Anyone else see this and think it was absurd?
It seems like there is every reason to at least give the nix a chance at representing, before the confed lose their right to a place. I cant understand their logic to not put the best club in the region forward.
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Oceania say no to Phoenix
February 15, 2008
WELLINGTON Phoenix will not be admitted into the current O-League football competition, the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) said.
Its general secretary Tai Nicholas said the Wellington club's participation in the ongoing competition was a non-starter.
The most obvious reason for not including the Phoenix is on sporting grounds, he said in a statement.
(This season's) OFC O-League is already well underway and participating clubs have signed players and coaches with a set competition framework in place.
To change that framework at such a late stage would not be in the spirit of the FIFA Fair Play concept.
The winners of the O-League qualify for the lucrative Club World Cup in Japan.
At the heart of the issue is the performance of the O-League champions at this competition in the company of the top clubs from Europe, South America, Asia and Africa.
Waitakere United, who called themselves semi-professionals, were demolished 3-1 by Iran's Sepahan in a preliminary play-off at the tournament of continental champions featuring AC Milan (Europe) and Boca Juniors (South America) last year.
Auckland City FC were defeated 2-0 by Egypt's El-Ahly in 2006.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter said in December that the football governing body is to reconsider Oceania's inclusion in the Club World Cup after Waitakere's poor performance.
We have to make sure to protect the competition at the highest possible level, said Blatter.
If you want to have a FIFA Club World Cup, we need to have professional clubs playing.
It was evident that there is a difference of the level of competition and this is one matter that will be immediately discussed in the (FIFA) organising committee first and then by the FIFA executive committee.
Definitely, since Australia left Oceania (to align with Asia), we have a problem at least at the level of club competition.
Under the current format, Oceania is allocated only a play-off with a fifth Asian country for a berth in the Club World Cup as well as the World Cup of nations.
Meanwhile, Wellington Phoenix officials are also waiting for FIFA to make a decision on the unusual situation, which involves a New Zealand-based Oceania club playing in an Australian competition, sanctioned by the Asian federation, at its executive committee meeting in mid-March.
AAP
It seems like there is every reason to at least give the nix a chance at representing, before the confed lose their right to a place. I cant understand their logic to not put the best club in the region forward.
-------------------------------
Oceania say no to Phoenix
February 15, 2008
WELLINGTON Phoenix will not be admitted into the current O-League football competition, the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) said.
Its general secretary Tai Nicholas said the Wellington club's participation in the ongoing competition was a non-starter.
The most obvious reason for not including the Phoenix is on sporting grounds, he said in a statement.
(This season's) OFC O-League is already well underway and participating clubs have signed players and coaches with a set competition framework in place.
To change that framework at such a late stage would not be in the spirit of the FIFA Fair Play concept.
The winners of the O-League qualify for the lucrative Club World Cup in Japan.
At the heart of the issue is the performance of the O-League champions at this competition in the company of the top clubs from Europe, South America, Asia and Africa.
Waitakere United, who called themselves semi-professionals, were demolished 3-1 by Iran's Sepahan in a preliminary play-off at the tournament of continental champions featuring AC Milan (Europe) and Boca Juniors (South America) last year.
Auckland City FC were defeated 2-0 by Egypt's El-Ahly in 2006.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter said in December that the football governing body is to reconsider Oceania's inclusion in the Club World Cup after Waitakere's poor performance.
We have to make sure to protect the competition at the highest possible level, said Blatter.
If you want to have a FIFA Club World Cup, we need to have professional clubs playing.
It was evident that there is a difference of the level of competition and this is one matter that will be immediately discussed in the (FIFA) organising committee first and then by the FIFA executive committee.
Definitely, since Australia left Oceania (to align with Asia), we have a problem at least at the level of club competition.
Under the current format, Oceania is allocated only a play-off with a fifth Asian country for a berth in the Club World Cup as well as the World Cup of nations.
Meanwhile, Wellington Phoenix officials are also waiting for FIFA to make a decision on the unusual situation, which involves a New Zealand-based Oceania club playing in an Australian competition, sanctioned by the Asian federation, at its executive committee meeting in mid-March.
AAP
