CONCACAF Nations League 2024-25 - Group Stage & ¼finals - General Thread

[Mihairokov]

3 minutes ago, Kent said:

It's amazing that teams somehow survive World Cup Qualifying despite having to travel to such dangerous places as "not USA or Canada".

I agree. There's plenty of stories out there if you're interested in reading up on them. I'm not trying to be hyperbolic, but it's obviously different than travelling around California or Florida.

 

3 minutes ago, Kent said:

Could you imagine having 1 game in Toronto at BMO field and then just having 3 days to get all the way to Hamilton?

Feel free to go to Concacaf HQ and tell them you'd like teams to travel to Toronto and Hamilton for games in March instead of somewhere where it's not snowing and below zero. Then you can start trying to sell tickets for those same conditions.

 

3 minutes ago, Kent said:

If Panama is hosting and playing against Mexico in a Semi Final or against Jamaica in a 3rd place game, I suspect they will be able to sell more than half a stadium worth of tickets to those games.

What happens if Panama doesn't qualify? Hosts for multiple matches shouldn't be confirmed in short-term.

 

3 minutes ago, Kent said:

I don't think they will have a half empty stadium for games involving the host country.

They would in this country, i'd say.

Regardless, at the end of the day, Concacaf hosts in the US so they can play in big football stadium and hope Mexico make the final. It's a cash cow if they do. That's it.

Edited October 9 by Mihairokov

[Watchmen]

22 minutes ago, Kent said:

Do we really have to choose maximum money EVERY SINGLE TIME!

Yes. The bigger tournaments fund the rest of the region. It's what most of the other countries want. If they didn't, they wouldn't vote for it (either directly or for president's who put them there).

For those frustrated, I can only encourage you to ensure you're at the Gold Cup games in Vancouver. Help demonstrate to CONCACAF that other areas can/will support their events in a manner that's still financially viable for them.

[Kent]

1 minute ago, Mihairokov said:

I agree. There's plenty of stories out there if you're interested in reading up on them. I'm not trying to be hyperbolic, but it's obviously different than travelling around California or Florida.

 

Feel free to go to Concacaf HQ and tell them you'd like teams to travel to Toronto and Hamilton for games in March instead of somewhere where it's not snowing and below zero. Then you can start trying to sell tickets for those same conditions.

 

What happens if Panama doesn't qualify? Hosts for multiple matches shouldn't be confirmed in short-term.

 

They would in this country, i'd say.

We know who qualifies after the November matches. There are 4 months to pick a host out of those 4 teams and sell tickets before the games in March. As for Canada, as you mentioned BC Place could be used as well if Canada were the hosts.

I also just looked up the attendances for the last 2 Nations League playoffs. Both have involved half empty stadiums, despite being in the only country apparently able to host games in our entire region.

[Neil R.]

A refresher on how things stand heading into the final 2 League A matchdays.

As of right now, Canada is 2nd in the CONCACAF rankings. If we stay there after the October window, we will play the 2nd place finisher from Group A or B with the highest point total in the quarter-final.

Here are the current point totals for each group. Remaining matches for each country are in brackets.

Group A

Costa Rica 4 (Away at Suriname, Home vs. Guatemala)
Guatemala 4 (Away at Guyana, Away at Costa Rica)
Suriname 3 (Home vs. Costa Rica, Home vs. Guyana)
Guadeloupe 3 (Home vs. Martinique, Away at Martinique)
Guyana 1 (Home vs. Guatemala, Away at Suriname)
Martinique 1 (Away at Guadeloupe, Home vs. Guadeloupe)

Group B

Jamaica 4 (Away at Nicaragua, Home vs. Honduras)
Nicaragua 4 (Home vs. Jamaica, Home vs. French Guiana)
Honduras 3 (Away at French Guiana, Away at Jamaica)
Cuba 2 (Home vs. Trinidad and Tobago, Away at Trinidad and Tobago)
French Guiana 1 (Home vs. Honduras, Away at Nicaragua)
Trinidad and Tobago 1 (Away at Cuba, Home vs. Cuba)

[JamboAl]

1 hour ago, Kent said:

It's amazing that teams somehow survive World Cup Qualifying despite having to travel to such dangerous places as "not USA or Canada". Or the logistical nightmare of having 2 stadiums to play games at. Could you imagine having 1 game in Toronto at BMO field and then just having 3 days to get all the way to Hamilton? Or having a game in Mexico city at 1 stadium, and not knowing which of 2 stadiums in Mexico City your next game would be at?

