If Mr.Burrell did not notice the team that

[Karl]

did we beat those 2 well prepared teams at home?

Yes!
....and that is the irony! With out half-arsed effort we were almost as good as...almost won out and advanced. Just imagine if we had that continuous preparation!

[Gamma]

not irony karl...yuh call it that because it flies in the face of your hypothesis...which is half correct.

the REAL irony is that we did not use our best available team in the first 3 matches

[Karl]

not irony karl...yuh call it that because it flies in the face of your hypothesis...which is half correct.

the REAL irony is that we did not use our best available team in the first 3 matches

That was a tragedy
...and the other half of the "correct"?

[Gamma]

yuh mean the incorrect? it is proved that the lack of preparation was not fatal to the last 3 games when we used our best available team and won 3 games on the trot...2 of which were against very good teams!

[Warlord]

Underlying facts that all of you havent looked at:

1. First 3 games of the semifinal round were away.
2. Simoes' poor coaching tactics
3. Simoes' team sheet included some players who werent ready at international level period.

These were the ingredients for failure in the first 3 games. While some may say that if the best team played for games 1-3, we wouldve advanced easily that is a hypothesis and not proven fact. The bottom line line is good teams win at least 1 game on the road in WCQ. Honduras did it at Canada, T&T did it at Cuba, USA did it at Guatemala. The most winnable game of the first 3 was at Canada. The best team available wouldve possibly taken 3 pts from that game instead of one. The Mexico and Honduras games would more than likely have the same outcome in terms of losing.

[Karl]

not fatal?
I think we are out?! ...am I wrong?

[Mitty]

The logic is if we had played our best team for the away games, win, lose or draw we probably could have overcome the huge doal difference. But all that is water under the bridge, sad to say but I think this current crop of players would have done some real damage in the hex.

[Warlord]

The logic is if we had played our best team for the away games, win, lose or draw we probably could have overcome the huge doal difference. But all that is water under the bridge, sad to say but I think this current crop of players would have done some real damage in the hex.

If we have to worry about goal differential to advance then we have bigger issues. What is clear is that having the best team available wouldve possibly put the boyz in a better position to advance going into matchday 6, but i agree whats done is done. I hope the federation learns from this situation.

The key to the future is player development. Our league isnt a developmental one in terms of players and despite what most people think we do not have that much abundance of talented players that can break out at this level so we have to start harnessing the few really talented youth players very early. We need to start qualifying for youth WC tournaments on a consitent level. U-17, U-20, U-23 teams like what Mexico, USA, have been doing for the last decade +

[Gamma]

where it was fatal was the first 3....the last 3 REHABILITATED us and gave us a chance where we had none previously...there is not much more you could ask from a team than 3 wins and no goals against especially when compared to 1 draw 2 losses 1 goal for and 6 against!

[Bricktop]

Do you really desire the 'right team' a few days before qualifiers?

How would you keep the 'right team' together when the players are under contract to foreign clubs? Yes you can prepare a local squad but what about your key overseas players?

[Karl]

How would you keep the 'right team' together when the players are under contract to foreign clubs? Yes you can prepare a local squad but what about your key overseas players?

How does Brazil, Portugal, etc?