What would you say to one West Indies football team.

[GazX]

Like the cricket team, a West Indies Football team representing the caribbean for international football, and major tornaments like the World Cup. Could such a thing ever happen, or is there too much politics gwarning for it to happen?

[Tilla]

It would not fly under FIFA. We would need to b one country to play internationally. I do not see us becoming the WI Federation anytime soon.

[GazX]

It would not fly under FIFA. We would need to b one country to play internationally. I do not see us becoming the WI Federation anytime soon.

I suppose FIFA would have to be convinced that such a move would be beneficial to the international game and itself. But FIFA have in recent times shown that they can be persuaded to change it rules.
Use to be that world cups would only be awarded to one nation. Recent times have seen the tornament awarded to Korea/Japan.
Spain and Portugal have united to submitted a bid to hoste the WC which was something that never use to be considered.

Who knows what would happen if the Caribbean nations were to put the argument for a united international football team. Be quite a decent line-up of talent!!

[Tilla]

And what next, Mexico, the USA and Canada decide to enter a team as Combined North America? Hosting the competition between nations did not require rule changes. I see allowing combined teams to play international is going to find it difficult to get approved. I think you and others who want to see the West Indian team play internationally would first need to solve the political problem first - forming a nation between all interested stated.
Norman Manley and others failed at that back in the day, I do not see that happening now.

[GazX]

And what next, Mexico, the USA and Canada decide to enter a team as Combined North America? Hosting the competition between nations did not require rule changes. I see allowing combined teams to play international is going to find it difficult to get approved. I think you and others who want to see the West Indian team play internationally would first need to solve the political problem first - forming a nation between all interested stated.
Norman Manley and others failed at that back in the day, I do not see that happening now.

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Your right that that maybe the bigger obstacle than even FIFA allowing the Islands to merge into one footballing superforce.

Going back to separate nations joining to hold one tornament, Imagine if a united West Indies were awarded the Football World cup. How massive financially would that be for both the region and the various islands football governing bodies. In todays football market, it would absolutely dwarf anything (financially) generated by holding the cricket world cup, and I for one would definately consider booking my ticket to travel and see World cup football under the caribbean sun.
Maybe the mutual financial benefits of such a union is the way overcome those obstacles Manley et al couldnt get over.

[Hortical]

GazX, why don't you put together a WI starting 11 for discussion purposes....

[Bruce]

Just look at the f***ed up state of Windies Cricket.

[GazX]

GazX, why don't you put together a WI starting 11 for discussion purposes....

O.K i'll outline a few names of what a team such as this could have looked like (barring international retirement etc) and anyone else feel free to add to it if they want

Gk D. Ricketts


Winger P. Ifill
CM D. Phillips
CM R. Austin
Winger R. Gardner
CF Kenwyn Jones
CF R. Fuller

Not forgetting man like Titus Bramble (Sunderland FC Central def) -Montserrat decendent who could step in.

leaving three other defenders spaces to fill in.

That rough outline is off the top of my head without properly considering pro footballers abroad of W.I parentage/decent that could be drawn on.
So you see, not only would a united W.I have a bigger pool of pro players (playing in the top leagues) to draw from, the various W.I football federations together would potentially have a better chance of reaching major tornaments finals and so potentially recieve the financial rewards of reaching such finals. And a better W.I team would have better chance of attracting players like Titus. Bramble for example.

Man like J. Barnes may have opted to play for the W.I instead of england if there were such a set-up in his playing days.

[GazX]

O.K i'll outline a few names of what a team such as this could have looked like (barring international retirement etc) and anyone else feel free to add to it if they want

Gk D. Ricketts


Winger P. Ifill
CM D. Phillips
CM R. Austin
Winger R. Gardner
CF Kenwyn Jones
CF R. Fuller

Not forgetting man like Titus Bramble (Sunderland FC Central def) -Montserrat decendent who could step in.

leaving three other defenders spaces to fill in.

That rough outline is off the top of my head without properly considering pro footballers abroad of W.I parentage/decent that could be drawn on.
So you see, not only would a united W.I have a bigger pool of pro players (playing in the top leagues) to draw from, the various W.I football federations together would potentially have a better chance of reaching major tornaments finals and so potentially recieve the financial rewards of reaching such finals. And a better W.I team would have better chance of attracting players like Titus. Bramble for example.

Man like J. Barnes may have opted to play for the W.I instead of england if there were such a set-up in his playing days.

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PS you could also add Jermaine Pennant (Jamaican Parentage) & not getting a look in for england (at any level) to that list

[Bruce]

Why dont we just cut out the nonsense and send the best team in the Caribbean: The Puerto Rico Islanders.

[wbvs]

prefer the status quo , 1 island 1 vote . it would be good to see a jamaican as concacaf president .

[Peter R]

Your proposal is strictly an exercise in conjecture. FIFA will NEVER allow such a thing for one... and for two a Caribbean team for Football would be even more divisive than Cricket... for while we would like to think that the Windies team unites us as a "Caribbean People" nothing could be farther from the truth.

[GazX]

Your proposal is strictly an exercise in conjecture. FIFA will NEVER allow such a thing for one... and for two a Caribbean team for Football would be even more divisive than Cricket... for while we would like to think that the Windies team unites us as a "Caribbean People" nothing could be farther from the truth.

Wouldnt you agree that most things that brings about any change starts off with some sort of conjecture, and someone asking the question, what if.....?
But what ever the political ranglings, W.I sporting history has shown that the various islands can come together inspite of the politics to produce fantastic sporting acheivement and excellence.
In the 70s & early 80s when the W.I cricket team did run tings, appearing in 3 world cup finals (winners 1975), wasnt all the peoples of the W.I united in being proud of the teams acheivement in the international arena?

And as said earlier, if the financial rewards were big enough, it could soften a few attitudes in the various Islands Footballing federations. Money has a funny way of concentrating minds.