'Signals' From The Football Confederation
SIGNALS/SENALES/SIGNALS FROM THE FOOTBALL CONFEDERATION
SENALES/SIGNALS/SENALES DE LA CONFEDERACION DE FUTBOL
News and events from around The Football Confederation. October 26, 1999.
ROAD TO GOLD CUP 2000
COMPETING TEAMS BEGIN TO PREPARE IN EARNEST FOR THE AMERICAS' FIRST MAJOR
COMPETITION FOR NATIONAL TEAMS OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM
MEXICO Gears Up To Defend Its Gold Cup Title by Taking on Ecuador in Houston
Tomorrow.
Reigning Gold Cup champions Mexico, has begun to prepare in earnest for its
defense of the title playing matches against quality South American teams.
Following their 0-0 draw against Colombia in San Diego last week, Mexico is
set to take on its third South American foe in a row (before Colombia, Mexico
played Paraguay). This time it will be Ecuador in Houston, Texas.
Head coach Manuel Lapuente has taken full advantage of the preparatory
matches, experimenting with new lineups and tinkering with formations in
search of the best possible team and strategy to defend their prestigious
international title.
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO Lines up Quality Central and South American Opposition
Seeking to Make Its Mark in Gold Cup 2000.
Trinidad & Tobago has set an intense training program ahead in preparation
for its participation in the 2000 Gold Cup. Before the team makes its debut
in the tournament, February 13th against Mexico, they would have undergone
challenging tests against top opposition from Central and South America.
Their international preparatory matches include a clash with Central American
champions Costa Rica, on November 14, and December matches against World Cup
1998 finalists Paraguay on the 12th, and Bolivia on the 17th.
THE UNITED STATES Goes On The Road For Tough Tests Against World Cup 1999
finalists Morocco and Chile.
Gold Cup 1998 runner up, the United States, has decided to go on the road to
seek the best possible preparation for their run to win the 2000 Gold Cup.
The U.S. team will travel to Morocco to take on the 1998 World Cup finalists
on November 17th. Then on January 29th, the team will play for the first time
in Chilean soil to challenge that country's solid national side.
The Football Confederation's 2000 Gold Cup, 10-27 February, will be staged in
Los Angeles, San Diego and Miami. The tournament kicks off February 10 when
the United States takes on Haiti at Miami's Orange Bowl.
After 19 games between the 12 competing national teams, the first champion of
the new millenium will be awarded the Gold Cup at the Los Angeles Coliseum on
February 27.
Gold Cup 2000
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE FOOTBALL CONFEDERATION POSTPONED UNTIL
DECEMBER 12-14 IN NEW YORK CITY
The Executive Committee meeting of the Football Confederation has been
postponed from November 5 and 6 to December 12 to 14, at the request of the
President, Jack Warner of Trinidad and Tobago.
The meeting, with its more than 50 agenda items, will now take place in New
York City, at the Football Confederations' headquarters, after Mr. Warner's
return from New Zealand, where he will attend the FIFA Junior (Under 17)
World Championship as Chairman of the FIFA Committee for Youth Competitions.
After New Zealand, and before the Football Confederation's Executive
Committee meeting, Mr. Warner and The FC General Secretary and FIFA Executive
Committee member, Chuck Blazer, will attend the FIFA Executive Committee
meeting and draw for the preliminary rounds of the 2002 World Cup in Tokyo,
Japan, from December 5 to 7.
Meanwhile, Mr. Blazer, will spend this week in Zurich for a series of FIFA
committee meetings. He is a member of the Organizing Committee for the Club
World Championship, whose meeting was today (October 26). Tomorrow it is the
turn of the National Associations' Committee, of which he is Deputy Chairman.
On Friday, he will attend the Players' Status Committee of which he is a
member and then Chair the meeting of the Media Committee.
Mr. Blazer will also meet with the FIFA Head of Marketing, Flavio Battaini,
to finalize the text of the Virtual Advertising Regulations in preparation
for presentation to the FIFA Executive Committee in December.
Nine of the FIFA standing committees are meeting in FIFA headquarters in
Zurich from Tuesday, 26 October to Friday, 29 October.
