Schedule Preview Day 5- Day 8

April 19- Day 5

Men- Poland vs. Germany 12:30
Men- Colombia vs. Serbia 1:30
Women- Germany vs. England 2:30
Men- Scotland vs. Norway 3:30
Women- Scotland vs. Austria 4:30
Youth- Canada vs. Scotland 5:30
Youth- The World vs. Canada 6:30
Men- Ukraine vs. France 7:30
Men- Greece vs. Ireland 8:30
Men- Nigeria vs. Chile 9:30
Men- Botswana vs. Saudi Arabia 10:30

On a Sunday filled with soccer, this day is an interesting one. Poland could upset Germany in the early game, because we'll have Germany coming off 2 straight days of soccer and playing early, so this could be a surprise game. The rest of the afternoon isn't particularly exciting, except for Norway and Scotland at 3:30. BUT, at 7:30, we find what looks to be one of the best games of the tournament, with Ukraine taking on France. This is a must-see game, and has a very real possibility of being the best game in the group stage. This game is followed by Greece and Ireland, another game which should be entertaining. The night ends off fairly slow. This day, overall, is fairly unexciting, but the 2 after-supper games will be great. Grade: B

April 20- Day 6

Youth- The World vs. Ukraine 7:00
Women-Austria vs. Ukraine 7:30
Men- Italy vs. Portugal 8:00
Men- Jamaica vs. Greece 10:00

This is a scheduling mistake. The women are slated to play at 7:30, but there is a Youth game schedule at 7. Since there is no game at 9:00, I expect the women's game is supposed to be at 9:00. Hopefully they fix this mistake ASAP so people can change their plans if they have to. In any case, this will be a Monday without many consequences. Grade: C+

April 21- Day 7

Men- Austria vs. Colombia 7:00
Youth- Scotland vs. Germany 8:00
Men- Poland vs. Scotland 9:00
Men- El Salvador vs. France 10:00

This day starts off very soft and ends with a bang. The main event of today will be El Salvador vs. France game. This game is definitely one the main attractions of the tournament. The two newcomers will face off in what will surely determine who will come out of the group, and the teams are 2 of the best. The second must-see game of the tournament. Grade: A-

April 22- Day 8

Men- Portugal vs. Norway 7:00
Youth- Ukraine vs. Canada 8:00
Men- Northern Ireland vs. Greece 9:00
Men- Saudi Arabia vs. Laos 10:00

Great games all across the board on Day 8. Portugal takes on Norway in Group C to start us off at 7:00, and it continues on at 9:00 with Northern Ireland taking on Greece. At 10:00, we have the match between Laos and Saudi Arabia, arguably the 2 best teams in their group. Saudi Arabia can prove they belong as a top team with a strong performance against Laos. Grade: A

Schedule Preview Day 1- Day 4

The schedule is out, but it takes some effort to figure out which days will be best and where the best games will be. I'll try to make it a little easier for everyone. Here is Wednesday April 15 - Saturday April 18. Every day will be assigned a grade rating. The best game of the day will be italicized. I've also included the Group Previews on the side links, so you can go back and take a look at those if you wish.

April 15- Day 1

Men- Ireland vs. Canada 7:30
Youth- World vs. Canada 8:30
Women- England vs. Canada 9:30

The opening day starts out with the all the defending champions playing the first game. The games aren't that good, but it's the opening day, so it should be fun regardless. For opening day's sake, the rematch of the final 3 years ago will be a good game to watch. Grade: B-

April 16- Day 2

Men- France vs. Colombia 7:00
Women- Chile vs. France 8:00
Men- Scotland vs. Italy 9:00
Men- Laos vs. Nigeria 10:00

The tournament really starts up on this day, with 3 men's games and 1 women's game.
This will be the first we see of top teams like France, Scotland and Laos, who are all pre-tournament contenders. It will interesting to see how the other teams can play against them, and our first chance to hope for a legitimate upset(I love upsets). This will be the first look at France for both men and women. The games might not be that great, but it will be interesting to see those teams play for the first time. Grade: B-