Besides, my main suggestion wasn't that they have to split up the double headers, it was that these games can and should be hosted elsewhere for a change. I don't think they will have a half empty stadium for games involving the host country. If Panama is hosting and playing against Mexico in a Semi Final or against Jamaica in a 3rd place game, I suspect they will be able to sell more than half a stadium worth of tickets to those games. It's not like we haven't played in empty stadiums in the USA as part of a double header where the other game has a big crowd, so it wouldn't exactly be unprecedented if the fans from the host country miss out on the other half of the double header.

 

From a sporting perspective, you are 100% correct.  Unfortunately, this stopped being about sports awhile ago.  It’s about the ability for CONCACAF to make as much money as possible while making it desirable for the players, coaches and federations.  LA is more desirable than Panama City or even Mexico City.  And you can charge a lot more money in LA than most other places.

[Neil R.]

1 hour ago, Obinna said:

I am still holding onto my hope USA draw Jamaica and get knocked out. Jamaica is a tough out and could potentially add Greenwood to their ranks. USA have a new coach and are still figuring themselves out.

Like Canada, I don't think the USA match up well with this athletic and skilled Jamaica side, littered with players in the Championship and EPL. Jamaica would catch them at a time they could be vulnerable.

I agree. Jamaica would be my least favourite matchup for us. Let the US face them over 2 legs in their quarter-final.

I'm wondering if Guadeloupe sneaks through. They're in contention for 2nd and their final 2 games are against Martinique, so it's definitely possible. I'm torn on how much I'd want that as a matchup. We'd be screwed out of FIFA ranking points over 2 legs which wouldn't be ideal, but our chance of qualifying for the semi-final would probably be very good. I wouldn't mind a quarter-final matchup with one of Suriname, Guatemala, or Nicaragua.

[Obinna]

18 minutes ago, Neil R. said:

I agree. Jamaica would be my least favourite matchup for us. Let the US face them over 2 legs in their quarter-final.

I'm wondering if Guadeloupe sneaks through. They're in contention for 2nd and their final 2 games are against Martinique, so it's definitely possible. I'm torn on how much I'd want that as a matchup. We'd be screwed out of FIFA ranking points over 2 legs which wouldn't be ideal, but our chance of qualifying for the semi-final would probably be very good. I wouldn't mind a quarter-final matchup with one of Suriname, Guatemala, or Nicaragua.

I was eying these teams but you're right, Guadeloupe could sneak in there.

Like yourself, I would be torn between favorable draw and lack of FIFA points. Either of those other teams would be equally favorable AND wouldn't rob us of FIFA points, so let's hope for one of them to pull through, I guess. 

Guadeloupe also scare me a bit after the Gold Cup dropped points at home. Yes, it was a B side for us, but still.....

Nicaragua, Suriname, Guatemala, and Guadeloupe are my preferences, in order. 

I will say that playing away to Guadeloupe would be interesting. We've never played away there as far as I know. 

Edit - Obviously we could draw Honduras as one of the group runner ups and obviously I would prefer any of the listed teams above instead of them. 

Edited October 9 by Obinna

[Obinna]

Speaking of Jamaica, they seem to have successfully recruited 27 year old CB Mason Holgate, currently on loan to West Brom from Everton. Seems to have flown under the radar as I haven't heard anything about it until I took a peak at their roster just now. 

Jamaica, Everton or West Brom followers can comment on him better than I, but from what I see he should probably slot in next to Brentford's Ethan Pinnock, pushing Di'Shaon Bernard (Ugbo's clubmate) down to 3rd in the CB depth chart.

[CanadaFan123]

I’d like to face Jamaica again. We need competitive tests and I think we’re still favourites but it would be nice to get some payback and show them the real Canada under Marsch. 

[Obinna]

2 minutes ago, CanadaFan123 said:

I’d like to face Jamaica again. We need competitive tests and I think we’re still favourites but it would be nice to get some payback and show them the real Canada under Marsch. 

If you want a competitive test maybe root for facing Costa Rica? They'd be competitive enough if that's what you want to get out of it. 

I respect the confidence but I am not there yet. Revenge would be sweet but failure would be a massive step backward we cannot afford. We need to be in the NL finals in March. 

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

7 minutes ago, Obinna said:

but failure would be a massive step backward we cannot afford.

@Kent would be happy that we wouldn't be playing in L.A. 

We would then need to play in the Gold Cop Prelims and who knows where that will be hosted!?!

[Obinna]

6 minutes ago, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

We would then need to play in the Gold Cop Prelims and who knows where that will be hosted!?!

[narduch]

2 hours ago, Kent said:

It's amazing that teams somehow survive World Cup Qualifying despite having to travel to such dangerous places as "not USA or Canada". 

This reminds me that we never should have been forced to play a WCQ in Haiti last cycle

[narduch]

On the topic of always playing Concacaf events in the US.

