Hang on, this is a long post. But you'll get a decent preview of each team in the group.
Group D
Canada
Ukraine
Germany
Poland
Jamaica
Scotland
Summary: A difficult group? Look no further than Group D. 5 out of 6 teams can easily be considered contenders for the Championship. Canada first. Canada finished 4th last year, but were they really the 4th best team? Canada had arguably one of the easiest groups, with only Ireland as a real challenge. Canada actually managed to tie Botswana, and the best teams should not be tying Botswana. Then they proceeded to tie Ireland, and the best teams SHOULD be able to hang with Ireland. Consider the Botswana game a slip-up. Canada beat Poland in the quarters, and lost the champions, Laos, in the Semi-Finals. Not bad at all. The 3rd place blowout to France meant nothing. So what's in store for Canada this year? They are mostly comprised of players from Enter, the Regina Men's Top Division Winner. Enter has never been known to be a team with lots of skill, yet they consistently win. Canada takes on the same form as Enter. Every player works hard, in always in their position, and does their job. Not flashy, but it gets the job done. Every game involving Canada this year will be close, and will be a good game to watch. There won't be a collapse with this team.
Ukraine is made up of a lot of Yorkton players, a city with a lot of Ukrainian heritage. The Strikers, made up almost entirely of Yorkton players, finished 2nd in the Top Men's Division. They play in much the same way as Enter, not relying on single players to get the job done. In recent years, Ukraine has fallen off in terms of being able to compete with the elite teams, as France and Laos beat them handily in the group stage last year. The younger talent is starting to step up for them, and that could make a difference this year. Germany is the next team in the group, and they should be the main team that others are scared of in this group. Their goal-scoring ability is unmatched by any other team in this group, and maybe the tournament. They can rip goals in from anywhere and everywhere. Teams can't relax on them for a second. Canada and Ukraine specialize in keeping goals to a minimum, and if Germany can score quickly, these teams will be out of their element.
Their issue is getting their players caught up front, leaving them exposed to bad counter-attacks. If they have one weakness, that's it. One thing's for sure, Germany games will not lack excitement. Poland was a surprise team last year, rolling through their group with ease. They'll need to raise their game even more this year, because the group was quite easy last year. Nigeria was their only victory over a legitimately good team. While they've lost a good midfield player, they have gained other players that can pick up the slack and hopefully keep Poland strong. They've got great fan support, and now the big-game experience to go with it. But if one team is going to experience a major drop-off, I'd say it will be Poland. They'll have to bring the intensity every night, and I don't know if they can handle it as well as the previous 3 teams mentioned. Jamaica is often one of the more disappointing teams of the tournament, even though they are exciting and a really good team. Every year we hear about new players that are coming to play with them, and how they'll actually be there this time. I'll believe it when I see it. Having good players show up, without ever practicing with the team, for a couple games is no guarantee of any success. Jamaica does have a solid team, but they need to have a committed and consistent lineup that they can rely on. Teams have to work hard to win these games, and bringing in a couple good players who aren't very interested in it won't help. It's been the same for 3 years, so we'll see. Despite who shows up, Jamaica will have a strong midfield and striking force. They have holes at the back, and the midfield is often stuck hanging back to make sure teams aren't scoring on them, so their scoring potential is never fully realized. Once again, they'll be a very interesting team to follow anyway. Scotland rounds out the group, and they really don't stand a chance. They can't compete on the same level as these other teams. It's just unfortunate for them, this being the second year in a row it's happened. You can completely expect every team in this group to write off the Scotland game. But you know what? Scotland lost to Norway 3-4 last year, in the same type of group. A team tying or losing to Scotland here will be a dagger to any playoff hopes. I'm sure Scotland is praying that teams will take them very lightly, and you can bet they will. Watch for an upset.
Prediction: Who to take here? Canada can handle this tough type of group. So can Germany. Jamaica can, with the right team. It's a toss-up. I don't think any of these teams have improved substantially. I'll say Canada makes it out in first because they've got the players, team chemistry, and experience. They may not be the most talented, but can withstand the punishment of playing 5 tough games. I'll take Germany in second. My decision was really between Canada, Germany and Jamaica. I don't think Ukraine is on the same intensity level as these 3, and I think Poland will have a tough time in this group. It's incredibly tough to predict this group, and every single game will be great to watch. I've probably played against every player in this group, and I know we're in for some great soccer. I'm just going to sit back and enjoy it, because it will be awesome.
