World Youth Championship postponed - could seriously impact United FIFA announced today that is is postponing the World Youth Championship for U20 teams. http://www.fifa.com/Service/MR_A/52335_E.html No date has been set for a new tournament. However, unless it is after MLS Cup, whenever it is could seriously impact United as three of the team's starters are members of United - Bobby Convey, Santino Quaranta and Devin Barclay. As it was, those 3 would have missed most of preseason but would likely have only missed one game, at the most, of the MLS regular season. Now, they could miss several games, depending on A) when the new date for the tournament is and B) how long of a training camp Thomas Rongen wants the boys together. If the tournament is held in the summer, at the same time as the Confederations Cup or Gold Cup or Pan-Am Games (U23 team), it could really put a dent in United's roster. And, if they play it in the fall, it could obviously impact the playoff run. Granted, other teams like the Metros (Clark, Magee) and Burn (Johnson, Stone) are impacted as well, but it seems like United could feel this one the most. Basically, when a new date is up to the whims of FIFA but don't expect them to be partial to any impact the rescheduling has on MLS as I'm sure most of the FIFA members see the US (the government, not the soccer team) as the reason this is rescheduled to begin with. (I'm not saying that as an attempt to make a political statement, it's just the likely reality of how the US is percieved.)
http://www.planetfootball.com/article.asp?id=135917&cpid=219&title=Fifa+postpone+Youth+championships This really sux for Convey, Santino, Devin, Mapp and the many other kids. -Tron
Quite possibly it means cancellation. I do not believe that delaying this will make anything more safe in the UAE, so the only option for actually playing the game is to move it. FIFA may characterize it as a "delay" to move the game one or even two years away, but it would mean different players by that age category, so it would be the same effect as cancellation. I'm pessimistic at this point that the game will happen at all in the UAE. While it's possible the location could be changed, FIFA did sign a big promotional contract with UAE Airlines (or somesuch local airline) so there is now a large financial disincentive to moving it. -Tron
It could happen later in the year. I agree that I wouldn't really want to have it in a country with a large war going on in its backyard (Not to mention the likely large anti-western protests)
At the US Adult Soccer Association (USASA) meeting in San Diego in February, Dr. Bob indicated that we were pushing for a postponement until November of this year. He said at that time that FIFA would honor its contracts to hold the event in the UAE. Looks like we got our preference, at least in general terms. Steve Long www.cybersoccernews.com
It stinks for the kids, but the kids need to go no further than Pennsylvania Avenue to see why it is postponed. It is a very scary time to be an American abroad when your not high profile, and these kids would be out there in the red white and blue. I'm sure all of their parents breathed a little better for the first time in a while.
Don't know why they postponed it. Bombs start dropping next Thurs, troops go in on the 17th, war over by the 20th. Let the occupation begin!
perhaps one good thing that might come out all of this is that Rongen has a little bit more time to convince zak whitebread to get on the stick and get capped. that is if he's not waiting out to get capped by englander, which is a stretch.
I can't see the tournament being rescheduled for later this summer as it will be too hot in the UAE. I can imagine as Tron says that the tournament gets scrubbed completely, but otherwise I can see a winter date being set, depending on the damn war. Thinking further... the only chance I see the tournemnt happening this summer is if it's moved to some other country. So far Blatter has said that he wants to keep it in the UAE though.
Exactly. Honestly though I wonder about the decision to schedule it in the UAE at all. Not exactly the most stable region of the world.
The traditional war yes. The war on America from all the countries we alienate will just be beginning. Hell even the Brits now want more time for inspections. Anyway, I agree with THamlin it's like scheduling the Maccabi Games on the Gaza Strip.