Format changing again....
2014 OFC Champions League
Eugh, that is terrible. Breaks right away from the traditional Champions League format used in every other confederation, just to save money on flights.
Eugh, that is terrible. Breaks right away from the traditional Champions League format used in every other confederation, just to save money on flights.
With each team playing every 2nd day ugh
Eugh, that is terrible. Breaks right away from the traditional Champions League format used in every other confederation, just to save money on flights.
Makes it a lot more of a lottery now, not really great news for NZ teams.
Makes it a lot more of a lottery now, not really great news for NZ teams.
This will be when ACFC, Waitak etc show how much depth is in the squads.
I really don't like the way the format changes every season. Just like the OFC Nations Cup.
Its time the OFC ran its torneys efficiently, coherently and adheres to a proper timetable. Correct me if I'm wrong but OFC does not have a proper WC qualifier path like it did in the 90s. I personally do not feel that it should be in anyway linked in with the Nations Cup as it has been of late.
This is purely a money decision and an attempt to level the playing field because its well known NZ teams do not play well up in the island heat
Is Fiji any hotter than Spain?
Its a lot warmer than NZ and now the NZ teams play 0 games in a climate they prefer.
since the asia/oceania argument seems to be constantly raging... i thought i'd ask this hypothetical question
would new zealand's representatives in continental club football prefer to play in this new oceania tournament or in the asian champions league?
if the latter, could they afford it considering that they would be unlikely to get prize money from winning it
Makes it a lot more of a lottery now, not really great news for NZ teams.
Absolutely. Not great news for our national league either.
since the asia/oceania argument seems to be constantly raging... i thought i'd ask this hypothetical question
would new zealand's representatives in continental club football prefer to play in this new oceania tournament or in the asian champions league?
if the latter, could they afford it considering that they would be unlikely to get prize money from winning it
I don't know the details but there must be a reasonable amount of TV money associated with the ACL. Isn't that why the Aussie A-League clubs are so keen to get in there?
Anyway, the choice here isn't so much between this new qualifying tournament and the ACL, it's between this new tournament and what we have had up until now, which clearly favoured the NZ teams.
Oceania is just struggling at every turn to make ends meet, even with massive FIFA support, and some of the compromises being made are just not in NZ's interests.
since the asia/oceania argument seems to be constantly raging... i thought i'd ask this hypothetical question
would new zealand's representatives in continental club football prefer to play in this new oceania tournament or in the asian champions league?
if the latter, could they afford it considering that they would be unlikely to get prize money from winning it
I don't know the details but there must be a reasonable amount of TV money associated with the ACL. Isn't that why the Aussie A-League clubs are so keen to get in there?
Anyway, the choice here isn't so much between this new qualifying tournament and the ACL, it's between this new tournament and what we have had up until now, which clearly favoured the NZ teams.
Oceania is just struggling at every turn to make ends meet, even with massive FIFA support, and some of the compromises being made are just not in NZ's interests.
Cheers RR.
However, regardless of whether Oceania teams might ever qualify via Asia, the key questions right now are still:
Does this new format negatively impact NZ teams' chances of getting through? Yes.
Does this new format further highlight issues with Oceania's overall sustainability and the ability to put competitive representatives into tournaments? Yes.
This format isn't going to do anything to make sure the best representative of Oceania gets through and that they are well prepared when they get there.
Cheers RR.
However, regardless of whether Oceania teams might ever qualify via Asia, the key questions right now are still:
Does this new format negatively impact NZ teams' chances of getting through? Yes.
Does this new format further highlight issues with Oceania's overall sustainability and the ability to put competitive representatives into tournaments? Yes.
This format isn't going to do anything to make sure the best representative of Oceania gets through and that they are well prepared when they get there.
Agreed.
Ultimately while NZ teams dominated the previous structure it was as fair as it could possibly be to each team. This is not. Simple as that.
And, mark my words, it will be a long time until we see this hosted in New Zealand.
I don't like this new format really... they should have make it 8 teams knock-out tournament (6 weeks long, 14 games total, 2-6 per team depending on success)... that would decrease costs by far (last season where were 29 games), and still would be very exciting, far more interesting than this 10 days tourney.
BTW, ridiculous fact - Fijian represetantives (2012 league winner and runner-up) will play season and a half (whole 2013 season and part of 2014 season) between clinching spots at 2014 OCL and playing in that OCL.
A few interesting bits and pieces from the OFC website under the heading "OFC Executive meeting outcomes announced":
• Agreed the OFC Champions League format of 12 teams and to be hosted in Fiji.
o Host venues will be Ba, Lautoka and Nadi.
o Confirmed competition regulations to be sent out to Member Associations for approval.
• Agreed that the OFC qualifying format for future FIFA age group World Cups will be:
o Changed from U-17 and U-20 Championships to U-16 and U-19 Championships to allow successful teams at least one year to prepare for the World Cup.
o The new age-group format to begin for the OFC U-19 Men’s Championship from May 22 to 30, 2014.
• Approved the OFC Competitions Calendar to 2016 with the host bidding process now underway.