I think they have over saturated the market and have sort of cooked the golden goose.

They will need to start thinking about letting other countries host soon

 

[Watchmen]

"Why is every tournament hosted in the US???" cry the people in a country where virtually every home game is hosted in one city. 😉

[Watchmen]

9 minutes ago, narduch said:

On the topic of always playing Concacaf events in the US.

I think they have over saturated the market and have sort of cooked the golden goose.

They will need to start thinking about letting other countries host soon

 

It would be interesting if some place like Mexico or a Caribbean island hosted a tournament based around vacations/resorts. Much like the US college bowls were originally formed around encouraging tourism to destinations in specific months/areas, build a CONCACAF tournament around the same idea.

[Mihairokov]

45 minutes ago, narduch said:

This reminds me that we never should have been forced to play a WCQ in Haiti last cycle

What, you don't like playing in stadiums where the military have to guard the entrances?

[toontownman]

36 minutes ago, Watchmen said:

"Why is every tournament hosted in the US???" cry the people in a country where virtually every home game is hosted in one city. 😉

There is another city in Canada??

[Kent]

1 hour ago, Watchmen said:

"Why is every tournament hosted in the US???" cry the people in a country where virtually every home game is hosted in one city. 😉

I also think we'd be better off moving the games around the country as well. I'm hoping the outreach going on in Montreal is a precursor to Montreal hosting a game in the nearish future, despite me living in Toronto and going to every game we play in Toronto (including the Gold Cup games we have hosted. It really bummed me out how the fanbase dropped the ball especially last year, by not even coming close to filling the stadium). If games moved around it could help grow the national team fanbase, and also make the fans in Toronto less complacent and choosy when we play less heralded teams at BMO Field.

[Shway]

2 hours ago, CanadaFan123 said:

I’d like to face Jamaica again. We need competitive tests and I think we’re still favourites but it would be nice to get some payback and show them the real Canada under Marsch. 

This is egregious. The real Canada beat Jamaica in Jamaica for the first time ever. That same Canada lost to Jamaica for the first time ever. 

I don't want Jamaica in our path unless it's the finals.

[Ruud]

1 hour ago, narduch said:

On the topic of always playing Concacaf events in the US.

I think they have over saturated the market and have sort of cooked the golden goose.

They will need to start thinking about letting other countries host soon

 

Heard the Espn guys chatting after the last mexico friendlies in the US - it may be saturation or it may be that mexico fans just voting with their feet and tired of low quality play.  A bit of both surely.  But a very good mexico side will pack a stadium like nothing else.  Same for the americans i think the Berhalter delay slowed fan uptake 

 

[Shway]

19 minutes ago, Kent said:

I also think we'd be better off moving the games around the country as well. I'm hoping the outreach going on in Montreal is a precursor to Montreal hosting a game in the nearish future, despite me living in Toronto and going to every game we play in Toronto (including the Gold Cup games we have hosted. It really bummed me out how the fanbase dropped the ball especially last year, by not even coming close to filling the stadium). If games moved around it could help grow the national team fanbase, and also make the fans in Toronto less complacent and choosy when we play less heralded teams at BMO Field.

Couldn't agree more!

I selfishly want it in other provinces so I can have a reason to take a quick trap. 

However the issue is stadia, and the playing surface. 

[Kent]

7 minutes ago, Shway said:

However the issue is stadia, and the playing surface. 

I really wish the World Cup would have resulted in a permanent grass field at BC Place and a permanent 45,000ish capacity at BMO Field. We could maybe even swing the occasional big name friendly (Italy, Brazil, England) if the schedule ever permits and have a couple stadiums to choose between.

As it stands, I think Montreal should be used more. I know they had a bad turnout to a friendly against a small Carribbean country 7 years ago, but it's time to try it out again.

[Kent]

If I'm not mistaken, I believe Barbados just clinched promotion from League C to League B by beating US Virgin Islands tonight. That's the first confirmed pro/rel of this iteration.

[SthMelbRed]

3 hours ago, Obinna said:

Speaking of Jamaica, they seem to have successfully recruited 27 year old CB Mason Holgate, currently on loan to West Brom from Everton. Seems to have flown under the radar as I haven't heard anything about it until I took a peak at their roster just now. 

Jamaica, Everton or West Brom followers can comment on him better than I, but from what I see he should probably slot in next to Brentford's Ethan Pinnock, pushing Di'Shaon Bernard (Ugbo's clubmate) down to 3rd in the CB depth chart.

The only think I know about him is that he tried to push Roberto Firmino head-first into a wall in a Merseyside Derby a few years ago, then lied about being racially abused in an obvious attempt to avoid being suspended afterwards. A man of low character.