In Finishing Order: Canada, Germany, Jamaica, Ukraine, Poland, Scotland.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Preview A Pool: Group C
Group C
France
Botswana
Greece
Italy
Nigeria
Afghanistan
Summary: Group C plays out a lot like Group A and Group B. El Salvador SHOULD get second in Group A, Norway SHOULD get second in Group B, and Nigeria SHOULD get second in Group C. But in Group C, it's a lot murkier. France is back with a vengeance after being ousted by Ireland in the semi-final. They beat Laos fairly handily, and Laos ended up winning. The team remains the same, give or take a couple players. If the schedule works the way it did last year, France won't have to face Ireland until the final. And you can bet France will be bulldozing its way to the final. Botswana was up and down last year, playing Ireland a lot closer than expected and tying a strong Canada team, but they also lost to Columbia. They need some consistency if they have any hope of making it out of the group this year. Luckily for Botswana, the frontrunner for second place is Nigeria, the most inconsistent team in the tournament. Greece always shows up to play. They may not have the talent they once had, but they're Greek through and through, and a great addition to the tournament. A physical team, they'll have to rely on a compact defence to prevent any balls from getting through, because they lack scoring ability. Italy has been in the tournament for the last 4 years or so, and the result has always been the same. Never a contender, they play hard for pride and the occasional win. Attaining third in this group would be a great accomplishment. Nigeria. What can you say about them? Every year that they're expected to do good, they fall flat. Once you're down on them, they impress you. No one really knows what to expect from Nigeria, except the Nigerian team. They've been practicing hard for quite some time now. They did exceptionally well in the Regina Men's Tournament, reaching the final and narrowly losing to the O'Neill Alumni Team. They practice in the facility quite a bit(way more than any other team) and are scheduling exhibition games galore. You want a prepared team? Nigeria is it. They may not have the individual skills, but they'll play great as a team. Anything less than the semi-finals will be disappointing for them. Afghanistan is another up and down team, much like Botswana, but that's because the makeup of their team has changed so drastically from year to year. Rumor has it their team is on the rise, and could challenge Nigeria for that second spot. Before they can do that, they'll need to find a defence and some composure. They would concede a few goals, get a couple cards, then concede a few more goals. We'll see what they can come up with this year.
Prediction: France will easily sweep the group. Nigeria doesn't have the track record of El Salvador and Norway, so locking them in for 2nd place is a little tougher. However, I do expect their preparation to pay off and see them in the second round. The groups rarely turn out the way you'd expect, but these first three groups are pretty straightforward. Any upsets would be tremendous, and I hope I'm wrong on all these predictions for that reason. Botswana and Afghanistan are the next best teams, and will battle it out for third. Italy and Greece will bring up the rear.
In Finishing Order: France, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Botswana, Italy, Greece.
France
Botswana
Greece
Italy
Nigeria
Afghanistan
Summary: Group C plays out a lot like Group A and Group B. El Salvador SHOULD get second in Group A, Norway SHOULD get second in Group B, and Nigeria SHOULD get second in Group C. But in Group C, it's a lot murkier. France is back with a vengeance after being ousted by Ireland in the semi-final. They beat Laos fairly handily, and Laos ended up winning. The team remains the same, give or take a couple players. If the schedule works the way it did last year, France won't have to face Ireland until the final. And you can bet France will be bulldozing its way to the final. Botswana was up and down last year, playing Ireland a lot closer than expected and tying a strong Canada team, but they also lost to Columbia. They need some consistency if they have any hope of making it out of the group this year. Luckily for Botswana, the frontrunner for second place is Nigeria, the most inconsistent team in the tournament. Greece always shows up to play. They may not have the talent they once had, but they're Greek through and through, and a great addition to the tournament. A physical team, they'll have to rely on a compact defence to prevent any balls from getting through, because they lack scoring ability. Italy has been in the tournament for the last 4 years or so, and the result has always been the same. Never a contender, they play hard for pride and the occasional win. Attaining third in this group would be a great accomplishment. Nigeria. What can you say about them? Every year that they're expected to do good, they fall flat. Once you're down on them, they impress you. No one really knows what to expect from Nigeria, except the Nigerian team. They've been practicing hard for quite some time now. They did exceptionally well in the Regina Men's Tournament, reaching the final and narrowly losing to the O'Neill Alumni Team. They practice in the facility quite a bit(way more than any other team) and are scheduling exhibition games galore. You want a prepared team? Nigeria is it. They may not have the individual skills, but they'll play great as a team. Anything less than the semi-finals will be disappointing for them. Afghanistan is another up and down team, much like Botswana, but that's because the makeup of their team has changed so drastically from year to year. Rumor has it their team is on the rise, and could challenge Nigeria for that second spot. Before they can do that, they'll need to find a defence and some composure. They would concede a few goals, get a couple cards, then concede a few more goals. We'll see what they can come up with this year.