The Football Committee, under the chairmanship of the President of the
Spanish national association and member of the FIFA Executive Committee,
Angel Maria Villar, and including such celebrities as former Mexican National
Team striker Hugo Sanchez, U.S. National Team midfielder Michelle Akers,
PelĂ, Sir Bobby Charlton and Franz Beckenbauer, will be looking for
opportunities to harmonize the different interests of all the parties
involved - clubs and national teams as well as the worlds of sport and
marketing. Topics such as stricter rules for transfers and stabilizing the
financial circumstances of clubs will be under discussion, as will the match
calendar and professional refereeing.
The Futsal Committee, under the careful eye of Deputy Chairman and FIFA
Executive Committee Member, Isaac Sasso Sasso of Costa Rica, will be
discussing preparations for the Futsal World Championship to be held in
Guatemala in November, 2000. The group draw for the Futsal World Championship
will take place towards the end of August 2000.
The Olympic Tournaments Committee, where Mr. Sasso Sasso serves as member,
will have to decide whether world champions USA, should be seeded for the
women's tournament. Similarly, the host, Australia, for the men's tournament.
CUBA SECURES FINAL CARIBBEAN SLOT IN THE FOOTBALL CONFEDERATION'S OLYMPIC
QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT
Cuba defeated the Dominican Republic 4-0 in the second of their home and away
qualifying series, and advanced to the second round of Olympic qualifying of
The Football Confederation. Cuba won 7-0 on aggregate, so now all three of
the second round Olympic qualifying groups have been finalized.
The groups are:
GROUP A -- USA (bye), PANAMA, CUBA, BERMUDA
GROUP B -- MEXICO, COSTA RICA, JAMAICA, HONDURAS
GROUP C -- CANADA, GUATEMALA, NETHERLANDS ANTILLES, T&T
Full schedule of games will be announced. Matches are scheduled for March and
April. Specific dates will be announced.
The format of The FC's qualifying competition for the Olympic Football
Tournament, Sydney 2000 is as follows:
- Twelve teams have been placed in three groups of four and will compete in
a round robin with the top two teams earning a berth to the finals to be held
in the United States, April 21-30, 2000. As hosts, the United States
receives a bye into the finals.
- Each group will play in a different venue. Venues will be announced.
CANADIAN SOCCER ASSOCIATION ENDORSES PLAN TO DECENTRALIZE NATIONAL TRAINING
CENTERS
At its semi-annual Board of Directors meeting held recently in Ottawa, The
Canadian Soccer Association endorsed the recommendations in a recent major
study conducted by Technical Director Holger Osieck and Vice President Andy
Sharpe. The major change will be to turn over the operations of its current
four National Training Centers to the provincial football associations. The
centers, located in Burnaby, Edmonton, Toronto and Montreal with a fifth
center in Halifax coming on stream in 2000, will now be managed by the host
football body.
The CSA will continue to work closely with the provincial football
associations. Among other things, the CSA will provide CSA National coaches
to liaise with the centers and provide advice and consulting services to each
center, including monitoring the development of identified National Team
athletes and scouting. CSA National coaches will also conduct clinics to
develop coaches in the Provinces to attain "A" and "B" License Certification.
The CSA Board of Directors recently approved a record high budget for the
year 2000 approaching the $8 million dollar mark. Spending on the priority
programs of player development, competitions and national teams programs has
increased from $3 million in 1998 to $6.4 million in 2000.
The Board of Directors also approved terms of references for a Focus Group on
Women's Football Development. This group will be under the Chair of Board
member Sylvie Beliveau and will consist of new Head Coach, Even Pellerud,
Technical Director Holger Osieck, a senior playing member of the Women's
National Team and the Chief Operating Officer.
"I was pleased with the three and a half days of intense discussions," stated
CSA President Jim Fleming. "The Board worked hard and is dealing with issues
of major importance for the future of the sport in Canada."
THREE OF THE FOUR SEMIFINALISTS EMERGE IN MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER. DEFENDING
CHAMPION CHICAGO MUST WIN TOMORROW ON THE ROAD.
