World Cup Qualifying

[twi]

The draw for World Cup 2010 was today. Some pretty challenging groups in Europe. Biggest news however is the draw of both halves of Korea in the same group. These type of matches always have interesting build-up, hopefully the matches themselves will live up to the billing. Also interesting to see England and Croatia put together again, considering England's failure in Euro 2008 qualification. Any thoughts on the groups? I was surprised at the number of island nations that compete in CONCACAF.

[DEAD!]

Yeah, North Korea and South Korea in the same group?...

[TFoA]

http://www.fifa.com/live/competitions/worl...w/drawcast.html

For those who would like to see the draw.

[WelshSteeler]

Wales group

Germany - Met in the recent Euro 2008 group - L0-2 at home but a massively inexperienced team gained a 0-0 draw in Frankfurt last week

Russia - Last met in Euro 2004 play off - L 0-1 on agg

Finland - 4 points off them in Euro 2004 group but tend to play well in Cardiff

Azerbaijan - 3 wins and a draw in 4 games v the Azeris but they are improving

Liechtenstein - One friendly match in 2006 - W 4-0

If Wales' new crop of young players can mature quickly enough both they and Finland must look to the Russians as their target to beat given their patchy recent performances in stumbling through to Euro 2008.I do think however this is a tournament too early for Wales at the moment.

[officeglenn]

Boy, the Canadian soccer commentators ? yes, all three of them ? were fuming at Canada's draw over the weekend. Basically, if the Canadians beat St. Vincent and all the other matches turn out the way they should, the Canucks will be in a group with Mexico, Jamaica and Honduras, and only two of those move on to the next stage. ¡Ay carumba!

There was some hope that Canada could sneak into the 2010 tournament, but after this draw, that's all but gone out the window.

[Swiss]

Argentina and Paraguay will qualify to the WC without any problem. Uruguay has a tough way.

Switzerland has a relatively easy group: Greece, Israel, Moldova, Latvia, and Luxemburg. The rivals to beat are Greece and Israel.

[twi]

Boy, the Canadian soccer commentators ? yes, all three of them ? were fuming at Canada's draw over the weekend. Basically, if the Canadians beat St. Vincent and all the other matches turn out the way they should, the Canucks will be in a group with Mexico, Jamaica and Honduras, and only two of those move on to the next stage. ¡Ay carumba!

There was some hope that Canada could sneak into the 2010 tournament, but after this draw, that's all but gone out the window.

That is tough. I hate to say it, but Canada looks to be the weakest of the four there. Although who knows if this is the time Honduras gets it's act together or not.

I do not know the schedule, but Canada should take whatever advantage in their home matches that they can get. If they can get favorable conditions like the US did in it's match against Mexico in CHicago, it will go a long way towards securing the important home points.

[Breakwood]

Boy, the Canadian soccer commentators ? yes, all three of them ? were fuming at Canada's draw over the weekend. Basically, if the Canadians beat St. Vincent and all the other matches turn out the way they should, the Canucks will be in a group with Mexico, Jamaica and Honduras, and only two of those move on to the next stage. ¡Ay carumba!

There was some hope that Canada could sneak into the 2010 tournament, but after this draw, that's all but gone out the window.

That is tough. I hate to say it, but Canada looks to be the weakest of the four there. Although who knows if this is the time Honduras gets it's act together or not.

I do not know the schedule, but Canada should take whatever advantage in their home matches that they can get. If they can get favorable conditions like the US did in it's match against Mexico in CHicago, it will go a long way towards securing the important home points.

I disagree. Canada should be able to qualify from that group, although It's the toughest of the 3 groups. Remember Canada made the semi-finals of the Gold Cup and only lost on a questionable call that negated their tying goal against the US. They surely can beat Jamaica home and away, and they can beat Honduras at home, and snatch a draw in Honduras. With some luck we can also get a draw at home to Mexico, but I'm not all that sure about it. A loss is almost guarenteed in Mexico however. Thats about 10 points, which should get us through.

[officeglenn]

Boy, the Canadian soccer commentators ? yes, all three of them ? were fuming at Canada's draw over the weekend. Basically, if the Canadians beat St. Vincent and all the other matches turn out the way they should, the Canucks will be in a group with Mexico, Jamaica and Honduras, and only two of those move on to the next stage. ¡Ay carumba!

