Canada should play in the Central American Cup to qualify for Gold Cup

Canada should play in the Central American Cup!

Central American Cup
Group A	Group B
Costa Rica	Panama
El Salvador	Honduras
Canada	Guatemala
Belize	Nicaragua

            The Central American Cup is lacking since it only has 7 nations playing in the tournament.  7 nations create an odd group of only 3 nations. The group needs a 4^th team to complete the group. I believe they should invite Canada to participate. This would finally complete the odd group of 3. This will not give the advantage anymore to the winner of the 3 team group. This group always plays one less game than the other group. Adding Canada will also give the tournament more exposure to Canada market and have CA nations play against fast, athletic and physical team.

 Canada should offer their guaranteed Gold Cup slot as bait. Presently the CA Cup places the 4 top teams in the Gold Cup. The 5^th place team plays the 5^th Caribbean Cup team for the last Gold Cup spot. If Canada offered their spot, CA Cup would place the 5 top teams from the tournament directly into the Gold Cup. The 6^th place nation can now play the 5ht place Caribbean nation

The tournament could have the top 2 teams in each group earn 4 slots for the Gold Cup. They would play in a knockout round for the Central American Championship just as it is now, so nothing would change here. The bottom 4 teams would now get to also play in a 4 team knockout round for something. The Champion of this runner up knockout bracket would get the last automatic Gold Cup spot offered to Canada. Group A 3^rd place plays Group B’s 4^th place and Group B’s 3^rd place plays Group A’s 4^th place finisher. The loser of this consolation round would play the 5^th place Caribbean nations for the last spot for the Gold Cup.

This is good for all Central American nations in the fact they all, now get to play at least 4 competitive games for every nation. The other 4 nation will play 5 competitive games. This is the big allure to add an 8^th nation to this tournament. The last Central American Cups the group of 3 losers (Nicaragua) only got 2 competitive games.  Belize was the loser of the other group only got 3 competitive games.  2 and 3 games are just not enough to develop your national team. 4 and 5 games are  much better that 2 or 3 games, especially when you bring your team to another country. Adding Canada will increase the competition and allow the badly needed games.  All nations would get 4 competitive games and the other 4 would get 5.

Good for Canada

            First of all Canada badly needs competitive national team games. They just do not get enough. Playing in another tournament to warm up for the Gold Cup is a great idea. Playing against teams that are about your equal is even better. The Central American Cup is a perfect tournament that Canada should play in. These teams are great with the soccer ball at their feet. They do not panic with the ball and are skillful dribblers. Canada is usually bigger, faster and more athletic however they need this type of competition to sharpen their skills. This tournament would provide 4 to 5 very competitive games that mean something. Friendlies against Iceland, Moldova and Bulgaria are just not the same.  

            As for the Gold Cup, Canada shouldn’t just get an automatic bid; they should have to qualify for it. Entering the CA Cup would solve this issue. Canada did not advance out of the group stage in the 2011, 2013 or 2015 Gold Cups. This left Canada with only 3 competitive games for those 3 years, for their national team. The 2009 Gold Cup was only one better they advanced but lost in the opening game of the knockout round, thus playing in only 4 competitive games in 2009. This give the Canadian faithful an empty feeling after only watching your national team play only 3 games. Playing in the Central American Cup as a guest would provide the Canadian faithful with a nice competitive tournament before the Gold Cup. They will be guarantee to play 4 games (3 group games- and at least 1 knockout). Since Canada doesn’t make the World Cup, a tournament like this would do great to raise the interest of the sport in Canada.

            I think Canada should offer their guaranteed slot to the Central American Cup to entice the nations (tournament) to invite them.  As for those of you who say this is crazy, why miss out on the Gold Cup….I say if Canada cannot get at least 5^th place in the Central American Cup then they don’t deserve to go anyway. Here is my example. Canada is in a group with Costa Rica, El Salvador and Belize. Canada loses to Costa Rica, ties El Salvador and beats Belize. This gave Canada 3 competitive games. Canada loses out to El Salvador on a tie breaker because El Salvador scored more goals. Canada benefited from playing 3 competitive games away from home. Canada is put into the runner- up bracket with Belize, Guatemala and Nicaragua. Canada beats the 4^th place finisher Nicaragua and then beats Guatemala for the last Gold Cup guaranteed spot. Now lets say that Canada loses the 5^th play spot, this could even be more beneficial to Canada. Canada would then have to play 2 more play-off games against the 5^th place Caribbean nation. Lets say Canada has to face Trinidad and Tobago. I believe either way this is more beneficial to Canada win or lose. This process would give Canada 5 Central American Cup games and 2 play off game. That is  7 competitive games the year of the Gold Cup. Competitive games lite these are the best way to prepare any nation to develop their players. If they qualify through this process they will be much more prepared for the Gold Cup. For those who say why risk it…I say if Canada can’t beat the 5^th place Central American or the 5^th place Caribbean nation…then you suck anyway and don’t deserve to go to the Gold Cup

