Subject: »[NT] Update

A little follow up to a post I made a few pages back.

Two seasons back the drawing of the qualification groups was done the Saturday of Week 0. Assuming the same time-line, Canada has two more matches before the draw is made.

Action on the weekend saw Canada jump 2 ranking positions to 26th. Last World Cup, this was the cut off for second seeds. So at present, we are where we need to be. (There were 78 NTs at the time, which worked out to 13 groups of 6).

Currently there are 82 National Teams. To maintain NT status, a nation must have 8 managers. So it looks like Jamaica (4) will lose their team. Tunisia (10), on the other hand, should be granted a team maintaining the status quo. 82 teams would likely mean 14 qualifying groups - making 28th good enough for the second basket.

But user numbers can swing in two weeks - NT elections sometimes cause blips in some countries. Hard to say where we will be. Tunisia is not a sure thing, and teams like Andorra (9), Dominican Republic (10), and the venerable South Africa (11) are dangerously close to the line.

But as it stands, 28th appears to be good enough. We will be shooting for 26th just to be sure. :)

PS - 82 teams is a somewhat uncool number. Last time we had qualifying with that kind of number it meant some groups of 5, which is (IMO) potentially very unfair. It would make for a much tidier competition with 78 (or 84).

Valiant FC's Irish International striker chipped in a couple of goals to help Ireland defeat New Zealand today. That result, coupled with Canada's strong win, should easily see Canada into #24 in the rankings.

Which will be quite safe for a #2 seed. My understanding is that the next World Cup will feature 84 teams - 14 groups of 6. If my dates are right, we'll know the groups a week from today.

The next NT election will start on Monday. I'll repeat again that I won't be seeking re-election. Interested candidates may want to start working on their speeches. :D But please don't post them until the election has actually begun.

Two new NTs have been added to get to 84 - Cameroon and Tunisia. Not sure what happened to the 8 managers requirement. Perhaps it is more of a guideline.

Canada did move to 24th position in the rankings. I think it is a pretty fair position for us - it's hard to argue we have a better team then any of the 23 teams ahead of us.

Some notes about our players abroad:

Carl Abbas Musa’s team won the Welsh Premier League.

Luis Giacomi’s team lost their Q-match and will be demoted to Spain’s 4th division (Giacomi was injured playing for Canada yesterday and obviously didn’t take part).

Wyn Lavrynenko’s team won Austria’s top division.

Malcolm Malhotra’s team won their Q-match to stay in Poland III.

Arron Neil’s team won their division and has auto-promoted to Scotland’s top flight.

Scottie Wang’s team won their Q-match to stay in Romania’s second division.

Maxime Fluet suffered a significant (19 day) knock today. He wouldn't have played this weekend, but may have been in the mix for Peru next weekend. Hate to see young guys miss training. :/

Could be worse. One week (next one) I am going to train stamina, then he is only missing one week training and not 2.

Vafir down. Again. 3rd time this season. :(

Might only miss 1 week's training.

W. Lavrynenko got injuried today.
Grrrrrr
Extra week pace training? Well.... :/
Made 21 goals anyhow lol

Fortunately just a wee knock. :)

He's always been pretty opportunistic against weaker sides. 21 ain't bad.

I'd like to get the roster into a more manageable state before the next chap takes over the office.

I normally give managers some warning when I'm going to drop their player - especially when they have invested a lot of training in that asset. Not much lead here. So I hope the next NT manager will be willing to re-add players should a manager (particularly a Canadian manager) wish to sell.

This is the initial hit list. It may be expanded. (I think it's easier for the new manager to add then drop, so I'm inclined to cut deeper then this list). I may fix links tomorrow. :)

Hit List

Carl Abbas Musa [407701]
Guy Bertrand [4633867]
Yves Castillo Lara [3930239]
Guy Clemens [430244]
Adriano Cochran [1614230]
Gordon Cochran [3934656]
Santiago Dudic [6114114]
Gaspare Ferranti [4539004]
Clayton Houston [5163783]
Patrice Kasim [5112547]
Basile Lorenzo [4151085]
Abdeen Metra [6487480]
Ibrahim Sheperd [4195407]
Eduardo Vafir [5661106]
Philippe Vaillancourt [4578169]
Alexander Verville [5933279]
Abu Wagenaar [220625]

Eftichiis Ryan, who may have some U21 potential, is on the TL.

He needs copious amounts of pace training. Even if he got the full season, his lead feet might still keep him off the squad.

damn he was strange trained :/

Heehee. Some truth to that. ;) But he should appeal to pace trainers and the tackling-PM combo is something I kinda like.

I would take him for pace and tech training if def and pm combo was switched. :)

I would take him for pace training if ... well, if I weren't in League III and broke.

Edit: Well, not broke broke, but definitely poor.
(edited)