April 17- Day 3

Men- Northern Ireland vs. Jamaica 7:00
Youth- Scotland vs. Ukraine 8:00
Men- Norway vs. Germany 9:00
Men- Austria vs. El Salvador 10:00

This will be a great day. The first game of the night has a good chance to decide who will come out of Group A. Definitely worth watching, even just to check both teams out. The 3rd game, with Norway and Germany, is another game that will have strong implications in Group C. The last game is one of Group D's games, and every game in that group will mean something. Expect some top-notch soccer on Day 3, and this will be a great Friday night. Grade: A-

April 18- Day 4

Men- Ukraine vs. Serbia 12:30
Women- Canada vs. Germany 1:30
Men- Chile vs. Botswana 2:30
Women- France vs. Ukraine 3:30
Men- Poland vs. Portugal 4:30
Men- Germany vs. Italy 5:30
Youth- Germany vs. World 6:30
Men- Canada vs. Northern Ireland 7:30
Women- Chile vs. Scotland 8:30
Men- Austria vs. France 9:30
Men- Colombia vs. El Salvador 10:30

Whew. You want soccer? You'll get your fill on Saturday. With 11 games lined up for the first Saturday, it will be tough to find time to watch all the games. The day starts off with a bang, with Ukraine taking on a supposedly Winnipegish Serbia(if you don't understand, read the Group D preview). But from then on, there doesn't seem to be many intriguing games, from the men's side anyway. There's bound to be a few games that will be surprise you, and the day is definitely ripe for an upset somewhere. If you've nothing to do, hanging around the facility in your team colors and socializing is what you should be doing. Grade: C+

New Things

-WCP Cup schedules are to be posted after midnight tonight(March 23). Check the WCP Cup website for the actual schedule.

-Once the schedule is out, we'll take a look at how the tournament might play out. The schedule will give us something else to talk about in the weeks leading up to the tournament.

-The poll is almost done, so we need another one. Any ideas? Post them in the comments.

Preview A Pool: Group D

Group D

Group D

Ukraine
Austria
Serbia
El Salvador
France
Colombia

Once again, Group D stands for Death. Ukraine, even though they are a stronger team this year, will definitely be hard-pressed to win their group. Much hyped newcomers France and El Salvador are the most obvious threats, and are joined by Serbia, Austria and Colombia. What it makes this group even more interesting is that Serbia is bringing in players from the Winnipeg team that rolled into Regina and won the men's cash tournament in January. Add in that Serbia recently trounced Ukraine in an exhibition game(definitely not indicative of Ukraine's power, but still), and it's clear this group will be very exciting. Colombia proved to be a fantastic team in last year's tournament, and although they fared poorly in Group D, they still had exciting games. Austria won two games last year and played strongly against Norway and Chile. Austria is a decent team and the top teams will be in trouble if they overlook them too much. Austria and Colombia will hungry for an upset.

Prediction: Ukraine has their team set, ready to rock, and should take this group. We've seen what happens to teams that bring strong players in and expect to do great...they fall hard. France and El Salvador won't have the organization or depth to take Ukraine out of the top spot. Don't get me wrong, all 3 teams are very strong and close to equal, but Ukraine is better established as a team. Serbia will in contention for the second spot, along with France and El Salvador. Serbia, Colombia or Austria WILL beat one of the top 3 teams in here, mark my words. However, it should still come down to France and El Salvador for the second spot, with France's superior goal-keeping giving them the advantage. Finishing order: Ukraine, France, El Salvador, Serbia, Austria, Colombia.

Game To Watch: France vs. El Salvador. Everyone will want a good look at the 2 new, and supposedly great teams. This one is purely of curiosity to watch them in action after so much talk about each team.

Preview A Pool: Group C

Group C

Scotland
Norway
Poland
Italy
Germany
Portugal

Scotland will be hard-pressed to defend their bronze medal performance of last year, with a fairly hard group again this year. Norway, Germany and Portugal will all be hungry to exact revenge after all failed to make it past the first round last year. Italy and Poland should be no pushovers though, because none of the teams in this pool are good enough to win even if they play bad. This pool will be tight.