Prediction: France will easily sweep the group. Nigeria doesn't have the track record of El Salvador and Norway, so locking them in for 2nd place is a little tougher. However, I do expect their preparation to pay off and see them in the second round. The groups rarely turn out the way you'd expect, but these first three groups are pretty straightforward. Any upsets would be tremendous, and I hope I'm wrong on all these predictions for that reason. Botswana and Afghanistan are the next best teams, and will battle it out for third. Italy and Greece will bring up the rear.
In Finishing Order: France, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Botswana, Italy, Greece.
Preview A Pool: Group B
Group B
Republic of Ireland
Norway
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Portugal
England
Summary:Ireland leads the way in group B. Ireland has consistently gotten an easy group at the draw, and this year is no different. Fielding another dominant team, Ireland has too much skill at every position to not win this group. But Ireland relies heavily on Saskatoon players, and the uncertainty of who will play on any given night could hurt them. They could also be becoming disheartened, as there was talk that Ireland wouldn't even enter a team. Norway was able to make it out of a group last year that included El Salvador, Germany, and Jamaica. Not an easy task. However, Norway can be exposed on defence, and they don't have premier striking ability. Hustle, strong midfield play, and hard work are Norway's attributes in this tournament, not necessarily skill. Serbia was in the easiest pool last year, and only finished 4th in the pool. We've seen them bring in a couple good players from Winnipeg in the past, but there were none last year. If they've convinced some good players to join them, they'll have a chance. Again, another good group for the weaker teams to be in. Sierra Leone is a newcomer, and I know nothing about them. But I REALLY hope they come in with a good team. Portugal was usually a good team, but then last year took a nosedive. They aren't expected to regain their former glory, mainly due to losing a lot of players. They used a lot of players from the Moose Jaw Air Base, but many of those players were transferred before last year. What we might see this year is a much younger Portugal team. A lot of the younger players have ties to some Portugal players, and likely will be recruited by them. If that's the case, Portugal will be a fairly decent team. England is the final team in this group, and while they're not expected to win many games, it sure would be nice to see them play hard and take it to one of the top teams.
Prediction: Ireland has to be considered the favorite to win all of their games and make it out of the pool. I think they'll get tested by Norway, but ultimately prevail. Norway will make them work very hard for the win, because Norway fits the definition of "playing together as a team," but they don't have the talent to stop Ireland from scoring multiple goals. Norway can win, but it will take a flawless effort. Serbia, Sierra Leone, and England will try and put a dent in Norway's and Ireland's hopes, but it is unlikely. Portugal will have a decent showing, assuming they field the type of team I believe they will. The younger players are often counted out because we don't really know who they are, but they can provide very good reinforcements for a team. If you know of one, I suggest getting them on your team.
In Finishing Order: Ireland, Norway, Portugal, Sierra Leone, England, Serbia.
