Cybereagles

1. CAF has 56 members
2. First round of qualifiers to get the teams down to 48.
3. First 24 teams according to FiFA rankings are seeded.
4. A draw is done to match teams in a first round 2 legged tie.
5. Create two groups of 12 teams for the 2nd round. Pots created based on FIFA ranking and region. To make sure each Group have a balance. For example not too many North or West African sides in one pot over the next.
6. First 4 teams in each group get an automatic ticket to the world cup. The 5th place teams in each group will play a playoff to determine the 9th team to represent Africa.

7. The 24 teams that take part in WC qualifications, automatically qualify for AFCON.


The benefit is Africa will be better prepared if we play more games. Scrap AFCON qualifiers and the CHAN tournament.


That is about 24 games for Nigeria over a 4 year period. We would play about 6 to 8 World cup qualifiers a year.

FIFA International match calendar
September - 1 game and 1 friendly
October- 1 game and 1 friendly
November - 2 games
March- 2 games
early June- 3 games


It will force teams to build depth. Teams with different styles of play will play each other. We can have Ghana, Nigeria, Egypt in one group. Teams that never get to play Nigeria, will get a chance.

Also move AFCON back to February. Have it once every 4 years, same year as the WC.

With all the bys and advantage cards handed out to the more established nations, how do you hope to uncover an Iceland? A bunch of fishermen who can give fair account of theemselves and draw swordfishes with the Messis of this world?

As far as rankings be concerned, FIFAs should be applied, but be inconsequential beyond the top two or three. Lest one forgotten, these are world rankings, not one of those rankings viewed from a worldly context, is anything to flaunt or floss, 16th, 21st, not a single top ten and yet the proposition is to shower them with confetti and privilege. What Get Out of Jail free card was extended to Argentina who relied on the final game and a Roy of the Rovers from King Leo? How can one possibly create a culture of ambition when being ranked 30th in the world may allow for all manner of backhanders.

As for the qualification format, 56 to 28, 28 to 14, two groups of seven, making it more of a mini-league. The sooner the national teams are run as domestic clubs in thought and thinking, the better. Planning doesn’t begin on the day of camp, the calendar needs to viewed as preseason, in-season, close season. Even when outside of the friendly windows and national team competitions, but within the domestic season, this should be seen as an active period for all national teams minus the proceeds. Data collection, performance analysis etc etc. By the time players arrive to camp, there should be dossiers in their performances, analysed data and prescribed training routines, diet and evidence on how to optimise their performance.

Coach wrote:With all the bys and advantage cards handed out to the more established nations, how do you hope to uncover an Iceland? A bunch of fishermen who can give fair account of theemselves and draw swordfishes with the Messis of this world?

As far as rankings be concerned, FIFAs should be applied, but be inconsequential beyond the top two or three. Lest one forgotten, these are world rankings, not one of those rankings viewed from a worldly context, is anything to flaunt or floss, 16th, 21st, not a single top ten and yet the proposition is to shower them with confetti and privilege. What Get Out of Jail free card was extended to Argentina who relied on the final game and a Roy of the Rovers from King Leo? How can one possibly create a culture of ambition when being ranked 30th in the world may allow for all manner of backhanders.

As for the qualification format, 56 to 28, 28 to 14, two groups of seven, making it more of a mini-league. The sooner the national teams are run as domestic clubs in thought and thinking, the better. Planning doesn’t begin on the day of camp, the calendar needs to viewed as preseason, in-season, close season. Even when outside of the friendly windows and national team competitions, but within the domestic season, this should be seen as an active period for all national teams minus the proceeds. Data collection, performance analysis etc etc. By the time players arrive to camp, there should be dossiers in their performances, analysed data and prescribed training routines, diet and evidence on how to optimise their performance.

The goal is to play more games to help with preparation for the world cup. Also have AFCON in the same year as the World cup to give teams tournament experience before the world cup.

We can still unearth an Iceland with 24 teams in the 2nd round of qualifications. Not many good teams in Africa. It will make it easier to have the 24 teams also take part in AFCON. We can eliminate AFCON qualifiers.

More games against suboptimal opposition prepares for nothing beyond absolute shellshock at the difference in standard at the Mundial. Returning the issue of seeding teams, beyond the top two, none deserve to be seeded. The argument above, when scratching beneath the sugar coating, seems intent on protecting an undisclosed status quo. Why shouldn’t seeded teams meet each other in the early knockout phases?

In addendum, geography should have no bearing. If by random, Tunisia, Egypt and Algeria are all drawn in the same group, then so be it. The intention is to produce the continents best representatives. The more energy sapping clashes with Ghana, Cameroon, Ivory Coast etc the better. There’s only so much preparation one can gain from Mozambique.

ohenhen1 wrote:1. CAF has 56 members
2. First round of qualifiers to get the teams down to 48.
3. First 24 teams according to FiFA rankings are seeded.
4. A draw is done to match teams in a first round 2 legged tie.
5. Create two groups of 12 teams for the 2nd round. Pots created based on FIFA ranking and region. To make sure each Group have a balance. For example not too many North or West African sides in one pot over the next.
6. First 4 teams in each group get an automatic ticket to the world cup. The 5th place teams in each group will play a playoff to determine the 9th team to represent Africa.