Prediction: Scotland, Norway, and Germany have all lost players of significance, so it's quite unclear who the top team is in this group. That being said, I think Scotland will still come first, with Germany in second. Scotland proved they could win without their keeper in the bronze medal game last year and they have great team discipline. Norway, Germany and Portugal won't be nearly as organized as Scotland, and will be fighting it out for second. Germany should be the stronger of these teams and make it through. Expect Italy or Poland to make the pool very interesting and beat a couple of the better teams.

Game to watch: Scotland vs. Germany. Arguably the two best teams in the group, and will likely determine who will get first.

Preview A Pool: Group B

Group B

Laos
Nigeria
Chile
Saudi Arabia
Botswana

Laos finally gets out of the group of death, and promptly gets placed in the easiest group this year. Laos should easily dominate this group, while the rest battle it out for second. Laos is far more skilled than the rest of the teams in this group. We should see Chile and Saudi Arabia fighting for second.

Prediction: Laos will dominate this easy group, and in all likelihood, the game between Chile and Saudi Arabia will decide who goes through in second. Chile is not as good as last year, and the newcomers Saudi Arabia can beat them if they play well. In finishing order: Laos, Saudi Arabia, Chile, Nigeria, Botswana. Don't be surprised if Nigeria or Botswana upset Chile or Saudi Arabia.

Game To Watch: Chile vs. Saudi Arabia. It will likely decide who goes through.

Preview A Pool: Group A

Group A

Ireland
Canada
Greece
Northern Ireland
Jamaica

Group A will be interesting to watch. The obvious favorites to make it out are Ireland and Jamaica, but Northern Ireland, Greece, and Canada definitely have a chance. All it takes is one upset to get into the playoffs. The great thing about this pool is that all the teams play pretty much the same style. All of these teams control the ball the well, in turn controlling the tempo of the game. The tempo in this group should be much lower than the other groups, because these teams consist of very experienced players that take their time in setting up chances.

Prediction: In finishing order: Ireland, Jamaica, Northern Ireland, Greece. I think we'll see Ireland make it through for sure. The real battle will be determining who else comes out. Jamaica and Northern Ireland had an even game in the group stage last year, so it should be good again this year. Jamaica even lost to Canada last year, so there's another spin on it. It looks like a 2008 Group C reunion for Jamaica, Canada, and Northern Ireland. Greece is the other team, always a threat to upset a big name team.

Game To Watch: Ireland vs. Jamaica. A meeting of two classic tournament rivals.

News

-The Draw is THIS SATURDAY, march 7, with the actual draw happening at 9:00. So you'll have to get there much earlier than that if you want a decent seat. It should be packed. Every soccer fan should attend, and bring your friends. It's a great time.

-Exhibition games are well underway, with teams like Northern Ireland, Serbia, Ukraine, Laos, Chile, and Nigeria all having exhibition games already or in the coming weeks. Plenty of teams are looking for someone to play, so get your team going and practice up.

-England is apparently not entered in the tournament this year. I included all possible teams in the rankings, so that no one would be left out. But now it seems safe to remove England from the rankings. There is also speculation that the tournament isn't full yet, which would mean at least two other teams from the rankings would not have entered. If anyone knows anything on this topic, please post it in the comments.

-Group Previews will be posted the day after the draw.

-So far the new commenting system seems to be working a lot better. Anyone still have problems with it? Let me know.

-There's also the Team Canada Forum or the Blog Forum for further conversation. Check 'em out. The links are on the side.

-GET PUMPED FOR THE WCP CUP! See you on saturday!

Rankings

Ranking teams is fun, but very tough. Do your own rankings in the comments, and try to justify them. Here we go.

1. Laos - Based on the final last year. ROI won, but there is no doubt the outcome would have been different if ROI had been missing Tristan, as well as Brett. Tristan was outstanding in the final. Him leaving ROI is a huge loss. If you can't rank ROI first, the only option left is Laos.

2. ROI - It would be dumb to drop ROI any further than second. They have been in the final for the last 3 years, and always do extremely well. The loss of Tristan, Brett and Benno hurts, but Ireland can replace those guys and will.