Republic of Ireland
Norway
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Portugal
England
Summary:Ireland leads the way in group B. Ireland has consistently gotten an easy group at the draw, and this year is no different. Fielding another dominant team, Ireland has too much skill at every position to not win this group. But Ireland relies heavily on Saskatoon players, and the uncertainty of who will play on any given night could hurt them. They could also be becoming disheartened, as there was talk that Ireland wouldn't even enter a team. Norway was able to make it out of a group last year that included El Salvador, Germany, and Jamaica. Not an easy task. However, Norway can be exposed on defence, and they don't have premier striking ability. Hustle, strong midfield play, and hard work are Norway's attributes in this tournament, not necessarily skill. Serbia was in the easiest pool last year, and only finished 4th in the pool. We've seen them bring in a couple good players from Winnipeg in the past, but there were none last year. If they've convinced some good players to join them, they'll have a chance. Again, another good group for the weaker teams to be in. Sierra Leone is a newcomer, and I know nothing about them. But I REALLY hope they come in with a good team. Portugal was usually a good team, but then last year took a nosedive. They aren't expected to regain their former glory, mainly due to losing a lot of players. They used a lot of players from the Moose Jaw Air Base, but many of those players were transferred before last year. What we might see this year is a much younger Portugal team. A lot of the younger players have ties to some Portugal players, and likely will be recruited by them. If that's the case, Portugal will be a fairly decent team. England is the final team in this group, and while they're not expected to win many games, it sure would be nice to see them play hard and take it to one of the top teams.
Prediction: Ireland has to be considered the favorite to win all of their games and make it out of the pool. I think they'll get tested by Norway, but ultimately prevail. Norway will make them work very hard for the win, because Norway fits the definition of "playing together as a team," but they don't have the talent to stop Ireland from scoring multiple goals. Norway can win, but it will take a flawless effort. Serbia, Sierra Leone, and England will try and put a dent in Norway's and Ireland's hopes, but it is unlikely. Portugal will have a decent showing, assuming they field the type of team I believe they will. The younger players are often counted out because we don't really know who they are, but they can provide very good reinforcements for a team. If you know of one, I suggest getting them on your team.
In Finishing Order: Ireland, Norway, Portugal, Sierra Leone, England, Serbia.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Preview A Pool: Group A
Group A
Laos
El Salvador
Austria
Sudan
Columbia
Northern Ireland
Summary: Laos is looking to defend their title this year, and at first glance, it doesn't seem like they'll have any difficulty at all in getting back to the playoffs. Laos is far and away the most talented and experienced team in the group. El Salvador, after a great showing 2 years ago, wasn't able to make it past France and Laos in their group last year. This year, El Salvador could be hurting even more, by losing some of the younger and talented players to the University Final timeframe and other issues. El Salvador will be hard-pressed to put together a team capable of beating a top team.
Austria has always been a fighter in the tournament, but never had the skills to overcome the best teams. They work hard and score some goals, but can't put together the total effort needed to win. If it's true that they're losing their keeper to Norway, it will be a huge blow to their team. Sudan is a newcomer, and it's always tough to judge how newcomers will do(ex. Afghanistan 2 years ago). Sudan will get acquainted very quickly with the close quarters and physical style of this tournament. They might be bringing some skilled players, but if you haven't played in this tournament before, you're in for some trouble. Columbia has always been like Austria...they'll make a team work for the win. You can't just show up. Northern Ireland has been a strong team in the past, but they seem to have slowed down. The thing is, if they're going to get back on track, this is the group to do it in.
Prediction: Laos should easily win the group, barring a stellar performance by El Salvador. El Salvador is the real wild card here. If they don't show up with a decent team, this group is wide open. Austria, Sudan, Columbia, and Northern Ireland can duke it out for the rest of the spots. If one of these 4 teams can dominate the other ones, they'll have a good shot at El Salvador for 2nd.
In finishing order: Laos, El Salvador, Columbia, Northern Ireland, Sudan, Austria
Laos
El Salvador
Austria
Sudan
Columbia
Northern Ireland
Summary: Laos is looking to defend their title this year, and at first glance, it doesn't seem like they'll have any difficulty at all in getting back to the playoffs. Laos is far and away the most talented and experienced team in the group. El Salvador, after a great showing 2 years ago, wasn't able to make it past France and Laos in their group last year. This year, El Salvador could be hurting even more, by losing some of the younger and talented players to the University Final timeframe and other issues. El Salvador will be hard-pressed to put together a team capable of beating a top team.
Austria has always been a fighter in the tournament, but never had the skills to overcome the best teams. They work hard and score some goals, but can't put together the total effort needed to win. If it's true that they're losing their keeper to Norway, it will be a huge blow to their team. Sudan is a newcomer, and it's always tough to judge how newcomers will do(ex. Afghanistan 2 years ago). Sudan will get acquainted very quickly with the close quarters and physical style of this tournament. They might be bringing some skilled players, but if you haven't played in this tournament before, you're in for some trouble. Columbia has always been like Austria...they'll make a team work for the win. You can't just show up. Northern Ireland has been a strong team in the past, but they seem to have slowed down. The thing is, if they're going to get back on track, this is the group to do it in.
