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Originally posted by ericcantona7:
why do Japan get an automatic place? I know they're hosting it, but they host it every year don't they? in that case it's a bit unfair, it'd be like giving Monaco a place in the Super Cup final every season. Should rotate the World Club cup, maybe have the previous winners host it, then they can come back, would at least put one more strong team in it.
They'll rotate it. Portugal want to host it in 2009.
Originally posted by Sean M:
I think it is a good idea. You get the best teams from each region and have them play an annual tournament.
The European champion only misses a week of its season. So it is not a huge inconvenience.
At the moment the other confederations are weak. But you would think they would get stronger over time and be more competitive eventually.
You would also hope that the prestige of the tournament increases as it gets older. And if FIFA are committed to holding it each year.
Football is global sport now. I think you need to have this type of tournament that connects each confederation at club level.
whs :thup:
Europeans have to stop with this Eurocentrism and understand that it's not only them (and us South Americans) that play football.
Originally posted by PMLF:
<BLOCKQUOTE>Originally posted by Sean M:
I think it is a good idea. You get the best teams from each region and have them play an annual tournament.
The European champion only misses a week of its season. So it is not a huge inconvenience.
At the moment the other confederations are weak. But you would think they would get stronger over time and be more competitive eventually.
You would also hope that the prestige of the tournament increases as it gets older. And if FIFA are committed to holding it each year.
Football is global sport now. I think you need to have this type of tournament that connects each confederation at club level.
whs :thup:
Europeans have to stop with this Eurocentrism and understand that it's not only them (and us South Americans) that play football. </BLOCKQUOTE>
Originally posted by Helarxe:
<BLOCKQUOTE>Originally posted by super_imps:
How seriously are Milan going to be taking this?
They claim it's quite a lot. Carlo Ancelotti is watching this game even though the winner has little chance of facing Milan ahead. Plus there's some Maldini retirement talk too, that he wants this final title before retiring. And Kaká, like most Brazilian players, values this competition.
Milan also want some of that Asian supporter market, currently dominated by Man Utd, Real Madrid and Barça. </BLOCKQUOTE>
Besides what you said above, they also want to win this edition because in 2003 Boca beat them in the Intercontinental Cup. So, they can take revenge this year (but hopefully they will fail).
Originally posted by Emperor J:
Urawa choked away the J-League title over the last two months culminating in a defeat against relegation fodder Yokohama FC on the final day. That said, they have two great mercenaries in Robson Ponte and Washington :thup:
Washington "Brave Heart" is probably joining Fluminense after this Club World Cup is over.
Originally posted by PMLF:
<BLOCKQUOTE>Originally posted by ericcantona7:
why do Japan get an automatic place? I know they're hosting it, but they host it every year don't they? in that case it's a bit unfair, it'd be like giving Monaco a place in the Super Cup final every season. Should rotate the World Club cup, maybe have the previous winners host it, then they can come back, would at least put one more strong team in it.
They'll rotate it. Portugal want to host it in 2009. </BLOCKQUOTE>
And... they host it every year since 2005, and previously they hosted the Intercontinental cup but it’s the first time they have a place. Urawa were the Asian champions though, so Sepahan (the runners-up) are the host.
I watched the African CL final and I was impressed with two players from the Tunisian team. Their young striker and one of their central midfielders, unfortunately I can’t remember their names.
Sepahan play as host because no country is allowed to have more than one team in the competition.
Since Urawa Reds won the Asian CL, they have a byew to the Q-Fs, which means another spot (the hosts one) became available and was filled by a team from the same Confederation (Sepahan).
If Sepahan had won the Asian CL title, Antlers (J-League champions) would have played against Waitakere Utd today.