3. Ukraine - Ukraine was great team last year, and this year they have only improved. Very solid all-around team with depth that has to be considered a favorite to win.

4. Scotland - Despite what looks to be the loss of their all-star keeper, Scotland will still be a very good team. Very good defensively and with the addition of a couple players up front, there's no doubt that they're a top 5 team.

5. France - A no-brainer to round out the top 5. A team of all-stars that has become an immediate threat to win. Though they look to be lacking any depth, their starters put them at this rank. No team from last year proved they should own this spot, with the exception of Chile(more on that).

6. Jamaica - Jamaica will be looking to get back to the playoffs this year after barely missing out last year. They are ready to rumble. Don't count out a team led by Holness. This was the toughest spot to choose. Chile and ES could both be considered, but since their teams aren't set, we go with the team that has been practicing a lot and playing together for a long time.

7. Chile - Chile lost in a shootout to Scotland in last year's quarter-final. They were a great team. This year they look to have lost many players to El Salvador, but they have also gained a bunch of new players that will still keep them quite strong.

8. El Salvador - Back from the dead, there is certainly a lot of hype around El Salvador, as they were one the best teams before they folded last year. El Salvador certainly has lots of potential. They get 8th spot because they don't have the star power of France. They can be considered interchangeable with Chile.

9. Northern Ireland - Northern Ireland proved a lot last year, playing against Scotland, Ukraine and Jamaica. Incredibly, they held their own and almost made it out of the pool. They are now a legitimately good team, and we'll see if they can take it further.

10. Germany - Germany has consistently hovered around this spot. They are always good enough to make any pool interesting, but can seem to make the jump to an elite team.

11. Saudi Arabia - They've been playing together all indoor season in Div.1, and playing pretty well. They'll definitely make an impact in this tourney, but will not necessarily make the playoffs. They'll need luck at the draw.

12. Portugal - Another good team along the lines of Germany and Saudi Arabia. These teams CAN beat an elite team, but it isn't easy.

13. Norway - Norway is dealing with losses this year, but they'll still be a good team. They won't have the playmaking they've had in the past, but they will still be defensively solid and will keep games close. It's a shame they've fallen to this ranking.

14. England - England was pretty good last year, but they've lost all their playmakers this year. If they regain they guys they didn't have last year, they'll be much better than 14th.

15. Serbia - Serbia surprised everyone last year when they almost upset Germany to take second spot in their group. They are a team that the best teams have to really worry about.

16. Colombia
17. Greece
18. Italy
19. Austria
20. Canada
21. Nigeria
22. Poland


-The draw is scheduled for March 7th. That is coming up FAST.

Changes

There's going to be some changes around here.

Clearly, there is a problem with anonymous commenting. It's not many people, just a select few. These select few have issues. When I come back after a couple days and see 70 or so comments about anonymous people making fun of people who aren't anonymous...well that's just pathetic. It wasn't that bad last year, but it is definitely way out of hand this year. No more.

FROM NOW ON

In order to comment, you will need a profile. The profile doesn't divulge any personal information, and they are very easy to make. You still remain largely anonymous, but now at least your profile is responsible for what you say, instead of everyone being anonymous.

I encourage you to make a profile. There were a bunch last year, and I'm not sure where they went.

Team Rankings later today

News

-Team Previews are finished. Three separate posts have been made for three categories: Top 4, Teams on the Verge, and the Rest of the World. Scroll down to view.

-There are 22 teams in the Men's tournament this year, meaning we will be seeing 2 groups of 5 and 2 groups of 6.

-If any women's teams would like to see a preview of their tournament, I would gladly post it. I receive various information on Men's teams, but none for Women's teams. Help me out here.

-Team Rankings will be done in the coming days. Feel free to post your own in the comments.

Team Previews- The Top 4

The Top 4

Republic of Ireland- Ireland will be dealing with losing 3 of their top playmakers this year, with their main striker, center defender, and main keeper leaving(Brett Bachelu, Benno Looft, Tristan Manz respectively). This is a severe blow to the team, but Ireland is still a force to be reckoned with. They will be able to fill those positions, and though they won't be as dominant as before, anyone underestimating Ireland will be in for a major surprise. Ireland has big, strong, and skilled players at every position. Ireland may have lost some guys, but don't be surprised to see them making a run at the final once again.

