2010 proves to be one of the most important years in Puerto Rican soccer history. With many events happening this year, it is going to be vital for the improvement and recognition of soccer in the island. Puerto Rican soccer President JOE SERRALTA should take these events seriously if he really wants improvement for Puerto Rico. 2010 Events: - March/April: Digicel Caribbean Championship Knockout Round: Qualifying for 2011 Gold Cup. -April 1-9: CFU U-20 : Qualifying for 2011 FIFA Under 20 World Cup -July 17-31: Central American and Caribbean Games held in Mayaguez, PR Caribbean Championship: This will be the most important for the Senior level; as it is the first step into qualifying for the 2011 Gold Cup; This will be a home and away series against most likely a caribbean team. For Mr. Serralta he must allready choose a coach with preperation for these qualifiers. Mr. Serralta has allready stated that he wants to compete and QUALIFY to the 2011 Gold Cup as he stated below http://www.primerahora.com/diario/noticia/futbol/accion_deportiva/con_la_mira_en_la_copa_de_oro_2011/318405 CFU U-20: I believe that this a competition that PR needs to keep participating in. Thier is a strong group of guys that are available from the last u-20 team that underachieved in Cayman Islands in 2008. Also thier are a few members of the NY Red Bull Academy team and other Academy teams that are of PR descent that can make this team a strong one. It's up to the scouting services to find those players, which thier are many! The following players available: Joel Rodriguez: 8-7-1991 Manuel Mazo: 3-15-1991 Jerry Luna: 5-30-1991 Jose Sandoval: 1-15-1991 Central American and Caribbean Games: These games are going to be held on Puerto Rican soil. [Mayaguez]. The competition is going to be under 21 competitioin-players born on or after january 1 1989. The team thats going to represent PR in this competition is considered to be the "Golden Genereation". There are abundant of players available that are excellent. Led by PR Islander Andres Cabrero. The following players available: Anthony Vazquez: 3-12-1989 St. Johns University Steven Ehrichs: 9-11-1989 Hofstra University Fernando Gonzalez: 6-6-1989 University of South Florida Christopher Feigenbaum: 11-4-1989 University of Central Florida Nicholas Ramirez: 9-6-1990 University of Villanova Antonio Pacheco: 3-4-1989 Guaynabo Fluminense[PRSL] ANDRES CABRERO: 1-4-1989 Puerto Rico Islanders Please Mr. Serralta, dont mess up.
So the Digicel Caribbean Championship changed formats and is starting about 4.5 months earlier in 2010 than it did in 2008, which is possible because in 2008 CFU countries also had WCQs. Wikipedia doesn't say when the draw for the tournament will be. I went to Hofstra University like one of the Puerto Ricans.
well the first knockout rounds are in march/April but the final tournamet is going to be held in November
I know. In 2008 the tournament started with five groups the first of which started in late July, about 4.5 months earlier than mid-March. My guess is that the four groups will have four teams each for a total of 16 and that some teams will get a bye and not have to play in a knockout round depending on how many countries and areas that are not countries enter the competition. My guess is that the top two in each group will advance to the Final Round which will have 8 teams and the same format as the CFU Tournament in 2008 and Confederations Cup. That wouldn't leave room to give the Final Round host automatic entry to the Final Round though. Taking four group winners and three out of four second place teams would be kind of strange but possible.
Puerto Rico are currently ranked 13th in CFU (probably 15th if we remember that Guadeloupe and Martinique are not ranked by FIFA and are better than Puerto Rico) - in fact, maybe even 16th if we count French Guiana. In those circumstances, even qualifying for the 8-team CFU finals would be a success, never mind the Gold Cup. The last (and only) time Puerto Rico even managed to qualify for the Caribbean Cup final tournament was in 1993. In qualifying, they won a 4-team group in Guyana without conceding a goal (1-0 v Barbados, 2-0 v hosts Guyana, 4-0 v Cayman Islands). In the finals in Jamaica, they won 1 and lost 2 and failed to reach the semi-finals. (W 3-0 v Sint Maarten, L 1-0 v Jamaica, L 1-0 v Saint Kitts & Nevis).
your right but your going to be suprised how good this team is in the near future... besides i dont think martinique, Guadalupe or French guiana can tie Honduras as PR did
Yes, Puerto Rico is definitely at a different level just now from what they were in the past, and I think that they do have an excellent chance of getting to the Final 8 in the Caribbean. But they will have to perform very well to reach the semi-finals and get to the Gold Cup. Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago I think are better than PR at the moment, then you have Haiti, Cuba, Guadeloupe, Martinique all close behind. It'll be hard to break into that group. Also, lest we forget, 17th June 2007 - Guadeloupe 2-1 Honduras at the Gold Cup.
When are the tryouts for the Puerto Rican U20 national team? i heard that they are in January but i'm not sure can someone help