Two-time champions DC United defeated the Miami Fusion in their best of three
series (2-0, and 1-1 via shootout) in quarterfinals action of the United
States' top professional league, Major League Soccer. DC United will face
the Columbus Crew, straight winners over Tampa Bay (2-0 and 2-0), in the
Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Over at the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Galaxy secured a berth to the
semifinals defeating the Colorado Rapids in straight games (3-0 and 2-0).
They await the outcome of the series between defending champions Chicago Fire
and the suddenly hot Dallas Burn. That series is tied one a game apiece
(Dallas: 2-1, Chicago: 4-0). The deciding match will be played tomorrow
October 27 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas.
The four semifinalists will battle to reach the final of MLS Cup '99, set for
November 21st at Foxboro Stadium in Massachusetts.
MEXICAN FIRST DIVISION - TOLUCA IS THE FIRST QUARTERFINALIST
Toluca beat Guadalajara 1-0 with a solitary goal by Paraguayan striker Jose
Cardozo. The victory, coupled with UNAM's defeat, 1-3, against Puebla,
assured Toluca a first place finish in Group 1 and one of the eight spots in
the "Liguilla" (eight-team playoff pool). Cardozo's goal was his ninth of the
season, one behind top scorer Jesus Olalde, who netted UNAM's only goal in
their loss to Puebla.
Toluca (28 pts.) and Cruz Azul (22 pts) enjoy a comfortable lead in Group 1
and 2, respectively (Toluca with an 11 point lead over its closest rival,
Tecos, and Cruz Azul with a 7 point lead over Morelia). Meanwhile, Atlas and
America share the top spot in Group 3 (23 pts.). But the tightest race is
occurring in Group 4, where Necaxa and Guadalajara are even at the top (20
pts.), with second placed team, Pachuca, trailing by only one point.
Brazilian veteran Bebeto scored his second goal of the Invierno championship
but was unable to save troubled Neza from tumbling to another defeat. Neza is
fourth in Group 1.
USA WOMEN INDOOR TOUR KICKS OFF WITH CONSECUTIVE U.S. VICTORIES
The "Toys 'R' Us Indoor Victory Tour" kicked off last Friday in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, as the world champions U.S. Women's National Team overcame a
3-1 deficit to defeat the World All-Star Team, 9-6, in the first match of the
12-city tour. Cindy Parlow notched three goals, while Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy
and Joy Fawcett each scored a pair for the U.S. at the Civic Arena. On
Sunday in Detroit for the second stop of the 12-city tour, Brandi Chastain
had three goals, including the game-winner in sudden death overtime as the
U.S. improved to 2-0 against the World Stars with a 7-6 victory at The Palace
of Auburn Hills. Danielle Fotopoulos also scored twice, while Kristine Lilly
and Christie Pearce added a goal each for the U.S.
The tour continues this Friday in Cleveland at the Cleveland State University
Convocation Center and then Sunday in Chicago, Illinois, at the Allstate
Arena.
MIA HAMM NAMED WSF TEAM SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
U.S. Women's National Team forward Mia Hamm was named the Women's Sports
Foundation "Team Sportswoman of the Year" for the second time in three years.
Hamm, who has been honored five straight years as U.S. Soccer's "Chevrolet
Female Athlete of the Year," scored 13 goals and 16 assists in 26 games,
helping the team to their 1999 Women's World Cup championship.
THE FC TECHNICAL DIRECTOR MARCOS FALOPA TO SPEAK AT ENGLAND'S CONFERENCE OF
EUREOPEAN COACHES
The Football Confederation's Technical Director Marcos Falopa is among a
select group of coaching experts invited to make a presentation at a
Conference of European Technical Directors organized and hosted by the
English FA, October 23-26. Mr. Falopa used the occasion to launch a new CD
for technical development based on his acclaimed book: "The Brazilian Way."
The Football Confederation is one of six FIFA world Confederations serving as
the governing body of soccer in North, Central America and the Caribbean.
It is composed of 38 members, spanning from Canada in the north to Surinam in
the south.
For the latest information about The Football Confederation please visit our
official web site: www.FootballConfederation.com. Also visit the
Confederations news section in FIFA On-Line, the official FIFA web site:
www.FIFA.com.
Issued by The Football Confederation's Communications Department. Carlos
Giovanni Giron, Press Officer.