Laos- After finishing second place last year, Laos will be making another run at the WCP Cup. The team remains completely intact from last year, meaning you can consider Laos a top contender. With the addition of perhaps a couple players, including Josh Northey on the wing, they look to be even better. A quick and tricky team, Laos works out of the midfield in a variety of ways. They can score from anywhere. They can be exploited, but for a team to beat Laos, they will have to play solid team soccer for the entire game. You give Laos a chance, and they will bury your team.

Scotland- Scotland is another team very much unchanged, with the exception of their keeper, J.D. Blakley, who might not be back from SFU in time for the tournament. Scotland's reputation is as a team that won't give up goals, but has a bit of trouble scoring. However, their team will be in contention in every game they play. They will be hard-pressed to repeat their bronze medal performance, but they are certainly more than capable. Scotland dares you to underestimate them.

Ukraine- Ukraine has picked up a couple solid players to help solidify their line-up. The most notable of these is Benno Looft, who looks to be playing center back. Although they have lost offensive players Danny Marchinko and Paul Scollan, Ukraine has picked up some very good replacements for them that have the ability to push them over the top. They retain dominant wings and strikers with a solid midfield. Look for Ukraine to be a very dominant force this tournament.

Team Previews- Teams on the Verge

Norway- Norway is dealing with significant player loss this year, and it will be tough for them to remain a top contender. They still have some talented players, but it will be very tough for them to generate offense against most teams. Norway will still be good, and might surprise some teams, but it's doubtful they can become the cinderella story they were two years ago. But, they managed to do it before, why not again? With some new recruits they should be able to cause some havoc.

Germany- Germany is revamping their team after a playoff loss last year. Despite being a skilled team, Germany could never seem to make the jump to an elite team. This year, with some new pickups, they could make that jump. They'll have to play smarter than they did last year, but still able to keep their toughness.

Chile- Newcomers to the tournament last year, they sure made a splash. With a younger team this year, Chile should be better. They will lose some players to the newly formed El Salvador, but their gains should equal their losses. Another team that has the ability to do some damage in the playoffs.

France- Newcomers to the tournament this year, France is definitely looking to come in with a bang. Building off two former members of ROI, they have already recruited various star players from other teams. Expect France to be a mash-up version of ROI and England. They are heavily recruiting the top players to make an impact right away, so their team will look quite good on paper, but without the right chemistry between players(like England last year) and lacking a deep team, it could all fall apart quickly. Make no mistake though, France will scare you.

Jamaica- Jamaica was part of the Group C mess last year, and unfortunately came out on the wrong end. There were bright spots, but Jamaica couldn't stay consistent last year. They'll be looking to get revenge after failing to make the playoffs last year. Remember, they were behind Scotland(3rd) and Ukraine(4th) in their group, and only lost out on point differential. Some people may be writing Jamaica off, but Jamaica has always been a top team.

Portugal- Portugal had a decent showing last year, and even though they were in a tough group, they'll have to make some changes if they want to be a genuine top team and make it back to the playoffs. This is an odd team, because they can allow goals in a second, and get one right back the next minute. Expect some new recruits for Portugal this year.

Northern Ireland- NI had a great showing last year after coming in as a write-off before the tournament. No one expected them to make Group C as exciting as it was. They definitely showed they have some skill. They can't be considered a top team yet, but they've made the jump from awful to possibly playoff team. Their team should remain intact from last year. They worked very hard in all their games and their hard work almost paid off last year. Expect NI's hard work to pay off this year. They may lack the star qualities of other teams, but they definitely make up for it with their work ethic. They should make a mess of whatever pool they're in, and possibly make it out this year.

Saudi Arabia- This team has been playing together in the men's premier league all winter, and are doing fairly well. They manage to hold their own against the better teams. The main point here is that they have played together for awhile now, and will be able to play very well as a team when the tournament comes around. They have a good enough team to do well in this type of tournament.