7. The 24 teams that take part in WC qualifications, automatically qualify for AFCON.


The benefit is Africa will be better prepared if we play more games. Scrap AFCON qualifiers and the CHAN tournament.


That is about 24 games for Nigeria over a 4 year period. We would play about 6 to 8 World cup qualifiers a year.

FIFA International match calendar
September - 1 game and 1 friendly
October- 1 game and 1 friendly
November - 2 games
March- 2 games
early June- 3 games


It will force teams to build depth. Teams with different styles of play will play each other. We can have Ghana, Nigeria, Egypt in one group. Teams that never get to play Nigeria, will get a chance.

Do we now have 9 teams in the WC?

In principle, I think your idea makes sense. It creates something closer to the South American system which guarantees that the best teams qualify each time.

Our current system is closer to Europe's. It works for Europe because they have many more spots. We need something that makes sure the best teams play each regularly the way Brazil are guaranteed a couple of games against Argentina every couple of years.

Scraping AFCON qualifiers I'm less sure about, although with the additional games your system demands, that might have to be the call. Again, is AFCON moving to 24 teams? If so, I don't like that. 16 is plenty.

But on the whole, I like your suggestion. We certainly need something. It's not working as is.

waka-man wrote: We need something that makes sure the best teams play each regularly the way Brazil are guaranteed a couple of games against Argentina every couple of years.

Exactly. The proposed idea of seeding 24 teams is nonsense, seeded for what, reaching a round of 16 at the Mundial? South Korea have been to the semis, Costa Rica have been to the quarters. Little Croatia are in another semi-final. FIFA seedings show how far behind Africa is and shouldn't be a badge of honour. If Cameroon draw Nigeria in the knockout round, so be it, one of them is not going to the Big Dance and thats that.

Sounds like the South American format to a degree.

ohenhen1 wrote:Also move AFCON back to February. Have it once every 4 years, same year as the WC.

But we rely on European clubs to buy our players but yet you want to take players out mid season on a World Cup year?Football is a business in Europe so if that’s what you want expect to see your favourite Nigerian players on the bench after February with a World Cup around the corner!

Yep. Africa's voice isn't strong enough to be heard in those boardrooms.

Is there any reason why AfCON can't be a summer spectacle?

@Ohen, how does 56 become 48, how do you lose eight in a round of 56 presumably?

Coach wrote:@Ohen, how does 56 become 48, how do you lose eight in a round of 56 presumably?

Same way you do now:
A preliminary round with the bottom rated 16 teams playing a head to head with 8 eliminated.
At some point some sort of ranking has to come into play. The trick is to do it earlier in the process and Ohen’s process here ensures giant killers still get through while good teams have a chance to recover if they have one bad performance.
The more I look at it, the more I think it’s a no-brainer

Coach wrote:@Ohen, how does 56 become 48, how do you lose eight in a round of 56 presumably?

The last 16 teams based on FIFA ranking play a pre qualification series to get down to 48. Just like we do now.

waka-man wrote:

ohenhen1 wrote:1. CAF has 56 members
2. First round of qualifiers to get the teams down to 48.
3. First 24 teams according to FiFA rankings are seeded.
4. A draw is done to match teams in a first round 2 legged tie.
5. Create two groups of 12 teams for the 2nd round. Pots created based on FIFA ranking and region. To make sure each Group have a balance. For example not too many North or West African sides in one pot over the next.
6. First 4 teams in each group get an automatic ticket to the world cup. The 5th place teams in each group will play a playoff to determine the 9th team to represent Africa.

7. The 24 teams that take part in WC qualifications, automatically qualify for AFCON.


The benefit is Africa will be better prepared if we play more games. Scrap AFCON qualifiers and the CHAN tournament.


That is about 24 games for Nigeria over a 4 year period. We would play about 6 to 8 World cup qualifiers a year.

FIFA International match calendar
September - 1 game and 1 friendly
October- 1 game and 1 friendly
November - 2 games
March- 2 games
early June- 3 games


It will force teams to build depth. Teams with different styles of play will play each other. We can have Ghana, Nigeria, Egypt in one group. Teams that never get to play Nigeria, will get a chance.

Do we now have 9 teams in the WC?

In principle, I think your idea makes sense. It creates something closer to the South American system which guarantees that the best teams qualify each time.

Our current system is closer to Europe's. It works for Europe because they have many more spots. We need something that makes sure the best teams play each regularly the way Brazil are guaranteed a couple of games against Argentina every couple of years.

Scraping AFCON qualifiers I'm less sure about, although with the additional games your system demands, that might have to be the call. Again, is AFCON moving to 24 teams? If so, I don't like that. 16 is plenty.

