2017 Confederations Cup - Qualifiers, News and Updates [R]

Not in this instance.

 

New Zealand wins their group, Australia comes second in there's and viola!!!

 

As long is that's not the final...

I'll put my ticket up on e-bay, but I have a feeling ticket sales for the final will really go erm... "down under"

 

Probability-wise its more likely that they would meet in a third-place match since that at least wouldn't require either of them to win their group.

 

Kazan really won out with the draw. They of course host a semifinal but also will be the site for Germany v Chile & Portugal v Mexico. Arguably the best match in each group. They got Russia v Mexico too which is probably the best and most important match involving the host nation.

Terrible luck for Saint Petersburg. They might've got the two least attractive matches in each group. Africa v Australia and NZ v Portugal. The only thing duller than NZ v Portugal might be NZ v Russia. And, oh, they got that match too! Ugh!

 

Very difficult to predict.

 

I'd go with sure bet: Egypt. Last three times they qualified to competition they won the tournament.

 

It's down to four:
Burkina Faso - Egypt
Cameroon - Ghana

Most exciting teams of the group stage are heading home: Tunisia, Congo DR, Senegal. Egypt, who is yet to concede, is on course to win fourth title in their last four participations.

 

All gets to be decided between Egypt and Cameroon.....

 

I really like to see a match like Germany - Cameroon. Time for revenge for 2002, where Cameroon had been the better side in the last group match, while Germany won with a player being sent off. I think it was Ramelow.

 

This Cameroon side isn't exactly one of the best in their history ... to put it kindly ... and they're confronted with major challenges. The manager, Broos, experienced plenty of difficulties in his post when dealing with their FA (facing opposition rather than receiving backing) ... 7 or so players declined a call-up ... among those that snubbed Cameroon, Liverpool's Matip is the most prominent ... fans in Cameroon ridiculed their NT ... an unknown Belgian calling up a bevy of poor and sickly players ... also lamenting the lack of support from the FA, a feckless and dysfunctional "organization". Broos has expressed his displeasure but tried to make the best of a bad situation ... the experiences of players with previous staff hasn't always been smooth and he had to convince them that it has improved with the current staff ... the fans have come around ... and as it would be quite an achievement to lift the cup after overcoming adverse conditions, massive celebrations are expected if they indeed pull it off.

 

Wish granted!

 

They have a team of fighters as opposed to primadonnas. They have the grit and determination of old school Cameroon.

Still... looks like once again Africa will send a team to the Confed Cup that won't play at the World Cup (minor miracles adide)

 

goosebumps with all the cameroonians wearing a champions shirt with #17, representing this year of victory... thinking about marc vivien foe rip... stunning... it was his players number until he died on the field 2003.

 

Even though he was well-respected in the past ... Broos has received plenty of criticism in Belgium for being too old school ... an anachronism that wouldn't die ... couldn't even get a foot in the door at lowly semi-pro clubs ... those surviving only because of the grit and determination of their players in the graveyard for clubs that is Belgium's 2nd ... Broos was the perfect manager for these sort of sides. Broos always wanted to prove his detractors wrong and end his career on a high note ... good on him ... and most importantly ... congratulations to Cameroon ... champions of Africa

 

I remember Germany being the better side. Miro Klose, like he was widely known for his dribbling skills , taking on 4 Cameroon defenders to assist the 1-0 already down to 10, then later scoring the 2-0 himself. But Cameroon were decently coached and probably the best African team of this tourney. Apart from that did Germany always have a tough time against African teams and 2-0 is already a good score in that department. Dont ask me why, thats the way it is.

Also: Have in mind that Germany is likely to send the C squad so I dont know if a win against them will be enough to satisfy your needs on taking revenge.

 

Why do you think Germany would field a B team, let alone a C team? Not to mention that if there is a country in the world that can field a C team that is almost as good as its A team than its Germany.

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Before this tournament most people would say this team is Cameroon's B squad... now no one is really sure anymore...

Would Chedjou, Bedimo, Choupo-Moting, Matip, Nyom, Mbia, etc. really improve this team?
Or would they disrupt the chemistry and revert it back to the infighting 2010-2014 team?

Tough call for Broos... I'm sure these players will want to come back, but should Broos let them? (Heck, Broos even benched Nkoulou and Aboubakar for most of the tournament, fitting that they came in as subs in the final and won the game for Cameroon).

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And again Cameroon will represent Africa at the Confed Cup, but because the qualification process in Africa is crap we have 2 1/8 World Cup finalists and the current African Champion in one group, we likely won't see them at the World Cup. Africa need to sort this out. This doesn't happen to any other federation. It will likely happen 3 times in the last 4 confed cups for Africa.

 

I think most CL players wont make the trip which is basically all of the A linup and some B teamers minus Hector. Some players will be injured as usual. If Reus is not injured he will play but he isnt A row anymore. I guess we can expect a team similiar to the Olympics squad which was a U21 with some B squad players. Löw will use this tourney to give youngsters and B teamers international experience. But that isnt even the main goal. The goal is to gather information on the WC 2018 venue like the 2013 US trip was used to get used to the climatic conditions in Brazil.

It is up to your own opinion if you consider Henrichs, Tah, Gnabry, Goretzka, Meyer, Süle, Brandt as strong as the A squad but I would probably not sign this statement

 

if germany lines up a B team, then that is not worth a world champion.

 

Do you know this? Did Low say so?
Also: You're assuming Bayern makes the CL finals... They play Arsenal next... And Bayern have looked more defeatable than ever. Still, sure... loads of German players in other CL squads.

I'm pretty sure I could shout out three starting lineups for Germany of similar strength. The players you mentioned are more like E team.

 

Löw said so more or less yes. At the very least will the players in Spain and England not make the trip. And the players are piling 80 games each season up anyways with silly Fifa wanting more money in the future. It doesnt matter to Löw how far German players make it in CL or in other competitions. Löw wants to rest players who otherwise had a break year between Euro and WC this summer. There is no sense in burning your top stars in meaningsless tourneys like the confed. And it is also a complete non-issue for the home crowd. If Germany wins or goes home after the group stage is completely meaningless like generally losses in friendlies makes no one around here freakout.

They were in the squad against Italy and played to some greater extend. They are in the shopping window for Löw since Rio so yes if you like it or not thats what you can expect.

 

Ok. thanks. Just curious.

 

2017 could very well be the last we see of this useless tourny ... looks set to end, not with a bang, but with a whimper





Germany with a D list squad ... Portugal, 2016 was horrible, at least Greece won a half decent EUROs in 2004, a shame Portugal didn't win that one as they looked much better back then ... if Chile shows the slightest interest, they would be the frontrunners ... whoever bothers with this cup, it could be up for grabs

 

Chile could show all the interest they want and they wouldn't be favorites against Portugal if they field their usual team. Chile would never be favorites against a team that contains Ronaldo, Bernardo Silva, Raphael Guerreiro, Pepe, Joao Mario, Nelson Semedo, Andre Silva, Renato Sanches, Andre Gomes, etc. Only in an absolute dreamland.

Although I wouldn't doubt if you didn't know who half of those young players are, despite all of them being, relative to any player their age in Europe, of the highest caliber.