El Salvador- If previous year's El Salvadorian team is any indication of what the new team will look like, El Salvador becomes an instant threat. They have playmakers that break a game wide open, but the real issue will be covering all the positions on the field. They'll need a team that can stop other offenses and distribute the ball to the goal scorers. It's good to see El Salvador back in the tournament.

England- England was an odd team last year. They were very hyped up, but never really looked as dominant as they could have been. This year they will be dealing with the loss of their top wingers, but could gain a couple top midfielders. They made it out of a tough Group D last year, so they are clearly a good team, but unless changes are made, it will be very tough for them to make it out of their group.

Team Previews- The Rest of the World

Before I start

-There are teams like R.E. in the men's league, who are good players, and they should definitely be recruited to these teams. Teams absolutely need these hard workers.
-On that note, these are my favorite teams. Every year, it's guaranteed that one or more of these teams will surprise everyone and destroy the hopes of a top-ranked team(or at least really make them work for it). Who will be this year's Northern Ireland? (Others: last year's group games of Serbia vs. Germany, Italy vs. Norway, Columbia vs. England)

Greece- Greece has been a force in years past, but they'll be dealing with key player losses this year, mainly their two goalies. They'll need some quicker, younger players to keep pace with the stronger teams. They were the only team other than ROI to get points off of Laos. They've kept games close in the past, so hopefully Greece can come back strong.

Poland- Poland has never been a strong competitor, mainly lacking a strong defence. They gave up far too many goals in a weaker Pool A last year, but they always play hard. I expect Poland, like many of these lower teams, to be looking at younger players.

Canada- Canada has always been a dark horse in the tournament. Their defeat of Jamaica messed up Pool C bad. They were a decent team, but it doesn't look like the have the talent to really do major damage. Taking them lightly isn't recommended.

Austria- They had a fairly good showing last year, at least forcing Norway and Chile to look over their shoulder in their pool. However, Austria is a mediocre team. They don't have major skill advantages over many teams. Seeing as how the WCP Cup adds an extra player on the field, skill becomes less relevant. They came close to beating Chile last year.

Colombia- Colombia was a great addition to the tournament last year. They played hard every game and really made Pool D interesting. It was great to go watch their games and hope they could manage to knock a top team off. They came very close against Greece and England. Their fans were great as well. I really can't say enough about how great Colombia was for the tournament. This year, their team should be about the same, and hopefully they can be just as exciting to watch as last year.

Serbia- Serbia was written off last year, as everyone expected Ireland and Germany to roll through their fairly easy group. But after a poor start against ROI, they came back to win two and test Germany in a great game, with Germany only scoring the winning goal with a minute left. Their major defeat against ROI proved they aren't capable of consistently playing great soccer, but last year was definitely a start.

Nigeria- Nigeria fell below expectations last year after being expected to at least challenge Germany for second place in their pool. After only mustering a tie against Botswana, Nigeria has some proving to do. They were always a decent team, and it's too bad they fell to the bottom level last year. Hopefully they come back with new recruits and a chip on their shoulder.

Italy- They finished last in the weaker Pool A last year, but their games were definitely interesting. They challenged Norway very well, lost two games by scores of 2-1, and played well against Chile in a 4-1 loss. They showed they are a competitive team and the younger players they have will be more accustomed to the high level of soccer in the tournament.

Time to Start Up

-The 2009 WCP Cup runs from April 15 to May 2.

-No word on the date of the draw yet.

-Lots of rumors from lots of teams flying around. New teams look to include France and Saudi Arabia, and El Salvador is apparently making a comeback.

-The WCP Cup Blog e-mail is back up, so e-mail any questions or comments.

-If your team has a website, e-mail the link to wcpcupblog@hotmail.com and it will posted on the sidebar for everyone to visit.

-On that note, every team should have a site to visit that at least has some team information on it, like a picture and roster. It's very simple to do.

-Teams are already practicing and many players are being recruited as we speak. If your team is looking to be competitive, make an effort to get some good players (Check out teams in the top men's and women's league and figure out who is available). Lots of good players still have nowhere to play.

-Younger players are also moving up to the age where they can play in the men's tournament. Keep them in mind.