Liverpool FC Forum

by **Ciggy** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 8:00 am

Starts tommorrow. 14th of June till 28th of June. All games shown on BBC 3.
Line up of team Iraq, New Zealand, South Africa, Brazil, Egypt, United States, Italy, Spain.

Spain play tommorrow night 19.30.

Now I know this should be in the International part of the forum so MODS move it you wish, but our pre season training starts in a little over two weeks time and half of our team play for Spain.

The Olypmics had an effect on Babel, Masch and Lucas last season as did the Euro's on Torres.

Our players wont have hardly had a holiday or time off with other Internationals being played all over the world either.

Looking at the line up in the Confederations Cup you would assume the final will be Spain V Brazil there is no one else to touch them two teams.
How is this going to effect our pre season training and friendlies?
P!ssed off about this :no

14th of June

South Africa V Iraq 15.00
Spain V New Zealand 19.30

15th of June

Brazil V Egypt 15.00
United States V Italy 19.30

17th of June

Spain V Iraq 15.00
South Africa V New Zealand 19.30

18th of June

United States V Brazil 15.00
Egypt V Italy 19.30

20th of June

Iraq V New Zealand 19.30
Spain V South Africa 19.30

21st of June

Italy V Brazil 19.30
Egypt V United States 19.30

24th of June Semi Final teams to be decided.
28th of June Final teams to be decided.

by **Igor Zidane** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 8:12 am

Feckin hate internantionals . They are the biggest pain in the rectum bar none.

by **Owzat** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 8:35 am

I like Internationals, but in this instance it is a money spinning event and should be done away with. It is to International football what the "Club World Championship" is to Domestic football. It's just overkill, as if the "World's best" don't compete in the WORLD CUP already.

I doubt Brazil, Italy or Spain are that bothered if they don't win, nowhere near as prestigious as the World Cup or Copa America/European Championship, just like the European Cup is more prestigious than winning the UEFA Super Cup and glorified Intercontinental Cup ie "Club World Championship"

If England were in it I wouldn't even bother recording them as competitive matches, maybe it's on a grander scale than "Le Tournoi" but it isn't any more worthwhile or significant. I wonder how FIFA will regard it in terms of ranking points...................................

by **Ace Ventura** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 9:08 am

Like Owzat has said this tournament is purely about money and thats not on really.

Our spanish players need a break, after winning the euros last season they played virtually the whole summer and it looks like now they will have upto 5 games this summer for a worthless tournament.

Also i dont get it, how are some teams even involved ?
New Zealand ?

by **JoeTerp** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 9:48 am

We have more players in the tournament than every club outside of Wellington Pheonix, and we are tied with Valencia at 6.

Another interesting note is that there are 18 players that play club football in England in the tournament, despite the English not being there. That is more than South Africa, United States, Brazil, New Zealand, and Iraq's domestic leagues.

Landon Donovan has the most international goals of any player in the tournament with 39

Positives: Spain should walk the group, and its possible that Spain could get away with only playing Nando a total of 120 minutes (or less) in the group stages. Then they will likely play Italy and Brazil. Hopefully Llorente and or Guiza get hot early and the manager will trust them with more minutes.

by **Owzat** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 9:54 am

Ace Ventura wrote:Like Owzat has said this tournament is purely about money and thats not on really.

Our spanish players need a break, after winning the euros last season they played virtually the whole summer and it looks like now they will have upto 5 games this summer for a worthless tournament.

Also i dont get it, how are some teams even involved ?
New Zealand ?

Refer to my comparison with the "Club World Championship" for the probable reason. If it is intended to reflect the different zones then New Zealand are the only half decent side left in Oceania since the aussies did the sensible thing and went over to Asia. I bet the aussies are kicking themselves for missing out on this competition........... :laugh:

(JK)

So who's in it and why? :-

Spain : European Champions (2008)
Brazil : Copa America Champions (2007)
Egypt : Africa Cup of Nations Champions (2008)
Iraq : Asian Cup Champions (2007, next held in 2011)
New Zealand : OFC Nations Cup Champions (2008)
USA : CONCACAF Gold Cup Champions (2007, next held in 2009)

Italy : World Champions (2006, next held in 2010)
South Africa : hosts of 2010 World Cup

I doubt it's being played in Iraq, did I hear some time ago it might be a warm up for the 2010 World Cup itself and possibly in South Africa? (that might be deemed greedy by some, if it were a big tournament that is!)

EDIT : my bad, I forgot to check if Oceania or Asia held a European Championship equivalent. I'll have a quick look and edit if necessary if I find anything. and believe it or not Iraq are Asian Cup holders, it is like the CWC as I suggested. Likewise the Kiwis are OFC Cup holders

by **JoeTerp** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 10:05 am

USA won the Gold Cup in 2007 and Brazil one the Copa America the same year.

It is meant as a trial run for the host nation to work out the kinks before the real thing the following year.

by **Owzat** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 10:07 am

JoeTerp wrote:USA won the Gold Cup in 2007 and Brazil one the Copa America the same year.

