PR beat Bodden Town 2-1 on agregate and with only 11 players during both matches, thanks to a visa problem most of the squad encountered when trying to leave Argentina, the 11 players than made it to the Caimanes were does that where in Puerto Rico.
Re: 2011 CFU Club Champions Cup ha Any word on if they'll have a home venue ready for their next series against Alpha United?