• Approved the OFC President’s Cup for the OFC Champions League winners, OFC Champions League runners-up, two teams from the AFC and two further invitational sides scheduled for November 2014.
A few interesting bits and pieces from the OFC website under the heading "OFC Executive meeting outcomes announced":
• Agreed the OFC Champions League format of 12 teams and to be hosted in Fiji.
o Host venues will be Ba, Lautoka and Nadi.
o Confirmed competition regulations to be sent out to Member Associations for approval.
• Agreed that the OFC qualifying format for future FIFA age group World Cups will be:
o Changed from U-17 and U-20 Championships to U-16 and U-19 Championships to allow successful teams at least one year to prepare for the World Cup.
o The new age-group format to begin for the OFC U-19 Men’s Championship from May 22 to 30, 2014.
• Approved the OFC Competitions Calendar to 2016 with the host bidding process now underway.
• Approved the OFC President’s Cup for the OFC Champions League winners, OFC Champions League runners-up, two teams from the AFC and two further invitational sides scheduled for November 2014.
I can see a Honiara situation for the NZ club champions on the horizon -no details of when the tournment will be played? Will it be during a hot and humid time of year?
This "OFC President's Cup" - a good idea only if they can attract some reasonably good Asian and invitational sides because NZ is the only country capable of hosting such a tournament and people won't turn up to watch Ba vs. Selangor or whatever...
Tournament takes place in April, Big Pete, according to this media release:
Can anyone look at this and not think CLUSTER F*&K, Moving the venue to Churchill park the same venue as pool A
12 OFC champions league games in 8 Days on 1 pitch or maybe they will have a kick around in the car park instead, pitch quality was always going to be an issue any way but now this Joke.
This whole format is an absolute clusterfuck.
They will play at Govind Park at Ba. Put money on it.
Vanuatu's Amicale adding some imports including Nigerian Sanni Issa and Scot Colin Marshall:
I think ACFC will do ok to get out of their group. I hold no hope for Waitak (and thats before the weather is taken into account)
I think ACFC will do ok to get out of their group. I hold no hope for Waitak (and thats before the weather is taken into account)
I'm not so sure. I think Waitakere are better than their 8-1 two leg drubbing by ACFC in the playoffs. It would be good if the two NZ sides ended up playing the O League final, to keep the prize money in NZ and so the game's in Auckland. Mind you, knowing the Oceania Confederation, they'd probably play it in Vanuatu out of spite. I'll be very surprised if ACFC don't win the O League but conditions in Fiji will conspire against the NZ teams.
Amicale look to have loaded up.
Will there be any Vanuatuan player in Amicale's XI?
"Benjamin Totori has signed for Waitakere plus midfielder Tom Biss and defender Aaron Jones are joining from Hawke's Bay United while winger Joel Stevens has moved north from Team Wellington.
Former Melbourne Heart defender Steven Gray will also give their defence a sturdier look after also signing from Oakleigh Cannons in the Victorian Premier League."
Other OFC Champions League sides:
Former French Ligue 1 star, France u-21 and Tahitian international Marama Vahirua will play for AS Pirae. The first UEFA Champions League player to play in the OFC Champions League (played for French champions Nantes in the 2001-2002 Champions League topping their first group stage ahead of PSV, Lazio and Galatasaray; apparently Vahirua played a blinder in the home draw in the second group stage v. Man Utd). Still only 33 years old. 321 Ligue 1 games; 71 goals
Vanuatu star Fenedy Masauvakolo will be in action for Amicale, who have also signed three Serbians, one Italian, one Scottish and a handful of Solomon Islands players.
The semi-finals will be played on a home and away basis on April 26/27 and May 3/4.
The home and away finals take place on May 10 and May 17.
Five days away from first semi final and there's nothing on ACFC or Oceania's website where the first games are to be played.
Pretty poor 5 days out.
Or is it postponed?
Sat 2 pm Kiwitea ....standard OFC cluster@#k... website sez one final ... is not ...home and away
How close to Sat will OFC alter [ correct ] their web site ....we could run a pool on it .....Im betting Wed's [ late]*
*This week or next ....
Fook ...Wed morning ....final still down as one off tho ....so theres hope yet !
Fook ...Wed morning ....final still down as one off tho ....so theres hope yet !
Who administers the Oceania website? Is it Gordon Glen Watson?
Whoever it is needs a swift kick up the rear end.
I ALWAYS THOUGHT HE WAS YOU ....
I've bashed off an email, in French, to Xavier and Jacqueline at Oceania Football. They're listed as communications people. Fingers crossed to clarify and update their website.
They confirmed final to be played over two legs.
Fiji to host this competition again in 2015. LOL.
I think GGW posts as Mikhailichenko
On the web at this time still states ONE final ...seriously OFC make NZF appear organised...ASIA , ASIA ...lets GTF out of this cluster f@#k...
Tho perhaps their fax machine has broken down...
And Now ...it IS HOME And AWAY !
So that one detail being changed has made you life complete? You need some perspective dude