But on the whole, I like your suggestion. We certainly need something. It's not working as is.

AFCON is now 24 teams starting next year. Or did they change their mind?

Eaglezbeak wrote:

ohenhen1 wrote:Also move AFCON back to February. Have it once every 4 years, same year as the WC.

But we rely on European clubs to buy our players but yet you want to take players out mid season on a World Cup year?Football is a business in Europe so if that’s what you want expect to see your favourite Nigerian players on the bench after February with a World Cup around the corner!

It was a major mistake to move it in the first place. Africa should do what is best for Africa not Europe. June is raining season for most African countries. AFC hold their tournament in January. AFCON should be held once every 4 years, not 2 years.

Coach wrote:

waka-man wrote: We need something that makes sure the best teams play each regularly the way Brazil are guaranteed a couple of games against Argentina every couple of years.

Exactly. The proposed idea of seeding 24 teams is nonsense, seeded for what, reaching a round of 16 at the Mundial? South Korea have been to the semis, Costa Rica have been to the quarters. Little Croatia are in another semi-final. FIFA seedings show how far behind Africa is and shouldn't be a badge of honour. If Cameroon draw Nigeria in the knockout round, so be it, one of them is not going to the Big Dance and thats that.

I don't fully agree with unseeding teams because let's be honest, Iceland made it to where they were because they knocked off seeded teams repeatedly. Also big teams meeting each other early in qualifying prior to a league format opens up poor teams that aren't prepared for the world cup to qualify by default. Seeding needs to be done for one round until the league format phase starts. Then you let the teams play each other and the cream rises to the top.

Eaglezbeak wrote:

ohenhen1 wrote:Also move AFCON back to February. Have it once every 4 years, same year as the WC.

But we rely on European clubs to buy our players but yet you want to take players out mid season on a World Cup year?Football is a business in Europe so if that’s what you want expect to see your favourite Nigerian players on the bench after February with a World Cup around the corner!

I agree with this, that's why we need to follow the European calendar to help our best players get looked at and considered by top clubs. It will help us in the long run.

We don't need more games, we need more professionalism across African football associations. I welcome changes to our WCQ format but that won't lead to better WC results if we still treat this sport as an art instead of a science.

ohenhen1 wrote:

Eaglezbeak wrote:

ohenhen1 wrote:Also move AFCON back to February. Have it once every 4 years, same year as the WC.

But we rely on European clubs to buy our players but yet you want to take players out mid season on a World Cup year?Football is a business in Europe so if that’s what you want expect to see your favourite Nigerian players on the bench after February with a World Cup around the corner!

It was a major mistake to move it in the first place. Africa should do what is best for Africa not Europe. June is raining season for most African countries. AFC hold their tournament in January. AFCON should be held once every 4 years, not 2 years.

Explain how playing a major tournament in February is better for African players when the best players in the continent don’t even stay in Africa because their leagues are not strong enough and are only professional by name?

Below see current weather in Africa July (Summer),North to South not much rain!If anything we need to invest in flood lights for cool evening kickoffs!

https://m.accuweather.com/en/africa-weather

https://www.thomascook.com/holidays/wea ... rica/june/

Above average African weather in June!

Heliopolis wrote:We don't need more games, we need more professionalism across African football associations. I welcome changes to our WCQ format but that won't lead to better WC results if we still treat this sport as an art instead of a science.

We need more games and more professionalism.

ohenhen1 wrote:1. CAF has 56 members
2. First round of qualifiers to get the teams down to 48.
3. First 24 teams according to FiFA rankings are seeded.
4. A draw is done to match teams in a first round 2 legged tie.
5. Create two groups of 12 teams for the 2nd round. Pots created based on FIFA ranking and region. To make sure each Group have a balance. For example not too many North or West African sides in one pot over the next.
6. First 4 teams in each group get an automatic ticket to the world cup. The 5th place teams in each group will play a playoff to determine the 9th team to represent Africa.

7. The 24 teams that take part in WC qualifications, automatically qualify for AFCON.


The benefit is Africa will be better prepared if we play more games. Scrap AFCON qualifiers and the CHAN tournament.


That is about 24 games for Nigeria over a 4 year period. We would play about 6 to 8 World cup qualifiers a year.

FIFA International match calendar
September - 1 game and 1 friendly
October- 1 game and 1 friendly
November - 2 games
March- 2 games
early June- 3 games


It will force teams to build depth. Teams with different styles of play will play each other. We can have Ghana, Nigeria, Egypt in one group. Teams that never get to play Nigeria, will get a chance.

Ohenhen1

It sounds good if your Nigerian but you need to address a major concern that CAF has I. E. How do the eliminated teams including the first 8 eliminated teams stay busy? Remember, that was the reason for current format as well as for the CHAN. CAF also has a responsibility to develop those weaker teams.

Coach wrote: Is there any reason why AfCON can't be a summer spectacle?

Maybe becuase of the weather. Rainy season. We can't have them playing in the rain.