https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=88144&perpage=15&pagenumber=1 The schedule isn't out yet, but if you scroll down the thread, all the teams are known.
According to that thread, here's the confirmed field... USA (2 teams) Chicago Fire SJ Earthquakes Mexico (2 teams) Monterrey Pachuca UNCAF (3 teams) Deportivo Saprissa (CRC) CSD Comunicaciones (GUA) LD Alajuelense (CRC) CFU (1 team) CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh (TRI) If I recall what happened in the all-too-brief MLS involvement in the 2003 competition, MLS clubs-- the Quakes included-- faced Mexican opposition far too early on. Here's hoping that Mexican teams will be the opposition in the semifinal stage, at the earliest. Also, Monterrey and Pachuca might not be carrying the traditional fear that Club America and Chivas would, but will nonetheless serve as formidable foes. No word yet on the opening-round draw, but according to this article on CONCACAF's website, the first round proper begins on March 17. One other observation... is it just me, or are there fewer clubs taking part this year, compared to years past?
Concacaf should smarten up and do what FIFA and UEFA do often which is to keep the big teams away from each other till the second stages. Yes its a dirty tactic but hey Yes the tournament has been shortened by petition from Mexican teams. This is good for mls and everyone else. 4 mfl teams is way too much (the semifinals have been mostly mfl, if not mistaken last year it was all mfl)
Dirty tactics, debatable-- but hey, I agree with it, too, just on general principle. It's not just a money-spinning move that would best suit CONCACAF's pockets, but also something would serve to benefit the fans as well. You'd want to see the most attractive matchups late in the competition-- for sake of argument, say, San Jose Earthquakes v Club America? Good for MLS, and the Quakes-- but only via matter of default. MLS teams could, and will, benefit with a smaller field. However, credibility-wise, I think MLS fans would prefer seeing a 16-team field rather than this year's eight-team field. More teams equals more competition, and more quality of opposition as well. Too late to do anything about the '04 competition-- but for the 2005 competition and beyond, maybe this is where CONCACAF should follow UEFA's lead and increase the number of competing teams. I think there might be a way to balance the playing field without involving as many Mexican clubs.... more from MLS and Central America just might get the job done.
I personally like the new format. Mexican teams don't care for this cup and have been getting to the finals with b teams. Now that it has less games it will be less of a hassle and might use their starters more. The less games the better. If you look at the teams in the list (non Mexican) for example san jose, saprissa, comunicaciones, and the others you got good teams there. The list looks pretty good. You basically have all the teams with tradition outside USA/Mexico there (except for Municipal and FAS who are teams with tradition as well but didn't make it) there are not that many good teams in CONCACAF to have a bigger tournament. Like I said if you add municipal and FAS to the list of the champions cup 04 you basically got all the good teams outside the USA/Mexico.
The gist of the matter, cut and dried, is that we have a chicken-and-egg situation with the tournament now, given the Mexicans' abject refusal to enter it (for the greener pastures of tournaments such as the Copa Libertadores, I suppose)... You can't have a prestigious or money-spinning tournament without a large field, and/or you can't have more than eight clubs in this tournament unless there's some sort of pot of gold at the end of the proverbial rainbow to attract them. With the eight teams in the competition this time around, I really love the chances of the MLS teams to win it. If not the Quakes, for whatever reason of the quirkiness of the universe, I'd be full of pride if Chicago won it. However, how much of a competition can it be if there are only eight teams involved? And while this crop of Mexican sides deserves to be there, I'm pretty sure that Pachuca and Monterrey aren't the drawing cards promoters would be licking their lips over in San Jose and Chicago. Sadly, though, this is the state of matters which CONCACAF is in right now-- and having said that, I'm sure either the Quakes or Fire will gain some amount of international prestige or respect in winning this competition, in the same way D.C. United and the Los Angeles Galaxy have done in the past.
not much competition but like I said there are not that many good club teams in north america to have a big tournament like Copa Libertadores. This is the best MLS has when it comes to international competition (until MLS joins Copa Libertadores in a few years)
Agreed. It's not much, but the CONCACAF Champions Cup will do for the moment, and we need to give it our full support (especially when the Quakes are playing in it). It will have to take more money and bigger squads for the day of MLS teams playing in the Copa Libertadores to come to fruition. That will eventually come, even if it seems like a slow, arduous process.
Could someone give me a short competition history? When was it started, what formats were used, who are the past winners?
Busy looking for content regarding that, but I found something else in the meantime that's relevant to Quakes fans, since Pachuca's in this year's competition also... 2002: San Jose hits home just once, losing on aggregate to Pachuca -- CONCACAF website I'll see what else I can dig up. EDIT: Also found this from 2003-- as I believe CSD Municipal are in this year's competition as well... 2003: Municipal fall (to Quakes) 2:1, but late Plata goal still sends them through -- CONCACAF website
How sweet would it be to have another shot at a Guatemalan team, CSD Comunicaciones, and knock them out like CSD Municipal did to us last year?
Guatemala suspended by CONCACAF Apparently Guatemala has been suspended from international play by CONCACAF, see this story at the US Soccerpayers web site.... http://ussoccerplayers.com/latest_s...nal_news/continents/north_america/400788.html This apparently means that Communicaciones will not be playing in the CCC, pending the resolution of the conflict between CONCACAF and Guatamelas soccer association.l
it would be great to the the Quakes or the Fire win it this year...MLS needs both the credibility and the cash it would generate.... what are the chances of having an Eathquake-Fire final?
Re: Guatemala suspended by CONCACAF Thread on Concacaf board: https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=89014 Considering MLS' embarrassing showing in '02 & '03 -- very slim...
Re: Guatemala suspended by CONCACAF Geez, if that ban continues, it also means that we wouldn't get a chance to see El Pescodito in WC Qualifying.
It would be great for MLS-- and the lining of the league's pockets-- if that were to happen. And with a decidedly (and arguably) weaker field in the competition for 2004, I can see such a final happening. However, I'd prefer to reserve judgement on the matter until the draw's actually been made.
Well I hope MLS teams take this competition seriously this year. We shouldn't have gone out to the team we did, neither should have LA. Columbus got absolutely destroyed by a bunch of Moracas Morelia reserves (6-0.) New England played both of their games on the road (which was an absolute embarassement to the league.) What I'd like to see is Concacaf, the USSF, and MLS take this competition seriously. Until that happens, no one is going to care, and that includes the MLS teams that are participating. What incentive, other than personal glory, is there in winning this competition?
TFC (CONCACCAF) should just not put Mexican teams in if they want to head for greener pastures in the copa libertadores. The Cup should then be decided between 16 teams from the US, Caribbean, and Central America. USA 4 (Regular season champion, MLS Cup champion and then the next two highest seeds based on regular season record) Carribean 4 (Jamaica and T&T League Champion and a playoff to decide the other two representatives from the other Carribean nations) Panama 2 (League Champion and runner up) Guatamala 2 (League Champion and runner up) Costa Rica 2 (League Champion runner up) Other Central American countries 2 (playoff decides the final 2 spots via league champions from Nicaragua, El Salvador, &c.) And they can do Home-home all the way through the tourney until the final to be held at the HDC or Columbus Crew Stadium or any other SS stadium in the country