So we're in the SuperLiga and CONCACAF CL? I'm excited by both competitions but unless something drastically changes between now and the start of the season, this is not a test we're bound to pass.
Don't forget the Open Cup. We'll be playing around 40 games next season, the coaches' lack of attention towards fitness will surely need to change if we want to make it.
I see the Revs either turning down the invitation alltogether to SuperLiga(LAG can convienetly take it) or fielding US Open Cup first round style squads in the SuperLiga.
Yeah, Ed (edlova) has long been saying that LA will make it due to them being last year's runners up, either bumping us outright or us turning down the invitation. I can see what you're saying, but I'd be pretty upset if we fielded a "Gary Flood & The Gambians" squad in a competition with a million dollars on the line for the winner.
IMO, this is just what the doctor ordered. We can't field 14 players during a stretch of match congestion. Expect: A substantial use of reserves early in the USOC (hopefully they won't go 1 and out). More reserves play in MLS matches, or we make a conscious choice to crash and burn in the CCL or SuperLiga. At least when we cut our reserves after the season, we'll have seen a bit more of what they can do than in the past...
MLSnet - CONCACAF Champions League 2008-09 CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Calendar of Events 2008 End July: All qualification completed, draw for preliminary round 26-28 August: Preliminary Round, First-legs 2-4 September: Preliminary Round, Second-legs Early September: Group Stage Schedule Announced 16-18 September: Group Stage - Match Day 1 23-25 September: Group Stage - Match Day 2 30 September - 2 October: Group Stage - Match Day 3 7-9 October: Group Stage - Match Day 4 21-23 October: Group Stage - Match Day 5 28-30 October: Group Stage - Match Day 6 2009 24-26 February: Quarterfinals, First-legs 3-5 March: Quarterfinals, Second-legs 17-19 March: Semifinals, First-legs 7-9 April: Semifinals, Second-legs 21-23 April: Final, First-leg 28-30 April: Final, Second-leg Eight clubs (two Mexican, two USA, one each from Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador) will be seeded and progress directly to the first round of the CONCACAF Champions League, while the Caribbean slots have been increased to three teams for this event. The remaining 16 teams will be paired in eight home-and-away preliminary match-ups taking place from 26-28 August and 2-4 September. The preliminary round winners will join the other eight seeded teams in the group stage that consists of four groups of four. All the teams in each group will play each other in a round-robin system during six match dates (three home games, three away games) from 16 September - 30 October. The top two clubs from each group will advance to the knock out phase playing home-and-away elimination. The quarterfinals commence in February 2009; semifinals begin in March; and the Finals will take place in late April. So, should we advance to the quarters....Where will our February home match be played???
Quick thoughts: At least one home game, and with a preliminary round win we get 3 more! Those last two match days are in prime time of the MLS playoffs. Imagine flying back from Saprissa to play DC on the road three days later. Yikes!
I hope that's not how it shakes out, but you know what- that's football. Getting that road experience under the belt can only be a positive.
As much as I worry about the teams taking this thing seriously, if they do I think it has the potential to actually become something really good for the MLS and all of CONCACAF. I love the way it is set up. I read somewhere that they would put a Canadian team into the preliminary round, I dont know how they plan to do that but I hope it dosent just mean Toronto FC is always in the prelim.
Fixed! This will be after we've been knocked out because we started Gary Flood and the Gambians, plus all our supplemental picks (trying to find "Noonan's replacement" ya know) in our one-and-done.
I would object. When you're the champions of anything you should give it your all to defend that championship.
Normally (and considering how "seriously" we've taken it in the past) I'd say it wouldn't bother me but we are the reigning champions of something for the first time ever. It is our domestic cup and while it doesn't get the respect (or funding, or coverage) it deserves that's not going to get any better if the reigning champs duck out.
Which "lack of attention towards fitness" is that? The offhand remark from Khano Smith without explanation? Now this is being used as fact? One more thing to bash the team about.
Those who make the group stages will be at a distinct disadvantage in regards to league play. I'll bet they'll let some of the road games get rescheduled past that window, especially if the quarterfinals aren't until 2009. That being said, who the ******** does CONCACAF think they are scheduling six games in six weeks? This will also effect the Mexican League, where there's 9-10 fairly evenly matched teams fighting it out for seedings that actually matter a ton.
I would. I agree with you. I have no idea how Smith meant his comment, so no point in taking it further than we need to.
that's the thing I am worried about. that we'll pull out of these tournaments, which would be a disaster.