wow the four american MLS teams got a nice draw funny how they all avoided mexican teams.
wow the four american MLS teams got a nice draw funny how they all avoided mexican teams.
They announced long time ago that no Mexican or American teams will be in the same group in the new format.
http://www.concacafchampions.com/pag...797493,00.htmlNo team will be drawn into a group with a club from its own country, with the possible exception of CD FAS, a wildcard team which qualified in the berth allocated to Belize. Belize's berth was revoked because the country lacks a stadium that meets the tournament's minimum standard requirements. The teams from the United States and Mexico also will not face each other in the Group Stage.
The Salvadoerean Primera Division is junk though. Only 10 teams and 6 of them play in stadiums with 10,000 or less capacity. The 3 Canadian MLS teams are better quality then any of their teams, FC Edmonton can probably hold their own as well.
So a 10 bad team league gets you 3 spots so that they can serve as group punching bags.
While having 3 quality teams that can consistently compete for knockout round competition gets you 1 spot.
I must have missed that little tidbit when I read about the changes to the format. What a load of crap that no American teams can play Mexican teams. Does anyone know if they ever gave a reasonable reason for this? (Besides the obvious conspiracy theory to make the American teams last longer in the competition to make more money). I agree with separating the teams from the same countries but can't think of a reason to separate US and Mexican teams. I guess they are trying to avoid creating a group of death or something. If so that is crap because that is all part of the draw.
You've got to be kidding me. How in the world did LA get such an easy drawing!?
They did create a group of death - ours. You'd think the third team in our grouping would be a doormat, but instead it's the Salvadorean National Champions. CONCACAF is stacking the deck against TFC to make sure there is no repeat of this past year's run. I say screw them and prove them wrong.
Look at it this way, if we get out of this group we've already dropped the big dog in the tournament. I wouldn't want it any other way.
A US team in the later stages will earn much more money on Mexican TV (and on Spanish language TV in the US) than a matchup against TFC. Who cares about gate revenue when you have TV revenue?
It's all setup for US vs Mexico semis and finals.
Exactly. it's all about the $$$$$$$$.
Last edited by Oldtimer; 06-05-2012 at 02:30 PM.
We draw Santos
http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2012/06...santos-rematch
GlenM
"You play to win the game"
Herm Edwards - Former NFL Coach
This 3 team format is going to create a lot of bunker ball on the part of the B and C pot teams.
TFC got by far the toughest draw of all MLS teams though.Group 1
Santos Laguna (MEX)
Toronto FC (CAN)
Aguila (SLV)
Group 2
Herediano (CRC)
Real Salt Lake (USA)
Tauro FC (PAN)
Group 3
Olimpia (HON)
Houston Dynamo (USA)
FAS (SLV)
Group 4
Seattle Sounders FC (USA)
Marathon (HON)
Caribbean 1
Group 5
LA Galaxy (USA)
Metapan (SLV)
Caribbean 3
Group 6
Tigres UANL (MEX)
Alajuelense (CRC)
Real Esteli (NIC)
Group 7
Chorillo (PAN)
Monterrey (MEX)
Municipal (GUA)
Group 8
Xelaju (GUA)
Chivas de Guadalajara (MEX)
Caribbean 2
^^ Yeah, I would have liked group 6 but whatever... F*ckin santos.
To further tilt the competition to favor Mexican clubs lets watch as they are given byes on MatchDay 1. Seeing how those dates are really early in their season.
Also why not just put the 8 USA+Mex teams in Pot A, would have made their arbitrary rules a lot less confusing.
Last edited by SirBobSaget; 06-05-2012 at 03:51 PM.
They (CONCACAF) are replacing a Central American team with another Central American team...the rational is outside of the Mexican league (since 4 teams per confederation is the max), El Salavador had the highest placing team in the last edition of CCL (Isidro Metepan made the Q/F's).
wouldnt mind have santos laguna on the road for the first match day since they'll be just out of preseason and then having them up here in October on the last match day when its cold up here and everything is on the line!
2 of last years semi finalists in the same group? And I thought last years was scary with Pumas and Dallas.
OFFS, who is in charge of seeding at concacaf? How the hell do panama, Honduras and Guatemala get first seeds?
New CCL patch.
Fuck this crap!
This is utter bullshit!
All 4 USA teams have incredibly weak groups, for all of them should be a walk in the park to qualify if they take in serious this mickey mouse competition!
Would have been for TFC a walk in the park too in those groups, no matter how bad we are!
Damn, why I'm so angry, why I care?
But just look at all the groups, this is the definition of "ridiculous".
Last edited by LesH; 06-05-2012 at 06:15 PM.
It's CORRUPTACAF, what else do you expect?
All this has been known for months (TFC will be in the group of death, US avoids Mexico until the knockout stages). I'm fine with it, but hopefully next year the Canadian champion can be in Pot A, although that would make little difference (would still get one Mexican or US team).
As for the other MLS clubs, RSL and LA do not have easy groups either. Herediano are Costa Rican champions and Metapan made it to the quarterfinals last year. Houston and Seattle on the other hand should run all over their groups.
I like the new format because each game is hugely important. It's going to be a hell of a battle to get to the knockout stage, should be fun. Especially now that we get another chance at Santos. It's pretty much another two-legged tie to determine who moves on.
If I were the guy planning the draws, I think this would be the most logical groupings (WITH NO EXCEPTIONS!):
Pool 1:
4 MEX,
3 US (USOC winner, top US team in each MLS Conference at end of season)
1 MLS (Playoff Champion regardless of nationality)
Pool 2:
2 HON
2 GUA
2 CRC
2 PAN
Pool 3:
1 CAN (ACC Champ, ACC runner-up if ACC Champ is also MLS champ)
1 NIC
3 SLV
3 Carribean
This seems to meet the criteria for most of CONCACAF's desired outcomes. We just have to accept that no matter what happens, any team holding the Canadian spot is going to be the toughest group. But at least now we have the possibility of not facing off against mexican teams right off the bat (unless MLS sides are not allowed to play against each other, but as I said - no exceptions).
<Edit: Does anyone know how to contact the CONCACAF Clubs Committee? Their website has no email addresses for contacts.>
Last edited by Initial B; 06-06-2012 at 09:57 AM.
^ I like this - but change MEX to 3 and give the extra spot to the defending champ from previous year (which may be Mexican, giving them back their fourth spot).
Or, if, say, TFC were to have won it, and subsequently defeated Vancouver for the MLS Cup, you could end up with 3 Canadian teams in it.