I don`t think so. I believe Concacaf has grown, so I expect their teams to surprise more than someone next WC. Not only about USA or Mexico, whom already are up to a great level, but Costa Rica and Honduras, as well (also the reason why Mexico is currently at the "border of a cliff", but probably will make it anyway) . Even in 2010, Honduras was a very tough team to beat, whom also had the bad luck to have a great part of their starters being under injuries, which had them playing the WC, with lots of substitute players (despite this issue against them, they still managed to draw against Switzerland). Besides, Costa Rica despite not making it to the WC, still managed to give Uruguay a very nice playoff for that WC. I expect more achievements by their teams than those from the other Confederations (not including Conmebol or Uefa).
Its hard to guess that, at least for me. Of course there is an other side of the why are Mexico sucking so badly, Costa Rica and Honduras must also have improved a bit to make things so difficult for Mexico. I don't really have anything to really compare when it comes to those teams' results against the better teams, they don't play friendlies often against teams from COBMEBOL or UEFA. Except for Honduras who don't have a great record. I'm not familiar with the local talent from those teams. I still doubt they will make a big impression, teams such as Ghana, Ivory Coast and Nigeria have far better players, maybe Costa Rica can pull a stunt against Algeria but that is all I can see so far. it depends on the group they will get. I think the reason why Switzerland had so much trouble with Honduras was also because Switzerland is generally a counterattacking team and they don't have a great record against teams who bunker in.
Honduras usually isn't the kind of a bunkering team. They take lots of risks attacking, while their defending isn't so strong and very permeable (very similar in weakness to Chile, if you ask me), reasons why they get scored on, many times. During the past WC, the players they were missing due to injuries, were basicly their forwards, which forced them to play in a style which is not usually their style of playing, giving priority to defending instead of attacking, which undoubtly helped every team they faced, play more confortable (btw, Chile also had to deal with problems associated to injuries on key players during the past WC, but in our case our bench was stronger. Unfortunately, for us, this issue became evident against Brazil). If they would've had a full force by then, anything could've happened against them. For the case of Costa Rica, I believe "names" aren't their stronger issue, but the chemistry between each of its players is lots more important. They are a very compact force, and pretty recently (2011) they have even achieved draws against Spain and Argentina (oh yes, friendly games to which many don`t give much importance, but still draws against the current WC champion and one of the contenders to win next WC). Their record against us, is positive on their behalf.
I have been waiting for African teams to take the world by storm but there always seems to be something that explodes in their face. It could just be on the field innocent/naive mental mistakes. Overall Lack of discipline . Group of death draw selections. Disputes between players and corrupt federations. ETC. CONCACAF seems to have less off the field issues and on the field seem to be a tiny bit more disciplined.
I would hope if they expanded they would do more Intercontinental playoffs. If the Euros are better then they will prove it on the field.
I don't expect much from concacaf t I don't expect much from concacaf to be honest, especially with Mexico's poor form. I see one at most making the 2nd round, and I think its very realistic that none qualify for the knockout stages especially if they get tough groups. If you look at the teams they will likely be facing, there are not many that I feel they can match. I don't see where this optimism is coming from. Costa Rica's last WC was 3 straight losses in the easiest group in 2006 Honduras got one point in an average group in 2010 USA did well but had a relatively easy group. Much will depend on the group they get. Even a slightly tougher group than their mediocre group in 2010, and I'm afraid they don't make the grade Mexico is in a current crisis, they could turn it all around, again though if they get a tough group I think they are out after 3 games. I don't think Mexico's form is due to an improvement in concacaf, I think its simply just Mexico going through a crisis.
This made me crack up. Since when does CONCACAF not have off field issues? There was the whole Warner/Blazer thing. Mexican players getting tested for some substance about every other year, and recently one of the Central American leagues was found to have fixed games. I can't remember which one, Guatemala maybe?
Yeah, an "average" group, where one of the teams in it, actually ended being the team that at the end won the WC, and where in the group, that same team whom won the WC, lost its only match of the WC, against precisely the same team against whom Honduras got its only point. Pretty "average" indeed......
Compared to the age scandals, and the reiterative abuse over inelegibility of players usage by diferent teams within the whole confederation, that even till the last day of its Confederation qualifiers nobody was really sure who was going to finally play in the qualifier playoffs of their Confederation, those other issues were like "waves in a teacup". Btw, the OP by Homie, never said there weren't any issues at all. He said there were less of them.
Didn't they miss their best player who played in the Serie A or something? well good team chemistry can only take you so far but I take your word for it. I will be on the look out. I still have my doubts. however. I do know that Costa Rica and Honduras occasionally managed to surprise in the past.
I'll admit that the individual federations of CONCACAF aren't quite as dysfunctional as those of CAF or AFC (even if they're still very far from competent), but the amount of corruption that went on during Warner's reign on a confederation level was pretty much unmatched anywhere else.