Prediction: Laos should easily win the group, barring a stellar performance by El Salvador. El Salvador is the real wild card here. If they don't show up with a decent team, this group is wide open. Austria, Sudan, Columbia, and Northern Ireland can duke it out for the rest of the spots. If one of these 4 teams can dominate the other ones, they'll have a good shot at El Salvador for 2nd.
In finishing order: Laos, El Salvador, Columbia, Northern Ireland, Sudan, Austria
Women's and Youth Pools
Women:
Group A
Ukraine
Poland
Canada
Italy
England
Group B
Germany
Ireland
Austria
El Salvador
Chile
Youth Girls:
England
Brazil
Canada
Germany
El Salvador
Youth Boys:
Scotland
Ukraine
Italy
Germany
Canada
England
Group A
Ukraine
Poland
Canada
Italy
England
Group B
Germany
Ireland
Austria
El Salvador
Chile
Youth Girls:
England
Brazil
Canada
Germany
El Salvador
Youth Boys:
Scotland
Ukraine
Italy
Germany
Canada
England
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Men's Groups
The draw last night was exciting as always, and the big topic of discussion is, as usual, Group D. The group of death. It's a curse. And every single game will be very exciting in that group. It also brings up the discussion of further seeding...maybe seed the top 8 teams? Discuss it in the comments if you want.
Also note that commenting on this site has changed. Comments will be moderated by me before they are made public.
Group A
Laos
El Salvador
Austria
Sudan
Columbia
Northern Ireland
Group B
Republic of Ireland
Norway
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Portugal
England
Group C
France
Botswana
Greece
Italy
Nigeria
Afghanistan
Group D
Canada
Ukraine
Germany
Poland
Jamaica
Scotland
Also note that commenting on this site has changed. Comments will be moderated by me before they are made public.
Group A
Laos
El Salvador
Austria
Sudan
Columbia
Northern Ireland
Group B
Republic of Ireland
Norway
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Portugal
England
Group C
France
Botswana
Greece
Italy
Nigeria
Afghanistan
Group D
Canada
Ukraine
Germany
Poland
Jamaica
Scotland
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Rules and Regulations- An In-Depth Look
The draw is TOMORROW at 9:30. Be there.
*I would also ask that anyone receiving e-mails from the WCP Organizing Committee please forward them to wcpcupblog@hotmail.com. Repeated attempts to contact the Committee to get information for the public have proved useless. Thanks.
The rules and regulations are available online here: Take a look at the player transfer requirements.
"Player movement will be restricted taking into consideration the 2010 WCP Cup Rosters. Any Player who
participated in the 2010 WCP Cup (“Original Team”) may not register with a Nation team in the 2011 WCP Cup
that is different from the one participated with during the 2010 WCP Cup (“New Team”) unless:
(a) The Original Team is not participating in the 2011 WCP Cup;
(b) The Original Team has cut/released the Player and the Original Team Coach/Management signs a
declaration form to that effect and provides said form to the Player. The Player/New Team will
require this signed form to register the Player. Any Original Team refusing to sign a release form for
a Player will be required to register that Player and provide him with the chance to participate in the
2011 WCP Cup;
(c) The Player can demonstrate that he has a higher percentage of Heritage with the New Team. The
onus to demonstrate Heritage remains at all times on the Player; or
(d) The Player or New Team pays to the WCP Cup Organization/Registration Committee a Player
Transfer fee in the amount of $200.00."
Star player requirements are gone for this year. It seems as though any player, heritage or non-heritage, has to pay the $200 transfer fee. But what about the part in the rules where it says: The Player can demonstrate that he has a higher percentage of Heritage with the New Team.? Any non-heritage player could simply say they were 25% of the new country's heritage, and avoid the fee. Since they would have been 0% heritage as a star player, it's easy to transfer. There's still ways around the heritage requirements, but this is a good start for the WCP Cup. Now that teams are finally fairly evenly distributed, the $200 transfer fee will be a small way of discouraging players to switch teams. Not much, but it's something.
See you at the draw!
