That article is nothing but FIFA-Prop. The main reason they cancelled the Confederations Cup is that it was always used as the site rehearsal for the World Cup. They'd use a couple of the main venues 12 months in advance and use the opportunity to train and evaluate the organizing committee staff. They particularly liked using a brand new venue or two, giving them a shakedown cruise using a scaled down FIFA international tournament. But when they moved 2022 to accomodate the slave murderers, woman beaters and homosexual imprisoners in Qatar, they had a problem: they can get away with screwing up Europe's club calendar for one season but there's no way they could get away with it twice. So they'd have to play it the summer of 2021 and a) everyone agrees no one can play soccer in the desert in the summer and b) 18 months in advance is way too early; venues won't be ready, trained, it would accomplish nothing. It wasn't until later that someone decided to claim they were cancelling it because they decided to go with the Club World Cup. It was cancelled because of Qatar.
And I'd rather they just get rid of everything vs having a club world cup. Is anyone excited for a club world cup?
Berhalter's "system" seems pointless for a national team. At the club level, if you have the same group of players together for months, they can be trained to play it. At the national team level, a bunch of passing in your own penalty area is begging for trouble.
Tyler Adams out for the Gold Cup. Big blow for those who were hoping Berhalter would be proven a genius by playing his best midfielder out of position.
Bill—good post. But do you think that, once the 2022 WC is done, that the Confederations Cup will be brought back? I mean, if FIFA is all about the cash, it seems like they would. Lots of tickets to sell in the country hosting the WC the following year; lots of TV eyeballs. And do they really think expanding the Club World Cup is going to bring in as much cash? Who wants to see Real Madrid play Al-ain? Or Auckland City play Raja Casablanca?
So, my curiosity got the best of me. And since I don’t speak German, I went to Google Translate to see what “ber halter” means in German. It translates to “over holder.” How disturbingly fitting, when you consider his relentless persistence in using one formation and the constant selections of Zardes and Trapp in spite of their inability to deliver at the international level.
So, I have the Nicaragua - Costa Rica Gold Cup game in San Jose on in the background. Kind of unbelievable to me how empty their stadium is. I mean, isn’t it kind of a big deal that they’re actually, you know, hosting a game in a tournament that’s always in the US and occasionally in Mexico? And the match they’re hosting is for, well, their own team? And what butt-ugly uniforms the Ticos have.
So the USMNT's opening match of the Gold Cup is at 10PM EDT tomorrow? Great way to generate interest, USSF.
Maybe that’s the idea. Can’t do any damage if nobody is watching! Or perhaps they knew it would conflict with The Crew’s Open Cup game!
I fully admit that I had no idea that Guyana existed prior to our group stages being announced. I am embarrassed.
I was 20 months old when the Jonestown massacre occurred. I might be even less interested in it now than I was then. I far prefer the ritual suicides of the Far East by artists like Yukio Mishima. YMMV....