There was some hope that Canada could sneak into the 2010 tournament, but after this draw, that's all but gone out the window.

That is tough. I hate to say it, but Canada looks to be the weakest of the four there. Although who knows if this is the time Honduras gets it's act together or not.

I do not know the schedule, but Canada should take whatever advantage in their home matches that they can get. If they can get favorable conditions like the US did in it's match against Mexico in CHicago, it will go a long way towards securing the important home points.

I disagree. Canada should be able to qualify from that group, although It's the toughest of the 3 groups. Remember Canada made the semi-finals of the Gold Cup and only lost on a questionable call that negated their tying goal against the US. They surely can beat Jamaica home and away, and they can beat Honduras at home, and snatch a draw in Honduras. With some luck we can also get a draw at home to Mexico, but I'm not all that sure about it. A loss is almost guarenteed in Mexico however. Thats about 10 points, which should get us through.

I don't know. Last World Cup qualifying campaign, Canada had 11 points in a group with Belize, Guatemala and Honduras, and that wasn't enough to get through. And Jamaica they could probably take at home, yes, but they did lose 2-1 to the Reggae Boys in Kingston about a year ago.

[twi]

The Central American teams are always a tough draw when they are at home. I wouldn't count any points as automatic against them, be you Canada, the US, whoever. Mexico in Mexico City is distarous. It's like a mile high elevation and polluted as hell.

[TFoA]

The Central American teams are always a tough draw when they are at home. I wouldn't count any points as automatic against them, be you Canada, the US, whoever. Mexico in Mexico City is distarous. It's like a mile high elevation and polluted as hell.

Mexico, when they're playing in Azteca, are a top 5 team easily. I chalk that up as to why they can qualify easier than most other teams, it's the fact that their homefield advantage is, IMO, the best in the world.

[Geoff]

The tings in this world that FIFA has helped me learn. lol I had never heard of the Turks and Caicos Islands and when I looked them up, I find this little tid bit:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turks_and_Cai...ion_with_Canada

A great many of the tourists who visit the islands are Canadian. Owing to this, the islands' status as a British colony, and historic trade links, some politicians in Canada and the Turks and Caicos have suggested some form of union between Canada (a Commonwealth realm, so they already share the British Monarch as Head of state) and the British territory.

In 1917, the Prime Minister of Canada, Robert Borden first suggested that Canada annex Turks and Caicos Islands.

In 1974 , Canadian New Democratic Party Member of Parliament Max Saltsman introduced a failed attempt at consolidating the islands.

The idea was brought up again in 1986 by Progressive Conservative MP Dan McKenzie, but it was rejected by his party's caucus committee on external affairs in 1987. The committee, chaired by MP David Daubney, looked at immigration, banking, health care and tourism issues in making its decision.

In 2004, Conservative MP Peter Goldring visited the Turks and Caicos to explore the possibility once more.

For the islands to join Canada as a full province would require amending the Canadian constitution, unlikely because it could provoke provinces to reopen debate on other aspects of Canada's constitution. On the other hand, small changes to the Constitution, such as renaming Newfoundland to Newfoundland and Labrador, have passed intact since 1949. The last new province, Newfoundland and Labrador, was brought into the country in 1949 by an act of the British Parliament. Joining as a territory would be easier, as territories can be created by an act of federal law. In addition, its population of 21,746 (est. 2007) people is considered insufficient for provincial status. However, this attitude might change should the territories of Yukon or Nunavut, with about 30,000 people each, ever become provinces.

In 2004, the province of Nova Scotia voted to invite Turks and Caicos to join the province, should the islands ever become part of Canada. This would bypass the problems with admitting Turks and Caicos as a separate province.

Imagine going south from Miami to go to Canada. lol

[Swiss]

Finally!!! With Turks and Caicos, Canada will have a tropical climate!!! Let's surf in Canada!!!

[Breakwood]

Finally!!! With Turks and Caicos, Canada will have a tropical climate!!! Let's surf in Canada!!!

Actually surfing is quite popular in Nova Scotia and in BC.