*I would also ask that anyone receiving e-mails from the WCP Organizing Committee please forward them to wcpcupblog@hotmail.com. Repeated attempts to contact the Committee to get information for the public have proved useless. Thanks.
The rules and regulations are available online here: Take a look at the player transfer requirements.
"Player movement will be restricted taking into consideration the 2010 WCP Cup Rosters. Any Player who
participated in the 2010 WCP Cup (“Original Team”) may not register with a Nation team in the 2011 WCP Cup
that is different from the one participated with during the 2010 WCP Cup (“New Team”) unless:
(a) The Original Team is not participating in the 2011 WCP Cup;
(b) The Original Team has cut/released the Player and the Original Team Coach/Management signs a
declaration form to that effect and provides said form to the Player. The Player/New Team will
require this signed form to register the Player. Any Original Team refusing to sign a release form for
a Player will be required to register that Player and provide him with the chance to participate in the
2011 WCP Cup;
(c) The Player can demonstrate that he has a higher percentage of Heritage with the New Team. The
onus to demonstrate Heritage remains at all times on the Player; or
(d) The Player or New Team pays to the WCP Cup Organization/Registration Committee a Player
Transfer fee in the amount of $200.00."
Star player requirements are gone for this year. It seems as though any player, heritage or non-heritage, has to pay the $200 transfer fee. But what about the part in the rules where it says: The Player can demonstrate that he has a higher percentage of Heritage with the New Team.? Any non-heritage player could simply say they were 25% of the new country's heritage, and avoid the fee. Since they would have been 0% heritage as a star player, it's easy to transfer. There's still ways around the heritage requirements, but this is a good start for the WCP Cup. Now that teams are finally fairly evenly distributed, the $200 transfer fee will be a small way of discouraging players to switch teams. Not much, but it's something.
See you at the draw!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Men's Preview
The WCP Cup draw is coming up soon! February 18th! See the post below for details.
Note: Women's preview and Youth previews to follow.
So, it's almost time. Let's get some talk going. The Men's side is looking at 4 groups of 6 this year, assuming Sudan and Somalia are allowed in. But with 24 teams, what are we looking at talent-wise?
How about this? We assign each team a grade between 1 and 5? 5 is the best, 1 is the worst. This is an exercise to see how many good teams we actually have, and how many good matchups we can actually get. We want to get a general sense of the competition out there.
1. Afghanistan-2
2. Austria-2
3. Botswana-2
4. Canada-5
5. Colombia-2
6. El Salvador-4
7. England-1
8. France-5
9. Germany-5
10. Greece-2
11. Ireland-5
12. Italy-1
13. Jamaica-3
14. Laos-5
15. Nigeria-4
16. Northern Ireland-2
17. Norway-4
18. Poland-5
19. Portugal-3
20. Scotland-1
21. Serbia-2
22. Ukraine-3
23. Sudan-new-1
24. Somalia-new-1
While these 1-5 scores can obviously be disputed, it gives you a general sense of the competition.
- The 5's are clearly contenders, and given the talent they displayed last year, as well as improvement, these teams are expected to advance into the final stages. Unless they meet each other(and some clearly will), they should place in the top 4.
The 5's are Canada, France, Germany, Poland, Ireland, and Laos.
-The 4's are also contenders, but need improvement and a bit of luck to be in the medal round. The 4's are very good teams on the cusp of becoming a top contender. The 4's are El Salvador, Nigeria and Norway. El Salvador lost a lot of their strength last year from being a 5, Nigeria has improved considerably from last year, and Norway is almost there. They're oh-so-close.
-The 3's are good teams, and they're usually the team that the 4's and 5's are scared to face. They clearly have skill and talent, but don't gel well enough together to beat the best. Expect some 3's and 2's to upset 4's and 5's. Jamaica, Portugal and Ukraine are the 3's.
-The 2's aren't that bad, but their fight isn't to get out of the group. It's to give teams good games, and hope to come out with a win or 2 somewhere along the line. The 2's are Afghanistan, Austria, Botswana, Colombia, Greece, Northern Ireland, and Serbia.
-The 1's just aren't good enough. They're here to participate in a great tournament and have some fun while doing so. It's not every day you get to play with the best soccer players in the province and be a part of a great tournament. The 1's are Italy, England, Scotland, Sudan and Somalia.
..............
So what do we get out of this?