It is meant as a trial run for the host nation to work out the kinks before the real thing the following year.

I wasn't thinking before I started, should have followed through more originally. I've updated it now though, each team is champion of their zonal International competition (European Championship equivalent) except Italy (World Cup Holders) and South Africa (World Cup Hosts 2010)

by **JoeTerp** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 10:15 am

Owzat wrote:I've updated it now though, each team is champion of their zonal International competition (European Championship equivalent) except Italy (World Cup Holders) and South Africa (World Cup Hosts 2010)

aka Confederation Championship

hence the name Confederations Cup

by **Toffeehater** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 11:02 am

Bull cup , if torres gets injured again , rafa is going to have a fit .

by **Owz@t** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 1:55 pm

JoeTerp wrote:
Owzat wrote:I've updated it now though, each team is champion of their zonal International competition (European Championship equivalent) except Italy (World Cup Holders) and South Africa (World Cup Hosts 2010)

aka Confederation Championship

hence the name Confederations Cup

I figured that much for myself thanks, I just didn't remember/know that Egypt, Iraq, New Zealand and USA had won anything or were reigning champions of anything. In fact I wouldn't give OFC and Asia having their own competitions much thought as they are low profile. ACN gets plenty of coverage here, on the TV even, but the OFC Cup is probably as pointless a competition as there is. Australia were the only side of any status in it, New Zealand were about Finland in European comparisions and the rest more like San Marino, Andorra and Kazhakstan. Australia beat American Samoa 31-0 in a World Cup qualifier, the "claim to fame" for that particular nation (listed under their wiki page!)

I was also wording it in a way that made it clear what I meant and what they did to merit being there

by **Sabre** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 2:12 pm

As a football fan this competition means nothing to me.

It only has the football interest of checking my country's streghth against Brazil or Argentina, as I think that would be a good match to watch.

Other than that, I'm worried for the fitness of our players.

If I could choose, I'd rather see that competition cancelled.

by **JoeTerp** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 2:14 pm

Owz@t wrote:
JoeTerp wrote:
Owzat wrote:I've updated it now though, each team is champion of their zonal International competition (European Championship equivalent) except Italy (World Cup Holders) and South Africa (World Cup Hosts 2010)

aka Confederation Championship

hence the name Confederations Cup

I figured that much for myself thanks, I just didn't remember/know that Egypt, Iraq, New Zealand and USA had won anything or were reigning champions of anything. In fact I wouldn't give OFC and Asia having their own competitions much thought as they are low profile. ACN gets plenty of coverage here, on the TV even, but the OFC Cup is probably as pointless a competition as there is. Australia were the only side of any status in it, New Zealand were about Finland in European comparisions and the rest more like San Marino, Andorra and Kazhakstan. Australia beat American Samoa 31-0 in a World Cup qualifier, the "claim to fame" for that particular nation (listed under their wiki page!)

I was also wording it in a way that made it clear what I meant and what they did to merit being there

I figured that you figured as much. I don't think Oceania gets an automatic bid to the world cup, I think they have to playoff with an Asian country, so this is a nice chance for players from that region to compete in a competitive global senior level tournament.

The Asian Cup must be one of the biggest pain in the asses to qualify for. Just full of palces that are far as f.cuk away and riled with political tension everywhere you look. Australia's group included Bahrain, Kuwait, and Lebanon, who had to pull out!

by **Owz@t** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 2:34 pm

Well the aussies moaned like feck when they couldn't qualify for the World Cup, moving to a region with more qualifying places than quality was the obvious move. It isn't as if they didn't have to fly half way across the World and back to play the play-offs - Iran, Argentina and whoever the other team was they played for a place. Besides anything else, their players are mostly based in Europe aren't they? That means they have to fly about as far as is ever required across the World to play HOME games.

I've long since believed Oceania should be scrapped and become a combined AustralAsia qualifying zone. If all the teams in Oceania pulled out noone would care. I'd like CONCACAF and CONMEBOL to merge qualifying zones, I think they'd all benefit and maybe we'd see a bit more competition for the USA and Mexico to qualify which in itself might make them more of a force than farce at the finals.

by **Owz@t** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 9:30 pm

Anyone interested these may well be on BBC3 (freeview 7). I was flicking through the TV guide and one's on tomorrow at 7pm I think it was. I am certain I saw South Africa vs New Zealand listed. Even if you're not that interested in the competition, it may be a way to keep tabs on possible injuries. I would have thought Spain would use their squad fully, if they are in a group comprising South Africa, New Zealand and Iraq then I'd think their second string or third string would do. Certainly looks a poor group compared to Egypt, Brazil, USA and Italy - World Champions, best side in South America and ACN winners compared to Asia, OFC and 2010 hosts. That said, that draw stinks of trying to get the hosts as far as possible so they had to include two other suck-sides unlikely to suck-seed. One of the things TV and organisers hate is hosts going out early. I think the organisers contemplated suicide when Pakistan and India went out of the 2007 Cricket World Cup due to half cricket's TV audience reaching for the off switches. You should have heard the crowds at whatever ground in England it was yesterday when India were playing

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