Upcoming 2017 USA Soccer Events

Upcoming 2017 USA Soccer Events

2017 Upcoming  Events
Month	Event	Host
Jan 17th-28th	Central American Cup	Panama
Feb 17th- Mar 5th	CONCACAF U-20 Championship	Costa Rica
Mar 24th ; 28th	(WCQ) USMNT v. Honduras; USMNT @ Panama	USA then Panama
April 21st – May 7th	CONCACAF U-17 Championship	Panama
May 20th – June 11	FIFA U-20 World Cup	South Korea
June 7th & June 11th	(WCQ) USMNT v T&T; USMNT v Mexico	USA then Mexico
Mid-Year
July 9th -30th	CONCACAF Gold Cup	USA
Sept 1st & Sept 5th	(WCQ) USMNT v. Costa Rica; USMNT @ Honduras	USA  - Honduras
Oct 6th , Oct 10th	(WCQ) USMNT v. Panama; USMNT @ Trinidad & Tobago	USA – T&T

January 17^th-28^th

            The 2017 Central American Cup in also in January but does not have an American team. However the 4 top teams will qualify for the 2017 Gold Cup. Costa Rica has dominated this tournament playing in the Championship game 12 out of the 13 years of its existence. The Tico’s have won 8 of the 12 title games they are your current Champion. Costa Rica is again the nation to beat here. I would like to see this tournament add Canada to make 8 nations and go back to the knock out games. The controversy is that neither Nicaragua nor Belize has hosted this regional tournament and both are trying to grow the sport. Guatemala is restricted from playing

February 17^th March 5^th

            CONCACAFU-20 Championship will also be played in February but in the warm tropical air of Costa Rica. Mexico has won 3 of the last 4 Championships and again is the favorite to win. There will be 12 teams in 2 groups. The top team from each group will play for the Championship. This format gives every participant 5 group games and the top 6 nations an extra play-off game. The USA has a plethora of U-20 players scattered in both North America and Europe. Just like the World Juniors of hockey we are hoping a few potential soccer stars emerge from this tournament as well.  I expect the USA to claim one of the top 4 qualifying slots in this tournament. 4 teams will qualify for the 2017 U-20 World Cup in South Korea, later this same year.

March             FIFA World Cup Qualification

USMNT v Honduras &  USMNT @ Panama

            These  will be Bruce Arena’s first big test as USMNT coach. Likely he has wonder kid Christina Pulisic in the mid field and rugged Altidore and a hungry Wood at forward. Everyone else is replaceable, the problem is with who. I personally like General Bradley in the middle.

April 21^st May 7^th 2017

            The CONCACAF U-17 Championship will be held in Panama this year. It is always fun to keep a tab on a team that represents the USA in another country. This young team will battle Mexico, El Salvador and Jamaica in the group stage, by far the most difficult group. The games will be played in Panama City and LA Chorrera, Panama. The soccer is poor with 16 year olds but the tournament is fun.  Mexico is your favorite, the USA has 3 championships. The last USA Championship was in 2011. The last time the tournament was held in Panama was 2013 and the USA lost in the quarterfinals 1-3 to Honduras. The top 4 qualify for the World Cup.

June 8^th & 11^th                                    FIFA World Cup Qualification

The USA should beat Jack Warners team…then we have Mexico in Mexico.

 USMNT v Trinidad & Tobago                                                                                                              USMNT @ Mexico

July 7^th-26^th

            The CONCACAF Gold Cup 2017 is probably the biggest USA international competition of the year. It will be held in July 9^th-30^th in the middle of summer. The USA gets to host this event because it is CONCACAF big money maker. Mexico fans outnumber the USA’s but we have a very strong supporters group. The venues are always great to debate. The USA are now playing in 3 huge NFL stadiums Tennessee, Tampa and Cleveland, in their group stage. Mexico has dominated this region in soccer winning 10 Championships compared to 5 for the USA, 3 for Costa Rica and 2 for Canada. The USA will have a new coach in Bruce Arena who just replaced Klinsmann. It will be interesting how he views this tournament in the middle of WCQ.

September 1^st and 5^th                        FIFA World Cup Qualification

USMNT v. Costa Rica  &  Sept 5^th @ Honduras

Oct 6^th – 28^th                           U-17 World Cup India 24 teams

October 6^th and 10^th              FIFA World Cup Qualification

            USMNT v Panama  & USMNT @ Trinidad and Tobago