5- 6 teams
4- 3 teams
3- 3 teams
2- 7 teams
1- 5 teams
The winner will come from the 4's and 5's. If they don't, it will be the craziest tournament EVER. Anyway, it's a fairly even distribution. Exactly half the teams (12) can be considered quality teams, therefore they would be a good matchup. I don't know where Sudan and Somalia got the players to form 2 more teams, but good on them for joining up.
If the teams are evenly distributed (they rarely are...Group of Death anyone?), then we'd have 3 quality teams in each group. That's a pretty good number.
Thoughts anyone?
Note: Women's preview and Youth previews to follow.
So, it's almost time. Let's get some talk going. The Men's side is looking at 4 groups of 6 this year, assuming Sudan and Somalia are allowed in. But with 24 teams, what are we looking at talent-wise?
How about this? We assign each team a grade between 1 and 5? 5 is the best, 1 is the worst. This is an exercise to see how many good teams we actually have, and how many good matchups we can actually get. We want to get a general sense of the competition out there.
1. Afghanistan-2
2. Austria-2
3. Botswana-2
4. Canada-5
5. Colombia-2
6. El Salvador-4
7. England-1
8. France-5
9. Germany-5
10. Greece-2
11. Ireland-5
12. Italy-1
13. Jamaica-3
14. Laos-5
15. Nigeria-4
16. Northern Ireland-2
17. Norway-4
18. Poland-5
19. Portugal-3
20. Scotland-1
21. Serbia-2
22. Ukraine-3
23. Sudan-new-1
24. Somalia-new-1
While these 1-5 scores can obviously be disputed, it gives you a general sense of the competition.
- The 5's are clearly contenders, and given the talent they displayed last year, as well as improvement, these teams are expected to advance into the final stages. Unless they meet each other(and some clearly will), they should place in the top 4.
The 5's are Canada, France, Germany, Poland, Ireland, and Laos.
-The 4's are also contenders, but need improvement and a bit of luck to be in the medal round. The 4's are very good teams on the cusp of becoming a top contender. The 4's are El Salvador, Nigeria and Norway. El Salvador lost a lot of their strength last year from being a 5, Nigeria has improved considerably from last year, and Norway is almost there. They're oh-so-close.
-The 3's are good teams, and they're usually the team that the 4's and 5's are scared to face. They clearly have skill and talent, but don't gel well enough together to beat the best. Expect some 3's and 2's to upset 4's and 5's. Jamaica, Portugal and Ukraine are the 3's.
-The 2's aren't that bad, but their fight isn't to get out of the group. It's to give teams good games, and hope to come out with a win or 2 somewhere along the line. The 2's are Afghanistan, Austria, Botswana, Colombia, Greece, Northern Ireland, and Serbia.
-The 1's just aren't good enough. They're here to participate in a great tournament and have some fun while doing so. It's not every day you get to play with the best soccer players in the province and be a part of a great tournament. The 1's are Italy, England, Scotland, Sudan and Somalia.
..............
So what do we get out of this?
5- 6 teams
4- 3 teams
3- 3 teams
2- 7 teams
1- 5 teams
The winner will come from the 4's and 5's. If they don't, it will be the craziest tournament EVER. Anyway, it's a fairly even distribution. Exactly half the teams (12) can be considered quality teams, therefore they would be a good matchup. I don't know where Sudan and Somalia got the players to form 2 more teams, but good on them for joining up.
If the teams are evenly distributed (they rarely are...Group of Death anyone?), then we'd have 3 quality teams in each group. That's a pretty good number.
Thoughts anyone?
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Another News Update
-For all teams, you should have at least 10 representatives in team colors at the draw. Doors open at 9:30, and the draw won't begin until all team representatives have signed in and collected their draw envelopes(Not applicable for Youth teams).
-Schedule will be released on March 2nd
-A lot of teams have registered this year, and on the Men's Side we're looking at potentially 24 teams. Newcomers include Somalia and Sudan.
-The Women's Side is looking at 10 teams, with Ireland and Poland as the newcomers.
-Youth Girls will have 5 teams, and Youth Boys will have 6 teams.
-The first day for the WCP Cup is April 2nd, NOT April 3rd as previously mentioned.
-Opening ceremonies are being held at a different date than April 2nd, at a date to be confirmed later. They might be held on the April 1st evening.
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